Are you getting enough omega-3 fatty acids?

Medical Xpress / American Heart Association / Journal of the American Heart Association ^ | July 3, 2023 | Laura Williamson / Tianjiao Wang et al

[ConservativeMind]

Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in heart and brain health. They've been linked to a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation and lower blood pressure and triglycerides, reducing the risk for heart disease and cognitive decline. But most people in the U.S. don't include enough omega-3s in their diets.

There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA; docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA; and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. The human body can convert small amounts of ALA into EPA and DHA, but the main way people increase levels is to consume foods and supplements that contain omega-3s. Yet survey data suggests U.S. adults typically consume very little EPA and DHA, with average intake about 0.1 gram per day.

U.S. health agencies offer no guidelines for how much EPA and DHA a person should include in their daily diet. However, there are recommendations for daily consumption of ALA, based on age and gender. The National Academy of Medicine recommends men consume 1.6 grams of ALA daily and 1.1 grams per day for women.

ALA is found in walnuts and some plant oils, such as flaxseed, soybean and canola. EPA and DHA are high in oysters and fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, lake trout and albacore tuna.

A 2022 analysis found consuming 3 grams each day of EPA and DHA, in food or supplement form, may be the ideal dose to help lower blood pressure. About 4 to 5 ounces of Atlantic salmon provides 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil supplement doses can vary but typically provide about 0.3 gram per pill.

A new analysis found taking more than 2 grams per day of DHA and EPA combined in supplement form may lower triglycerides, but not LDL cholesterol.

[ConservativeMind]

Omega-3 supplements don’t appear to reduce LDL, but help reduce triglycerides.

Two grams of combined DHA and EPA works for best for that for supplementation, or eating fish, which is generally better.

Even some plant-based Omega-3s are helpful.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Dogbert41]

Has to be wild fish. Farm raised are no good, no matter the species. Farm raised are fed corn.

[tired&retired]

What about Caprylic acid or MCT in Coconut Oil?

[Blurb2350]

Excellent point re: “farmed” fish. When you see “Atlantic salmon” in your local market, it’s always farm-raised on GMO soy kibbles. There may even be a message on the wrapper in teeny tiny print saying “color added.” This is because farmed salmon is an unappetizing tan color without the addition of coloring agents to their unnatural diet. You need to pay a few bucks more per pound for wild-caught salmon.

[catnipman]

” Farm raised are fed corn.”

which means no omega-3s because THAT comes from plankton whose contents concentrate up the fishy food chain ...

the only way farmed fish can contain omega-3’s is if they are fed fish meal ...

farmed fish are for the most part garbage as they’re generally raised in one-time use mudholes filled with chemicals ... same with farmed shrimp ... [a few exceptions are yellowtail farmed in the open ocean like oysters are farmed ...]

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I started taking Krill Oil earlier this year (below - two capsules in the morning before breakfast and no obnoxious fish burps). The article says...

"3 grams each day of EPA and DHA, in food or supplement form, may be the ideal dose to help lower blood pressure. About 4 to 5 ounces of Atlantic salmon provides 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids."

"Fish oil supplement doses can vary but typically provide about 0.3 gram per pill."

"A new analysis found taking more than 2 grams per day of DHA and EPA combined in supplement form may lower triglycerides, but not LDL cholesterol."

The recommended dosage of the Antarctic Krill Supplement (below) is two capsules of which provides 0.26 g / day of DHA + EPA. The article says the average supplement pill is 0.3 g / pill, over twice this amount. The 0.26 g/day is only 9% of the recommended dose of 3 g/day which is disappointingly low.

[gundog]

Sounds like propaganda. Fish feed is generally mostly fish meal.

[Jess Kitting]

I heard that most people could lose weight—if they just got off their fatty acids.

[ConservativeMind]

Krill oil may be better absorbed, but nowhere near that much better absorbed, r at least you need rather more pills.

I take Spring Valley high strength fish oil from Walmart. About 1,000 mg of DHA/EPA in a single pill, for as little as 12.5 cents, in the two 180 capsule multipack.

[SauronOfMordor]

I will never buy farm raised fish or shimp.

[Java4Jay]

Ping

[nagant]

Omega 3 is good, but the glycerol in gelcaps can be very allergenic for many people.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Thanks for the Spring Valley recommendation. I didn’t realize how low the concentrations were in the Antarctic Krill Oil until I looked into it based on the article you posted. I tried regular fish oil in the past and the fish burps killed me. I read later that Krill Oil doesn’t do that and I can confirm that is true. I don’t know if it is the Krill itself or maybe the lower concentration.

I’ll check out Spring Valley at Walmart.

[Fractal Trader]

ChatGPT disagrees with you:

In fact, farmed salmon has been found to contain slightly more healthy long-chain omega-3 fatty acids than wild salmon.

Perhaps it is because the salmon has been fed fish meal, which would allow the Omega 3s to accumulate in the salmon similar to what happens as you move up the Krill food chain.

I dunno, but ChatGPT is one of the better "go to" sources, despite its limitations. I use it for work all the time.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

CM Thanks!

There are 2 forms of Omega 3 fish oils, an Ethyl Ester and Triglyceride form. Here is a discussion of the differences.

Discussion of Ethyl Ester and Triglyceride forms of Omega 3 fish oil.

Snip...."Ethyl Ester form: The ethanol in EE form MUST be filtered through the liver. As we have just discussed, when ethyl esters are consumed, they are processed in the liver, where the ethanol is drawn off, and the body must then rebuild the resulting free fatty acids back into a triglyceride. Any form of alcohol filtering through the liver runs the risk of side effects. The most common side effects: burping (thus the need for enteric coating), infection, flu symptoms, upset stomach, a change in your sense of taste, back pain, and skin rash. Indeed, the impact of ethanol release from ethyl ester forms of fish oil can be documented under the adverse events section in the prescribing information for Lovaza, the EE prescription form of fish oil. Some of these adverse events include body odor, vomiting, gastrointestinal disorder, pancreatitis, cardiac impact and hypertriglyceridemia (which is paradoxically the clinical issue for which this drug is prescribed). All of these side effects are a result of the toxicity of the ethanol released from this highly concentrated EE form."

Triglyceride form:

Almost all Clinical Evidence showing Omega-3 benefits relate to fish consumption. Fish are in a TG form. There are no ethyl ester fish in nature. Humans must consume fish oil in the same form as the fish to receive the maximum benefits.

Ethyl esters have been in the human food chain approximately 20 years.

Triglyceride fatty acids have been eaten safely, and for great benefit, for an estimated 600 million years.

[ConservativeMind]

Really, no one will have a drinking problem from fish oil capsules. There’s little there for problems.

Ethanol is just common drinking alcohol. I have never heard of anyone getting tipsy or drunk off fish oil capsules.

I also have never heard of the proof rating of fish oil.

This is all bizarre.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Are you responding to my excepts from the article or the article itself?

Here is another discussion.

Fish Oil Triglycerides vs Ethyl Esters

[NautiNurse]

Ethanol is just common drinking alcohol. I have never heard of anyone getting tipsy or drunk off fish oil capsules. I also have never heard of the proof rating of fish oil.

Focusing on inebriation with ethanol (ETOH) consumption is short-sighted.

ETOH is metabolized in the liver, where alcohol is oxidized into the toxic compound of acetaldehyde, and acetate. The byproducts generated during ETOH metabolism affect the liver by increasing lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis.

When liver disease is a concern, ingestion of medications and supplements which depend on liver metabolism should be used with due caution.

[ConservativeMind]

It took some digging, but I identified a source that speaks to how much alcohol is in the fish ester form used in fish oil capsules.

From ConsumerLab:

“A very small amount of ethanol (pure alcohol) is released from the ethyl ester
form into the gut during this process (about 13% of
EPA/DHA ethyl ester is ethanol), although the amount is likely to be insignificant (just a few drops of ethanol per softgel) for most people.”

https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/fish-oil-supplements-review/omega3/?search=Fish%20Oil%20(DHA%20&%20EPA)

In a standard fish oil capsule with 0.3 grams of DHA/EPA, that would be:

0.3 X 13% = 0.039 grams of alcohol, in one capsule

One gram of carbohydrate is 4.5 calories meaning the amount of alcohol in calories people get is:

4.5 calories X 0.039 grams = 0.175 calories

There have been studies of fish oil in alcoholics, and it has shown benefit. Of course, they imbibe much more alcohol, outside of “fish alcohol.” To put this in context, this is what is said about the alcohol grams in a can of beer:

“In the United States, one “standard” drink (or one alcoholic drink equivalent) contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in: 12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol.”

https://theinstituteofbeer.com/beer/often-asked-how-many-grams-alcohol-in-beer.html

How much beer would someone have to drink to equal the alcohol in one standard fish oil capsule?

NOTE: 12 ounces of beer = 340.194 grams

0.039 grams of alcohol in capsule / 14 grams of alcohol in 12 ounces of beer = 0.0028 or 0.28% of a 12 ounce can

How many standard fish oil capsules would it take to equal a can of beer, for alcohol content?

14 grams of alcohol in 12 ounces of beer / 0.039 grams of alcohol in a fish capsule = 359 capsules

Calculations performed above are only as good as my currently non-caffeinated brain.

I really don’t think there’s a practical problem with a day’s worth of fish oil, for practically anyone, especially when alcoholics benefit from fish oil capsules.

More:

A New Perspective on Fish Oil: The Prevention of Alcoholic Liver Disease
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34732632/

Fish oil may benefit alcohol abusers
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140717180252.htm