Fish Oil

[petb]

hi

 

I have read many posts but I am still confussed with Fish Oils.

 

What is the difference with DHA, Flax seed oil and evening primrose?

 

I have been giving my son DHA and I'm not sure if it the right thing to do. His school work is doing so much better I can't belive it, but I am always posting about his bitting lips.

I think the DHA might be to much Vit. A.

 

Then I look at Flax oil and that is Vit. B. My son is also taking a Vit. B complex. Would this be to much?

 

Do you also use a multi-vitamin?

 

Thanks

PetB

[Pandamom]

Our doctor has my daughter taking Omega 3, a full dose every day, unless she has had a food source with Omega 3 like salmon or flaxseed waffles. She also takes a whole food concentrate, Juice Plus, which is like a multivitamin. It's 17 organic fruits and vegetables concentrated into tablets - She hates the "fish burps" with the Omega 3 but it seems to help.

 

The biggest food trigger I've found with her tics which are all facial is caffeine.

[CKJ]

Our doctor has my daughter taking Omega 3, a full dose every day, unless she has had a food source with Omega 3 like salmon or flaxseed waffles. She also takes a whole food concentrate, Juice Plus, which is like a multivitamin. It's 17 organic fruits and vegetables concentrated into tablets - She hates the "fish burps" with the Omega 3 but it seems to help.

 

The biggest food trigger I've found with her tics which are all facial is caffeine.

 

I asked the Dr. about the possibility of getting too much Omega 3's (my daughter takes 500 mg of Flaxseed oil a day) plus I put flaxseeds into foods I cook and we eat fish a good bit, eat the eggs that have it, the bread that has it, etc... We eat a LOT of it. The Dr. says there aren't any problems with taking "too much". She said the only "side effect" with too much might be diarrhea since its oily. I have read that way, way too much could cause bleeding problems (if you get into an accident you could have excessive bleeding) but from what I read, that would be from taking tons of it.

[mrsdoubtfyre]

Chemar has been asking me to join here for some time. I am sorry, I have not done so sooner..

I am always rather stressed out time wise after the summer vacation.

 

Let me try to explain the Omega-3 situation a bit.

 

If you take Cod liver oil supplements you will receive Vit A (the real vit A, and not betacarotene).

 

But fish oils (from the body of the fish and NOT the liver) do not have Vitamin A in them. Some have a small amount of vit E added to prevent oxidation and rancidity.

 

The basic chemistry of essential fatty acids starts with alpha linolenic acid (found in some foods and flax oil).

This is converted thru many steps, in a very complex action in addition to magnesium and vitamin B6 to the long chain fatty acids called EPA and DHA. We can take fish oil and bypass this complex conversion since fish oils contain EPA (anti-inflammatory) and DHA (neuro builder).

Females convert about 25% of alpha linolenic acid to EPA and DHA, because females have babies, who need the DHA for brain development. Males much less so, about 4-5%. Evening primrose provides the intermediate helper to convert the flax to EPA and DHA. Some people require more, some less.

 

Depending on the size/weight of the child, 500mg of flax oil is not very much. Normally we consume alot of Omega-6s in our foods. (soybean oil, sunflower, etc). The ratio of omega-3 (flax) to omega-6 (soybean etc) is quite important. 1:1 up to 1:5 is the recommended ratio. Hardly anyone in USA gets this unless they pay attention to omega-3s alot. The average American has ratios commonly of 1:25. That is why we see more attention in the lay press to this issue. And it is changing.

 

Fishy burps are becoming a thing of the past... there are now commonly enteric coated fish oils, many double strength, which are very inexpensive now. (not so in the past). You can buy them at Costco, Sam's club.

Online there is Fisol, which is more expensive and not double strength, but an old reliable stand by. Enteric coating means that this fish oil does not dissolve until past the stomach. When the stomach lining improves with Omega-3 interventions, eventually the fishy burps go away. They are mostly a sign of poor status..and provide information that is useful, yet uncomfortable.

 

Flax oil does not cause bleeding. Excessive fish oils may thin the blood to a small extent, but this is only a serious consideration for those on Coumadin (warfarin), who have clotting disorders, who take excessive aspirin, or who are going to have surgery.

 

Some people do not do well on high dose flax...and others do not do well on high dose fish oil. It all depends on the genetics of the person. I recall on an older board forum, 2 patients who were tested and were found very low in GLA (found in primrose)...and had to supplement that more. I find that most people only do well on small supplements of primrose/borage oil. Most people only need a bit of this, not alot.

 

Excess Omega-3s are metabolized as fat calories. Flax is not the same as fish oil. Flax oil provides the

building blocks for the ingredients in fish oil, but Flax is more specific for the skin and other body functions.

Fish oil has DHA in it, which is specific for the nervous system. Both are good, but different.

 

Excessive evening primrose can cause diarrhea. But fish oils and flax do not, unless you use a ton of them.

 

People vary in genetics, the enzymes which run the chemical system to incorporated fats healthfully.

So it is hard to generalize to everyone. Also lack of magnesium in the diet, and B6 will inhibit proper utilization of the Flax oil.

 

I hope this helps....

[Chemar]

Hi mrsD and a VERY big welcome to you!

I am soooo pleased to see you here, especially as I know how very busy your schedule is.

 

thank you so much for responding here with such a wealth of information....and I do hope you will stop in whenever you get a chance.

 

Cheri

[kim]

mrsdoubtfyre,

 

What a wonderful welcomed surprise to see a post from you here.

 

My pass word stopped working at Braintalk, and no matter how many times I requested a new one, I would never get a reply, but still read posts there frequently, before it went down. Yours were always so informative.

 

As you can see, we can use all of the help we can get here!

 

Thank you for this post. I give my limited eater (age 10) Nordic Naturals 3 6 9, and my older son (almost 14 and eats very well) EPA/DHA only.

 

I have read several times, the same thing you posted about the ratio of 3 to 6 being so far off. Apparently, part of the problem started when the cattle feed went to grains instead of grass, if I remeber right. Then all of the oils (6's) that are consumed in processed and junk foods. I never saw the logic in giving more of the 6's to my older son.

 

Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge and time with us

 

Kim

[mrsdoubtfyre]

Thanks for the welcome!

 

I'll be looking around more on this site, this weekend.

 

Perhaps I should bring my mag/zinc/B6 info over here too!

[Chemar]

 

 

Perhaps I should bring my mag/zinc/B6 info over here too!

 

 

YES please!!!!!!!