Holistic Health Networker

Winter 2011 Issue… back to Winter Issue page

OPTIMAL NUTRITION: Spotlight on Omega-3
by Vicki Alfone

Omega-3 long-chain fatty acids (LCFA), known as essential fatty acids (EFA), include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They are found in the oil of wild fish, certain nuts, seeds, and flax seed oil. Benefits, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola, DO (www.mercola.com) and Dr. Mark Hyman, MD (www.drhyman.com), include:

Heart and cholesterol health, improved circulation, and prevention of heart attack and sudden death
Healthy brain function and development, memory and learning support, a sharp mind and a calm and serene mood
Blood sugar health and protection from diabetes
Healthy liver function
Boost for the immune system
Arthritis relief
Cancer risk reduction
Increase in energy level
Enhanced appearance of healthy skin
Eye health and sharp vision
Anti-aging

These benefits have been supported by numerous studies as reported below:

Effect on Heart Disease
The European Food Safety Authority recently determined that 250mg per day of omega-3 fatty acids is cardio-protective and a recent review in the May 31, 2011 British Journal of Nutrition concluded intakes greater than 250mg per day were associated with a 35.1% reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death and a 16.1% reduction in total fatal coronary events. Other U.S. studies concurred finding that cardiac death risk decreased as omega-3 dose increased. Adding to these findings, data from Japan found omega-3 intakes of 900-1000mg/day or more may increase protection and suggests 250mg per day should be considered a minimum.

EPA and DHA seem to be equally important in preventing heart attacks. Dr. Ladd McNamara MD (www.laddmcnamara.com), author of the book The Cholesterol Conspiracy, writes “Most commercially available fish oil supplements consist primarily of EPA, yet scientific evidence shows it is the DHA component that is more effective in preventing heart disease.” Moreover, a September 2009 article in Circulation Journal reported an association in women only where decreased levels of omega-3 EPA increased the mortality risk after a heart attack. Researchers attribute this particular benefit of EPA to its anti-inflammatory effect which has been found in some studies to be greater than DHA.

Dr. Ray Strand (www.raystrand.com), author of the books What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You and Death by Prescription, has noted that researchers in Norway found that frail patients whose EPA was in the top 75% averaged half the dying risk from all causes when compared to those with levels in the lowest 25%.

Are Omega-3 fish oils as effective as statin drugs in preventing heart attacks? Both Dr. Strand and Dr. McNamara have published the results of studies comparing statin drugs and omega-3 fatty acids on their websites. One such study of 11,323 people who had suffered a heart attack in the previous three months found a 45% reduced risk of sudden death and repeat heart attack and 20% decrease in total mortality with 850 mg EPA/DHA supplements. In addition, a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2005 found that the statin group reduced cardiovascular deaths by 22%, while the omega-3 fatty acid group decreased cardiovascular disease by 32%. Statin drugs reduced overall mortality by 13%; however, the omega-3 fatty acid group reduced overall mortality by 23%. DHA and EPA have been shown to significantly decrease inflammation throughout the body, including the arteries, without the adverse side effects of statin drugs.

Effect on Cancer
The use of Omega-3’s may be helpful in preventing and living with cancer as well. A study in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention showed that postmenopausal women using fish oil had a significant decrease (32%) of the most common invasive ductal breast carcinoma.

In addition, 70% of lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and supplemented with a dose of 2200mg of EPA per day maintained or gained muscle which could greatly improve quality of life, as published in the American Cancer Society Journal.

Effect on Brain/Mental Disorders
Dr. Mark Hyman MD, in a June 2010 article on his website (http://drhyman.com/what-criminals-and-fish-have-to-do-with-your-health-3531/), relayed a study where prisoners taking vitamins, minerals and fish oil supplements had a 35% reduction in violent offences (British Journal of Psychiatry, July 2002). In his book UltraMetabolism, he asserts, ”The brain can’t work at optimum potential without omega -3 and deficiencies are seen in children having difficulty reading and writing, attention deficit disorders, and learning disabilities.” Dr. Hyman also reports that research shows people who eat fish are less likely to be depressed and EPA may help treat depression not responding to other approaches.

Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, MD, who studies nutritional neurosciences at the National Institute of Health, says Americans are getting 80% of fats from linoleic acid (found in soy and seed oils in processed and packaged food) which promotes inflammation and harms mental health. Studies show that countries consuming more linoleic acid have dramatically higher rates of homicide. When people eat more omega -3 rich foods, murder rates go down.

Evidence also exists that women whose breast milk is higher in DHA have lower rates of postpartum depression. In addition, Dr. Strand reports on his website the results of studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, October 20, 2010, illustrating that higher intake of fish oil was associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms in the postnatal period and additionally showed improvement in the cognitive development of offspring.

Effects on Inflammation
In August 2010, Dr. Strand shared a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that high levels of DHA and EPA may decrease the risk of developing severe chronic degenerative diseases like heart disease and diabetes because of lower levels of triglycerides and C-Reactive proteins (an indicator of inflammation) and higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Also, in March 2010, he wrote of German researchers reporting an 80% reduction in arthritis symptoms when patients added the natural anti-inflammatory effect of omega-3 EFA to glucosamine sulfate. In his own clinical practice, he found adding grape seed extract to both improved the arthritis symptoms even more.

Effects on Aging
In his November and December 2009 newsletters, Dr Strand credits two studies demonstrating the positive effect of omega 3 EFA on age-related macular degeneration. Research reported in the British Journal of Ophthalmology showed a 27% reduction in progression of advanced age-related macular degeneration when DHA and EPA were added to other antioxidant nutrients. The Archives of Ophthalmology reported that a high intake of trans fats significantly increased the risk of developing macular degeneration, but at least one serving of fish per week decreased the risk by 31%.

In addition, research reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010, said subjects who had two or more servings of fish per week had a 42% reduced risk of developing age related hearing loss.

Are You Getting enough Omega-3’s in Your Diet?
All the experts seem to agree that eating more omega -3 rich foods like wild salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, flax seeds and oil, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds is beneficial to one’s health. They also recommend supplementing with a purified, metal-free and pesticide–free fish oil (Dr. Mercola prefers krill marine oil because it is plentiful and sustainable). If you are interested in testing your levels, Dr. Hyman spoke of a home test kit, when he was a guest on Dr. Oz, that measures levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the red blood cells and is offered on his website (Drhyman.com).

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REFERENCES:
Kathy Musa-Veloso, et al.: “ Impact of Low v Moderate Intakes of Long-chain -3 FattyAcids on Risk of Coronary Heart Disease.” British Journal of Nutrition. Available on CJO 2011 doi: 10.1017/S0007114511001644 (Circulation Journal. 2009 Sep 29)

Studer M, Briel M, et al.: “Effect of Different Antilipidemic Agents and Diet on Mortality: a Systematic Review”. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2005, April 11; 165(7):725-30

Brasky, TM, et al.: “Specialty Supplements and Breast Cancer Risk in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) Cohort” . 2010. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 19(7):1696-708.

Murphy, R. A., et al.: “Nutritional Intervention With Fish Oil Provides a Benefit Over Standard of Care for Weight and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Patients with Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy”. Cancer, n/a. doi: 10.1002/cncr.25709

Gopinath, B. et al.: “Consumption of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fish and Risk of Age-related 010.29370 Hearing Loss. 2010. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2.)

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The Central Pennsylvania Holistic Health Networker is a quarterly journal about holistic lifestyle, including the many pathways to healthy living, environmental awareness, spiritual practice, use of alternative/complementary/integrative medicine and growth of creativity and health through the arts. The journal and its Resource Directory are published as a service for practitioners, businesses and the public. All material is copyrighted and may not be reproduced except for uses which do not involve the exchange of money and which do involve the open sharing of information for the purposes of greater growth and enlightenment of us all. Please contact the publisher for permission to reprint any part of this journal.

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