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Posts Tagged ‘Omega 3’

Fish and Fish Oil increase risk of Diabetes?

Monday, December 12th, 2011

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids and fish consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes.

Are Fish Toxic?

In a Harvard study of study of 36,328 women who participated in the Women’s Health Study and who were followed from 1992 to 2008 it was found that marine but not plant-based omega-3 fatty acids increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jan;93(1):143-50. Epub 2010 Oct 27. Diousse et al

We presume this is because Fish oil comes free with saturated animal fat which is abundant in the modern diet whereas, plant sources of omega 3 escape that hazard. Unless it is due to contamination from toxins in the sea absorbed by the fish.

Another good reason to use plant based omega 3 essential fats V Pure

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World Diabetes Day – Omega 3 Essential Fats

Monday, November 14th, 2011

Diabetes and Omega 3 Essential Fats

Here’s what the University of Maryland Medical Center says about Essential Fats and Diabetes

People with diabetes often have high triglyceride and low HDL levels. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can help lower triglycerides and apoproteins (markers of diabetes), and raise HDL, so eating foods or taking fish oil supplements may help people with diabetes. Another type of omega-3 fatty acid, ALA (from flaxseed, for example) may not have the same benefit as fish oil. Some people with diabetes can’ t efficiently convert ANA to a form of omega-3 fatty acids that the body can use. Also, some people with type 2 diabetes may have slight increases in fasting blood sugar when taking fish oil.

The Physicians Commitee for Responsible Medicine PCRM disagree that fish oil is the solution for diabetes

The high amounts of fat and cholesterol and the lack of fiber make fish a poor choice. Fish are also often high in mercury and other environmental toxins that have no place in an optimal diet.

Fish oils have been popularized as an aid against everything from heart problems to arthritis. The bad news about fish oils is that omega-3s in fish oils are highly unstable molecules that tend to decompose and, in the process, unleash dangerous free radicals. Research has shown that omega-3s are found in a more stable form in vegetables, fruits, seeds and beans.7, 8

A number of health organisations are now recommending eating a diet richer in plantfoods to combat diabetes. There is a list of free resources on the One World Day website including a couple that specifically claim to fight the symptoms of diabetes.

In a study looking at Dietary fats and prevention of type 2 diabetes by Walter Willet et al in Collaboration between the Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Uppsala University, Sweden, the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, Boston they advise

Improving fat quality should be considered part of a dietary lifestyle strategy to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes. In practice, replacing fats from red meats and butter with non-hydrogenated vegetable oils and margarines rich in MUFA and/or PUFA should be encouraged to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce diabetes risk. Such dietary fat composition also lowers cardiovascular risk by reducing the serum LDL/HDL ratio and triacylglycerols [33, 34].

Leading UK Nutritionist in London, Yvonne Bishop-Weston says vegetable oil and margarine is an unreliable way to to alter the balance of essential fats in the diet for a number of reasons.

  1. Studies show that we not only have too much saturated animal fat in our diet but that the polyunsaturated fat that is readily available is usually heavily biased towards omega 6. This makes it even harder for our bodies to process omega 3 into longer chain cell building and repairing DHA
  2. Polyunsaturated omega 3 essential fats are very delicate and prone to deterioration from exposure to air, light and heat. Unless the fats are freshly pressed you could end up doing more damage to your health than good.
  3. An omega 3 oil can be cold pressed, virgin, fresh as grass but it is still a half food rather than a whole food. It’s missing many of the vitamins and minerals needed for your body to process those essential fats in to cell building compounds.
  4. Consuming oil and margarine is an inefficient use of your daily calorie allowance.
  5. Oil and margarine is not an adequate  alternative to meat only an alternative to butter. Polyunsaturated fat rich combinations of vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, fruit and grains are an alternative to saturated fat rich meat, fish and dairy.

“If a reliable test shows you are deficient in omega 3 long chain essential fats EPA and DHA then you should consider both dietary changes and supplementation with a sustainably produced toxin free  EPA / DHA algae product to help balance levels.” says Yvonne.


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No More Plenty More Fish in The Sea

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

The World’s Fish Stocks and Eco-system in Danger

It seems that by every measure and guide the world’s oceans are on the brink of collapse.

European fish stocks changing with warming seas

The first “big picture” study of the effects of rapidly rising temperatures in the northeast Atlantic Ocean shows that a major shift in fish stocks is already well underway. The study, led by Dr Steve Simpson of the University of Bristol in collaboration with researchers from eight other institutions, analysed 28 years of fisheries agency data from 11 independent surveys covering more than a million square kilometres of the European continental shelf. The data show that fish in European waters have undergone profound community-level changes that are related to dramatic warming trends for the region. 72% of common fish species have already shown a change in abundance that relates to the rising sea temperatures.

Source: sciencedaily.com

Plight of Seas  and Fish on TV

There have been a number of TV shows and films revealing the plight of the sea recently. The film The End of the Line, and more recently Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s channel 4 TV Fish Fight have gone a long way to educating us about the plight of the sea.However if you watch ‘Sea The Truth’ the movie (available free to view online) you’ll see that the issues uncovered by Hugh and the End of the Line’s naked Greta Satchi are quite literally the tip of the melting Ice berg.

Devastation Under The Sea

Sea The Truth is a film instigated by Dutch diver and underwater macro photographer Dos Winkel who founded The Sea First Foundation. He was horrified to watch over the last 20 as the underwater ocean habitat had been quickly decimated. As he looked for the reasons behind the devastation he became more and more angry that governments were sitting back and intentionally allowing this to happen.
Extinction Looms
Dos Winkel also discovered that the loss of biodiversity under the sea was not only devastating for marine biology, social, health, environmental and economic reasons but that the survival of the human race depends on the health of the sea.

It seems one of the many bio-chemical functions of the fish in their synergistic place in the natural world’s delicate balance of things is to regulate the acidity of the sea. It’s now thought that no fish = no balance = no plankton= no planetary lungs = the whole world slowly suffocates.

Report by The UN
The findings of a new environmental report by the UN was revealed to journalists in New York recently. Pavan Sukhdev, head of the UN Environment Program’s green economy initiative, told journalists “If the various estimates we have received come true, then we are in the situation where 40 years down the line we, effectively, are out of fish!”
UNEP’s warning is that tuna only symbolizes a much vaster catastrophe, threatening economic, as well as environmental upheaval. The report, assesses how surging global demand in other key areas including energy and fresh water can be met while preventing ecological destruction around the planet.

Perverse Subsidies for the Fishing Industry
The annual 27 billion dollars in government subsidies to fishing, mostly in rich countries, is “perverse,” Sukhdev said, since the entire value of fish caught is only 85 billion dollars.

According to the UN, 30 percent of fish stocks have already collapsed, meaning they yield less than 10 percent of their former potential, while virtually all fisheries risk running out of commercially viable catches by 2050.

Save the World by Saving Fish
Dos Winkel’s solution is a fairly simple one. He says we have no sensible choice but to put a complete and immediate stop to commercial fishing. We have to stop eating fish, and animals that are fed fishmeal and using fish oil. As he toured around the world lecturing and exhibiting his photographs he found many people that couldn’t contemplate life without fish on their plates. Dos’s solution was to commission a cookbook, a fish-free taste of the ocean recipe book called ‘Fish-a-Licious’, originally published in Dutch and is now being translated into a number of languages.
Healthy, Delicious Fish Alternatives

In the Sea First Foundation’s cookbook it’s mainly clever plantarian cooking and an ingenious use of seaweed that’s behind the delicious, ‘taste of the sea’ recipes. However just like meat fish have their vegetable pirate copies and veggie burger and veggie sausage equivalents too. Chinese and Korean restaurant suppliers sell a range of faux prawns, fish-steaks, tuna and crab-sticks made from soya and vegetable protein. These days you can find vegetarian fish free fish-fingers even in the supermarkets. A Danish company even makes some very realistic black caviar made from seaweed, so good it even fooled a top celebrity chef .

Save The Seas with Omega 3s ?

Despite medical claims that we need to eat fish for adequate supplies of the long chain essential omega 3 fats EPA and DHA even this nutrient is now available from farmed natural algae.

Launched in 2006 V- Pure the world’s first vegetarian / vegan omega 3 EPA DHA supplement, provides a fish free, sustainable, toxin free omega 3 long chain fatty acid for consumers who avoid fish for ethical, religious, allergy, environmental, health and common sense reasons.

No need for fish says nutritionist

No need for fish says nutritionist

Leading London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says “For people who we’ve tested that have low levels of omega 3 DHA and EPA, algal oil is a great alternative to fish as one not only avoids the risk of pollutants and toxins such as mercury and traces of PCBs, but also avoids the saturated fat that comes free with the non vegetarian form of DHA omega 3 fat in fish.”

” There’s really no need to eat fish from a nutritional point of view and there are some compelling arguments for not eating fish”

“There’s no question that essential fats, especially omega 3 are vital for optimal health and that for many people the basic omega 3 found in flaxseeds just isn’t enough. However algae provides an affordable and sustainable alternative to fish oils that can no longer be overlooked”

“If you haven’t already done so please watch the film ‘Sea TheTruth’ it’s an eye opener!” She says

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Studies Show Omega 3 Reduces Heart & Eye Disease Risks by 33%

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Omega 3 fatty acids are an important element to the effective operation of bodily functions and are believed to reduce the risk factors associated with a number of diseases. While there is no risk in taking ‘too much’ omega 3, it is found in fatty fishes, amongst other sources, which also contain and supply unwanted toxins and pollutants. This unwanted supply of pollutants and toxins has lead to inconsistencies in the recommended serving of fish portions, and more importantly, the recommended daily intake of omega 3.

Scientists Discover Omega 3 Slashes Risk of Heart Failure

A recent study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, also covered by The Daily Express has found that omega 3 can contribute to a longer and healthier life and severely reduces the risk of heart failure by one-third. The report recommends that everyone should add this to their diet in order to not only live a better life but to also live a longer one.

Dr. Carl Lavie, who led the omega 3 research study states:

We now have tremendous and compelling evidence from very large studies … that demonstrates the protective benefits of omega 3 fish oil in multiple aspects of preventive cardiology.

The evidence provided in this report is substantial and can prove what many researchers had believed for years. Omega 3 has been known to be beneficial for those people with existing heart conditions but now the data extends that further to healthy people. With the addition of recommended levels of omega 3 in diets is it estimated that the risk of heart attacks can be reduced by one third. This is a significant breakthrough in the fight against heart disease. Last year over 200,000 people in the U.K. died from heart disease and 275,000 suffered heart attacks.

Since the human body does not create omega 3 naturally and since it is considered an “essential fatty acid”, the only way to get the recommended daily dosage is through diet or supplements. In order to maximize the benefits, the following guidelines for omega 3 intake through fish have been made:

People with existing heart problems should take “at least 800 to 1,000mg” of omega 3 each day – the amount found in three to four 3oz portions of oily fish a week.

Health risks

The UK Food Standards Agency states:

Most people should be eating more oily fish because omega 3 fatty acids are very good for our health. However, oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body. For this reason there are recommendations for the maximum number of portions of oily fish we should be eating each week.

Research has determined that there are no health risks associated with adults eating four portions of fish per week. However, it is recommended that women who are pregnant or plan to get pregnant at any point in the future need to reduce their intake of omega 3 by half if fish is their sole source of omega 3. Also, those women who are breast feeding should also reduce their intake of omega 3 if fish is the main source of omega 3 EPA and DHA. The sole reason for this being due to the level of pollutants found in fish.

What differentiates this study from others is the strength of the evidence which definitively proves that omega 3 is directly tied to better health, especially in the area of heart disease. Nutritionist Carina Norris stated:

This is great – very welcome research. It shows that omega 3 is one of the closest things to a true superfood.

“It is involved in so many areas of health, especially the heart and brain, and it is really good news that they have now found it can also reduce the risk of heart attacks in healthy people as well as those with existing heart problems. Those who don’t like fish can just take a supplement instead.

Linda Mann, a dietician at Heart UK was even more direct, stating:

These findings could be a radical way of cutting heart attacks

Omega 3 is a low risk, low cost program that can effectively improve health and, at the same time, reduce the risk of heart attacks. For those with existing heart conditions, it can stabilize or help the condition of people suffering from them.

Omega 3 Cuts Eye Disease By One-Third

credit

A second research study, this one published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, covered by The BBC involved testing over 3,000 people, conclusively found that omega 3 can slow or halt age related macular degeneration (AMD).

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in certain types of fishes, particularly in mackerel and salmon, and are beneficial in reducing or preventing certain types of eye diseases. While omega 3 has been known to be beneficial in promoting good health, it is now linked to prevention of eye disease.

Researchers believe that a diet that is rich in the omega 3 may reduce the risk of getting macular degeneration by up to one third and now, new research suggests that this diet may also help those who are already suffering from this disease. AMD is a degenerative eye disease that destroys a person’s central vision so this is good news for the over one half million people in the U.K. who already have the disease.

In order to reap the health benefits associated with this nutrient, a balanced diet is necessary.

They suggest that eating two to three servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, shellfish, and herring every week, would achieve the recommended daily intake (650mg) of omega-3, substantially cutting the risk of both early and late stage AMD.

How do the omega 3 fatty acids help in the fight against AMD? The study recently done by the scientists at Tufts University in Boston, showed that a diet that is high in omega 3 provides a defense for the body against fat levels in the blood. By altering these fat levels, particularly after a meal, the chances of getting AMD are significantly reduced.

However, despite the tremendous health advantages from the omega 3 fatty acids that are found in fish, there are still the same health precautions mentioned earlier due to the level of pollutants ingested through fish.

The UK’s Food Standards Agency says people should eat at least two portions of fish a week including one of oily fish.

But they caution that too much oily fish is bad because it can contain low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body.

Most people can safely eat up to four portions a week, but girls and women who might have a baby and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding should limit their intake to two portions a week.

Source

While the Food Standards Agency recommends eating more portions of fish, it is important to understand exactly what they are advocating. White fish do not contain high levels of omega 3 so do not assume that all fish are similar in nutrients:

White fish such as cod, haddock, plaice and whiting are very low in fat. Oily fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and a good source of vitamins A and D. White fish contain some omega 3, but at much lower levels than oily fish.

As you can see, the health benefits of omega 3 from fish oils are clear in relation to the impact on reducing heart disease and eye disease. Omega 3 is proven to reduce both heart disease and eye disease, therefore there is no reason why anyone can’t increase their levels of omega 3 through non-polluted sources of omega 3.

Omega 3 through fish oils clearly has it’s advantages to, however this is not without it’s disadvantages too. The levels of pollutants and toxins found in fish oils restrict the amount of omega 3 that can be consumed, and this severely reduces the recommended intake of omega 3 through fish. Due to the levels of toxins and pollutants found in fish oils, mothers who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or even women planning on having children at some point in their life are lacking in omega 3 for fear of ingesting too much of the pollutants found in fish oils, thus reducing the amount of omega 3 they could otherwise take as part of a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle. As previously shown, omega 3 is an essential component in brain development in the foetus, and by restricting the amount of EPA and DHA which can be passed to children, potentially there can be a greater risk.

The solution to this is to cut the pollutants and toxins found in fish oils out of the chain completely. It is little known that fish do not produce omega 3 directly; rather they become the main provider of omega 3 from the source- natural algae. By sourcing omega 3 from the algae directly, the levels of toxins and pollutants found in fish are removed completely, thus allowing more natural omega 3 to be consumed by anyone without fear of health risks from the pollutants found in fish oils. This also provides a safe and environmentally-friendly natural source of omega 3 for vegetarians and vegans also.

Sources:

Omega 3 is the secret of long life – Daily Express, Oily fish ‘can halt eye disease’ – BBC, Fish and shellfish – Food Standards Agency, changsheng, tiramisuaddict, justyn_hegreberg (images)

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Vegetarian Mothers Depriving Young Children & Unborn Babies of Essential Vitamins

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Choosing a vegetarian lifestyle is a choice that has the potential to bring a plethora of benefits to vegetarians if they make the right choices. Since there are essential nutrients usually found in meat and fish that have to be supplemented, vegetarians must remain informed about new nutritional options. For vegetarian mothers who are breastfeeding, the development of their babies depends on finding an adequate source of omega-3 fatty acids. Because vegetarian mothers don’t consume oily fish or fish oil, the main sources for omega-3 fatty acids in non-vegetarian diets, it’s important for parents to find a supplement that adequately compensates for the absence of these nutrients in the daily diet such as V-Pure omega-3 Vegetarian EPA & DHA. In order to make an informed decision about the best nutritional options, all the facts about the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on the body and how they work must be considered.

What Parents Should Know About DHA

In order to fully understand the importance of choosing the right omega-3 fatty acid supplement, it is necessary to understand how crucial a role these nutrients work to maintain health. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the most important fatty acids in the body. It makes up 40% of the fatty acids found in the brain and 60% of the fatty acids found in the retina, which is why it is so crucial for thought processes and maintaining healthy vision, and why parents should ensure that the body has enough of it. DHA is also one of the building blocks of neural cells, supporting mental faculties on a cellular level. In infants and fetuses, the addition of DHA to formula has been shown to improve cognitive function and improve macular development. The benefits of DHA do not only extend to infants and fetuses. In pregnant women, DHA has been linked to improved eyesight and attention. The fatty acid also has the potential to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease for adults, and improve overall cardiovascular health, and is used in treatment of type II diabetes.

It is clear that DHA is essential to brain and eye function, and the risks of not having enough DHA in the body are just as clear. DHA deficiency has been linked to hindered brain and eye development in babies and children, as well as decreased brain function. In adults, DHA deficiency has been connected with low visual acuity and poor retinal development. Low levels of DHA have also been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and other diseases. These risks serve to punctuate the importance of finding a vegetarian supplement that supplies breastfeeding mothers’ bodies with sufficient DHA to fulfill both the nutritional requirements of both the mother and the child.

The Right Nutrition From the Right Sources

While most sources claim the solution to the problem of getting enough DHA in a vegetarian diet is flax seed oil, a new study brings evidence to light that may make vegetarian parents reconsider the ways in which they obtain the optimum level of nutrients, particularly while breastfeeding. While flax seed oil does provide a-Linolenic acid (ALA), another important fatty acid, the new study, published earlier this year in the Prostaglandis, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids journal shows evidence that the consumption of flax seed oil may not provide an adequate source of DHA for children who breastfeed because it does not provide vegetarian women with preformed DHA, and instead provides elements of DHA that the body must first process. Flax seed oil only provides the body with linoleic acid, which can be used by the body to form a limited amount of DHA, but is not as effective as the consumption of DHA that is already formed. Therefore, the levels of the nutrient that are transferred to the fetus while in the womb and to infants while breastfeeding are not comparable to the levels achieved by consuming preformed DHA like that contained in V-Pure. While the consumption of ALA is necessary for the body to function, additional ALA, like that contained in flax seed oil, provides minimal benefits.

The formation of DHA begins with ALA, which then is converted into Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), another omega-3 acid utilized by the body in mental function. EPA deficiency has also been linked to depression. The EPA that the body receives, then, is used up for these functions and the body forms DHA from the portion of EPA that is left. This means that the body uses some of the ALA consumed, after which it uses part of the EPA produced by the ALA, and finally, the EPA that is not reserved for use by the body is turned into DHA. At the end of this process, the human body is left with some DHA. According to new information, the body’s demand, and particularly breastfeeding babies’ demand for DHA exceeds the supply provided by the mother’s consumption of ALA. The end result of this is that the body needs more than just flax seed oil to meet the need. This new information provided by researchers from various research centers and universities has shown that the level of ALA provided by flax seed oil has been proven to provide insufficient DHA for a breastfeeding woman to transfer the optimum amount of this essential fatty acid to their child through breast milk.

The team of scientists conducting a new study, which includes Dr. J. Thomas Brenna, Professor of Human Nutritional Science at Cornell University, and former National Institutes of Health researcher, Dr. Norman Salem, Jr., conclude in the study that in order to increase the blood DHA status in infants and mothers, it is necessary for the mother to consume dietary supplements containing preformed DHA. They also note that consumption of ALA and EPA, while helpful to the formation of DHA in the body, cannot help the body reach the best levels of DHA that a preformed DHA dietary supplement can provide. While this research casts a great deal of light on how best to increase mothers’ and babies’ DHA intake, it may pose a challenge to find a supplement that provides preformed DHA but does not contain fish oil.

In the study, conducted for the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids, by various schools and research facilities, including the Cornell University Division of Nutritional Sciences, research showed that DHA was not passed on to a breastfeeding child unless the mother consumed DHA that was already fully formed. In a diet rich in linoleic acid (LA), the main source of ALA, the levels of ALA and EPA were raised in the blood and breast milk of a lactating mother. In spite of this, the DHA levels in the breast milk were not affected by the addition of LA to the diet. Therefore, infants who were breastfed by mothers who had high levels of ALA and EPA in their blood still had DHA levels that were significantly lower than infants who were breastfed by mothers who consumed preformed DHA.

Discover Algae-Derived DHA

Humans usually obtain preformed DHA from fish oil, but the fish do not produce the DHA themselves. They actually obtain these fatty acids from the algae they consume. There is, then, a vegetarian option for those who want to ensure an adequate level of DHA intake for themselves, as well as for infants’ developing brains and bodies. V-Pure Omega-3 EPA & DHA supplements, taken daily, provide 50 mg of EPA and 350 mg of DHA per day, using essential oils derived completely from organically grown algae, and completely vegan. An added benefit of vegan essential oil supplements is that the dangers of elevated pollution levels is completely eliminated because the oils bypass fish bodies and go directly from the algae into concentrated caplets.

In other words, optimum levels of DHA in infants and mothers were only achieved when the mother consumed preformed DHA. Research also showed that the consumption of additional ALA did not guarantee the child would receive a higher concentration of DHA. Consuming only flax seed oil to obtain DHA and pass it on to the child, then, is an ineffective method because, while the mother’s body can convert some of this to DHA, the baby is by no means ensured an adequate supply of it. In light of this new research, the issue of finding the right supplement becomes even more important, and for vegetarians, the choices can be limited. The solution, however, can be found in V-Pure, the only vegan-certified product on the market that derives preformed DHA suitable for vegetarian mothers.

Getting the proper nutrients in a vegetarian diet can be a challenge, but the benefits of attaining a proper level of nutrition outweigh the inconvenience. For breastfeeding mothers, it involves much more than improved health, but will benefit the child in ways that will help it throughout his or her life. In the case of essential omega-3 oils, breastfeeding mothers need look no further than V-Pure Omega 3 Vegetarian supplement. This new development of algae-based DHA means getting proper levels of DHA becomes one less thing that vegetarians have to worry about.

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Unique Omega 3 DHA / EPA algae product could save the World

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

One thing most nutritionists agree on is that we need more omega 3 essential fatty acids in our diet. Our bodies can’t make it, that’s why it’s essential. Meanwhile safety issues have been raised repeatedly about contamination of toxins in fish oil that makes it no longer a clean and safe source of the key fatty acids. There has been a frantic race to be the first company to bring to market a product that has both plant based docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

A Swiss based company has won the race by going to the bottom of the food chain and will be shortly launching a product extracted from a secret strain of Algae called V-Pure.

Tom Brudenell-Bruce the entrepreneur behind this amazing new discovery says I feel privileged that whilst working on a range of seaweed and algal products we discovered a secret, state of the art technology that provides a credible, organic and environmentally sustainable alternative to endangered fish stocks.

Harley Street Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says Although nutritionists struggle to agree on the optimum ratio of DHA: EPA most agree you shouldn’t really have one without the other. Previously only algal DHA was available and even then difficult to get hold of. The fact nutritionists can now recommend a sustainable sourced, pure plant based product that contains both EPA and DHA is a huge leap forward for the health of everyone, and especially vegetarians, vegans, religious and ethical groups who avoid animal products for ethical and environmental reasons.

In theory you should be able to convert omega 3 oils in flaxseed to DHA and EPA but even the Flaxseed Council of Canada concede that the reality in today’s hectic world is that it’s hard to find solid, consistent, corroborating evidence of this..

Things such as stress, gender, genetics, diet, disease, toxins, balance of fats, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, sugar and freshness of the product all can hinder our ability to convert omega 3 alpha linolenic (LNA ) acid to DHA and EPA.

Latest studies

Here are just some of the latest studies on Omega 3 chain fatty acids showing how vital they can be in the quest for optimum health.

Cystic fibrosis

Study to investigate omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid imbalances in patients with cystic fibrosis and bioavailability and effects of algal DHA by Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Compared with placebo, DHA supplementation increased plasma, erythrocyte, and rectal DHA levels four- to five-fold (P < 0.001) with concomitant decreases in blood arachidonic acid levels and the ratio of arachidonic acid to DHA. Supplementation was well tolerated, with no treatment-related changes in liver enzymes, growth, or antioxidant status. Algal DHA triacylglycerol oil is readily absorbed, well tolerated, and increases blood and tissue DHA levels in patients with CF. No adverse developments were associated with this large dose of DHA oil. Larger studies of longer duration are needed to determine whether DHA supplementation results in any clinically significant benefits in patients with CF.

Nutrition. 2006 Jan;22(1):36-46. Epub 2005 Oct 12.

Infant Formula

In a study to evaluate safety and benefits of feeding preterm infants formulas containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) by the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada it was found feeding formulas with DHA and ARA from algal and fungal oils resulted in enhanced growth.

J Pediatr. 2005 Apr;146(4):461-8.

Cancer

Because safety issues have been raised repeatedly about contamination of toxins in fish oil that makes it no longer a clean and safe source of the fatty acid, a study by Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China investigated the cell growth inhibition of DHA from a cultured microalga in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. Results from this study suggest that DHA from the cultured microalga is also effective in controlling cancer cell growth.

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1030:361-8.

Preeclampsia

Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, 747 Broadway (Suite 4 North), Seattle,USA, conducted a case-control study in Lima, Peru, from June 1997 through January 1998 to assess whether alteration in maternal erythrocyte omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids was associated with increased risk of preeclampsia.

The results in the Peruvian women, were that low erythrocyte n-3 fatty acids appeared to be associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. A similar pattern was observed for eicosapentenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA)

Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2006 Mar 7

Chronic fatigue syndrome

There is now evidence that major depression is accompanied by decreased levels of omega3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). There is a strong comorbidity between major depression and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Results from a study by M-Care4U Outpatient Clinics, and the Clinical Research Center for Mental Health, Belgium suggest that patients with CFS should respond favourably to treatment with – amongst other things – omega3 PUFAs, such as EPA and DHA.

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2005 Dec 28;26(6):745-751

Breast Feeding

Study of Breastfeeding women given capsules containing a high-DHA algal oil (approximately 200 mg DHA/d) by US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service Children’s Nutrition Research Center and the Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA

DHA supplementation of breastfeeding mothers results in higher infant plasma phospholipid DHA contents during supplementation and a higher Bayley Psychomotor Development Index at 30 months of age.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jul;82(1):125-32

ADHD

A study by Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario Canada showed a dietary source of DHA and EPA are superior to the supplementation of flaxseed LNA in raising DHA / EPA levels.

Flax oil supplementation resulted in an increase in alpha-LNA and a slight decrease in the ratio of AA/EPA, while fish oil supplementation resulted in increases in EPA, DHA and total omega-3 fatty acids and a decrease in the AA/EPA ratio to values seen in the Japanese population. These data suggest that in order to increase levels of EPA and DHA in adults with ADHD, and decrease the AA/EPA ratio to levels seen in high fish consuming populations, high dose fish oil may be preferable to high dose flax oil.

Reprod Nutr Dev. 2005 Sep-Oct;45(5):549-58.

Comments by Flax Council of Canada

  • LNA is converted to the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA).7 Efficiency of Conversion of LNA . Conversion of LNA to EPA in humans reportedly ranges from a low of 0.2% to a high of 8%.7,10 The 40-fold difference in these conversion rates may be due to differences in study they admit.
  • The fact that LNA conversion to EPA, DPA, and DHA is affected by gender, smoking, and diet suggests that people differ in their metabolic capacity for LNA conversion. Clearly, LNA conversion is more complex than was originally thought. Studies are needed to determine the diet and lifestyle patterns that enhance LNA conversion to the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
  • In order to keep our bodies in optimum health we need to take a top up of an EPA, DHA supplement.
  • Organically produced and approved by both The Vegetarian and The Vegan Society the new algal DHA / EPA product can only be purchased on line at the moment contact www.foodsforlife.org for details.

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