Fish Oil - Miracle Food Supplement?

OPINION PIECE:
By Chris Sovey
RN, BSN

I'm sure you've heard the buzzword "Omega-3's," as it has grown to be a popular term in modern media. Omega-3's have become synonymous with fish oil. However, they are not the same thing. Fish oil is simply a potent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. It has become so popular because our bodies readily absorb the Omega-3's contained within the oil. But just how important is it to include in our diet, and what is the big deal, anyways?

Well, the big deal is, we haven't changed much from our ancestors. Whatever means of creation that you believe, it is a fact that our genes remain pretty much the same from our cavemen sisters and brothers, and that we were not designed for a 21st century diet. (You will hear this concept many times in this blog.) In fact, our ancestors maintained a pretty solid Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio of 1:1. With the introduction of grains, modern farming techniques, and seed oils (corn oils, canola oils, etc), our consumption of Omega-6's-to-Omega-3's has skyrocketed to an average of nearly 16:1 (Ilardi, pg 70, 2009).

This massive tip of the scales, has presented major health problems. It is well documented in literature that inflammation is the basis of practically all disease states of the body (Porth, 2006). Omega-3's can help reduce inflammation throughout the body. Omega-3's have demonstrated significant effects on reducing vascular inflammation (Riediger, et al., 2009). Basically what I am trying to get at here is: If you aren't quite ready to make significant changes to your diet, at least try offsetting the negative effects by increasing your Omega-3 intake.

EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid, has been the component of Omega-3 research that appears to reap the most benefits (except in pregnancy). Omega 3's also contain another component called docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA (Riediger, et. al, 2009). There is still debate over what is an appropriate EPA / DHA ratio within fish oil sources.

Just what can Omega-3's do for you? Well a lot, according to a large systematic review of evidence by the American Dietetic Association. Scouring through loads of evidence, the authors concluded that Omega-3 fatty acids are effective at reducing cholesterol and preventing heart disease. There is also a growing body of evidence that Omega-3's act as an anti-depressant, mood stabilizer, and anti-carcinogen. It has also shown positive effects on infant development, and other findings such as strengthening the immune system (Riediger, et. al, 2009).

If you plan to consume Omega-3's in the form of fish oil, there are a few things you should know. Dosages vary a lot depending on the intended use. For instance, a study showed supplementing with 4g of EPA per day reduced triglyceride levels by 23% (Mori TA, et al., 2000). A little bit can go a long way, but do some research and/or talk to your healthcare provider.

Supplements are not regulated by the FDA. This can be rather alarming as some companies tend to be rather lax in their standards. Do research on different brands to be certain of purity and low mercury content. An informal test of quality can be to simply smell the oil. If it is encapsulated, break open the capsule with a knife and smell the contents. If it is foul, it is most likely of an impure source. However, this is not reliable, as flavor enhancers such as lemon extracts can mask foul smells / tastes. Do your research.

You don't have to spend an arm and a leg on fish oil. It has come down significantly in price due to the demand. I personally have had great success with Carlson's "The Very Finest Fish Oil." Always search the net before making a trip out to your local health food store. You can save about 50% by purchasing it from a website such as Amazon.com. Look for sources that come from deep, cold-water ocean fish, as they tend to have higher purity rates. I am skeptical about fish oil sources that are "molecularly distilled." This raises questions about the original source of the oil. If you have a fresh source of fish oil, there should be no need for distillation. Also, I speculate that the distillation process may render the original fatty-acids less viable.

Consider talking to your healthcare professional and adding fish oil to your diet today. I recommend it to almost everyone I know. It could save your life.

Cheers to your health!

Disclaimer: Most postings on this blog are opinion-based. Information on this blog is not meant to serve as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before implementing any opinions presented on this blog.

References:


Ilardi, SS. (2009). The Depression cure: the 6-step program to beat depression without drugs. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Lifelong Books.


Mori TA, Burke V, Puddey IB, Watts GF, O'Neal DN, Best JD, Beilin LJ. Purified eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids have differential effects on serum lipids and lipoproteins, LDL particle size, glucose, ans insulin in mildly hyperlipidemic men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71:1085-1094


Porth, MP. (2006). Pathophysiology: concepts of altered health states. Milwaukee, WI: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.


Riediger, ND, Othman, RA, Suh, M, & Moghadasian, M. (2009). A Systematic review of the roles of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109(4), 668-679.