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How much Omega 3 for optimal health…
I have witnessed profound effects of nutritional therapies on health over my 4 decades of life. Thus, I have cultivated a deep gratitude for the power to radically change our health for the positive if embraced wisely.
Research shows again and again, Omega 3s prove one of the most credible and potentially beneficial nutraceutical supplements available today. Omega 3s are commonly referred to as fish oil.
A plethora of research studies ultimately get published within the National Library of Medicine site, www.pubmed.gov. In fact, health care professionals rely on this site for much of the published research on anything health related. In looking at this site for Omega 3 studies, I found 36,864 outcomes at the time of this article.
What’s in this article:
Researched Benefits of Omega 3s
Pharmaceuticals vs Nutraceuticals
Promising Nutraceutical Examples
How Much Omega 3s
How to Choose the Right Omega 3s
Ineffective Omega 3 Products
Top 20 titles on PubMed for Omega 3 Benefits:
- Impact of Omega-3 fatty acids on the gut microbiota
- Update on Omega-3 and Cardiovascular health
- Omega-3 controlling inflammation
- Cognition
- Heart disease
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Telomere length
- Epilepsy
- Weight loss
- Blood Pressure
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Physical Performance Optimization
- Mental Illness
- Sickle cell disease
- Lupus
- Mood disorders
- Psoriasis
- Depression
- Placental function
- Triglyceride lowering
The medical community cannot deny the benefits of Omega 3s found in the research in pubmed. In fact, researchers within their own field post the data. Nevertheless, less than 5% of these studies filter down to the practicing physician. Unfortunately, pharmaceutical reps fill the practitioner’s mind daily with the latest data produced by drug manufacturers. As a matter of fact, these visits are often packaged as the latest and greatest. And that undermines the older tried and proven natural options that are already available.
Pharmaceuticals vs Nutraceuticals
Exciting miracles of new drugs make headlines often. Sadly, many regrets surface with side effects after time. 8,100 drugs have been withdrawn from the market by the FDA due to extreme dangers. Remember, all of these drugs came on the market with a bang and few worries. However, each of those 8,100 drugs killed many thousands before companies removed them. In fact, 38,000 just from Vioxx alone. As a result, many informed individuals now pursue building health with natural remedies, common sense and lifestyle management as opposed to chronic pharmaceutical interventions.
What is a Nutraceutical?
A nutraceutical describes a food or food component that provides health benefits beyond basic nutrition. We combine the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical.” And the word refers to products derived from natural food sources with potential health benefits. For example, nutraceuticals include dietary supplements like vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other botanicals. These products are often marketed for their potential to prevent or treat various health conditions. In addition, sometime we combine nutraceuticals with traditional medical treatments or use them as a standalone approach to health and wellness.
Promising Nutraceutical Examples
One shining example includes nutraceuticals studied for their potent anti-inflammatory properties. In this situation, natural supplements may replace some more dangerous NSAIDs like Vioxx.
Below we list some examples of nutraceuticals that have shown promise as anti-inflammatory agents:
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Some studies suggest omega-3s may have anti-inflammatory effects. That includes effects like pain relief and reduced inflammation for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
- Curcumin: We find curcumin as a compound in turmeric, a spice commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Studies suggest curcumin may have anti-inflammatory effects and can reduce pain and inflammation associated with conditions like osteoarthritis.
- Ginger: Many people use ginger root in cooking and as a natural remedy for nausea and digestive issues. Some studies suggest ginger may also have anti-inflammatory effects and may reduce pain and inflammation associated with conditions like osteoarthritis.
- Green tea: Green tea is rich in antioxidants, which may have anti-inflammatory effects. Some studies suggest green tea may reduce pain and inflammation associated with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
In this case, anti-inflammatory properties to manage conditions like rheumatoid arthritis are not the only benefits of taking Omega 3s regularly. But there’s good evidence to show nutraceuticals like Omega 3s can work with or better than some pharmaceuticals that treat chronic conditions.
Consequently, that’s why we’re talking about how much Omega 3 you should take each day.
How to determine how much Omega 3 you should take each day and how often.
Omega 3 products consist of two active ingredients in most cases.
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
Most of the research has focused on these two active ingredients. However, lately some researchers look to a third beneficial ingredient called DPA (Docosapentaenoic Acid). Soon we may understand how this third ingredient affects our health.
I continue to blend my information and decision making for supplements with my experience, ancient wisdom, and credible research. I believe in the wisdom of “ancestral eating.” Naturally, mother nature holds time-tested wisdom. Therefore, following the genetic code based on thousands of years of living on this earth gives us insights science may not yet understand.
Additionally, we’re all unique. Consequently, testing can help us determine our current levels and what we need to supplement to get to optimal levels.
Read our What Does The Omega 3 Index Tell Us About Our Mortality Risk? article here.
Communities around the world report less disease and increased longevity when they maintain optimal blood levels of EPA/DHA. Certainly, consuming clean sources of Omega 3 regularly in foods can always supply our needs. However, our food sources do no always supply the purity and consistency we need.
Choosing the Best Omega 3 Supplements.
- The dose of Omega 3 to achieve optimal health should be the following: Combined amount 2000mg of EPA and DHA daily. Enteric coating is a plus if you purchase this type as it prevents burping due to allowing the capsule to dissolve further down the intestinal tract. This also appears to help individuals with gut inflammation even more than any other form of Omega 3’s.
- Secondly, the product should be tested for purity as whatever pollutants are in the waters where the fish are harvested will contain these poisons. Seals such as Non GMO, IFOS, Purity 3rd party certified and wild caught are important seals to insure purity. The ultimate information can be offered by scanning a QR code on the bottle with lab reports for test results for the few brands that offer this. These tests should show PCB’s, Dioxins, Mercury, Lead, Arsenic and cadmium. These are extremely toxic damaging compounds that harm many systems of the body and often cannot be healed regardless of treatments.
- Third tip. Taking the Omega 3 twice daily however if this is not practical you can take the entire dose with one meal. I have found manufacturers that add an enzyme to the product named “Lipase” which creates a higher level of digestion of the fish oils. Lipase’s job is to break down fats and many are deficient in this as we age.
- The last and could be the most important component of choosing brands is only requesting Triglyceride forms of Omega 3. Omega products can be produced by two methods. One is a natural form of Omega named Triglyceride. Don’t let this frighten you. It is not the unhealthy triglyceride form you sometimes see on bloodwork. Only higher quality companies offer the triglyceride form.
Try Ultra Potent Fish Oil
Avoiding Ineffective Omega 3 Supplements
The opposite form of triglyceride Omega’s is ethyl ester form. Ethyl esters is a process of extracting the omega oils from fish utilizing an industrial solvent. The solvent breaks the natural triglyceride bond and cleaves the glycerol backbone from fatty acid molecules. Critically, these newly formed Omega-3s create different molecules than the Omega-3s which exist naturally in fish oil. The new chemical names are recognized as “fatty acid ethyl esters.”
In my opinion, ethyl esters offer inferior sources of Omega-3s due to the solvents required and the manipulation of the original molecules. As usual, profit and ease drive the production of inferior products. Pending lawsuits may prevent the word “fish oil” on the label of ethyl esters in the future. In the meantime, be careful when purchasing low budget Omega 3’s.
What we do on an everyday basis builds our currency for our future life. Without a doubt, our food, exercise, sleep, emotions and supplements facilitate our optimal health future. This has come from my 44 years of observation of thousands of individuals.
Join me in adding to your amazing health future with wise and proper supplementation of the proper Omega 3’s by following the advice in this article.
