subject: Fish Oil - Why It Is Superior To Flax Seed Oil [print this page] There is plenty of evidence that fish oil and fish oil supplements have a multitude of health benefits, including improvement in the cognitive, visual, nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as benefits in fetal and child development. The main constituents of fish oil are EPA and DHA, also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
So, what about flax seed oil? Flaxseed oil does not contain EPA and DHA. Flax seed oil contains another fatty acid called alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA). This substance is an omega-3 fatty acid. However, it is not very effective as an omega-3 supplement. Why not? The reason is that ALA can be converted into EPA and DHA in the body, but ONLY INDIRECTLY. The body can then convert EPA into DHA. But this is not what our bodies need. Our bodies need DHA and EPA, in the most direct way possible.
So, right from the beginning, we're dealing with an indirect production of EPA and DHA, which are actually the most important components of fish.
Furthermore, the conversion of ALA into EPA is not efficient at all. National Institute of Health researchers did a study to determine how effective ALA from flax seed oil is at increasing DHA and EPA levels in the body. The results were very disappointing. Only 0.2% of ALA was converted into EPA. Of that, only 23% became DHA. This means that to less than one half of one percentage point of the omega-3 fatty acids found in flax seed oil actually become DHA.
On the other hand, the researchers found that the half-life of the DHA found in fish oil is 20 hours and that the EPA is 67 hours! So, by taking fish oil capsules, you get precisely the omega-3 fatty acid your body needs, they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream and can stay there for days!
This, in turn, means that the EPA and DHA are staying in your body to do their jobs, like cleaning your blood vessels and building better brain cells, among many other things.
I used to take quite a few tablespoons of flax seed oil every single day, and was very disappointed with the lack of results. I was wasting money and not getting the effects I wanted. After I started researching the subject in-depth, I found out the reason why. The choice is obvious. To take care of ourselves and our families, the best thing we can do is take a top-quality fish oil supplement everyday.
Bonus tip: There are so many fish oil supplements on the market today. How is one to choose wisely? There is one very unique fish oil with a far superior level of DHA than conventional oils.
For more information about the health benefits of fish oil and to find out about the best value, top-quality fish oil that I have discovered in my many years of natural health research, and the one that I use personally, please visit http://www.optimal-omega3.com
