Something Smells Fishy Around Here

So does it matter if I get my omega 3 fatty acids from flax seed or from fish oil?  What is the difference anyway?  Well although the oils in flax seeds and fish oil are both omega 3 fatty acids, they are different kinds of omega 3.  The oil in flax seed is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).  This oil needs to be converted in the body to Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  Humans easily convert EPA into DHA in the body. Fish oil on the other hand contains both EPA and DHA and don’t need to be converted.  

 EPA is the oil responsible for shifting your body from a pro-inflammatory state to an anti-inflammatory state.  DHA on the other hand is a primary component of cell membranes in the brain, retina and testis, with almost 60% of your brain made up of this oil. So both EPA and DHA are considered essential since our bodies can’t make them without consuming either ALA or EPA/DHA.  Since Fish oil contains the EPA and DHA in its active form it does not need to be converted in the body before it can have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body, unlike flaxseed oil which has to be converted first.

 The conversion from ALA to EPA however is not an efficient one.    The amount converted from ALA to EPA +DHA was estimated to be at best only about 12%.  In addition there is a significant amount of variability among different individuals with some being more efficient at converting ALA than others.  Some patients studied showed no conversion at all. For more information on these studies you can read the work of the DHA-EPA Omega 3 Institute at http://www.dhaomega3.org/Overview/Conversion-Efficiency-of-ALA-to-DHA-in-Humans  .

To further complicate things, if your diet is high in omega 6 fatty acids (corn oil, sunflower oil etc) your body’s enzymes which breakdown ALA to EPA will cause the omega 6 oils to compete with ALA for this limited resource, further reducing the effectiveness of the ALA consumed.

Benefits of Flax Seed Oil

Flax seed oil has the advantage of being free from mercury and other heavy metal contaminants often found in the fatty fish used for their EPA/DHA content.  Ideally organic flax seeds would be best to ensure they are not contaminated with pesticides.  

Flax seeds also add additional nutritional value beyond their omega 3 content.  They are a good source of dietary fiber and protein.  They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.   The oil is also rich in vitamin E, β-carotenes and mineral (Herchi et al, 2012).  They also can be used in baking to replace eggs due to their mucilaginous nature.

Watch out for rancid oils!

Both flaxseed oil and fish oils are considered unstable and can oxidize easily causing them to go rancid.  Rancid oils have been linked to a number of health problems and can destroy the blood vessel lining mentioned by Dr. Esselstyn on yesterday’s Kojo Nnamdi Show. 

Tips for preventing your oils from going rancid

1.       REFRIGERATE:  Always store your fish oil and flaxseed oil supplements in the refrigerator.

2.       GLASS BOTTLES: Choose supplements in glass bottles with tight lids to prevent oxygen from getting to them.

3.       LIGHT PROOF BOTTLES: Choose only supplements packaged in dark bottles which keep the light out.

4.       GRIND YOUR FLAXSEED: If you choose to use whole flaxseeds, be sure to grind them just before consuming them.   Whole flaxseeds are not easily absorbed and can cause serious damage to your intestines.  Waiting to grind them just before you consume them protects the oils from going rancid. The whole seeds should also be refrigerated to prevent them from going rancid.

5.       DISCARD “FISHY” SMELLING SUPPLEMENTS:  If your fish oil supplement tastes “fishy” throw it away.  It is already rancid.  Periodically you should break a capsule to see if it smells or tastes fishy.  

6.       ANTIOXIDANTS: Take an anti-oxidant supplement with your omega 3 supplements to help minimize the damage if your oil is slightly rancid.  One component of rancid oil is a chemical called anisidine.  This chemical is tasteless and odorless.  Anti-oxidants may help to minimize the damage to your body if it has started to turn rancid and you haven’t yet noticed a change in the smell.

7.       FRESH SUPPLY: Try to use the supplement you bought within about a month.  Although it may seem like a cost saving idea to buy a 3 month or more supply, you may end up throwing it away before you get a chance to use it.

If you are concerned about how your Fish Oil supplement rates in purity you can check IFOS at http://www.ifosprogram.com/IFOS/ConsumerReport.aspx .  This website posts consumer reports from some of the major supplement manufacturers.  Not all manufactures have their products analyzed by IFOS and just because a manufacturers results are posted doesn’t mean the product was properly stored by the local vitamin shop.  But at least it is a starting point.

Attard, M. (2010) What is the difference between fish oil and flaxseed oil? LivingStrong.com http://www.livestrong.com/article/280503-what-is-the-difference-between-fish-oil-flaxseed-oil/

Herchi,W., Arraez-Roman,D., Boukhchina,S., Kallel,H., Segura-Carretero,A., and Fernandez-Gutierrez,A.,(2012)  A review of the methods used in the determination of flaxseed components. Afri Journ of Biotech.  11(4): 724-731 retrieved from http://www.academicjournals.org/Ajb/PDF/pdf2012/12Jan/Herchi%20et%20al.pdf on January 19, 2012

Rusty Bites: Spreading Misinformation in a 60 Second Sound Bite.

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2012-01-18/diets-detox-and-nutrition-what-works-what-doesnt/transcript
 

On the Kojo Nnamdi  show http://thekojonnamdishow.org/ today I heard Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn talk about the dangers of eating any kind of oil.  The message I got from him on the program was that ALL oils should be removed from the diet. Dr. Esselstyn claimed that oils among other things caused inflammation of the lining of the blood vessels which is a significant cause for coronary artery disease which can lead to heart disease. 

 

The rules of his diet are:

1.       You may not eat anything with a mother or a face (no meat, poultry, or fish).

2.       You cannot eat dairy products.

3.       You must not consume oil of any kind—not a drop.

4.       You cannot eat nuts or avocados

Things you can eat are:

1.       All vegetables except avocado. Leafy green vegetables, root vegetables, veggies that are red, green, purple, orange, and yellow and everything in between.

2.       All legumes—beans, peas, and lentils of all varieties.

3.       All whole grains and products, such as bread and pasta, that are made from them—as long as they do not contain added fats.

4.       All fruits. 

Over the past 12 years he reports this diet has helped the patients he has been following for coronary artery disease. He reports in his book seeing total arrest of clinical progression and significant selective reversal of the disease (Esselstyn,2008)

Although I fully support a diet rich in vegetables, fruits , legumes and whole grains, I am concerned by his recommendation to completely remove all fats from the diet.  So I went to chapter 10 of his book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary , Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure to find out why Heart Healthy oils are bad for us.

His main point is that olive oil , a monounsaturated “heart healthy” fat, actually consists of 14-17% saturated fat ( the kind that clogs our arteries).  And even though the original studies on the Mediterranean style diet (which recommends olive oil as being heart healthy) slowed the rate of progression of coronary artery disease it did not arrest it or reverse its effects.   He goes on to share research from noted scientists like Colin Campbell, Dr David H Blankenhorn, and Lawrence Rudel which supports the negative effects of monounsaturated fats like Olive Oil on coronary artery disease.

What about Omega 3 oils from Salmon,other fatty fish and Flax seed oil? 

There are numerous studies showing the anti-inflammatory effects of omega 3 fats and even its benefits in  coronary artery disease and heart disease.  One study demonstrated a 29% decrease in heart attacks and death in men who had already survived one heart attack (Burr,Fehily & Gilbert, 1989).  When I went searching his book I discovered he does allow flax seed oil which does contain omega 3 oils.  So his diet isn’t 100% oil free as he stated on the radio today. 

What was not made clear to the listeners of the Kojo Namdi Show was that omega 3 fatty acids(from Salmon or Flax seed) and omega 6 fatty acids ( from Sunflower oil, Corn Oil etc) are considered essential fatty acids.  They are called essential because the human body cannot create them and therefore they must be consumed.  These oils are essential for healthy cell membranes, vision, the nervous system including the brains, and the immune system. It was shown early on that patients who couldn't eat and were given Intravenous Nutrition with only carbohydrates and proteins developed essential fatty acid deficiency within only 7 – 10 days (Stegink,Freeman, Wispe& Connor , 1977).   Some symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency include:

• Dry skin (e.g., feet/face/general)
• Scaly or flaky skin (e.g., legs)
• Cracking/peeling fingertips & skin (e.g., heels)
• Lackluster skin
• Small bumps on back of upper arms
• Patchy dullness &/or color variation of skin
• Mixed oily and dry skin ('combination' skin)
• Irregular quilted appearance of skin (e.g., legs)
• Thick or cracked calluses
• Dandruff or cradle cap
• Dry, lackluster, brittle or unruly hair
• Soft, fraying, splitting or brittle fingernails
• Dull nails - lack of surface shine
• Slow growing fingernails
• Dry eyes
• Dry mouth/throat
• Inadequate vaginal lubrication
• Menstrual cramps
• Premenstrual breast pain/tenderness
• Excessive ear wax
• Excessive thirst
• Allergic (e.g., eczema/asthma/hay fever/hives)
• Crave fats/fatty foods
• Stiff or painful joints

 

Benefits of Essential Fatty Acids in the Diet

Essential fatty acids  play a key role in brain function. With almost 60% of the brain made up of fat. Deficiencies have also been linked to neurological impairment ( Hoffman, Johnson & Hatch, 1982). Dietary oils are also essential for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K. 

Furthermore a study of 45,000 US men who were followed for 14 years showed a 16% reduction in risk of coronary heart disease with each 1 gram per day increase in dietary omega 3 fatty acid intake.  And even more impressive was in those men who ate little or no seafood before the study. They saw a 47% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease with each 1 gram per day increase in dietary Omega 3 fatty acids (Mozaffarian , Ascherio , Hu  et al, 2005). 

I believe the publicized message that  Dr. Esselstyn gave on the Kojo Namdi Show today was reckless in its ambiguity.  His misleading advice to remove all oils from your diet without clarifying the importance of supplementing with flaxseed oil added to the current confusion of what constitutes a healthy diet.   It is the responsibility of health professionals to be clear on the message they are providing.  And clear information should not be dependent on the purchase of a book, especially when the omission of critical information could lead to severe health complications.

To read more about Omega 3 Fatty Acids check out the Linus Pauling Institutes website.  http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/omega3fa/

Tomorrow I will discuss the difference between omega 3 fatty acids from Flaxseed versus fatty fish like Salmon.

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2012-01-18/diets-detox-and-nutrition-what-works-what-doesnt

 

Burr ML, Fehily AM, Gilbert JF, et al. Effects of changes in fat, fish, and fibre intakes on death and myocardial reinfarction: diet and reinfarction trial (DART). Lancet. 1989;2(8666):757-761.  (PubMed)

Esselstyn Jr. M.D., Caldwell B. (2008-01-31). Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure (pp. 5-6). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.

Holman RT, Johnson SB, Hatch TF. A case of human linolenic acid deficiency involving neurological abnormalities. Am J Clin Nutr. 1982;35(3):617-623.  (PubMed)

Mozaffarian D, Ascherio A, Hu FB, et al. Interplay between different polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease in men. Circulation. 2005;111(2):157-164.  (PubMed) 

Stegink LD, Freeman JB, Wispe J, Connor WE. Absence of the biochemical symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency in surgical patients undergoing protein sparing therapy. Am J Clin Nutr. 1977;30(3):388-393.  (PubMed)