Omega 3 Update 18 10 09

Omega 3 - Fish oil.

• My previous recommendation was based on the fact that cod liver oil contains vitamins D and A in addition to healthy omega-3 fats. These vitamins are essential for most everyone who cannot get regular sun exposure year-round. • But more recent research has discovered that the ratios of these two vitamins may be of paramount importance in order to extract optimal health benefits, and unfortunately, modern cod liver oil does not supply these vitamins in healthy ratios to each other.

• Primary Justification Why You Should AVOID Cod Liver Oil. • There have been two recent meta- analyses done. The first one showed that people who took vitamin A supplements in cod liver oil, or in supplements, had an 18 percent increase in death rates. The other study showed that unlike third world countries where vitamin A supplementation appears to decrease infections, vitamin A supplementation in developed countries like the U.S. actually increases infections.

• Omega-3 deficiency is the sixth biggest killer of Americans, according to a new study. The study determined that there were 72,000-96,000 preventable deaths each year due to omega-3 deficiency, highlighting the importance of establishing a dietary reference intake (DRI) for omega- 3 forms such as EPA (eicosa pentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosa hexaenoic acid).

• People with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which increases the risk of heart disease, experienced improvements in both blood pressure and heart rate following supplementation with four grams of omega- 3 fats. Researchers have shown that depressed patients have, on average, lower levels of omega-3 in their blood than non depressed individuals. A greater severity of depression is also linked to lower levels of omega-3. A number of well-controlled depression treatment studies have found therapeutic benefits following omega-3 supplementation.

• Compare that to the estimated 40,000 women who die from breast cancer each year in the U.S. and the implications of omega-3 deficiency becomes quite clear. As mentioned above, omega-3 deficiency is likely the sixth biggest killer of Americans. Omega-3 fats tend to reduce cancer cell growth while highly processed and toxic omega-6 fats have been found to cause cancer growth. • So considering the fact that omega-3 deficiency is a common underlying factor for two of our deadliest diseases: cancer and heart disease, it’s no wonder the latest statistic shows omega-3 deficiency may be responsible for a staggering nearly 100,000 deaths per year.

• Why You Don’t Want to Be Deficient in Omega-3’s • Last year, three other studies also highlighted the vital importance of omega-3 fats for optimal health, underscoring the importance of maintaining a high dietary omega-3 intake throughout your life. • The results showed that low concentrations of EPA and DHA resulted in an increased risk of • death from all causes and accelerated cognitive decline. Those suffering from depression have also been found to have lower levels of omega-3 in their blood than non depressed individuals. • It’s even been found to save the lives of children suffering from short bowel syndrome (SBS), and tests on children with learning disabilities has shown omega-3 to be an effective treatment. • So the benefits of omega-3 fats truly run the gamut, from mental and behavioral health at any age, to preventing premature death from any number of diseases, including: • Coronary heart disease and stroke • Essential fatty acid deficiency in infancy (retinal and brain development) • Autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus and nephropathy) • Crohn’s disease • Cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate • Mild hypertension • Rheumatoid arthritis

• Children's diets today may be inadequate for their basic needs. • According to a study, children are suffering behavioral and learning disorders because their diets are deficient in vital nutrients needed for their brains to function normally. • One such vital nutrient: Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils. • The study revealed some 40 percent of children showed significant improvements in reading and spelling when given fish oil supplements. (Fish oils contain omega-3s that are essential for brain development and function but are lacking in modern processed diets.)

• The Study • Researchers studied close to 120 British children (ages 5-12) who were judged to be normal but were labeled underachievers and believed to have dyspraxia--a condition that encompasses problems with motor skills and coordination that frequently overlaps with dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. • Half of the children analyzed were given fish oil supplements over three months, while the other half were given placebos of olive oil. After three months, the placebo group was also given the supplements. • The Results • Children who took fish oil supplements made about three times the amount of progress in their reading skills than those who took the placebo. • Similar boosts in progress were seen in the placebo group when they switched to active supplements. • Further, while none of the kids involved in the study had been diagnosed with ADHD, one-third of them demonstrated enough problems to place them in this category. However, after three months of taking fish oil, half of them showed such significant improvements that they no longer fell into this category.

• Their additional effects on brain and nervous system function are, indeed, reason enough to make sure we all get an adequate supply of them throughout our lives. You see, generally our diet contains far too much omega-6 fat (found in margarine and vegetable and sunflower oils). Experts looking at the dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids suggest that in early human history the ratio was about 1:1. Currently most Americans eat a dietary ratio that falls between 20:1 and 50:1! The optimal ratio is most likely closer to the original ratio of 1:1. • For most of us this means greatly reducing the omega-6 fatty acids we consume and increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in fish oil. • And, as mentioned above, while fish WOULD BE an excellent omega-3 source, mercury levels in almost all fish have now hit dangerously high levels across the world, and the risk of this mercury to your health now outweighs the fish's omega-3 benefits.

• Among the salmon's outstanding nutritional benefits are high levels of omega-3 with DHA and EPA. • These two fatty acids are pivotal in preventing heart disease, cancer and many other diseases.

Omega 3 Update 18 10 09

by Jayesh Wala on Mar 14, 2010

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Omega 3 Update 18 10 09 — Presentation Transcript