Why fish oil?

[stevenb1291]

:sign0085:

I'd like to poll the collective wisdom on fish oil.

I currently take a multivitamin, B12, C and E. Should I be taking fish oil as well? It seems many on the boards take it. Why?

I remember taking it for a little while and getting nasty burps about a half hour later.

Is it worth it?

Do any of you realize benefits from it?

Many thanks and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Please choose the PC one that is suitable to you! :lol2:

Regards,

Steven

 

[Lydia]

Try Carlson Orange flavored fish oil capsules. You wont get the fish burps from those. Fish burps are associated with lower quality fish oils.

Fish oil is good because Omega 3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body.
Its also good for depression.

Those are the 2 reasons I take it. A distant 3rd is that I am trying to get pregnant and in the event I do, its also good for the developing embryo.

 

[David]

I take fish oil and flax oil and have found that the amount of pain I experience is reduced. Is it definitely from them? I don't know, but I feel like they're helping. And hey, they're healthy I don't get any fish burps for the record.

 

[Rebecca85]

I take fish oil because of the anti-inflammatory benefits, and because it apparantly has many other benefits, I figured it can't hurt to try! I have started giving my dog fish oil too, he is really itchy at the moment and fish oil can help with dry skin. I don't think he has fishy burps! We take our oil with food, as I was told that reduces the chance of fish burps.

 

[lynx]

You don't need to take fish oil pills to get the same results! There are several products out there that give the SAME benefits without the worry of mercury contamination or unsound harvesting practices that deplete the natural population of fish in the ocean, or the risk of several other contaminates found in fish products like dioxin and PCBs. Yes there are plants that provide the same anti-inflammatory benefits and omega 3 fatty acids that are found in fish oils pills.
Just do a search for Vegetarian Fish Oil products or Fish Oil Alternatives and you will find a ton of information out there on them. Or visit the local health food store and they will be able to help you chose a great product made from plants that has the same benefits found in using fish oil.....just FYI and ...there will be NO fishy burps lol.

I am not a vegan by the way, here is some interesting information and a couple of links to more:

"According to the Stanford School of Medicine Prevention Research Center, there is no consensus on whether marine-based EPA and DHA is more effective than plant-based EPA omega-3 fatty acids, and no clear recommendation for optimal dosing. Stanford conducted a study on 100 men to compare the effects of both types on blood triglyceride levels, and inflammation markers found no "detectable decreases" in either group. A review of studies on omega-3 fatty acids has found inconclusive or conflicting findings for omega-3 health benefits for many conditions, although evidence indicates they may be important for cardiac health."

Read the FULL article the above was taken from HERE

And here are some links to more information:

From the U.K.

This is from the American College for Advancement in Medicine and is an interesting article on the validity of Omega 3s and fish oil in prevention of heart disease. It does go into the other claimed benefits of using the oil as a secondary effect too like bowel disease and other conditions. Good read actually with credible referencing and sources at the end of the article. HERE

 

[David]

Just be careful with the vegetarian oils as many have significantly lower quantities of the beneficial nutrients in comparison to the fish oils.

 

[lynx]

Actually, from what I have read on the web and been told by the people at the health food stores, the amount of omega3 in vegetarian pills are equal to that of the fish oil product and they have the same beneficial nutrients as the fish oil product with a lower chance of contamination of toxic chemicals like mercury, PCBs and Dioxin all of which are known to cause some serious adverse effects if you get enough of them built up in your body over time. These poisons really are bad for children and teenagers.

Also taking fish oil long term depletes the body of vitamin E. That is why it is added to the oil by the manufacturer. Fish oils do not contain any vitamin E naturally. Vitamin E is also a powerful anti-oxidant and keeps the fish oils from becoming rancid, which can happen pretty fast. On the other hand plant sources do contain high amounts of vitamin E and ALA another essential fatty acid that researchers say is as important as the essential acids DHA and EPA found in fish oils. ALA is not found in fish oils. These two fatty acids, DHA and EPA are found in plants along with ALA.

See my above post for some information and links to credible sources on the web.

Bottom line is look up things and research for yourself what you put into your body. Do not go on just one source for your answers. Find credible places and people that have the information. Do your homework. lol.

 

[David]

We agree that both provide Omega 3's. However, from what I've read and been told, both plant based and fish oil contain large quantities of ALA while fish oil contains the more important EPA and DHA. When the plant oil manufacturers add the EPA and DHA the quantities are lower than that of the fish oil (unless of course you take multiple capsules). And that only a few manufacturers of the plant oil actually have EPA and DHA as it is derived from an algae not found in the USA.

http://www.fatsoflife.com/omega-3-in-fish-food-and-supplement.php

Omega-3 suMothers, fetuses and children need to consume fish oil / fish because they contain EPA & DHA. While plants such as olive oil, flaxseed, walnuts, soy and canola have Omega-3 fats, they are NOT the same kind of fats, they are alpha-linolenic acid Omega fats, NOT EPA and DHA Omega fats like those found in fish. The human body is very inefficient in conferting alpha-linolenic acid into EPA / DHA that the body needs for healthy, normal functions.pplements usually contain fish oil extracted from the body, while concentrated fish oil capsules usually contain purified EPA and DHA in a chemically different form (ethyl esters) from fish body oils. Capsules of omega-3 ethyl esters may have up to 85% EPA and DHA, whereas fish body oil capsules usually have about 30%.

There is one other omega-3 fatty acid found mainly in plants, the "short-chain" alpha-linolenic acid. This omega-3 is shorter, less unsaturated and has less potent health effects than EPA and DHA. It is not used by the brain, so it cannot substitute for DHA in brain function or infant development. The body can convert alpha-linolenic acid to EPA, but does so very inefficiently. Almost no DHA is made from alpha-linolenic acid. Thus, the health effects of plant and fish oil omega-3s are not equivalent. Oils such as flax, canola and soybean, as well as walnuts and flaxseeds contain the most alpha-linolenic acid. These items may be used in foods to support the claim, "contains omega-3s," but the term alpha-linolenic acid seldom appears.

From your livestrong link above:

There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are found primarily in dietary fish and fish oil. Many plants and nuts are good sources for alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and can be eaten in their whole, natural state, or purchased as dietary supplements.

I agree with all your other sentiments though. If you do know of a vegetarian supplement that contains the same levels of all three acids as fish oil, please let me know as I WOULD prefer to switch due to the reasons you mention. Thanks

 

[lynx]

I think, as you said you would probably need to find a good supplement that has the algae in it and take more pills. I used to take fish oil pills that were from Norway...did they work? I did not find any difference in the condition of my disease with or without them. They were deep water, bottom of the food chain(less likely to contain contaminates according to the manufacturer), natural, wild caught blah blah blah and very expensive LOL! I personally believe there are a lot of snake (and fish) oil salespeople out there and everyone is clamoring for your hard earned dollar. I also know that what works for some of us will not work for others too.

I am no expert on this and what I think is weird about all the supplements out there including fish oil is there is no real consensus as to the validity of its importance or use. I was taking a supplement and discussed it with my doctor and he said that there is definitely a placebo effect with most OTC supplements people take. In other words, if you feel its works for you and its not hurting you then go ahead and take it. The last link I posted really cuts at the heart of a lot of this controversy though...the one from The American College for Advancement in Medicine.

Just like they said a few years ago EGGS are bad for you and MILK is bad for you and this and that is bad for you...and then we find out ...hey ...its not. As for taking anything like fish oil or supplements the main point I was/am trying to make is that we need to do the research for ouselves and we need to be informed as a consumer. The supplement industry is a multi billion dollar a year industry and for the most part it is unregulated in the US. That leaves us the consumer open to being taken by promises and BS on a major scale. We all want to believe in things to help cure us and make us feel better... I know several people who lived/are living that are in their 80s and 90s and never took any vitamins or supplements or fish oil...just makes you wonder if it is really worth the money and time. Two of them have crohn's too.

 

[David]

I personally believe there are a lot of snake (and fish) oil salespeople out there and everyone is clamoring for your hard earned dollar.

Agreed. That's why I try to stick to very reputable manufacturers that have stringent protocols in place.

The last link I posted really cuts at the heart of a lot of this controversy though...the one from The American College for Advancement in Medicine.

The thing is, that article is pretty much dedicated to heart disease and fish oil. Once it gets away from that topic, it goes on to say:

Other benefits. Ancillary benefits of fish-oil supplementation are thought to be considerable. Therapeutic effects have been investigated, with various degrees of evidence, in such diverse conditions as bipolar disorder, depression, dementia, psychosis, certain cancers (including breast, colon, and prostate) cancer cachexia, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, dysmenorrhea, IgA nephropathy, systemic lupus, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, psoriasis, eczema, dry eye, macular degeneration, pre-eclampsia, and prevention of organ-transplant rejection.24

As for taking anything like fish oil or supplements the main point I was/am trying to make is that we need to do the research for ouselves and we need to be informed as a consumer.

Agreed.

 

[D Bergy]

I use Krill Oil as the shelf life is longer than Fish oil, as it is higher in antioxidants. Fish Oil can go rancid if it sits too long. There also is not the fishy burps, and Krill Oil is more concentrated, so you do not need as much to get the same benefit.

Krill are small creatures also, and do not accumulate Mercury as larger fish do.

Crohn's or not, our beef does not have the same ratio of Omega three to six as it did in the past. Supplements allow that balance to be brought back into line with traditional ratios. Too much Omega six is inflammatory, which cannot help us out in the long run.

Dan

 

[David]

I haven't heard of the Krill oil before, very interesting! Does it have all three omegas like fish oil? Are there any manufacturers you recommend? Thanks!

 

[D Bergy]

I use Dr. Mercola's Krill Oil, but Neptune Krill Oil is supposed to be a quality brand. It may even be the same brand that Dr. Mercola has, with a different name. I am sure there are other good brands as well.

Here is the information he has on Krill Oil. His price is in line with other sellers, and he has free shipping for December orders.

http://krilloil.mercola.com/krill-oil.html?aid=CD847&gclid=CJ735tufi6YCFQO8KgodRhP1og

Dan

 

[bonfi1967]

I have had the Krill oil from hollandandbarrett 1000mg it contains Astaxanthin (naturally occuring) which I also used to take as a separate supplement. Astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant to eliminate free radicals from the body... I used to have their Omega 3, Omega 6 fish oil supplements before having the KO, but having read excellent reviews from the Krill Oil and how beneficial it is for you, have been taking them quite often.