Cardio Protective Benefits of Stable Fish Oil
September 08, 2005
By: Dr. Sonja Pettersen N.M.D.

Last week we discussed predictive factors of cardiovascular disease and how research has shown that there are better indicators than total cholesterol. I mentioned that there is a supplement that would greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression and many other diseases as well as accelerating fat loss by turning on the lipolytic genes (fat burning genes) and turning off the lipogenic genes (fat storage genes). That supplement is fish oil, but more specifically, natural, stable and pharmaceutical quality fish oil. Unfortunately the processing and storage of fish oils could turn it into a substance that would cause health problems, not prevent them. Since our oceans have become so polluted, fish have increasingly more heavy metals in them, especially the larger fish that are higher up on the food chain so that the heavy metals are more concentrated.

The process of extracting the oil from the fish and the metals from the oil can produce a product that not only has lost its therapeutic benefit but also has created a toxic substance that can pollute the body instead of healing it.

Since the end product is oil, which has a tendency for rancidity, the manufacturer must take an extra step to preserve its freshness so that it remains stable on the shelf and in transport.

Once we have ingested the oil and it is warmed to our body temperature of 37 degrees C, the tendency for rancidity must be abated again by antioxidants. Some manufacturers add Vitamin E to the capsules to prevent oxidative damage. It takes a minimum of 4.5 I.U. per capsule so look for a product that has at least 10 I.U. to be safe. Also when you buy a fish oil, the omega-3 fatty acids have to be in a triglyceride form for superior absorption and bioavailability.

For the remainder of this article I will mention the benefits of safe and stable fish oil and not any fish oil. I will mention a few of the benefits that research has shown fish oils to convey, however the greatest thing about taking them is that the essential fatty acids that they provide are incorporated into every cell membrane of the body so that they have improved receptor, enzyme and channel function. In other words, there is better control over what enters and exits the cells so overall health of the body is greatly improved.

Fish oils have been shown to lower VLDL, triglycerides and raise HDL levels. As a comparison, previous studies with regular fish oil have shown a 4% increase in HDL levels, natural, stable fish oils produce a 17% increase. Elevated Homocysteine levels have also been lowered with fish oil intake, especially when combined with evening primrose oil and Vitamin B6 and folate. Recall that homocysteine is one of the new markers used to determine cardiovascular risk. Another such marker is fibrinogen, which also decreases with fish oil supplementation.

Fish oils can also decrease blood pressure by several mechanisms including a decrease in blood viscosity, and inhibition of a blood vessel constrictor (thromboxane). Lipoprotein (a) is another CVD predictor that can be lowered by fish oils (a 19% reduction was seen with natural, stable fish oils and just 4% with a highly purified fish oil).

Fish oils also prevent sudden cardiac death, the most common cause of death in Western countries, by a variety of mechanisms, primarily by reducing arrythmias.

Other than cardiovascular disease, here are some others that have been shown to improve with the use of fish oils: lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, psoriasis, Raynaud's, and cancer. As you can see the application for fish oils is broad, which stems back to the fact that every cell membrane has improved function with the correct essential fatty acids in the cell lipid bilayer. This is why virtually all of our clients at Poliquin Performance Center will find fish oils in their protocol at some point. For example, we often use them to support normal blood glucose regulation. It is important to note that only natural, stable fish oils will provide this benefit, whereas regular fish oils will increase blood glucose levels. Fish oils turn on the lipolytic genes (fat burning genes) and turn off the lipogenic genes (fat storage genes), therefore, they help tremendously in accelerating the quest for optimal body composition

1. Fish oils, rich in the Omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent depression, stabilize the moods of maniac-depressives, and alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia.
University of California's JohnssonCancerCenter, Los Angeles, CA http://www.health.com

2. Fish oils is one of the few substances known to lower concentrations of triglycerides (fatty substances) that pose a cardiovascular risk, in the blood.
J Raloff Science News http://www.sciencenews.org

3. Increasing the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids has direct effects on serotonin levels.
Andrew Stoll M.D.1999 Archives of General Psychiatry http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/1674.50306

4. Fish oils, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help prevent heart disease, depression, and cancer.
Hans R. Larsen, Msc chE "Fish Oils: The Essential Nutrients" International Health News http://pinc.com/healthnews/fishoils.html

5. Research has shown that supplementation with fish oils can markedly reduce interlukin-1beta production and results in a significant reduction in morning stiffness and the number of painful joints in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Darlington, L Gail and Stone, Trevor W. Antioxidants and fatty acids in the amelioration of rheumatoid arthritis and related disorders. British Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 85, March 2001, pp.251-69 http://www.oilofpisces.com/fishnews.html

6. Several clinical trials have concluded that eating fish regularly or supplementing with fish oils can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death by as much as 50%.
Bigger,J. Thomas and El-Sherif, Tarek. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular events: a fish tale. Circulation, Vol.103, February 6, 2001, pp623-25 (editorial) http://www.oilofpisces.com/fishnews.html

7. Researchers at Mayo Clinic report that supplementation with fish oils, EPA and DHA is highly effective in slowing down the progression of IgA nephropathy, a common kidney disease.
Donadio, James V.,et al. A controlled trial of fish oil in IgA nephropathy. New England Journal of Medicine, Vol 331 November 3, 1994, pp1194-99 Van Ypersele de Strihou, Charles. Fish oil for IgA nephropathy? New England Journal of Medicine, Vol 331, November 3, 1994, pp 1227-29 (editorial) http://www.oilofpisces.com

8. Epidemiological studies have shown that populations with a high intake of fish oils have a lower incidence of inflammatory diseases such as asthma.
Dry J. and Vincent D. Effect of a Fish oil diet on asthma: results of a 1-year double bind study. Int Arch Allerguy Appl Immurol, Vol.95, 1991,pp.156-57 http://www.oilofpisces.com/asthma.html

9. Researchers at The University of Tromso now report that fish oil supplementation lowers blood pressure significantly in people with hypertension and has no effect on glucose control even in people with mid diabetes.
Toft, Ingrid, et al. Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on glucose homeostasis and blood pressure in essential hypertension. Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol 123, No 12, December 15, 1995, pp 911-18 Connor, William E. Diabetes, fish oil, and vascular disease. Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol 123, No 12, December 15, 1995, pp950-52 http://www.oilofpisces.com/hypertension.html

10. Medical researchers in New Zealand provide convincing evidence that an increased consumption of fish oils helps reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Norrish, A,E, et al. Prostate cancer risk and consumption of fish oils: a dietary biomaker- based case-control study. British Journal of Cancer, Vol. 81, No.7, December 1999, pp.1238-42

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