Omega-3 fatty acids – What they are; why we need them and how to compare products
The impact of seafood’s omega-3s on heart health has been widely studied. The long running Nurses’ Health Study (which includes 80,000 women) reported back in 2001 that women eating one to three servings of fish per month cut their risk of heart disease by 20 percent, while eating at least five servings a week lowered heart disease risk by 40 percent. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends we eat fish, particularly fatty fish, at least two times per week. Two to three servings a week of fatty fish (about 8 ounces) leads to an average daily intake of 500 milligrams (mg) of EPA and DHA, which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
The AHA suggests that people with documented coronary heart disease (CHD) consume about 1 gram (1,000 mg) of EPA+DHA per day, preferably through fish consumption (which means eating fatty fish four- to five times a week), otherwise in supplement form. Patients who need to lower their triglycerides will need 2- to 4 grams of EPA+DHA per day.
Other research indicates omega-3 fatty acids provide benefits in the treatment of depression, inflammatory bowel disease, and autoimmune disease such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
There are two major types of omega-3 fatty acids in our diets. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are omega-3 fats found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, albacore tuna, sardines, and anchovies. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the omega-3 fat found in plant foods, mostly seed and nut oils (such as canola, flaxseed and walnuts). Our bodies can convert ALA into EPA and then DHA, so researchers used to assume that eating foods with ALA provided the same benefits seen in eating fish, with its EPA and DHA. Studies now show that humans are relatively inefficient in converting ALA into EPA and DHA. One study reported that boosting ALA to more than 10 times the current average U.S. intake caused only small increases in blood levels of EPA and DHA.
So, do you need omega-3 supplements? The answer depends upon your diet and overall health. If your heart is healthy, and you’re eating at least two servings of fatty fish every week, you’re probably fine. However, if your diet is fish deficient, or contains fish such as tilapia and catfish which aren’t fatty, then supplements are a good option. You should also consider supplements if you have CHD, elevated triglycerides, depression or inflammation issues
Grocery, health food stores and discount club shelves are full of “fish oil” and Omega-3 fatty acid products, and like everything else there are more than enough options to quickly overwhelm us. The trick to deciphering all the options so you can compare products “apples to apples” is to go to look on the back of the bottle to the supplement facts portion of the label. Once there, add up the amounts of EPA and DHA documented to be in each serving. For example, here’s the supplement facts panel for Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3:
Supplement Facts | ||
Ingredients | Daily | % Daily |
Fish Oil Concentrate | 2,258 mg | * |
* Percent Daily Value not established. | ||
The amount of EPA (1,000 mg) + DHA (200 mg) = 1,200 mg total EPA/DHA combined in each 2 softgel serving. The purchase price is $14.25 for a 30 day supply. So, the cost of getting 1,200 mg EPA/DHA per day is 48 cents. ($14.25 / 30 servings = $0.48.)
Below is a supplement facts panel for a competitor’s product (Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega-3:
Supplement Facts | ||
Ingredients | Daily | % Daily |
Fish Oil Concentrate | 2,000 mg | * |
The amount of EPA (650 mg) + DHA (200 mg) = 850 mg total EPA/DHA combined in each 2 softgel serving. The purchase price is $27.95 for 60 softgels. To get the 1,000 mg EPA/DHA required, we’ll need to take 3 softgels daily (which means the bottle is a 20 day serving.). So, the cost of getting 1,275 mg EPA/DHA per day is $1.40. ($27.95 / 20 servings = $1.40.)
The average American eats seafood about once every 11 days. If you’re in this category, consciously make a commitment to start eating at least one serving of fatty fish per week. An albacore tuna sandwich at lunch, a perfectly grilled piece of salmon for dinner, or a snack of sardines in tomato sauce atop a couple of saltine crackers are all great ways to incorporate omega-3 EPA and DHA into our diet. Omega-3 supplements are a great way to augment healthy eating habits.
To purchase Advanced Omega-3, visit the Cooper Store.
Reference
ISSFAL – fatty acids, lipids and health studies Global Recommendations http://www.issfal.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=31
Nurses Health Study 2001 report
http://www.medfinds.com/healthnotes.php?org=medigrative%2Cmedigrative&page=newswire/newswire_2001_01_18_3.cfm
Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632
Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 ingredient panel and price information http://www.coopercomplete.com/store/detail/179.php
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega-3 ingredient panel and price information http://www.nordicnaturals.com/en/Products/Product_Details/98/proddetail.php?ProdID=1428&MainID=1428#
Jill Turner is VP Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Email (jsturner@cooperwellness.com) or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments regarding supplements.
