Supplementing With Fish Oil
CrossFit’s go to nutrition cert guru, outstanding athlete, martial artist and always down to earth Robb Wolf with the summary:
“…on fish oil supplementation is 0.5-1.0 g/10lbs Body Weight/day of EPA/DHA. The top end is for sick/fat people, the lower end is for most other folks. It seems like a lot, but a can of sardines is about 2.5g EPA/DHA. We are replacing a missing FOOD! Please. Please. Do not ask how many capsules that turns out to for you. Do a little math folks.”
Dr. Loren Cordain of Fish Oil Supplementation
His take on Omega 3 and 6 imbalance.
The typical western diet is overloaded with omega 6 fatty acids and contains insufficient omega 3 fatty acids. The current ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in the U.S. diet is about 10:1 whereas in hunter-gatherer diets it is closer to 2:1. This dietary imbalance in fatty acids (excessive omega 6 and insufficient omega 3) is a fundamental underlying cause of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, many cancers, most inflammatory diseases, and many psychological disturbances.
There are multiple physiological reasons why this laundry list of illnesses and diseases can be caused by or exacerbated from an imbalance in omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, but one of the most crucial stems from the synthesis of paracrine (nearby) hormones called eicosanoids. Eicosanoids are synthesized from three 20 carbon fatty acids (20:3n-6, 20:4n-6 and 20:5n-5) lying in cell membranes. Eicosanoids have multiple regulatory functions in the body including regulating the inflammatory response. Eicosanoids synthesized from 20:5n-3 (EPA) tend to be anti-inflammatory whereas eicosanoids derived from 20:4n-6 (arachidonic acid) may promote inflammation in certain tissues. Because of the imbalance in the (omega 6/omega 3) ratio in the typical western diet, a chronic state of low grade inflammation can exist which in turn may promote many health disorders and diseases.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Content of Fish and Seafood
In the past decade, perhaps the single most important dietary recommendation to improve our health and prevent chronic disease is to increase our dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids which are found primarily in fatty fish. Thousands of scientific papers spanning a variety of diseases unequivocally demonstrate the health benefit of these fatty acids. In randomized clinical trials that enrolled patients with pre-existing coronary heart disease, omega-3 fatty acid supplements significantly reduced cardiovascular events (deaths, non-fatal heart attacks, and non-fatal strokes). Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease through a number of mechanisms, including a reduction in heart beat irregularities called arrhythmias, a decrease in blood clots which in turn can decrease the risk for heart attack and stroke, decrease in blood triglycerides, slightly lower blood pressure, decrease rate of plaque formation in arteries, reduce overall inflammation which is now known to be an important factor causing atherosclerosis.
In addition to reducing the risk for heart disease, regular consumption of fish or supplemental omega-3 fatty acids may be helpful in preventing, treating, or improving a wide variety of diseases and disorders, including but not limited to virtually all inflammatory diseases (any disease ending with “itis”), rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disorders (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis), periodontal disease (gingivitis), mental disorders (autism, depression, postpartum depression, bi-polar disorder, borderline personality disorder, impaired cognitive development in infants and children), acne, asthma, exercise induced asthma, many types of cancers, macular degeneration, pre-term birth, psoriasis, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cancer cachexia, intermittent claudication, skin damage from sunlight, IgA nephropathy, lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and migraine headaches.
Try to include at least 0.5-1.8 grams of EPA + DHA per day in your diet, either by eating fish or fish oil supplements. If you have documented coronary heart disease, you should include at least 1.0 grams of EPA + DHA in your diet. Patients with hypertriglyceridemia (elevated or high blood triglycerides) can lower their values by as much as 40 percent by taking 2-4 grams of EPA + DHA per day. If you are taking more than 3 grams of EPA + DHA per day, consult with your physician because high intakes tend to prevent blood from clotting and may cause excessive nose bleeding.
Here is a link to a scientific paper by the American Heart Association on the subject.
From the resource for all things CrossFit et cetera the CrossFit Journal.
Dr. Barry Sears on Fish Oil and its benefits
In the final analysis, it’s all about your genes, especially how an anti-inflammatory diet, like the Zone Diet, can turn off inflammatory genes and simultaneously turn on anti-inflammatory genes that promote cellular rejuvenation, repair and healing. Your ability to control inflammation becomes the molecular definition of wellness. Furthermore, both physical and mental performance are optimized with an anti-inflammatory diet.
Dr. Sears presented on this relationship between diet, inflammation, disease and performance to a crowd of CrossFitters on August 8, 2009 in Tustin, CA.
The first part includes Coach Greg Glassman’s introduction of Dr. Sears. The two started working together back in 1994. Then Dr. Sears introduces this basic relationship.
In the second part, more details about “silent” inflammation, the kind that doesn’t create pain, but can be around for decades and cause many of the common long term illnesses. The perfect storm causing the worldwide epidemic of obesity consists of refined carbohydrates, cheap vegetable oils, and reduced Omega-3 consumption.
In the third part, Dr. Sears talks about how the Zone is the best diet for reducing silent inflammation. The Zone is a moderate diet in which the hormonal response to food is balanced (through controlled quantities). The net result is reduced insulin secretion, reduced Omega-6 fatty acid intake, and reduced production of toxic fat (which leads to better athletic performance).
“If I want to have an al-Qaida battle plan How to Destroy Health Care of America, the USDA food pyramid there would be exactly that. I can think of nothing that would accelerate the development of silent inflammation faster.”
In Part 4 of this series, Dr. Barry Sears pulls no punches in criticizing USDA nutritional prescriptions that are being adopted by countries around the world. Dr. Sears states that a Western diet that causes silent inflammation is one of the reasons for sick citizens and over-burdened health-care systems.
The cure? Adherence to the Zone Diet and the inclusion of large amounts of fish oils rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
Studies have proven that high concentrations of fish oil can be used to dramatically reduce inflammation, resulting in weight loss, improved blood chemistry and better overall health. More clinical research has shown that fatty acids, even when used to supplement a very poor diet, can help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, MS, bipolar depression, ADHD, chronic pain and Alzheimer’s—all because fish oils reduce inflammation.
“It’s as close to a miracle drug as I’ll ever see in my lifetime,” Dr. Sears states.
In Part 5 of this series, Dr. Barry Sears gives out basic instructions that are the keys to wellness—but don’t be fooled by the simplicity of his prescription.
The Zone Diet and supplementation with fish oils actually have profound effects on the human body at a genetic level. The food intake in Western society has changed dramatically in the last 30 years, and our genes have not been able to respond, resulting in sickness caused by inflammation. By carefully monitoring what you put in your body, you can silence the genes that cause inflammation and turn on genes that reduce it, leading to health, wellness and even athletic performance.
We’re only now beginning to understand the words Greek physician Hippocrates spoke almost 2,500 years ago:
“Let food be your medicine. Let medicine be your food.”
The Zone Diet was developed to treat heart disease and diabetes, but Dr. Barry Sears first tested his program on elite athletes and discovered it had profound effects on performance.
Traditional thinking suggests a simple relationship between calories in and calories out. Dr. Sears suggests a different way to look at things in this presentation held Aug. 8, 2009, in Orange County: in athletic performance, calories aren’t as important as their ability to produce chemical energy—ATP, or adenosine triphosphate.
“The more efficient you are in making ATP, the more of a competitive advantage you will have,” Dr. Sears says.
Furthermore, your hormones are directly linked to food intake, and you can regulate them by monitoring the type of food you eat and when you eat it. With carefully planned caloric intake during the pre-demand, demand, recovery and regeneration phases of exercise, you will give your body the fuel it needs to perform and recover. By controlling your hormones in this way, you can reduce inflammation, decrease body fat and recovery time, and produce a host of favorable physiological changes that will result in improved and even elite performance.
“You’re working real hard in the gym. Don’t let your diet work against you,” Dr. Sears says.
Many athletes will do almost anything for elite performance, but some of those same athletes don’t realize the quest to gain an advantage over other competitors doesn’t have to include steroids and a giant mountain of supplements.
According to Dr. Barry Sears, diet is the real key to improving athletic performance, winning competitions and setting new PRs.
In Part 7 of Dr. Sears’ presentation held Aug. 8, 2009, in Orange County, Calif., the creator of the Zone Diet talks about the finer points of his program: how much protein you really need, when athletes should up their fat intake, how to determine the quality of the fish oil you should be taking, and how much fish oil you really need to improve performance.
With a carefully planned diet, smart training and the right amount of fish oil, athletes can improve reaction time, reduce body fat and inflammation, and improve moods—all leading to high performance.
“When you’re trying to give elite athletes an unfair but legal advantage, diet becomes the key factor,” Dr. Sears concludes.
Dr. Mercola and company on the benefits of Fish Oil and the danger of Statin drugs
Fish Oil Works Better Than Statins at Improving HDL Cholesterol
Fish Oil is Better Than Drugs for Preventing Heart Failure
The New Drug Push: Fish Oil + Lipitor For Your Cholesterol Levels
6 Ways to Reduce Inflammation — Without a Statin Drug
How Statin Drugs Wreck Your Muscles
Cardiovascular Benefits of Omega-3 Fats
and Cardiovascular Benefits of Omega-3 Fats (2)
Flax is Not the Best Omega-3 Fat
