Fish Oil: Friend or Foe? Part 3
In part 1 and part 2 of the "Fish oil: friend or foe?" series, we previously wrote about our vision on omega-3 fish oil and its problems. In part 3, we address a recent study that we cannot ignore.
Fish oil supplements are the most commonly used supplements among American adults. The 2012 National Health Interview Survey found that as many as 7.8% (19 million) of American adults had taken a fish oil product in the past 30 days. In the Netherlands or Europe, this figure will not be much lower.
But do people know what they are buying?
A recent study (December 2016) shows that omega-3 fatty acid products also contain varying amounts of other fatty acids, including saturated fat. What was equally alarming is that researchers also found levels of spoilage (peroxides and secondary oxidation compounds). And these turned out to be shockingly high. They even exceeded international industry standards.
Caution with fish oil supplements
The fact that you are consuming other fats than you think you are buying is bad enough, but consuming spoiled omega-3s that are potentially harmful really takes the cake.
These results, and the unanswered questions they raise, suggest that caution should be exercised when choosing and using fish oil supplements. We at Ergomax have not had omega-3 fish oil in our product range for over 9 years. This is due to the same concerns expressed by the researchers. Additionally, the fact that fish oil is a highly refined product also played a role. This makes it less effective, consider the SN2 position of DHA, and the fact that the evolutionary package of (micro)nutrients and cofactors is missing.
We are not anti-fish oil, and we realize that there are limitations to this study as only the three best-selling fish oil supplements were tested. We simply believe there are better options.
Back to basics. Why are omega-3s important?
It makes us human! Our brains seem to be designed to run on omega-3 fatty acids. A key distinction between humans and other primates is the high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain. These long polyunsaturated fats play an important role in the cell membranes of neurons and many other cells in the body. Here they increase permeability and control communication between cells. If you exceed the limits of the original design, you can expect errors.
Brain and DHA
The brain has an enormous number of cell membranes, and cell membranes consist of fat. The fat content and fat ratios of the brain differ from the rest of the body. The only polyunsaturated fatty acids found in reasonable amounts in healthy brains are the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and the omega-6 fatty acid AA (arachidonic acid). AA is found evenly distributed throughout the brain, while DHA is primarily found in gray matter, i.e., where our thinking takes place.
Why are there so many omega-3 fatty acids in the brain?
The short answer: the brain is a quantum computer, and DHA is a quantum molecule.
In 2013, Professor Michael A. Crawford published one of the most fundamental DHA studies ever: “A quantum theory for the irreplaceable role of docosahexaenoic acid in neural cell signalling throughout evolution”.
Professor Crawford explains how extraordinary DHA is. DHA has been essential for evolution in the animal kingdom for over 600 million years. DHA's unique structure gives the molecule quantum properties. This physical approach shows that DHA can convert light into energy and vice versa. Thus, DHA directly produces usable energy in your brain.
DHA as a chameleon
DHA is a strange molecule because it doesn't really have a stable form. Many double bonds in its molecular structure allow it to bend and twist very easily. This enables it to change configuration rapidly. A membrane containing sufficient DHA can hardly be called a membrane anymore. It is more of a unique structure that is a "biological extreme," a delicate fluid and not the rigid, film-like layer known from old cell biology textbooks.
In summary
Omega-3s remain important, and DHA is a miraculous fatty acid. Eating oily fish is best because, in addition to intact omega-3 fatty acids, you also get a complete package of other nutrients. If you can't eat oily fish regularly, supplements are a good solution. It's important to know what you're buying. We consider krill oil and minimally processed cod liver oil to be better choices than omega-3 fish oil.
