The Heart Benefits of Omega-3 EFA
by George Eby
Lest I trick you into believing that magnesium is the cure-all for cardiovascular disease, take a look at this figure from Dr. William S. Harris writing in Pharmacological Research 55 (2007) 217-223. What does it tell you? It tells me that the risk of sudden cardiac death by low blood Omega-3 essential fatty acids is vastly more important compared to other, more traditional blood-borne risk factors that your physician has harped about for years. The quartiles at highest risk (black bars) are set at a relative risk of 1.0 for each risk marker. Each subsequent lighter bar represents the risk at each decreasing (or, for HDL and Omega-3 FA, increasing) quartile. CRP=C
reactive protein; Hcy: homocysteine; TC: total cholesterol; LDL: low density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL: high density lipoprotein cholesterol; Tg: triglycerides. Notice that only the CRP and Omega-3 ratios are statistically significant, yet we are told to spend a lot of time and effort in getting our cholesterol right. Consequently, not only has magnesium status been ignored, the Omega-3 to Omega 6 ratio has been ignored too, with grave conseqences. What does this mean? I think that when one realizes that quality Omega-3 essential fatty acids are only available from cold water fish such as salmon, we need to reavaluate our diets. Here is a page that shows the availability of Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids. We see mainly that the vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, cottonseed, soybean, walnut and wheat germ) that we have been told are so good for us mainly contain Omega-6 EFAs, which are bad for our hearts, moods, arthritis and a host of other diseases. But, they are great for the pockets of cardiologists. I call this the vegetable oil lie. Butter comes out good and so does coconut oil, but the rest really suck! No wonder we are sick so much of the time. Here is a google search for "Omega-3 EFAs" Here is a wonderful review of Omega-3 EFA and Omega-6 EFAs. Here is a page on Omega-3 DFA that gives information on many benefits of Omega-3 EFAs including Cardiovascular benefits, Brain function, Allergies, Skin disorders and skin health, Arthritis and gout, Diabetes. Immune system and cancer, Women's benefits, Visual function and Inflammatory bowel disease.
Here is Harris's abstract: "The Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in fish and fish oils (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, EPA and DHA) have been reported to have a variety of beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases. Ecological and prospective cohort studies as well as randomized, controlled trials have supported the view that the effects of these EFAs are clinically relevant. They operate via several mechanisms, all beginning with the incorporation of EPA and DHA into cell membranes. From here, these Omega-3 EFA alter membrane physical characteristics and the activity of membrane-bound proteins, and once released by intracellular phospholipases, can interact with ion channels, be converted into a wide variety of bioactive eicosanoids, and serve as ligands for several nuclear transcription factors thereby altering gene expression. In as much as blood levels are a strong reflection of dietary intake, it is proposed that an Omega-3 EFA biomarker, the Omega-3 index (erythrocyte EPA+ DHA) be considered at least a marker, if not a risk factor, for coronary heart disease, especially sudden cardiac death. The Omega-3 index fulfils many of the requirements for a risk factor including consistent epidemiological evidence, a plausible mechanism of action, a reproducible assay, independence from classical risk factors, modifiability, and most importantly, the demonstration that raising tissue levels will reduce risk for cardiac events. For these and a number of other reasons, the Omega-3 index compares very favourably with other risk factors for sudden cardiac death."
A meta-analysis of relative risk was carried out using the random effect model in all eight published trials, which comprised 20,997 patients. In patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI), Omega-3 fatty acids reduced relative risk (RR) of SCD (RR=0.43; 95% CI: 0.20-0.91). In patients with angina, Omega-3 fatty acids increased RR of SCD (RR=1.39; 95% CI: 1.01-1.92). Overall, RR for cardiac death and all-cause mortality were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.50-1.00) and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.58-1.01), respectively. Dietary supplementation with Omega-3 fatty acids reduces the incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients with MI, but may have adverse effects in angina patients. What to do with angina patients? I suggest also treating them with zinc or magnesium as shown here.
MORE: What physicians will not tell you is that the right amount of Omega-3 EFA (mainly EFAs) prevents heart attacks as well as the combined effect of all heart drugs. Lowering plasma low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), blood pressure, homocysteine, and preventing platelet aggregation using a combination of a statin, three blood pressure lowering drugs such as a thiazide, a beta blocker, and an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor each at half standard dose; folic acid; and aspirin-called as polypill- was estimated to reduce cardiovascular events by approximately 80%. Compare that with the ninety percent reduction simply be taking enough Omega-3 EFAs. A rational combination of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and the co-factors that are necessary for their appropriate action/metabolism is as beneficial as that of the combined use of a statin, thiazide, a beta blocker, and an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, folic acid, and aspirin. Read the medical journal article here.
I should mention that a capsuled blend of Omega 3 and Omega-6s that I was taking until I met the brilliant naturopathic physician Amy Tyler ND in Austin, Texas, did nothing for my health, either good or bad. Dr. Tyler warned me loud and clear, telling me to stop taking the blend since the Omega 6s are PRO-inflammatory and the Omega-3 EFAs are ANTI-inflammatory in nature, thus the benefits of increased Omega-3s in the diet are countered by the added Omega-6s! Fish oils (Omega-3 EFAs) contain a natural inhibitor of COX, reduces reliance on NSAIDs, and reduces cardiovascular risk through multiple mechanisms. Perhaps the most potent effect of dietary Omega-3 EFAs is to stabilize the myocardial membrane, thereby reducing ventricular fibrillation and sudden death. One article showed that the benefits of large doses of Omega-3 EFAs reduced the incidence of all heart atacks by 40% and of lethal heart attacks by 90%.
Obviously, I wanted the very finest of Omega-3 EFAs from the freshest salmon possible, so I went to Alaska and went ice fishing off the North Slope for cold water fish, but see what happened to me in the following video! Watch this 2.5 MEG Windows movie showing the extreme danger of Omega-3 EFA collection.
George! Get to the damn point! How much fish oil per day? Uh sorry, I take a teaspoon (5 ml) of Omega-3 EFA fish oil (2250 mg) with each meal and at bedtime to try to get into the lowest quartile for sudden death shown in Harris's above figure. The product that Dr. Tyler recommended is made by Pharmax LLC in Redmond, Washington, and it also contains essential oil of orange, which totally masks the fish taste. They do not sell directly to retail customers from their web site, but perhaps they will tell you where to find their product in your area. Incidentally, I think that this product also drove down my CRP to very low levels (0.69), resulting in further benefits to my cardiovascular health. They say that fish oil is good for depression, but I sort of doubt that notion except in severe depletion (might be more common than I think), but it is a great sales pitch and I support taking more fish oil for lots of reasons, many of which are far outside the scope of this long-winded essay. I might comment here that my severe, disabling frozen shoulder (arthritis) pains completely and totally vanished after taking Omega-3 as recommended by Dr. Tyler for a few weeks. I have totally recovered my strenth in that shoulder and arm.
Although this may be new to you and me, this is not rocket science and the value of Omega-3 EFAs in veterinary medicine has been known for a long time. Horses have to be sound or they are worthless, so vets of the best cared for horses give them Omega-3 EFA fish oil to keep them sound. Horses are often fed too much corn oil for energy purposes and become lame, and no one makes the association. Chronically elevated levels of Omega-6 from corn oils and other vegetable oils are connected to arthritic inflammations, thrombosis, bronchoconstriction, skin disorders and even tumor growth in horses. The solution? Substitute fish oil for corn oil. Actually, this is such a gigantic problem that vets call the disease in horses "Corn oil intoxication". Unfortunately the practice of giving horses corn oil has contributed to the horses becoming intoxicated with Omega-6 fatty acids. The delicate balance between Omega-6 and Omega-3 is disrupted. While corn oil is a good source of energy it unfortunately exacerbates an already unhealthy ratio between Omega-6 and Omega-3. Since corn has a very high Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio it suppresses Omega-3 metabolism in horses (and in humans). In most commercial horse feeds it is around 25 to 1 while in most mammals it should be a 3 to 1 or better ratio. Any question corn oil (too much Omega-6) can be bad for people too???
By the way, what brand of Omega-3 EFA do I take? I use a less expensive product for horses from WellPride and I take four teaspoons per day. It seems to work as well as the more expensive human products.
WARNING! How about salmon, the oceanic cold water fish? Is it a good source of Omega-3 EFA? Yes, but according to Dr. Tyler you are unlikely to find "oceanic" salmon in your grocery store. When I looked into this I found that salmon is often "farmed salmon" which means it is raised in oceanic "farms" and they are fed vegetable oils which cause them to be high in Omega-6, the bad stuff, the pro-inflammatory stuff. Read all about this disgusting news here. According to Wikipedia, the vast majority of Atlantic salmon available on the world market are farmed (greater than 99%), whereas the majority of Pacific salmon are wild-caught (greater than 80%). Unfortunately, the farmed salmon outnumber wild salmon 85 to 1. I found out about this problem after eating a huge, delicious meal of "blackened salmon", and was sick for nearly a week afterward. Also, salmon meals found in restaurants could be cooked in corn oil, greatly worsening the Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio.
What about meals served at Olive Garden restaurants, the U.S. chain of fine Italian cuisine? Sounds great and the use of "olive" in their name suggests that olive oil would be used in their foods. I wondered what the oil was in their really tasty vinaigrette salad dressing so I asked the waiter to check. He came back in a few minutes and he said that they used soybean oil in their dressing in all of their restaurants. What? I was dumbfounded and demanded that they take the salad back and replace it with one that had pure olive oil. They complied. Just remember you have to ask for the good stuff - probably in all restaurants. From the figure below, soybean oil is mostly (54%) Omega-6 EFA, hardly healthy compared to olive oil at only 9% Omega-6 EFA. I only found one olive in my meal.
Does it strike you strange that we are paying for the Omega-6s and that they make us sick or kill us! Wow! What a con job! We actually pay to get sick and die young! What a way to run an economy! One must try to reduce the intake of Omega-6s to get the real benefit of the Omega-3s. Why? Scientist believe that people evolved over the millennia with a 1:1 or at most a 1:5 ratio of Omega-3s to Omega-6s. However, in the American and most western diets, that ratio has changed to the 1:10 to 1:50 range, thus we are doomed to an early death without intervening and getting this ratio fixed. Thank you vegetable oil manufacturers for all you have done to improve the financial status of undertakers and cardiologists! How did I figure this out? I had an alarm clock - my heart. Corn really makes my cardiac arrhythmias rock and roll. What about corn would do that? Was it a food allergy? No, it was the excess PRO-inflammatory Omega-6s in corn that set off my heart. As far as I am concerned the best use of corn is to make alcohol motor fuels, and not as a human food unless the Omega-6s are removed. I don't think corn starch or corn syrups cause these particular problems, but taken in excess they may cause other health problems (obesity and diabetes for example). What to do if one gets evident cardiologic symptoms from eating corn? Try taking several teaspoons of Omega-3 essential fatty acids from cold water oceanic fish like salmon like I do. That seems to be the fastest way to settle down an aberrant heart rhythm.
What about flaxseed oil? It is high in Omega-3s isn't it? Yes but... Don't get me started on flaxseed oil. That stuff really sucks! I found that it actually started my arrhymias years ago and I wrote about my horrible experiences with it in this later section of this report. Don't talk to me about flaxseed oil, I won't listen! Many people can not metabolize it and I am one of them. Here is why. Omega-3 fatty acids fall into two major categories: plant-derived (flax seed, containing the shorter chain fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA) and marine-derived (fish oil, containing longer chain EPA and DHA). While it was once thought that humans could convert the plant source (ALA) into the longer chain EPA and DMA, current research shows that such conversion rarely occurs, if at all. Consequently, use flaxseed oil with its useless ALA "Omega-3 EFAs" at your own risk. When the overwhelming research studies regarding the health benefits of Omega-3 fish oil started to emerge from the leading universities 20 years ago, the food industry responded by using the findings for promoting Omega-3 from flax seed or other vegetable sources, even though this Omega-3 is different from the EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) / DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) only found in fish and breast milk. More than 95% of all scientific Omega-3 studies used fish oil (EPA/DHA) as the active ingredient, not ALA (alpha linolenic acid) from flaxseed. Studies show that only a miniscule amount of the Omega-3 in flaxseed is converted to the highly potent EPA/DHA. You maybe need to drink one cup of flaxseed oil to get the equivalent of one teaspoon of fish oil. So the choice is yours: If you want to pay more and get less, buy vegetable based Omega-3. Fish oil is King. Long live Fish Oil!!
Whoops! YES, I made a mistake. Flaxseed oil sucks, yes - definitely, but fish oil as a source of Omega-3 EFA really excels. In me, a teaspoon of pure Omega-3 EFA prevents my cardiac arrhythmias better than anything I have ever tried. The effect lasts long enough that taking it with each meal and at bedtime seems curative. Not only did it stop my arrhythmias but it also stopped my shoulder pain (frozen shoulder) and greatly benefited my allergies (an anti leukotrine effect). When I looked into the literature about fish oil Omega-3 EFAs, I was stunned. Perhaps the most interesting comment was in one of Mike Adams pieces where he wrote:
"Back in 2004 two fatty acid researchers, William Harris PhD and Clemens von Schacky M.D., developed a lab test designed to measure the amount of Omega-3 essential fatty acids in blood. They call this blood test the Omega-3 index. The Omega-3 index is designed to measure the percentage of Omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in blood. Dr. Harris says that "Low intakes or blood levels of EPA and DHA are independently associated with increased risk of death from coronary heart disease". According to Harris an "Omega-3 Index of 8-10% reduces a person's relative risk of death from coronary heart disease by 40 percent, and from sudden cardiac death by 90 percent. An index of 4-8% indicates an intermediate risk, and levels from 0-4% a high risk."
Were my cardiac arrhythmias an alarm telling me to adjust my Omega-3 EFA to Omega-6 EFA ratios or die? In my opinion, yes. Here is why I believe that. When I take a EFA product that has "balanced EFA" oils, I receive little benefit from the product, regardless of the amount I take. When I take the same amount of Omega-3 EFA (unbalanced for 6s and 9s), I receive enormous benefit. This gets back to the overall balance of what I eat; and, I have found that eating meat and corn products worsens my arrhythmias. Both of these are "unbalanced" sources of Omega-6s and 9s. I can't tell you loudly enough how beneficial taking Omega-3 EFA FROM FISH OIL has been for me.
Learning acquired in youth arrests the evil of old age; and if you understand that old age has wisdom for its food, you will so conduct yourself in youth that your old age will not lack for nourishment. - Leonardo DaVinci. These comments are the opening sentence in William S. Harris's article titled: n-3 Fatty acids and health: DaVinci's code. If we fail to learn how to live in youth, we will fail in old age, maybe not even get there. I repeat, FLAXSEED OIL SUCKS and FISH OIL ROCKS!
Does Omega-3 EFA from fish oil cure depression? The jury is still out on that, and it seems that it may be effective in young people but perhaps not in old people according to the opinion of William S. Harris in his interesting and authoritive opinion piece. However, it has been hyped as if it were the "cure for depression", although others more respectful of the medical data again report that the jury is still out. If you need help with depression, I have a 180-page long report on the role of magnesium in preventing and treating depression here.
Here is a list of Omega-3 EFA (n-3) and Omega-6 EFA in some foods. This is from the Weight of the evidence site which was compiled by Regina Wilshire.
FATS AND OILS (per 100g)
Here is a web site that lists over 50 indications for Omega-3 EFAs.
Omega Six, the Devil's Fat Why excess Omega 6 and lack of Omega 3 promotes "western illnesses". This book explains the relationship of toxic amounts of Omega-6 to Omega-3 as cause of many diseases, including: Acne Vulgaris, ADHD, Age Related Mental Degeneration, Allergies In Babies, Alzheimer’s, Arrhythmia, Arthritis, Asthma, Atopic Eczema, Atherosclerosis, Autoimmune And, Inflammatory Diseases, Bi-polar Disorder, Bone Density, Brain Disorders, Breast Cancer, Cardio Vascular Conditions in children, Cataracts, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Obstructive, Pulmonary Disease, Colon Cancer, Crohn's Disease, Diabetes Type 1 & 2, Dementia, Depression, Dry Eye Syndrome, Dyslexia, Eye Conditions, Fertility Female, Fertility Male, Glaucoma, Gums Gingivitis, Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, Macular Degeneration, Macular Dystrophy, Melanoma, Menstrual Issues, Multiple Sclerosis, Osteoporosis, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Post Natal, Depression, Preeclampsia, Prostate Cancer, Psoriasis, Obesity, Reproductive Issues, Sepsis, Schizophrenia, Sinusitis, Sjogren's Syndrome, Skin Ageing, and Suicide.
Wesson Oil anybody?
They say that Flax seed oil also has Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids in great abundance to the Omega-6 and Omega-9 oils, and that it is being used to improve cardiac and mental health. Well, I disagree strongly! I was led astray by marketing for flaxseed. It does have Omega-3 EFA in it but it it the wrong type, it is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), not the good stuff, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Overdosing flaxseed oil can really backfire resulting in cardiac arrhythmias (probably from allergic reactions) and other side effects, of which, Harvard Medical School writers offer considerable comment and warning here. Of particular interest to men is the high content of phytoestrogens in flaxseed oil. Feminization due to excessive consumption of plant estrogens is just as likely, or more likely, from flaxseed as it is from excessive soy bean consumption. Because I am male and apparently have an allergy to flaxseed, I now avoid flaxseed oil like the plague.
Fish Oils (average cod, halibut, mackerel, rockfish and salmon oils - wild only - very rare)
1.2g LA (n-6)
0.9g ALA (n-3)
9.9g EPA (n-3)
12.8g DHA (n-3)
Fish Liver Oil (Atlantic Cod - wild only - very rare)
1.5g LA (n-6)
0.9g ALA (n-3)
8g EPA (n-3)
14.3 DHA (n-3)
Shellfish Oil (Pacific Oyster)
1.2g LA (n-6)
1.6g ALA (n-3)
21.5g EPA (n-3)
20.2g DHA (n-3)
Nut and Seed Oils, Cashew Oil
16g LA (n-6)
0.4g ALA (n-3)
Peanut Oil
29g LA (n-6)
1.1g ALA (n-3)
Pumpkin Seed Oil
51g LA (n-6)
0 ALA (n-3)
Sesame Seed Oil
42g LA (n-6)
0.5g ALA (n-3)
Sunflower Oil
53g LA (n-6)
0g ALA (n-3)
Coconut Oil
3g LA (n-6)
0g ALA (n-3)
Flaxseed Oil
15g LA (n-6)
55g ALA (n-3)
Olive Oil
9g LA (n-6)
0.7g ALA (n-3)
Avocado Oil
12.5g LA (n-6)
1g ALA (n-3)
Macadamia Nut Oil
1.5g LA (n-6)
1.5g ALA (n-3)
Vegetable Oils, Corn Oil
57g LA (n-6)
0.8g ALA (n-3)
Cottonseed Oil
48g LA (n-6)
0.4g ALA (n-3)
Canola Oil
22g LA (n-6)
11g ALA (n-3)
Soybean Oil
53g LA (n-6)
7g ALA (n-3)
Walnut Oil
62g LA (n-6)
4g ALA (n-3)
Wheat Germ Oil
54g LA (n-6)
7g ALA (n-3)
Animal Fats
Beef Tallow (grain-fed beef source)
4g LA (n-6)
0.7g ALA (n-3)
Chicken Fat
17g LA (n-6)
1.1g ALA (n-3)
Lard
10g LA (n-6)
1.4g ALA (n-3)
Mutton Fat
5g LA (n-6)
2.9g ALA (n-3)
WHOLE FOOD SOURCES (per 100g)
Dairy, Cheddar cheese, natural
0.5g LA (n-6)
0.4g ALA (n-3)
Cream cheese, regular
0.8g LA (n-6)
0.5g ALA (n-3)
Gruyere cheese, regular
1.3g LA (n-6)
0.4g ALA (n-3)
American cheese, regular
0.6g LA (n-6)
0.3g ALA (n-3)
Heavy Cream, conventional, grain-fed cows
0.9g LA (n-6)
0.6g ALA (n-3)
Light Cream, conventional, grain-fed cows
0.5g LA (n-6)
0.3g ALA (n-3)
Sour Cream, conventional
0.4g LA (n-6)
0.3g ALA (n-3)
Milk, whole, conventional
0.1g LA (n-6)
0.1g ALA (n-3)
Yogurt, plain, whole milk, conventional
0.1g LA (n-6)
0.1g ALA (n-3)
Egg Yolks, conventional (100g = approximately 4 yolks)
2.6g LA (n-6)
0.05g ALA (n-3)
Egg Yolks, pastured or flaxseed included in diet
4.2g LA (n-6)
2.1g ALA (n-3)
Butter, conventional
2.73g LA (n-6)
0.32g ALA (n-3)
Butter, grass-fed organic
1.8g LA (n-6)
1.2g ALA (n-3)
Meats & Game
Elk
0.343g (n-6)
0.056g (n-3)
Bison
0.156g (n-6)
0.026g (n-3)
Beef, grass-fed
0.139g (n-6)
0.052g (n-3)
Beef, grain-fed, conventional
0.275g (n-6)
0.016g (n-3)
Venison, roast, cooked, braised (approximate levels)
0.13g (n-6)
0.06g (n-3)