Something Fishy
It's hard to imagine a less appealing name than "fish oil." But if you're still shying away from this supplement based on the "ick" factor, you need to take another look. There's never been more evidence that fish oil is an essential part of your healthy living regimen. And taking it doesn't have to be a penance - I'll tell you how you can get all the benefits of fish oil without the icky smell and taste.
Fish oil comes by its name naturally - it comes from fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines. Both these fish and the fish oil that is extracted from them are rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are known their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Fish oil supplements first gained popularity for their heart-health benefits: studies showed that they can help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides.
But over the last several years, more and more research has suggested that fish oil can also help prevent cancer, improve your mood and protect you from Alzheimer's. In fact, just over the last few weeks there's been a boatload of new research about fish oil. For instance:
Researchers at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden found that eating just one serving of fatty fish per week reduced men's risk of prostate cancer by 43 percent as compared with men who ate no fish.
Scientists in Australia announced that fish oil was the most promising natural treatment for depression, based on a review of published research. Fish oil beat out well-known depression therapies like St. Johns Wort, SAMe, and tryptophan, and vitamins B6, B12 and folate.
The landmark Framingham Heart Study recently reported that their follow-up data showed a relationship between blood levels of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, and cognitive decline. Subjects with high DHA levels were about 50 percent less likely to have developed dementia Alzheimer's over the course of the long-term study, as compared to subjects with lower DHA levels. Another study from Sweden confirmed the fish oil-Alzheimer's link, finding that fish oil supplements can help slow the progression of very mild Alzheimer's.
A National Cancer Institute Study found that men who ate fish five or more times a week had a 40 percent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer as compared to men who ate fish one a week or less.
I know what you're thinking - five times a week or more!? That's a lot of fish. And what about the concerns about methylmercury and other contaminants? I could write a whole separate HouseCall on that issue - and I will - but here's the short version: eating salmon, mackerel, or sardines two or three times a week is fine. Salmon, one of the best sources of omega-3s and vitamin D, also has one of lowest concentrations of mercury. Wild caught Alaskan Sockeye salmon is probably the lowest is mercury, according to most analyses. (For a complete good fish/bad fish list, go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website at www.mbayaq.org and check out their Seafood Watch section. Also, pregnant women and young children are advised not to limit fish meals to two a week; visit http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html for specifics.)
But even if there were no mercury issues, I doubt you would want to eat fatty fish five days a week. That's why I recommend fish oil supplements, as well. (By the way, the omega-3 rich oil is extracted from fish, it is distilled and otherwise steam-cleaned to remove contaminants, so that's not a concern.). Which brings me to my next point: the ick factor.
The first fish oil supplements to hit the market did a good job of delivering omega-3s - but they weren't always so easy on the nose or the taste buds. But we've come a long way since then. There are now several brands that have minimized or eliminated the smell and taste. Some of my favorites are Nordic Naturals and Carlson's. Plus, everyone is different - you need to try several brands to find the one that smells and tastes the best to you.
