subject: What's Really In Your Fish Oil And Omega 3 Fatty Acids? [print this page] Written by Chicagohealers.com practitioner Dr Tom Bayne - Fish oil has been touted as the miracle supplement for the last few years. In fact research has demonstrated that fish oil is beneficial to control the inflammation of arthritis. There are many studies that describe the cardiovascular benefits of fish oil, and recently the mood balancing benefits of fish oil in mildly depressed patients have been studied. Many physicians recommend that patients begin getting their steady dose of fish oil in-utero by recommending fish oil to pregnant moms so the developing child will have the raw materials to form a healthy nervous system and brain. Although the scientific facts are indisputable regarding the health benefits of fish oil it is what the manufacturer does not put on the label that can make your fish oil very unhealthy. Unfortunately industrialization has polluted our waterways. Toxic chemicals and carcinogenic substances are rampant in our water supplies and oceans. Fish store these toxic wastes in their fat tissue.
A recent test by environmentalists showed a very disturbing trend. Many commercially available fish oils were very high in PCB"s. PCBs are industrial chemicals that were banned back in the 1970s because they cause cancer and birth defects. Quality manufacturers have been aware of this trend for decades. The process of molecular distillation removes PCB"s, heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals from the fat of the fish oil leaving only the healthy omega 3 rich oil behind. It is a process that adds to the cost of the fish oil, but as the research shows it is a necessary step. If your fish oil does not say "Molecularly Distilled" on the label then it most certainly contains pollutants that you would not want to put in your body. Lipid peroxides form in fats when they go rancid. That is the "fishy smell" associated with fish that is not fresh. Lipid peroxides cause inflammation and stress to the cardiovascular system.
If your fish oil has not been "stabilized" with antioxidants then it will taste "fishy" and cause oxidative stress in your body. If you want the benefits of fish oil without any stress to your body then you should be certain that your fish oil is molecularly distilled and antioxidant stabilized for freshness. I only recommend one fish oil Norway"s Purest Fish Oil. I recommend it because it is molecularly distilled, and antioxidant stabilized. I am also given independent 3rd party tested lab results to prove it with every batch I order. That is the quality my patients depend on.
Omega-3 Deficiency May Be A Marker For Bipolar And Depressed Patients
Sobczak S, Honig A, Christophe A, et al. Lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in first-degree relatives of bipolar patients. Psychol Med. 2004;34(1):103-12
Anti-inflammatory and Cardioprotective Effects of Omega-3 fatty acids
Micallef MA, Garg ML. Anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and plant sterols in hyperlipidemic individuals. Atherosclerosis. 2009;204(2):476-82.
Reports safety, and importance of dose and duration of fish oil supplementation for arthritis
Kremer JM. n-3 Fatty acid supplements in rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Clin Nutr.,2000;71(1):349S-351S.
http://pbhealthcenter.com/Norway.htm
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