Omega 3 Supplements: What Smells Fishy?





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Omega 3 supplements have come to the very top of the list of nutritional supplements to take.  . Its quick rise to fame has sent everyone running to the stores to pick up a bottle for themselves, though; most people don't know much about it besides what it says on the front of the bottle. It may promote heart and brain function, but many people are left with many questions. People may be wondering what the best sourcse of omega 3 are, or how much of it should they be taking.

FIRST THING IS FIRST- UNDERSTANDING WHY

Omega 3 supplements are something of a new supplement craze.  It hasn’t been until recent years that doctors have come out to say that everyone should probably be taking more of them. The reason for this is due to the fact that more and more foods today are being made from products that are higher in omega 6, such as corn and vegetable oils.  Don’t get me wrong, both omega 6 and omega 3 are both essential fatty acids that have equal amounts of health benefits when taken in moderate amounts.  Due to the overconsumption of omega 6, negative side effects have been seen in our bodies such as inflammation. It has been shown that the human body runs most efficiently when it has a balanced omega 6 to 3 ratio. The omega 3s have been proven to reduce the negative effects of omega 6, such an inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been shown to cause practically every modern illness including: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, cancer, psychiatric disorders, and autoimmune diseases.

WHAT ARE OMEGA 3s?

Omega 3s are essential fatty acids.  These fatty acids found in omega 3s include ALA, EPA, and DHA and the fatty acids found in omega 6 are LA and AA.  The omega 3s that are found in foods such as soy come in the short chain fatty acid form of ALA .  Once ALA is consumed, the body converts it into the longer chain forms of either DHA or EPA.  Unfortunately, this process is not very efficient and it is said that your body is only able to convert 5% to EPA and less than 1% to DHA.  The DHA and EPA are the forms we are most interested in.  EPA is has been shown to have a beneficial effect on your cardiovascular function and DHA is beneficial in brain and nerve function and development. .When we get omega 3s from animal sources like fish, they have already taken the ALA from the algae and converted it into DHA and EPA. This means the omega 3s we get from animals can used much more efficiently by our bodies. These supplemental animal sources of omega 3 include fish oil, cod liver oil, and krill oil. Some good dietary sources are from fish such as: salmon, mackerel, and tuna, as well as from grass-fed animal products like meat, milk, butter and eggs.

BEING BULLETPROOF

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One diet that comes to mind my when it comes to omega 3 is the diet of the Bulletproof Exec, Dave Asprey.   Dave heavily emphasizes eating foods that have good omega 6 to 3 ratios and anti-inflammatory.  He is notorious for producing a fatty coffee that he has named the Bulletproof Coffee that includes grass fed butter and MCT or coconut oil.   Mr. Asprey definitely has some interesting ideas that have made a lot of buzz recently, and  I would recommend looking over his website or listening to his podcasts.   I first heard of Dave from the podcast called London Real. That particular podcast can be viewed HERE.

LOOKING TO BUY



So which one is it:  Krill, cod liver , or the fish oil?   The cod liver oil stands out for the fact is has a high amount of vitamin D.  Vitamin D is probably the most important vitamin people aren’t getting enough of.   On the negative side, cod liver oil has also been shown to have a higher amount of contaminants and PCB (polycholorinated biphenylss) compared to fish and krill oil. However, a few fish oil companies were sued a while back due to also having  high amounts of PCBs in their products.  Studies have linked PCB to be a cause of cancer. One of the facts that stand out about krill oils is that the omega 3s are in the form of phospholipids, which are easier for the body to absorb.  Krill also has antioxidants and choline, an essential b vitamin.



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 Personally, what I would recommend doing is asking your doctor for a pharmaceutical grade fish oil. These fish oils come from trusted sources and have minimal contaminants and PCBs.  One guy I also trust and listen to, Ben Greenfield, recommends a fish oil from the company Super Essentials. It is usually recommended taking between 1-3 grams of omega 3 fatty acid daily. I, personally, don't feel like I have to take as much on days where I am eating foods that have a good omega 6 to 3 ratio.  On the on hand, I do take a bit more if I eat things like corn, soybeans, or foods that are cooked in vegetable oils.  The main take away I want to make clear is that the only reason we have to take extra omega 3s is because we are consuming higher amounts of omega 6 in our diets. If you are someone who stays clear of vegetable oils, and processed foods then you probably don't need to take as much omega 3s then someone who is constantly eating out of bags and boxes.  The main goal here is to have balanced levels between the two omega fatty acids so the body doesn't have inflammation and can run more efficiently.

Omega 3s are really something that can improve your overall health and everyone should be taking.  If I would to be able to only choose one supplement, I would choose omega 3 hands down.  I hope this article has helped everyone have a better understanding of what omega 3s are and why we need more of them. Feel free to leave any questions or comments.