Fish oil alternatives?

[chris hansen]

Hello,

I was taking fish oil for a while for a while and started getting a lot of nose bleeds so the doctor told me to stop taking it.

I know I don't get enough omega-3 in my normal diet so is there an alternative to fish oil that would work without causing nosebleeds?

Thanks.

[Coach Bentz]

Chris,

If you know for sure you're lacking omega 3s in your diet, here's one place (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid) I found on a Google search (scroll down for food sources) I'm sure there are a lot more out there.

But I gotta say, getting nosebleeds by just adding fish oil to the diet is not something I'd ignore, nor would I experiment with unfamiliar foods and supplements without knowing more about what's going on. Have you ever spoken to a nutritionist or someone like that?

[Kathryn Woodall]

Chris and Brian,

Any omega-3 can cause a decreased clot time. While it is impossible to say for sure in your case, some people who live in dry areas (or when it is cold or when people are running forced-air heaters) experience excessive drying of the mucous areas in the nasal area which in turn may cause some of the smaller blood vessels to bleed. The body may repair this so quickly that it isn't even known about, but if clot time is delayed for any reason, a nose bleed may result.

Getting a certain amount of omega-3's in your diet shouldn't necessarily be a concern, but having an overall healthy ratio is. If you "know" that you aren't getting an adequate amount of omega-3's, then perhaps it would be wiser to evaluate where you are getting the excessive omega-6's/transfats from.

[Luke Chohany]

Chris,

You might be interested in this article discussing the needs for omega 3's and 6's.
http://www.brianpeskin.com/efa-analysis.pdf

~Luke

[chris hansen]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess it might be an exaggeration to say I know I don't get enough omega-3. I try not to get too much omega-6 but I don't eat much fish or things that are said to have the omegs-3s.

I do have more trouble in the dry winter air but the nosebleeds got worse when I took fish oil and got better when I stopped.

Because of my medical history (chemo and radiation) my blood counts might not be quite normal and that could affect it. It was a long time ago but I'm told that some things never quite recover. The doctor is familiar with my medical history and he suggested I stop taking fish oil.

[Coach Tran]

Chris,

Many Americans do not eat enough omega 3 and go crazy with omega 6. With the Standard American Diet (SAD) Omega 3 is lacking. I would recommend trying flax seed oil for omega six. I use flax seed oil in my salads. You may want to eat more foods rich in omega 3. For example, eating natural raised and grass fed beef or salmon is a good choice. Corn fed beef is higher in omega 6.

[chris hansen]

Chris,

You might be interested in this article discussing the needs for omega 3's and 6's.
http://www.brianpeskin.com/efa-analysis.pdf

~Luke
I've started reading this article and it's kind of a paradigm shifter. Now I'm not sure what to think. Maybe I'll just try to eat healthy and not worry about it.

[al-209]

I use 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds (i use a standard electric cofee mill) in water once or twice a day. It supplies very fresh omega 3 and also supplies quality fibre which makes for a bulky, easy to pass stool. Which is a plus plus in my opinion!

[Stillness_moving]

Flax is awesome. I'm not very fond of the taste, though.
I'm a much bigger fan of coconut oil, which also has the added bonus of tasting amazing. There's been research recently about it being a good source of medium chain fatty acids, which are supposed to have great health benefits. I got this from:http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org
It helps to explain the direct burst of energy that follows consumption.


Fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. Three fatty acids joined together form a triglyceride molecule. Some fatty acids are smaller than others. Medium-chain fatty acids are smaller than long-chain fatty acids. Likewise medium-chain triglycerides are smaller than long-chain triglycerides. The size of these molecules is very important because our bodies process and metabolize each fat differently depending on its size. Most all of the fats and oils in our diet are composed of long-chain fatty acids, whether they're unsaturated or saturated. There are only a few dietary sources of medium-chain fatty acids, the primary source being tropical oils, particularly palm kernel and coconut oils. That's why coconut oil is different from other oils and it the secret to many of its healing properties.

Because the medium-chain triglycerides are smaller than the long-chain triglycerides that are in most fats and oils, they're digested quicker. In fact, they don't even need pancreatic digestive enzymes to break them down. By the time they enter the intestinal tract, they are completely broken down into free fatty acids, while long-chain triglycerides still need the digestive enzymes to break them down. What's important here is that the long-chain fatty acids, when they're finally broken down, will be absorbed through the intestinal wall. From there, they are packaged into lipoproteins and released into the bloodstream. So the long-chain fatty acids go into the digestive tract and then into the bloodstream. As they circulate in the bloodstream they supply the fat that collects in fat cells and the fat that collects in artery walls.

With medium-chain fatty triglycerides in coconut oil the process is different. They are quickly digested, so pancreatic enzymes are not needed. By the time they enter the intestinal tract they are completely broken down into fatty acids. Because of this, they are absorbed immediately into the portal vein, and sent directly to the liver. In the liver they are used as a source of fuel to produce energy. Therefore, they bypass the lipoprotein stage, and they don't circulate in the bloodstream to the degree that other fats do. Consequently, they do not supply the fat that collects in fat cells or the fat that collects in artery walls. They produce energy not body fat and not arterial plaque.

It must be noted that the women who said this is selling a book on the subject, but there's seems to be thorough research involved.

[al-209]

Coconut oil is awesome stuff, I take some every day and do all my frying with it. Some Omega 6 in there But no Omega 3 to my knowledge...

[Stillness_moving]

That's an important point, no omega three's, and there's no replacement for those. However, the lauric acids in coconut oil have benefits all their own, so I{ think you should try to get plenty of both. As for frying, coconut oil's a good choice for that, since it produces less free radicals than any other oil, but you also lose some of the benefits but heating it up (loss of enzymes and amino acids, which it contains a surprisingly large amount of.) So using it after then food is already cooked, whether lightly cooked veggies or meat, is a good choice.

I've heard krill oil is a highly potent source of omega threes, but I''ve yet to try it.

Also, extra virgin olive oil, avocados and many nuts have good source of omega threes, also some people are into the benefits of the slow release effect of getting omega threes from your food. It seems like, in general, the less processed a food is, the better.

[al-209]

extra virgin olive oil and avocados are excellent sources of omega 9 (oleic acid) which can be utilized by the body in the absence of sufficient quality omega 6, tho they are not as effective. very little if any Omega 3 tho..but its all about balance of qulaity fat.

Selecting unprocessed, whole foods is always the better choice, i would say a huge percentage of the worlds health problems come from the processing of fats and carboyhdrates, and the ignorance surrounding these practices.

[climber]

Chris,

You might be interested in this article discussing the needs for omega 3's and 6's.
http://www.brianpeskin.com/efa-analysis.pdf

~Luke

Long article...very interesting...wish I'd taken the time to consider the source before investing all the time to read it.

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/male-anti-aging/77147-long-readbut-will.html#post1050558
...this thread has someone who did a pretty good job digging up dirt on the guy. apparently he may not have the credentials he says he has, has previously been indicted for fraud and has sold most fad diet products at one time or another.

[Kettlebellgirl]

Borage oil, flaxseeds are great to take. I think the fish oil is essential especially for cardiovascular health.I think the fish oil is important. If you can't tolerate it
NowFoods sells vegan omega 3 with no fish oil in it.

[pink.pixie]

It's been said already but flax seed oil does the same job as a fish oil. It has a short life time and HAS to be refrigirated even in the store. Ground fax seed is good too, but you'd need to eata lot if you rely just on that. OTH it adds fibre. I consume both, oil and seeds. In winter you usually need greater quantities than in summer. Theer's also Udo's Choiceoil blend but generally you get enough 6 from other oils so 3 is the concern.

pixie

[Kettlebellgirl]

I totally disagree I think there are things in fish oil that you can't get from any other oil.
Fish oil is definitely “better” than flax seed oil. Fish oil contains two omega-3s that are especially important: EPA and DHA. The body uses EPA to create many hormone-like substances that reduce inflammation and other “excited” states in the body, such as raised blood pressure. Also, eight percent of the brain is composed of EPA and DHA, and one wants to be sure this 8% stays healthy!:)
Lauri

[Luke Chohany]

I think the long standing debate of fish vs flax has a lot to do with personal variance (just like most nutritional debates).

I recently read 'Native Nutrition' by Ronald F. Schmid, a very well cited book, and he goes pretty in depth into the issue. He states that although the alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) found in flax can be converted by the body into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the enzymatic pathways required for the transitions are easily inhibited or blocked by "...deficiencies of magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamin B6, or other nutrients; excessive alcohol; cortisone-like drugs; increased adrenaline associated with stress; aging; and the presence in the body of unatural fatty acids..." He goes on to cite a study where individuals were given either flax oil or cod liver oil and EPA in the blood was measured. After a week there was a ten fold increase in those given cod liver oil and no significant increase in those given flax.

Of course, the study may be a little misleading since the body's conversion of ALA to EPA would be rather gradual while the absorption of cod liver oil would occur all at once. Still though, I think most of us are probably better off getting at least a little fish oil of some kind especially those who are in sub optimal health, which in my opinion is the majority.

[Kettlebellgirl]

Yea nutrition debates are rather difficult. The facts you gave are very promising for vegetarians. As I have friends who refuse to take fish oil. So I'm glad they are covered. I happen to agree that fish oil is optimal.
Lauri

[rhi]

take a look for hemp hearts at your local health food store

great taste, easy to cook with, and one of the most complete foods you'll find anywhere

[pink.pixie]

Lauri, this information I got from a well informed nutritional therapist so I relied on that. Some people can't stomach fish oil or if they are vegetarians the option is out. So flax is better than nothing.

I personally can tolerate only one kind of fish oil called Eye Q and now as I started to eat meat after many years as vegetarian it is doable. However, I still prefer the veggie sources. The quality of the fish oil by the time it reaches the consumer is often unsatisfactory. The quality of fish due to pollution likewise.

Digestion is so complicated and individual so it's hard to guess, methinks.
Coconut oil was said to be bad then all of a sudden good, that is how goes. We don't know half of it. Fat was bad, now carbs are bad...can't do it right, will die anyhow...:)

pixie

[pink.pixie]

"take a look for hemp hearts at your local health food store"

Can't do that, they don't have them where I am.

pixie :-(