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Confused about Omega's ..how much? which ones?


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Seeking Relief- Have you looked into the NIMH trial? They are recruiting right now. You can google the NIMH pandas trial or go to www.pandasnetwork.org and find the link.

 

I looked at it briefly but to be honest I am still a bit uncomfortable about the idea of my son receiving blood products. Not that I would rule it out, i just don't know if I am ready for that just yet. This whole process is just so difficult and frustrating. I am still trying to find my bearings.

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I think I may have confused you on another thread. Omega 3s are generally good for everyone, Pandas kids, healthy kids...the only exception I was mentioning was for kids with pryoluria - a genetic zinc/B6 deficiency where your body pees away the zinc/B6 before your body has a chance to use it. Pyroluriacs also have an Omega 6 deficiency. Some of the binding sites for Omega 6s also bind to Omega 3s. So if you have an Omega 6 deficiency and then supplement with Omega 3s, you can make the Omega 6 deficiency worse. So my kids with pyroluria do better by taking only Omega 6 (in the form of primrose oil) and no Omega 3s. Hope this clears things up a little.

 

 

LLM -- I'm curious if you're finding any inflammatory issues in limiting Omega's to Omega 6? I remember reading (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that while Omega's 3 and 9 are anti-inflammatory, Omega 6 is thought to be pro-inflammatory? It's another one of those things I'm sure comes into the whole balance issue. And not to hijack this thread, but I'm becoming increasingly convinced my DS likely has some pyroluric tendencies, if not a full-on condition (since cutting his B-complex down to just B6 and adding more zinc, he's doing better and better behaviorally), but we've seen good things happen for him in the past with our heavy Omega 3/9 supplement, particularly when compared to periods in which we tried flax seed instead.

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I think I may have confused you on another thread. Omega 3s are generally good for everyone, Pandas kids, healthy kids...the only exception I was mentioning was for kids with pryoluria - a genetic zinc/B6 deficiency where your body pees away the zinc/B6 before your body has a chance to use it. Pyroluriacs also have an Omega 6 deficiency. Some of the binding sites for Omega 6s also bind to Omega 3s. So if you have an Omega 6 deficiency and then supplement with Omega 3s, you can make the Omega 6 deficiency worse. So my kids with pyroluria do better by taking only Omega 6 (in the form of primrose oil) and no Omega 3s. Hope this clears things up a little.

 

 

LLM -- I'm curious if you're finding any inflammatory issues in limiting Omega's to Omega 6? I remember reading (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that while Omega's 3 and 9 are anti-inflammatory, Omega 6 is thought to be pro-inflammatory? It's another one of those things I'm sure comes into the whole balance issue. And not to hijack this thread, but I'm becoming increasingly convinced my DS likely has some pyroluric tendencies, if not a full-on condition (since cutting his B-complex down to just B6 and adding more zinc, he's doing better and better behaviorally), but we've seen good things happen for him in the past with our heavy Omega 3/9 supplement, particularly when compared to periods in which we tried flax seed instead.

 

I don't see any inflammatory issues with Omega 6s. We use primrose oil, which is GLA.

 

From Univ of Maryland:

Omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body can' t make them -- you have to get them through food. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.

 

There are several different types of omega-6 fatty acids, and not all promote inflammation. Most omega-6 fatty acids in the diet come from vegetable oils, such as linoleic acid (LA). Be careful not to confuse this with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid. Linoleic acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the body. It is then further broken down to arachidonic acid (AA). GLA is found in several plant based oils, including evening primrose oil (EPO), borage oil, and black currant seed oil.

 

GLA may actually reduce inflammation. Much of the GLA taken as a supplement is converted to a substance called DGLA that fights inflammation. Having enough of certain nutrients in the body (including magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C, B3, and B6) helps promote the conversion of GLA to DGLA.

 

We never really did Omega 3s. In the early Pandas days, the kids weren't able to swallow pills, so we tried the Gummies and they hated them. So I never fought that battle. Then when they were diagnosed with pyroluria, we started Primrose. So I don't have any comparison.

However, a few months ago, I tried switching from 100% primrose to something that was a primrose+flaxseed blend and saw an immediate decline. But less than a week later, DS also got swollen glands with strep rampant in school. So hard to separate the two events. However, I'm not inclined to try it again. Sticking with EPO.

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I think I may have confused you on another thread. Omega 3s are generally good for everyone, Pandas kids, healthy kids...the only exception I was mentioning was for kids with pryoluria - a genetic zinc/B6 deficiency where your body pees away the zinc/B6 before your body has a chance to use it. Pyroluriacs also have an Omega 6 deficiency. Some of the binding sites for Omega 6s also bind to Omega 3s. So if you have an Omega 6 deficiency and then supplement with Omega 3s, you can make the Omega 6 deficiency worse. So my kids with pyroluria do better by taking only Omega 6 (in the form of primrose oil) and no Omega 3s. Hope this clears things up a little.

 

 

LLM -- I'm curious if you're finding any inflammatory issues in limiting Omega's to Omega 6? I remember reading (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that while Omega's 3 and 9 are anti-inflammatory, Omega 6 is thought to be pro-inflammatory? It's another one of those things I'm sure comes into the whole balance issue. And not to hijack this thread, but I'm becoming increasingly convinced my DS likely has some pyroluric tendencies, if not a full-on condition (since cutting his B-complex down to just B6 and adding more zinc, he's doing better and better behaviorally), but we've seen good things happen for him in the past with our heavy Omega 3/9 supplement, particularly when compared to periods in which we tried flax seed instead.

 

I don't see any inflammatory issues with Omega 6s. We use primrose oil, which is GLA.

 

From Univ of Maryland:

Omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body can' t make them -- you have to get them through food. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system.

 

There are several different types of omega-6 fatty acids, and not all promote inflammation. Most omega-6 fatty acids in the diet come from vegetable oils, such as linoleic acid (LA). Be careful not to confuse this with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid. Linoleic acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the body. It is then further broken down to arachidonic acid (AA). GLA is found in several plant based oils, including evening primrose oil (EPO), borage oil, and black currant seed oil.

 

GLA may actually reduce inflammation. Much of the GLA taken as a supplement is converted to a substance called DGLA that fights inflammation. Having enough of certain nutrients in the body (including magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C, B3, and B6) helps promote the conversion of GLA to DGLA.

 

We never really did Omega 3s. In the early Pandas days, the kids weren't able to swallow pills, so we tried the Gummies and they hated them. So I never fought that battle. Then when they were diagnosed with pyroluria, we started Primrose. So I don't have any comparison.

However, a few months ago, I tried switching from 100% primrose to something that was a primrose+flaxseed blend and saw an immediate decline. But less than a week later, DS also got swollen glands with strep rampant in school. So hard to separate the two events. However, I'm not inclined to try it again. Sticking with EPO.

 

Thanks! It was definitely the "not all Omega 6's are the same" piece of the puzzle I was missing! Might try primrose oil myself next "omega renewal" period! It'll be interesting to see what, if any, difference it makes. Interesting that you had a similar negative response with flax seed oil in the mix.

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