Interesting Article on Benefits of Fish Oil

[stat1951]

This topic caught my attention as all of my primary doctors (TRT specialist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, and PCP) have inisisted on me taking a quality Fish Oil product containing good amounts of omega 3 fatty acids (so that I'm getting 3 grams daily of the omega 3s).

I found this to be an interesting article on the benefits of (quality) fish oil with Functional Fatty Acids and specifically omega-3 acid oils:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=952894

"5 Damn Good Reasons to Use FFA"

• Cool Benefit #1 – Fat Loss
  
• Cool Benefit #2 – Muscle Gain
  
• Cool Benefit #3 – Overall Health and Longevity
  
• Cool Benefit #4 – Mental Health & Brain Health
  
• Cool Benefit #5 – Miscellaneous Grab Bag O' Goodness

Fulll article is at indicated link.

Larry

[morepain]

I would also recommend the book Omega-Rx by Barry Sears which provides very detailed information about this topic.

[Sunkist]

Make sure you get the good stuff. One bad side is increased Hg.

[James23]

I think this is pure hype. While there are benefits from ingesting the proper ratios of fatty acids, they are not as exaggerated as claimed.

If you read about any marketable nutritional supplement, you will find bulleted lists of amazing possibilities. However, none of they are actually true as they are stated. Take, for instance, chlorella, "nature's perfect food." Supposedly, everything from energy to vision will improve significantly. Think about the hundreds of supplements that make this very same claim. It's no different for fish oil.

The truth is:

- A deficiency of the any supplementable consumable MIGHT cause suboptimal functioning.
- If this deficiency exists - supplementing might alleviate the problems cause by same.

However, ingesting the supplement (like fish oil) will not IMPROVE you functioning beyond fixing the deficiency.

[Millard Baker]

Originally Posted by James23

The truth is:

- A deficiency of the any supplementable consumable MIGHT cause suboptimal functioning.
- If this deficiency exists - supplementing might alleviate the problems cause by same.

However, ingesting the supplement (like fish oil) will not IMPROVE you functioning beyond fixing the deficiency.

Not necessarily true.

For example, since this is the TRT forum, I thought the following analaogy would be most relevant at showing how this isn't true.

* A deficiency of testosterone MIGHT cause suboptimal functioning
* If this deficiency exists - supplementing might alleviate the problems cause by same.

But will testosterone supplementation at 2000mg per week NOT have affects on physiological functioning beyond fixing the deficiency at 100mg/week?

Of course it will.

Ditto with a lot of other supplements.

[cpeil2]

Originally Posted by administrator

Not necessarily true.

For example, since this is the TRT forum, I thought the following analaogy would be most relevant at showing how this isn't true.

* A deficiency of testosterone MIGHT cause suboptimal functioning
* If this deficiency exists - supplementing might alleviate the problems cause by same.

But will testosterone supplementation at 2000mg per week NOT have affects on physiological functioning beyond fixing the deficiency at 100mg/week?

Of course it will.

Ditto with a lot of other supplements.

Poor analogy - apples and oranges.

[Millard Baker]

Originally Posted by cpeil2

Poor analogy - apples and oranges.

Explain.

[stat1951]

Originally Posted by James23

I think this is pure hype. While there are benefits from ingesting the proper ratios of fatty acids, they are not as exaggerated as claimed.

If you read about any marketable nutritional supplement, you will find bulleted lists of amazing possibilities. However, none of they are actually true as they are stated. Take, for instance, chlorella, "nature's perfect food." Supposedly, everything from energy to vision will improve significantly. Think about the hundreds of supplements that make this very same claim. It's no different for fish oil.

The truth is:

- A deficiency of the any supplementable consumable MIGHT cause suboptimal functioning.
- If this deficiency exists - supplementing might alleviate the problems cause by same.

However, ingesting the supplement (like fish oil) will not IMPROVE you functioning beyond fixing the deficiency.

Research on the actual topic (consumption of Omega 6 fatty acids versus consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids) clearly reveals that our society collectively has tilted the balance in an extreme direction away from sufficient consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids (as found in quality fish oils) and towards over-consumption of Omega 6 oils. Two families of essential fatty acids (EFAs) — the omega-6 fatty acids and the omega-3 fatty acids — are vital nutrients for growth and development. They cannot be made by the body so must be obtained in the diet. In general, levels of omega-6 fatty acids in the modern diet are way too high, while omega-3 fatty acids are significantly lacking.

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyour...ny.html#omega6

As I noted in my original post, I am not supplementing fish oils (for Omega 3s) because some supplement company lured me with their "bulleted claims" of "amazing possibilities".

I am supplementing with fish oil (for Omega 3s) at the specific orders of my regular doctor (PCP - primary care physician), my endocrinologist, my psychaitrist, and also my TRT specialist - SWALE. Also while at NIH Hospital recently (December) for extensive testing, they went over my list of medications and supplements in great detail and were specifically positive in nature about the fish oil supplementation.

The fellowship doctor at NIH felt that fish oil supplementation should be a standard part of one's daily supplement regimen along with a good quality daily vitamin and mineral combination. She clearly seemed to know her stuff as she also cautioned about if using, being a male, a multi-mineral formula to make sure and use an iron-free version to aid with preventing build-up of excess iron in the body.

Some info links....

http://www.theomnivore.com/It%27s%20...%20stupid.html

http://www.theomnivore.com/Straight%...inbox%202.html

http://www.theomnivore.com/CVD_East_Cent_Europe.html

Anthony is pretty sharp, but he is - after all - an "independent researcher" (although he has been published in a medical journal)... How about something from a more traditional medical source (like the University of Texas Medical School / Hospital):

Related terms: a-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3), alpha-linolenic acid, cod liver oil, coldwater fish, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3), fish oil fatty acids, fish body oil, fish liver oil, fish extract, halibut oil, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, mackerel oil, marine oil, menhaden oil, n-3 fatty acids, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega fatty acids, omega-3 oils, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), salmon oil, shark liver oil, w-3 fatty acids. Should not be confused with omega-6 fatty acids... Dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish oil and certain plant/nut oils. Fish oil contains both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)...

Their paper then continues (various segments):

There is evidence from multiple large-scale population (epidemiologic) studies and randomized controlled trials that intake of recommended amounts of DHA and EPA in the form of dietary fish or fish oil supplements lowers triglycerides, reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease, slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques ("hardening of the arteries"), and lowers blood pressure slightly...

There is strong scientific evidence from human trials that omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil supplements (EPA + DHA) significantly reduce blood triglyceride levels. Benefits appear to be dose-dependent, with effects at doses as low as two grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day. Higher doses have greater effects, and four grams per day can lower triglyceride levels by 25-40%...

The American Heart Association, in its 2003 recommendations, reports that supplementation with two to four grams of EPA + DHA each day can lower triglycerides by 20-40%. Because of the risk of bleeding from omega-3 fatty acids (particularly at doses greater than three grams per day), a physician should be consulted prior to starting treatment with supplements. (And the same can be said for DHEA, Melatonin, etc., etc. Larry)...

Several well-conducted randomized controlled trials report that in people with a history of heart attack, regular consumption of oily fish (200-400 grams of fish each week equal to 500-800 mg of daily omega-3 fatty acids) or fish oil/omega-3 supplements (containing 850-1800 mg of EPA + DHA) reduces the risk of non-fatal heart attack, fatal heart attack, sudden death, and all-cause mortality (death due to any cause)... Multiple mechanisms have been proposed for the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids. These include reduced triglyceride levels, reduced inflammation, slightly lowered blood pressure, reduced blood clotting, reduced tendency of the heart to develop abnormal rhythms and diminished buildup of atherosclerotic plaques in arteries of the heart. Experiments suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), decrease platelet aggregation, inhibit the expression of vascular adhesion molecules and stimulate relaxation of endothelial cells in the walls of blood vessels...

Multiple human trials report small reductions in blood pressure with intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Reductions of two to five mmHg have been observed, and benefits may be greater in those with higher blood pressures. Effects appear to be dose-responsive (higher doses have greater effects). DHA may have greater benefits than EPA...

Several population (epidemiologic) studies report that dietary omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil may reduce the risk of developing breast, colon or prostate cancer. Randomized controlled trials are necessary before a clear conclusion can be drawn...

This paper is very good as it does list through all of the various claims made (by certain unethical supplement companies and others) and does "shoot down" any claims not met with by scientific evidence....

An example:

Diabetes - Although slight increases in fasting blood glucose levels have been noted in patients with type 2 ("adult onset") diabetes, the available scientific evidence suggests that there are no significant long-term effects of fish oil in patients with diabetes, including no changes in progression of diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), albuminuria (protein in the urine) or hemoglobin A1c levels...

Or.....

Depression - Several studies in this area do not provide enough reliable evidence to form a clear conclusion. Promising initial evidence requires confirmation with larger, well-designed trials....

So, no, it is not a "wonder drug" (or supplement) that will cure each and every disorder. But then it was never claimed to be the case even in the original article.

As Omega 6 fatty acids have overrun our dietary choices (much as soy fodd products have been added to so many commercial foods), then taking a supplemental dose of a essential fatty acid (Omega 3), a substance like essential amino acid proteins that your body simply cannoty make on its own simply makes sense to me.

It apparently also makes sense to SWALE, to my other personal doctors, and also to doctors and researchers at NIH Hospital, and to many other medical authorities.

Larry

[stat1951]

New MedScape article dated March 3rd (2006):

In a Bad Mood? Eat Your Fish

By Salynn Boyles - WebMD Medical News

Whether you're seriously depressed or simply in a bad mood, eating salmon and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids just might help you feel better.

Earlier studies appear to link low blood levels of omega-3s to a host of serious psychological conditions, including major depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, and even schizophrenia.

Now new research suggests that omega-3s can have a significant impact on everyone's mental health.

"People in our study who had low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to report mild to moderate symptoms of depression, more moodiness, and more impulsivity," says researcher Sarah Conkin, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Conversely, people with higher blood levels of omega-3s were found to be more agreeable, based on the results of standardized tests.

Conkin presented the findings at the 46th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society in Denver...

In the new study involving 106 healthy people without major depression or any other diagnosed mood disorder, those who had low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids scored worse than those with high levels on tests designed to assess mood, personality, and impulsive behavior.

Conklin says low ALA levels were specifically associated with higher levels of impulsivity, which in more extreme forms manifests as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)... People in the study with low blood levels of EPA and DHA were more likely than others to report experiencing symptoms of mild to moderate depression, Conklin adds... Harvard psychiatry professor Andrew L. Stoll, MD, who wrote the book "The Omega-3 Connection", says most Americans find it difficult to get enough omega-3 fatty acids through the foods they eat alone. He points out that the typical Japanese diet contains as much as 10 times the omega-3 fats as the typical American diet. He recommends that adults take high-quality fish oil capsules to boost their omega-3 levels, and cut down on their consumption of foods containing omega-6 fats such as foods fried in corn, peanut, and soybean oils. "It is just hard to get enough omega-3s in this country," he says. "In Japan it is just part of the culture to eat omega-3-rich foods, but that isn't the case here."

It also states in the article:

The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fatty fish each week, based on strong evidence that the omega-3 fats found in the fish help protect against cardiovascular disease...

SOURCES: 64th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society, Denver, March 1-4, 2006. Sarah Conklin, PhD, postdoctoral fellow, cardiovascular behavioral medicine program, department of psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Andrew L. Stoll, director of psycohopharmacology research, McLean University; associate professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Larry

[jonny21]

I posted this elsewhere also, seems on topic:

http://www.omacorrx.com/

http://www.hapi-naples.com/AdvancesinTreatment.html

[stat1951]

To make things even more interesting, I had located this message earlier:

It's just a matter of time before doctors announce...

******************************************

"Sorry, we were WRONG about cholesterol."

******************************************

Are you turning your life topsy-turvy to lower your cholesterol? Struggling to avoid cholesterol-rich foods and shelling out big bucks for cholesterol-lowering drugs? DON'T BOTHER... Cholesterol doesn't cause heart disease. Studies prove this beyond a doubt. In fact, more than 60% of all heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Your efforts and money are being wasted. You can expect doctors to announce an official reversal, but it may not come for quite a while... Meanwhile, the REAL cause of heart disease could be gaining ground in your body. Don't let it... Millions of people have been misled for decades and tricked into taking unnecessary cholesterol-lowering drugs. To make matters worse, just recently the federal government announced that people should lower their cholesterol even more. Their new guidelines call for getting LDL levels almost impossibly low...

Anyway, it goes on to talk about how Cholesterol is innocent, and that the real risk factor in inflammation - and inflammation most often caused from homocysteine! Even the American Heart Association is "beginning to agree" (it's going to be a tough battle for them as they have preached the evils of cholesterol for so long). Anyway, they’ve found that people with heart disease all have one factor in common, and it isn’t high cholesterol... It’s inflammation in their arteries! (See: Heart guidelines urge test for inflammation; USA TODAY, Jan. 28, 2003)

Anyway, homocysteine is a harmless acid-like waste product that forms when you eat red meat and other protein foods. Homocysteine is quickly broken down by certain B vitamins (also this is where TMG shows itself to be a eral powerhouse!), so it isn’t usually a problem. But if a person isn’t getting enough of these B vitamins - which is an acknowledged widespread problem in our country today - then homocysteine builds up to dangerous levels and inflames the delicate tissue of artery walls. Plaque is then formed at the site of this inflammation as the body attempts to heal the damage. How dangerous is this? Studies show that a high level of homocysteine is one of the most dangerous risk factors for heart disease. It increases a person’s risk of heart attack by 300 percent!

The article goes on to state:

If you’re thinking a little extra B-vitamin intake would correct the problem, you’re on the right track. That’s exactly how some alternative MDs handle the problem. Studies as far back as 1988 show that this B vitamin lowers homocysteine levels back into the safety zone in just weeks. It has an 80% success rate. And the cost is about 5 cents a day.

But if you’re a good detective (and I think you are), you’re probably wondering what’s causing this B-vitamin deficiency in the first place? Closer investigation reveals that an underactive thyroid gland is at the root of the problem. This malfunction inhibits the absorption of B vitamins, causing homocysteine levels to skyrocket. The connection between the thyroid and heart disease was first mentioned in the 1976 book, "Solved: The Riddle of Heart Attacks", by Dr. Broda Barnes. His research was largely ignored by the medical community, until the release of a study in 1999. At the Cleveland Clinic, researchers corrected the thyroid function in patients and saw homocysteine levels normalize on their own—without any need for vitamins.

Interesting. And much of what was stated as been shown to be the case in newer research studies that have been done... And personally I would think that adding TMG to one's supplement regimen would be of even enhanced effectiveness in combating elevated homocysteine.

Larry

[cpeil2]

Originally Posted by stat1951

And personally I would think that adding TMG to one's supplement regimen would be of even enhanced effectiveness in combating elevated homocysteine.

Larry

I read recently that a complete solution to high homocysteine should include both a methyl donor (e.g. TMG) and a methylating agent (e.g. folic acid). One without the other is somewhat effective, but combining the two is closer to an optimal solution.

[Sunkist]

Larry, your thesis is complete when you discuss C Reactive Protein also. I have a couple of studies on fish oil and lowered cholesterol, but you are very correct on the relationship of same to CHD. Fish oil is a necessity in the supp agenda IMHO. Just too may positives as well as the negatives of soy on men.

[pmgamer18]

I have been on Kirkland Enteric Coated Extra Strength Fish Oil from Coscos my Dr. started me on 6 gel tabs a 2 three times a day. But later told me to cut back to 3 gel tabs a day. It has 850mgs of Concentrated Fish Oil = Omega 3 (EPA) 240 mgs. and (DHA) 200 mgs. is this enough. How much do you guys take.

[cpeil2]

Originally Posted by pmgamer18

I have been on Kirkland Enteric Coated Extra Strength Fish Oil from Coscos my Dr. started me on 6 gel tabs a 2 three times a day. But later told me to cut back to 3 gel tabs a day. It has 850mgs of Concentrated Fish Oil = Omega 3 (EPA) 240 mgs. and (DHA) 200 mgs. is this enough. How much do you guys take.

SWALE recommends that you take enough of whatever product you use to get a total of at least 3gm/day of the omega-3's. I can get that amount from 2 tsps. of the Carlsson's fish oil. I would take more except I have to limit supp's that have an anti-platelet effect.