Omega-3: Fishy claims for fish oil

Originally posted by dzonatas

Originally posted by JohnnyTHSeed
reply to post by Mdv2

 

I wouldn't be surprised that in vegetarian that their natural metabolism will covert ALA to DHA at a higher rate than those that directly take DHA products.

Unfortunately I don't think this is true. The research I've seen doesn't support this, although it did find that the conversion levels can be highly variable between people.

Looking back at an experience I had a few weeks ago, I think I may have a lowered amount of serotonin receptors due to DHA deficiency. I ingested a fungus that acts as a serotonin agonist, but the effects were incredibly mild compared to my expectations. I will have to replicate my experiment after getting a steady intake of DHA and see if I notice an improvement.

[edit on 21-5-2010 by JohnnyTHSeed]

Fish are full of mercury.

Fish and shellfish have a natural tendency to concentrate mercury in their bodies, often in the form of methylmercury, a highly toxic organic compound of mercury. Species of fish that are high on the food chain, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, albacore tuna, and tilefish contain higher concentrations of mercury than others. As mercury and methylmercury are fat soluble, they primarily accumulate in the viscera, although they are also found throughout the muscle tissue. When this fish is consumed by a predator, the mercury level is accumulated. Since fish are less efficient at depurating than accumulating methylmercury, fish-tissue concentrations increase over time. Thus species that are high on the food chain amass body burdens of mercury that can be ten times higher than the species they consume. This process is called biomagnification. Mercury poisoning happened this way in Minamata, Japan, now called Minamata disease.

en.wikipedia.org...(element)#Fish

reply to post by someotherguy


FYO: Mercury was long regarded as the most effective treatment for many skin and urogenital ailments including syphilis:

Treating Syphilis Treatment of syphilis has altered the way it affects us both socially and physically. By 1557, leper colonies were being set up throughout Europe specifically for people with venereal disease. In 1690, as the epidemic slowed down a bit, hospitals were the place for most syphilitic patients. The treatment of choice at this time was mercury. Mercury the earliest chemical treatments for syphilis. Ore cinnabar, a form of mercury, had been used in the 1300's for the treatment of various skin diseases including leprosy. The application of the ointment to syphilitic lesions was an obvious choice. Giorgio Sommariva of Verona was the first person on record to use mercury to treat syphilis in 1496. Jacopo Berengario da Carpi became famous in Italy soon after this first treatment for successfully administering mercury to syphilitic patients. Mercury was used in the form of ointments, oral administration, and vapor baths. Such treatments remained popular for three centuries. In the 1800's, mercury was used so liberally to nearly any ulcer found, that many patients were more injured from the treatment then from their ailment.

Originally posted by someotherguy
Fish are full of mercury.

They're not 'full of mercury', and it's rarely any type of problem. Apparently it's something to be careful of for pregnant women though so they should watch what types of fish they're eating.

Link showing mercury levels in fish :

longevity.about.com...

And if you're not pregnant and leaving out fish for fear of mercury you should probably have a good look at where you can get omega 3 oils elsewhere. Flax seeds are one of the best sources, link for omega 3/6 ratios in various foods (look at the ratio for corn oil at the bottom too, that's frightening.) :

3.bp.blogspot.com...

And another one showing omega 3 content in all types of foods :

nutritiondata.self.com...

You don't have to overdo it with getting the oils as far as I can tell from researching it a bit, not even half and half for omega 3 and 6 either I don't think, but getting a ratio of around 2:1 for 6 and 3 is supposed to be good. I'm pretty sure of one thing though, and that's that the amount of vegetable oils crammed into foods nowadays (with high omega 6 content.) can't be good for health if there's nothing to balance it with.