Fantastic Fish Oil

Fish Oil is one of, if not the most popular, and well-researched supplements in the world.  There is more than twenty years of research into fish oil and fish oil supplements.  Until a recent research article, published in the July 2013 edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute surfaced, almost the entirety of fish oil research indicated positive benefits.  However, this recent article claims, and has made national headlines over the last couple of weeks, by claiming that fish oil may cause prostate cancer.  As someone who has prostate and daily takes fish oil supplements, I have a vested interest in fully understanding the ramifications of this research.  Before reviewing this specific research a little knowledge of fish oil needs to be understood.

Fish Oil, consumed through directly eating fish, or in a supplement form, is an Omega-3 fatty acid.  Omega-3 fatty acid is one of the healthy forms of fat that have many positive health benefits.  It is an essential nutrient, meaning that, the body does not naturally produce Omega-3 fats.  The only way to get this valuable nutrient is to consume it through food or supplementation.  The best sources of fish oil are fish (shocking, I know); the best fish to consume are mackerel, herring, tuna, salmon, anchovy, sardines, sturgeon, and trout.  Fish should be cooked by broiling or baking.  Fish sandwiches offer enough negative health benefits to offset the positives of eating fish.  Remember, if you fry nutrition dies.

Not a fish person? That is fine, supplementing is an excellent way to increase intake.  There is no particular brand that is better than another.  The key thing to be aware of is the source.  Look for fish oil supplements whose original source is one of the fish listed above.  Other fish contain Omega-3 fats but in lower qualities.  If the source is not one or more of these types of fish do not spend your money.  The two most valuable Omega-3 fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  A quality product is going to dose 2000 mg (2 grams) of EPA and 1000 mg (1 gram) DHA.  Lower concentrations will not be cost effective because of the high numbers pills that will have to be consumed to have an effective dosage.  Higher concentrations are unnecessary unless recommended by a physician.  This is what the past twenty years of research has indicated as a healthy and productive way to utilize fish oil supplements.  So has one study changed that for men?

The news making headlines about the newly discovered link between fish oil supplements and prostate cancer created a bit of an uproar last week among proponents and opponents to fish oil. So what does the research say and is the buzz worth the fuss?  The original research appeared in an article entitled, Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Prostate Cancer Risk in the SELECT trial and is published in the July 2013 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.  So why the cause for concern?  It comes down to this one paragraph:

In this large, prospective trial, high plasma phospholipid concentrations of long-chain ω-3 PUFA were associated with statistically significant increases in prostate cancer risk.  These associations were similar for low-and high-grade disease and for EPA, DPA, and DHA, which are anti-inflammatory, metabolically interrelated ω-3 fatty acids derived from oily fish and fish oil supplements.

Even if the scientific language seems a little difficult to understand, the words “significant increase in prostate cancer risk,” and “oily fish and fish oil supplements,” jump out to everyone. Sound the alarms bells, don’t go in the water, another natural source of nutrients is horrible for you!  Welcome to over-reactionary and alarmist headline selling mainstream media field day.  Now that everyone is in a mass-panic, allow me to scrutinize and disseminate the actual research.

The Problems with this Research:

1.      The above quote is the only place in the entire 10 page research report that the words “oily fish and fish oil supplements” appear in connection to prostate cancer risk. HELLO RED FLAG!

2.      The research was not conducted for the purpose of understanding what, if any link there is between fish oil and prostate cancer.  The purpose of this study was to investigate a link between ω-3 fatty acids and prostate cancer.  However, and this is important, consumption of oily fish and/or fish oil supplements did not happen in this study.

3.      In fact, no form of food or supplementation of any kind, in this study.  Why? Because this study is not original experimental research.  This study did not give human participants given fish oil supplements and then test those participants for the development of prostate cancer.  This is a statistical review of previously published research.  Statistics can be manipulated.

4.      The statistical manipulation: through statistical, not experimental analysis, this study found than men without prostate cancer had average blood concentrations of EPA+DPA+DHA (the three most prevalent kinds of ω-3 fatty acids) 4.48%.  The cancerous population had concentrations of 4.66%. A difference of 0.12% is significant?

5.      The conclusion from this is that a man using fish oil supplements is 12/100s of a single percentage point more likely to develop prostate cancer?  Interesting conclusion, especially considering that this is statistical, not experimental, research and no actual fish oil supplementation actually took place.

6.      Finally, the researchers also claim ( I can’t believe this was not newsworthy), that naturally occurring ω-3 fatty acids increase the risk of prostate cancer while chem-lab created trans-fats, aka hydrogenated oils, actually lower the risk of prostate cancer.  This claim takes place in the second paragraph of the introduction to the research paper.  I laughed when I read that.  Not once, but twice in a statistical research review of other people’s research, the authors claim to have over-turned twenty years of research and tens, if not hundreds, of studies.  All without conducting an original experiment.

The Good that Fish Oil can do

            When it comes to this latest study, to say that I am a skeptic is an understatement.  So, I am switching gears and focusing on what we know fish oil can do.  Fish oil is best known for its ability to reduce inflammation within the body.  Inflammation is a broad term that can cover a variety of topics.  Generally speaking, fish oil aids the body in dealing with abnormal conditions or the presence of unhealthy substances. Fish oil has been mentioned in connection with several different health concerns.  In fact, www.webmd.com lists twenty-six different medical conditions that fish oil seems to improve.  Some are better researched and understood.  I present to you five of the best research-verified reasons to take fish oil. These conditions and dosages were taken from www.webmd.com.  Consult your physician for extra guidance.

1.      High Triglycerides- this is what started the original buzz with fish oil supplementation.  Fish oil supplementation can lower triglyceride levels 20-50% with daily supplementation for three-six months. Dose required: 1-4 grams (1000-4000 mg)/day.

2.      Heart Disease- may help prevent heart disease.  For people that already have heart disease it may help reduce the risk of dying. Dose 3 grams (3000 mg)/day.

3.      High Blood Pressure- ω-3 fatty acids expand blood vessels which has a direct effect on bringing blood pressure down. Dose 4 grams (4000 mg).

4.      Rheumatoid Arthritis- may decrease morning stiffness, I recommend taking it before going to sleep so that by the time you wake up it has been in your body for several hours. Daily dose: 3.8 grams (3800 mg) EPA and 2 grams (2000 mg)/day.

5.      Harding of the Arteries (Atherosclerosis) - helps to prevent plaque buildup in the arteries at 3 grams (3000 mg/day.  If plaque already exists 6 grams (6000 mg)/day may prevent further buildup and possibly remove existing plaque.

Based on this information, a daily dosage of 3 grams (3000 mg), broken down as 2 grams EPA and 1 gram DHA, have enough healthy benefits to make regular use safe for most people.  These are the best research-verified benefits of taking fish oil supplements. There are many other positive benefits associated with fish oil supplement, including cancer prevention, weight loss, and exercise-related inflammation. So knowing all of this, what is my personal take?  Let me just say, I have been taking 3 grams (3000 mg) of fish oil per day for almost two years now.  I am thirty years-old, I take it as prevention against these and many other health problems.  Prevention of a problem will always trump cure.  I won’t be stopping my use of fish oil supplements.