Fish Oil: Health or Hype?
RobinMillerMD
Posted: Feb 20, 07 1:43pm We have been hearing a lot about fish oil lately. Why all the hype? Is it really as good as the news stories say? The American Heart Association thinks so. They recommend that healthy people eat omega-3 fatty acids from fish and plant sources (like flax seed and walnuts), and suggest taking two to four grams of fish oil per day day if you need to lower triglyceride levels in your blood. Studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids can:
What's the difference between eating fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids?There are different types of omega-3 fatty acids. The active forms in fish are eisosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are found exclusively in fish, such as herring, sardines, wild salmon and fresh tuna. Flaxseed and flaxseed oil contain alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, and this type of fatty acid is converted to EPA and DHA by the liver. Since the conversion to the active components is variable, fish oil is a far more potent form of omega-3 fatty acids. That said, you should try to get both types if possible. What about mercury?There is the potential for fish oil and of course, fish itself, to contain mercury. Mercury can be toxic to the nervous system and is particularly harmful to the developing nervous systems of babies and small children. If you are interested in taking fish oil, look for brands that use distilled fish oil and test for contaminants. The common brands that do this are Nordic Naturals and Eskimo Oil. Fish oil capsules should be stored in the refrigerator and you need to pay attention to how old your capsules are. If you pierce a capsule and it smells like rotten fish, it has gone rancid and it's time to buy a new bottle. Eating fish is probably the best way for getting omega-3 fatty acids--I always recommend getting your nutrients from whole food when possible. But to avoid mercury, stay away from shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. What else is fish oil good for?Fish oil is beneficial in stroke prevention, Crohn's disease, lupus, prostate cancer, colon cancer, high blood pressure and rheumatoid arthritis. What are the risks?Those with bleeding problems should probably avoid fish oil since it thins the blood. Some people become nauseated after taking it. Some people who take it might find it elevates their cholesterol. And quality issues with fish oil supplements are huge, so it is really important to find a good, mercury-free brand. What is the recommended dose?There really isn't a set recommended dose at this point. Most doctors recommend anywhere from one to three grams of fish oil a day. People with high triglycerides are usually told to take between two to four grams a day. If you are interested in taking fish oil supplements, it is really important to discuss it with your doctor or health care provider first. One more tip: if you find you are burping up fish after you take your supplement, switch to a different brand. There are many which don't give you a fishy after taste. Are you taking fish oil supplements? Have Something to Say? | ADVERTISEMENT  |
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Posted: Feb 21, 07 10:40am
Thanks for the tip about Nordic Naturals and Eskimo Oil. But unless a person has diagnosed cardiovascular disease or several risk factors, isn't it sufficient to eat a few servings of fish and walnuts a week?
Posted: Feb 24, 07 5:56pm
Two to three servings of fish along with walnuts is adequate for a healthy person. However, daily fish oil not only benefits those with cardiovascular disease. It is helpful in other conditions such as diabetes, PMS, memory loss, depression, insulin resistence and arthritis. I also would point out the fact that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women many of whom have no idea they are at risk, but they are. Of course, there are some people who really should avoid fish oil supplements as I mentioned. Everyone who takes a supplement should discuss it first with their docs.
Posted: Mar 4, 07 8:18am
Is cod liver oil a whole other topic? I take a fish oil and a cod liver oil supplement along with my daily multivitamin. Am I overkilling? My osteopath also advised a krill based fish oil supplement- has anyone heard of this?
Posted: Mar 4, 07 9:22am
Hi Mbarbour, You really only need one fish oil supplement. Cod liver oil and krill oil are both fish oils. The nice thing about both of them is that they also contain vitamin D. You could take either one of these forms of fish oil. Supposedly the krill oil has more antioxidant power and it is more expensive than the others. You might want to pick one and shoot for the appropriate amount of omega-3 fatty acids per day depending on why you are taking it and what your health care provider recommends. Make sure that you are using a brand that is free of mercury and that states it has been tested for heavy metals.
Posted: Sep 14, 07 12:55pm
What about the omega-3s in eggs. I've been buying omega-3 eggs for a while now, but am not sure what type of omega-3 it is (feeding the chickens flax or walnuts perhaps?) and many I'd need to eat to eliminate an additional supplement.
Posted: Sep 15, 07 9:37am
There is a study that looked at omega-3 eggs delivered in liquid form. In order to eliminate the supplements you would have to use 50 ml's worth of eggs daily. Here is the link:http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/54811.php
Bottom line is that if you want to eliminate your supplement you would have to eat the eggs every day and make sure they had adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids!
Posted: Sep 15, 07 10:00am
Dr. Robin,
I buy those eggs too. so what you're saying is that even if you eat those eggs it's still wise to take the fish oil supplements, right?
so do you think buying the omega 3 eggs is a waste of money?
Posted: Sep 16, 07 8:52am
No, Those eggs are really good for you. Depending on how many you eat, you may be able to cut down on your fish oil supplements. It is just hard to figure out how much fish oil you are actually getting from them.
Posted: Sep 15, 07 11:53am
My doc has recommended a shake based on Carlson's fish oil:
Here's the recipe:
1 tbsp Carlson's lemon-flavored fish oil (available at health food stores and on the internet; refrigerate after opening)
1 banana
5 chunks pineapple
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 large leaf kale
1 cup water or juice
put all this in the blender, mix it up and drink it. The doc. said to start out with half a cup per day because it was intense and your system had to get used to it. I asked what symptoms it caused, and I was told they were flu-like. I didn't get any further details because all this was through his partner who didn't know much more than she told me.
I just now mixed it up and drank it, so wish me luck. Robin, do you have any thoughts about this health shake, what it will do for me, and why it might make me feel sick at first?
Posted: Sep 16, 07 8:58am
I am not sure why they would expect you to feel sick at first. Sometimes, when something is meant to "detoxify" you, some providers feel that as toxins leave your body you may feel like you have the flu.
How did you feel after you drank the drink??
Posted: Sep 17, 07 11:54am
I've taken my third shake (1/2 cup, as my doc recommended) and I've had no ill effects so far. The only unexpected consequence is that I don't hate the taste! Honestly! It looks gross, though. I think it's the fresh ginger and lemon juice that makes it drinkable. The fish oil disappears in the kale and banana, and because it's lemon-flavored, there's no fishy taste. At any rate--I'm sticking with it. After a week I'm going to up the dose to the whole shake. He said I should start to feel better after six weeks, so I will keep you posted.
Posted: Sep 17, 07 10:30pm
I am interested in finding out how you feel. Thanks for keeping us posted!
Posted: Sep 15, 07 3:49pm
I don't take fish oil supplements, but I eat salmon a few times a week, and I noticed a pattern. My lymphedema doesn't bother me as much after I eat salmon. I don't know if salmon helps other lymphedema sufferers, but it definitely helps me.
Posted: Sep 16, 07 5:18pm
another great source of plant omega's is ground flaxseed meal-it's super cheap and can be purchased at TJ's. I mix it with granola and sprinkle the mix on my yogurt every am. It's got a nutty flavor-great fiber source too.
Posted: Sep 17, 07 7:21am
Flalxseed meal is also good for helping to prevent breast cancer.