| Personal Care Corner | |
Fish Oil Facts
by Carrie A. Corson, from the January 2005 newsletter
Fish oil supplements have been getting a lot of notice lately. It has long been thought that eating fish two to three times per week has many health benefits, especially eating cold water fish like salmon, cod and mackerel, which are particularly high in Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). However, as the concern grows over the levels of toxins such as mercury found in many of these fish, the demand for fish oil supplements is growing.
Essential fatty acids are important for good health. Currently, many Americans get plenty of omega-6 fatty acids because those are found in meats and most vegetable oils. Omega-3 fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) are harder to find but cold-water fish are an excellent source. One of the primary roles of EFAs is maintaining healthy cells. These fatty acids keep cell membranes fluid and flexible. This allows cells to hold water, vital nutrients, and electrolytes, as well as to promote normal detoxification. “EFAs are also the building blocks of prostaglandins, a class of hormones that regulate numerous bodily functions including cellular responses, immune function, and hormone synthesis.” (Nordic News Spring 2004 Protect Your Heart) Prostaglandins are anti-inflammatory and are being studied for their role in protecting against heart disease, improving brain function, and maintaining healthy joints.
There are numerous fish oil products to choose from and it can all be a bit confusing. One can find fish oil by itself both in liquid and capsule form. There are also complexes available which may include fish, flax, borage, or evening primrose oils. These complexes provide different health benefits and individual goals may dictate which is the best choice for each person. If you are primarily interested in high DHA and EPA content, fish oil is the best choice. Although flax oil is high in the short chain omega-3 fatty acid known as alpha-linolenic acid and has its own health benefits, it must be converted in our bodies into the longer chain fatty acids. This conversion is slow and does not appear to yield the high concentrations of DHA and EPA found in fish oil.
All fish oil supplements may not be created equal. Toxicity levels in fish may compromise the quality of some supplements. If you decide to add fish oil to your supplement regimen, it is important to use supplements from companies that provide supplements free of toxins. Beyond testing to ensure that the raw material is toxin-free, many supplement companies use distillation technologies to remove any possibility of heavy metal and dioxin contamination. This newer technology also allows the levels of EPA and DHA to be concentrated in much higher levels per capsule.
Fish oil supplements are generally considered safe and well tolerated. However, there are some individuals that it may not be appropriate for. Please check with your health care practitioner before adding this or any supplement to your regimen. The information in this article is meant for educational purposes only. It is not meant to prevent, diagnose or cure any disease.
References:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Pharmaceutical Grade Marine Lipids, Dr. Michael T. Murray.
Nordic News, Special Report on Men’s Health, Summer 2004 Nordic Naturals.
Nordic News, Protect Your Heart, Spring 2004 Nordic Naturals.
Nordic News, Volume I, Make Friends with Fish.
|
Copyright: Copyright on articles, recipes and
images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective contributors,
except were otherwise noted.
|
For additions or corrections to this page, please contact the Webmaster.
