Clinical Omega-3

Molecularly distilled, concentrated EPA/DHA fish oil sourced from cold water Norwegian fish. A 1200 mg fish oil softgel containing 360 mg EPA and 240 mg DHA. Also includes a natural mix of tocopherols for additional antioxidant protection and orange oil for a pleasant flavor. Molecular distillation process ensures that no pesticides, PCBs or heavy metals are present.

In fact, researchers indicate that consuming fish oil will deliver less mercury than consuming fish (1).

EPA/DHA are acronyms for eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, respectively. Whenever an animal eats vegetation/foliage, the body converts alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) into EPA and DHA. Most people have heard or read about omega-3 fatty acids; ALA, EPA, and DHA are the famous omega-3s (n-3 and n-6 are the abbreviation for omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, respectively). Fresh wild fish are the best sources of omega-3s and most supermarkets brands will indicate on the label if they are wild caught or farmed – the best sources of omega-3s are wild caught.

Dr. Artemis Simopoulos is probably the most well known researcher in the field of omega-3 fatty acids. One of her excellent review articles is available (2), and it should be read to gain a great depth of information. At the bottom of this page you will notice that the two papers referenced on this page are available as free full texts from the publishers.

We typically think of eating n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in the context of their ratio within a given food. The general goal is to eat a diet that leads to an overall ratio that is below 4:1. The “ideal” goal is to eat a 1:1 ratio of n-6:n-3 fatty acids. We can approach this ratio by eating in the fashion discussed in the diet section, and in the DeFlame Diet book. Here are lists of foods with Anti-inflammatory and Pro-inflammatory ratios of n-6:n-3 fatty acids (3-5):

Foods with Anti-Inflammatory Ratios

1:1 Green vegetables

3:1 Fruit

3:1 White potato

4:1 Sweet potato

3-5:1 Grass-fed meat

3:1 Wild game

1:1 Wild-caught fish

2:1 Farmed-raised Salmon

1:3 Flax seeds

1:3 Chia seeds

2:1 Hemp seeds

Foods with Pro-Inflammatory Ratios

5:1 [or worse] Nuts

5:1 [or worse] Grain-fed meat

15:1 Grain-fed chicken (white meat)

17:1 Grain-fed chicken (dark meat)

20:1 ALL grains (wheat, rye, oats, rice, etc.)

60:1 Potato and corn chips, etc.

70:1 n-6 seeds and seed oils

An examination of the above foods will lead most to realize that it is very difficult to achieve an optimum n-6:n-3 ratio with diet alone. Notice that potato chips, corn chips and similar foods are a total disaster. The seed oils to avoid that have a 70:1 or worse ratio include the oil from corn, sunflower, safflower, and cottonseed. The oil from peanut (a legume) is also worse than 70:1.

Avoiding omega-6 foods and supplementing the diet with 1-2 grams of EPA-DHA is safe and highly recommended by most.

Fish oil is best taken at the beginning of the meal. There are no known risks or problematic drug interactions when taking n-3 supplements, which is one of the reasons they are so widely recommended. Only those taking powerful blood thinning agents, such as coumadin, may need to worry, as fish oil can further “thin” the blood and potentially lead to vascular problems. Consult with your physician if you are taking coumadin or any other anti-coagulant/blood thinning agents.