You may have heard of Carlson Fish Oil and omega-3s but are they really the best match? Carlson is one of many health companies that provide fish oil supplements that are claimed to be sourced from cold water fish with omega-3 content. Which one is best or does it really matter?
What are omega-3s?
As the name implies, there are three fatty acids in the omega-3 group. Their names are, in short, DHA, EPA, and ALA. The first 2 are the most important and are derived from salmon, mackerel, sardines, cod and hoki among others. ALA is plant derived and must be converted by the body to DHA and EPA - a complicated process that gets more difficult as we get older. In other words, the only way to directly get the DHA/EPA fatty acids is by eating the right type of fish or by taking supplements.
The question might arise here. Why do I care?
The health benefits associated with these two omega-3s are, in brief, less heart disease, better bone and eye health, lower blood pressure and less inflammation in the joints and immune system. In addition, there is exciting research happening that ties them to helping with diseases as diverse as Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's.
Private research and antidotal evidence have suggested that reading the previous section several times might be a cure for insomnia, but please, bear with me just a little while longer. There will be a tie in to Carlson fish oil soon.
It has long been thought that we need more DHA than EPA for several reasons:
1] DHA is a more complex carbon molecule than EPA. It converts to EPA much more easily than vice versa. We don't understand everything about how omega-3s work but our bodies job is a lot easier if we have a DHA/EPA ratio of around 2 to 1.
For instance, 25% of our brains are composed of DHA. Low doses of it have been associated with depression and ADD. Adding a lot of any other fatty acid to our diet will have a very limited, if any, impact. On the other hand, if we have an EPA deficiency then the body can convert excess DHA to make up the shortage.
2] A recent study from the Wellington School of Medicine compared a normal fish oil with a 12% DHA to 18% EPA ratio to one manufactured in New Zealand that had the optimum 2 to1 ratio. What they were looking for was the ability to inhibit inflammation - one of the Western worlds worst health problems. Needless to say, the New Zealand product was 2 1/2 times more effective.
3] A product with a bad ratio can still work, at least somewhat, but we must take large doses to get much of a benefit. The FDA suggests an upper limit of 3 grams/day of omega-3s but would prefer we took less. Excessive consumption does have side effects.
What about Carlson fish oil?
I used to be a customer and they make a decent product. However, their omega-3 ratios have almost exactly the same low ratios as the "typical fish oil" tested at the Wellington School of Medicine. We can do better. A properly balanced supplement allows us to get all the health benefits while taking lower doses.
Learn about alternatives to carlson fish oil that we use daily after extensive product comparisons and research. Visit: http://www.omega-3-guide.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Milton_Haslam
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