Omega 3s... Fish Oil, and DHA...

There is no doubt that Omega 3's can not only help your heart and joints but it will also help your brain. Most people are aware of this, but do the benefits of Omega 3's apply across the board for all types of Omega 3's? There are now many Companies in the world market today trying to capitalize on the Omega 3 'boom' with such a wide range of products and so many claims that it is hard for the consumer to sift out fact from fiction.

The purpose of today's newsletter is to try and concisely as possible give you the facts about Omega 3.

I will try to explain the most important ones by dealing with each of them individually.

Important Point # 1

Your prime objective for consuming Omega 3 should be to get DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) into your body. The scientific evidence supporting the benefits of DHA is now overwhelming. It is much more important than EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) which is the major Omega 3 component of most fish oils.

Important Point # 2

Not all Omega 3's will provide you with DHA and EPA. This is because these essential fatty acids are not present in a lot of Omega 3 products. For example, ground flax seed is an excellent oil for certain uses and contains Omega 3's but does not actually contain any DHA or EPA at all. Instead it contains alpha linolenic acid which your body has to convert to DHA and EPA.

In many people, particularly the elderly this conversion process is very inefficient. To give you an idea, it is estimated that most adults would have to consume 10 - 40 grams of flaxseed oil to produce just 0.2 grams of DHA.

So, if you want to get the proven benefits of DHA don't rely on getting your Omega 3's from vegetable oils such as flaxseed. Note: There is however now some products being produced from algae which contain good levels of DHA and do not require the body to convert the ALA to the DHA. But, they are still not readily available and they are expensive.

Important Point # 3

The best source of DHA is from fish oil. However, there are some drawbacks with many fish oils:

1. The amount of DHA is low in most fish oils. A typical level is 12% DHA and 18% EPA. The popular 'salmon' oils (which are not really salmon) are usually of the 12/18 type.

2. Many oils on the market today are from questionable sources and some have high levels of heavy metals or other contaminants such as PCB's. To ensure that you don't ingest these contaminants, either use oils which have been molecularly distilled, or are from impeccable sources with a reliable certificate of analysis. This basically rules out any oil which is processed from fish caught in the Northern Hemisphere.

3. Most fish oils are of the triglyceride form which does not easily pass through the cell membranes. (More on this later)

Important Point # 4

Some suppliers of fish oil claim that it does not matter that the EPA is higher than the DPA because the body will convert part of the EPA to DPA. This is indeed true but like the conversion of ALA to DHA the percentage of conversion is very low. This is due in part to the high consumption of Omega 6 in the typical Western diet.

Enzymes needed for the conversion are in 'short supply' in the bodies of those people who have a reasonably high level of Omega 6 intake (via vegetable oils). This is because the enzymes needed are 'used up' in having to deal with the processing of Omega 6 oils.

As a result, the conversion in most people is quite negligible which further supports ingesting the DHA directly.

Important Point # 5

As I indicated earlier most fish oils are in the triglyceride forms. A triglyceride consists of 3 fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone. It does not pass easily through the cell membrane as it is changed. It also requires two enzyme steps to 'release' its fatty acids. Sometimes because of the structure of the triglycerides the fatty acids are not released but rather stay attached to the glycerol backbone.

In contrast, if the oil is esterified during the concentration and purification processes the resulting substance can easily enter the body's cell membranes. The esterified molecule has no charge and only requires one enterase enzyme to release the fatty acid. (DHA). This enables the body to use it as an immediate energy source, or store it for later use.

In Summary:

To receive the many benefits of DHA you have to consider ensuring that you do as follows:

1. Find a source of fish oil that is high in DHA or alternatively be prepared to take much higher doses of conventional fish oil.

2. Ensure that the fish oil you use is molecularly distilled.

3. Try to find the oil in the Ester form for better bio-availability.

In conclusion, try to find a quality fish oil supplement that meets these three criteria and your benefits will far outweigh the cost.

Warren Matthews is the Chairman of Xtend Life Natural Products, the manufacturer of a pure molecularly distilled fish oil ester with NO CONTAMINANTS and with exceptionally high levels of DHA! It is caught in the pristine Southern Ocean and is naturally free of contaminants.

XTEND-LIFE's 'Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil Esters' is available at ? http://healthybody.xtend-life.com/def ault.asp?id=270030

---

The Secrets of Looking and Feeling Younger and HGH Supplements

The mankind has never stopped searching for the scerets of... Read More

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - Methoxyisoflavone

Flavones are the latest big supplement to hit the market.... Read More

Nutritional Vitamin Fiber Supplements ? Which One Is For You?

Nutritional vitamin fiber supplements come in a variety of types,... Read More

The Importance of Taking a Multivitamin Supplement

It's absolutely crucial that your body gets the nutrients it... Read More

L-Glutathione, The Wonder Antioxidant

A naturally occurring compound, L-Glutathione (Tathion,) has demonstrated that it... Read More

The Effectiveness of Vitamin C

We all know that vitamin C is one of the... Read More

Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Benefits

Extensive research studies show that taking vitamin and mineral supplements... Read More

Why Do Liquid Form Nutritional Supplements Have Much Greater Bodily Absorption Than Pills?

Did you know that when you take vitamins and minerals... Read More

Developing Those Elusive Bright Eyes... With Vitamins and Minerals

Vision is one of our most precious senses. Without it... Read More

Building Muscle Power Through Vitamins and Minerals

The muscles of the body actually depend heavily on the... Read More

Truth About Omega 3

Since Dr Basant Puri, a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer... Read More

Vitamin E ? Just the Facts, Ma?am

It is important to understand that we are ultimately responsible... Read More

A Review of Popular Whey Protein Products

Because whey protein products have a wide variety of uses... Read More

The Real Truth About Supplements

Not All Supplements are Created Equal. There are more supplements... Read More

Antioxidants Nutrients Have Powerful Anti-Cancer Activity!

Antioxidants . . . The Nutrients Boost The Immune System... Read More

Alzheimer Disease and Antioxidants

At the present time, one out of ten adults have... Read More

Vitamins and Their Role in Our Lives

Vitamins, like minerals, are an essential part of the function... Read More

L-tyrosine and Your Health

L-tyrosine is a protein that the body produces from phenylamine,... Read More

Do Natural Thyroid Boosters Work?

How Well Does Thyrin-ATC and Other Natural Thyroid Products Work?Hypothyroidism... Read More

Learn Why Digestive Enzymes are Crucial for Optimal Health

Your body produces over 20 separate digestive enzymes that are... Read More

Vitamins and Minerals Help Ensure A Good Healthy Heart

Taking good care of your body means that you are... Read More

B Vitamin Hype: With Ambitions of Fighting Acne, Rosacea and Tumors, What Can This Vitamin Really Do

Vitamin B is no small time player in the high... Read More

PhytoNutrients

We have all heard that it is important to eat... Read More

A Look at Whey Protein Powder

There are so many different whey protein powder products on... Read More

Vitamin Information for Health

Vitamin C may be the most famous vitamin. Tens of... Read More

Beneficial Effects of Vitamins and Minerals To Your Blood

Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to the health... Read More

Why Supplements and Glyconutritionals?

Food is one of our most basic needs. However, in... Read More

L-Carnitine For Health & Muscle Growth: What You Need To Know About L-Carnitine

L-carnitine is a nutritional supplement that has been touted by... Read More

Omega-3 And Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is responsible for numerous deaths in... Read More

Natural Supplements - Help Your Body

Vitamins and mineral supplements are a good way to supply... Read More

Treatment of Heart Disease with Coenzyme Q10

Since its discovery in the late 1950â??s Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)... Read More

Ganoderma Herbal Supplements ? Natures Gift to Humanity

Use of herbs and herbal therapies has been an integral... Read More

Glyconutrients Will Be Revolutionary in Future Medicine - A Health Supplement

PART ONEThe word Glyconutrients, is not a Brand, or Company... Read More