Omega-3 Supplementation (Fish Oil)

INFOGRAPHIC

For years we have been told to cut down on the amount of fat we eat, but the most recent research has suggested that it is not how much fat we consume, but the types of fat that are important. Fat is essential for our body to function properly. In fact, it plays a critical role in the function of every cell in the body. Therefore, we should be most concerned with lowering the amount of “bad” fats and increasing the amount of “good” fats we consume for optimal health. Most consumers are aware that scientists and nutrition experts agree the consumption of saturated fats in the diet should be limited. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are vital for normal life functions, but since they cannot be made in the human body, they must be supplied through the diet.

Two types of polyunsaturated fats, omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, are vital for such basic functions as energy production, cell membrane formation and proper hemoglobin manufacturing. When the body is in short supply of these essential acids, a myriad of problems can arise including fatigue, immune weakness, gastrointestinal disorders, heart and circulatory problems, reduced growth rate and more. It is also likely that a deficiency in these fatty acids plays an important role in the development of many common diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis and asthma. To put it plainly, these fatty acids are “essential.”

Nutrition experts believe the body functions best with a 1:1 or 2:1 omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. However, the average diet supplies an overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids by at least 10:1. Since most of us consume sufficient omega-6 fatty acids (mostly from vegetable oils), the focus should be on obtaining more omega-3 fatty acids. There are two main types of omega-3 fatty acids that warrant the most attention when considering omega-3 supplementation. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is a direct precursor to beneficial hormone-like compounds called eicosanoids, important regulators of vital body functions.* Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is especially vital for the health of nerve tissues in the brain, eyes and retina. Our bodies need a balance of both of these types of omega-3s to reach peak nutrition. The most common dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids are cold-water fish such as mackerel, herring, halibut and salmon. Because so few of us eat a significant amount of these fish on a regular basis, most modern diets do not come close to supplying the body with adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

Flaxseed oil is a secondary source of omega-3 fatty acids, although there are compelling reasons to choose fish oils over flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is a good source of alpha-linolenic acids (ALA). This type of omega-3 is a medium chain omega-3 fatty acid that serves as a precursor of EPA and DHA, the long chain omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil. In order to utilize ALA, the body must first convert it to EPA and DHA through a process that is relatively inefficient. Approximately 10 times more ALA must be consumed than EPA and DHA to achieve the same effects. It is difficult for the digestive system to break down raw flaxseeds sufficiently in the first place. In addition, unlike fish oil capsules, flaxseed oil capsules turn rancid very quickly and should therefore be refrigerated.

How Much Fish Oil Should You Take to Get the Benefits?

Well, according to the “Omega Rx Zone” by Barry Sears, for normal individuals without chronic diseases or inflammation, 2.5 grams per day of Omega-3 fats is enough.

If you have chronic disease however you may need to take as much as 10 grams of Omega-3 per day. To fine tune your dosage, you’re going to to need to gradually increase your dosage to a point where the benefits cease, then decrease your dosage to a point where they return – this will give you your minimum fish oil requirement.

How to Check the Quality of your Fish Oil

The recommendations assume that you are taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil. This is a highly refined product which has had many of the pollutants and impurities removed and has a much higher concentration of Omega-3 fats. They are however very expensive.

You can get away with less refined fish oils. Look for ones where EPA and DHA levels when added together are around 50% of the total amount of oil.

e.g.

Each capsule contains:

Fish Oil 1000mg

which contains:

EPA 300mg

DHA 200mg

300mg + 200mg = 500mg which is half of the 1000mg of total fish oil.

Then you need to put some of the fish oil into the freezer overnight. In the morning cut open the capsules and if the oil hasn’t frozen, then you’re onto a winner. If the oil/liquid is frozen solid – do not use that fish oil!!!

 How Many Fish Oil Capsules Should I Take?

Then you need to workout how many capsule to take in a day. To do this add together the EPA and DHA figures (these are the Omega-3 fats) – in the example above this comes to 500mg. As an example, if we wanna be taking 5 grams (5000mg) of Omega-3 per day, then if we’re using the above brand we need to take 10 capsules.

You’ll wanna split this dose. So you could take 4 in the morning, 3 at lunch and 3 in the evening, or if you eat 5 times per day, take 2 with each meal – it’s up to you.

From personal experience, fish oil is magic – but you need to make sure that you take the right dose-age and that you take high-enough quality oil.

There is also a way to gauge how much Fish Oil you should take based on your body weight and your state of inflammation and it can be calculated here with the Robb Wolf Fish Oil Calculator:

http://whole9life.com/fish-oil/

It would be best to be conservative on these values at first using the guidance from above.