Fish vs Flax Seed Oil

[Jigga]

http://www.supplementquality.com/effica ... axoil.html

A great read, pretty comprehensive. I bring this up because I remember reading somewhere on here that people were taking a rediculous amount of fish oil and perhaps weren't supplementing with flax oil either? I have summarised the key points for those who cbf reading the article.

Benefits of fish oil

Numerous authorities tout the health benefits of eating fish, especially fatty species which are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Proven benefits range from lowering triglycerides and blood pressure and the risk of heart disease, to the more subtle effects of reducing chronic inflammation.

Some researchers are convinced that chronic inflammation at the cellular level is the underlying cause of most of today’s significant diseases, including diabetes and cancer as well as heart disease, high blood pressure, and strokes. Dr. Barry Sears of “Zone Diet” fame would add osteoarthritis and Alzheimer’s disease to that list.

Obtaining optimal levels of omega-3s, which are abundant in fatty fish, is especially important for children and women of childbearing years. Omega-3s are vital for brain development. Low levels during pregnancy and childhood can have detectable negative impacts on intelligence.

Mercury contamination?

Both the NSF and NNFA quality seals (shown below) mean that the product does not contain heavy metals. Specifically, any lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and/or chromium that might be present must be at levels below the standards set by the World Health Organization. In order to quality for the NSF and NNFA quality seals, any claims on the label that the product does not contain other contaminants must be supported by independent laboratory tests. Also, supplement products consisting of 2% oil or more must pass two tests for the presence of oxidation and rancidity.

Some manufacturer labels that do not have these quality seals do claim their product does not contain PCBs, mercury, lead, or various other contaminants. They should have reports from independent, third-party labs that verify this claim. You can ask to see a copy of these reports. If they refuse to supply this documentation, you can complain to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—which is charged with making sure that companies have evidence to support their marketing claims.

Benefits of flax oil.

Flax seed oil contains an omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is one of two fatty acids that the body needs and cannot make for itself. Several other sources of ALA do exist, most notably walnuts and hemp seed. Omega-3s are needed by every cell in the body. Among other things, an ample supply helps ensure that cell membranes stay flexible so that cells can get nutrients easily.

The body can use ALA to make all the other omega-3 fatty acids that it needs, including both EPA and DHA. Thus, if you get enough ALA, you don’t need to eat any other sources of omega-3s.

Another advantage of getting one’s omega-3s from the ALA in flax oil is that the body does not create more EPA and DHA than it needs. Therefore, ingesting too much EPA/DHA is not an issue.

The human body uses a variety of omega-3s, not just EPA and DHA. To make the full range of these omega-3s, the body needs ALA from flax oil (or walnuts or other sources) in addition to EPA and DHA. Thus, one needs to consume some ALA even if fish and/or fish oil are plentiful in one’s diet.

Why not just smash back flax oil?

Since one needs ALA anyway, and the body can make all the other omega-3s it needs from ALA, does that mean flax seed oil is a better source than fish oil for one’s omega-3s? Not necessarily.

The body uses various enzymes to convert ALA to other omega-3s, and the process is not very efficient, especially as one gets older. Estimates of the rate of conversion range from 5% to 25%. In order to make sufficient amounts of EPA and DHA, one needs to consume 5 or 6 times more ALA than if one relies on fish oil alone. Also, women convert ALA to the other omega-3s more efficiently than men, largely so they can meet the nutritional demands of their infants during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Take both!

In conclusion, why limit oneself to either/or when it’s better to have both/and? Eating a modest amount of fish or fish oil (or algae-based DHA supplements) ensures a direct supply of EPA and DHA, while adding flax seed oil to one’s diet ensures a healthy intake level of ALA. Every cell in your body will thank you for it.

How much should you have?

For healthy adults, the recommendation is 300-500 mg per day of EPA and DHA combined, plus an additional 800 to 1100 mg of ALA.

The EPA/DHA recommendation can usually be met with one softgel capsule of fish oil (with 1 gram or 1000 mg of fish oil) which usually contains 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA, totalling 300 mg of the two omega-3s. However, amounts do vary (some products are stronger, some weaker), so look at the amounts of EPA and DHA provided, and add them together to see if the product supplies 300 mg in one serving.

A few more free tips:

- get "cold-pressed" fish oil tablets if you can

- cook with olive oil

- too much water is bad for you (over-works your liver just like binge drinking alcohol)

[HumanPerformance]

The reason the use of flaxseed has become unpopular in the last couple of years is the discovery of the delta-6 desaturase enzyme. It was found that this enzyme is needed to digets and absorb flaxseed and not everybody has it.

[Jigga]

The reason the use of flaxseed has become unpopular in the last couple of years is the discovery of the delta-6 desaturase enzyme. It was found that this enzyme is needed to digets and absorb flaxseed and not everybody has it.

How do you find out if you have it or not? Are walnuts in a protein shake the next best option?