Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Omega-3 fatty acids are in the news once again! This is because they are so critical to our overall existence, but especially for brain and heart health. Generally speaking, our bodies are lacking omega-3s, because of our standard American diets. Here’s why that is so damaging to our health.
How do you know what supplements are best to support cardiovascular health? And what else should you be doing in terms of diet and exercise? The good news is there are some basic guidelines that I can share with you that may be beneficial.
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In today’s episode, we will discuss the importance of fish in your diet, specifically krill oil in the support of heart health.
Krill Oil Supplementation
Fish oil capsules are mostly EPA/DHA, the two commonly studied omega-3 fatty acids from fish. The amount of studies on fish oil is absolutely astounding. Why do I prefer Krill oil? The two fish oils supplied in high quality Krill oil supplements– EPA/DHA – are attached to phosphadyl-choline, which is the same way they are attached to organs and tissues in your eye and in your brain. When they are attached to phosphatidylserine, you get better absorption, getting a lot more fish oils from a smaller capsule. When they are attached to phosphatidyl-choline – no fish burps, reflux-free. They are also not damaged by your stomach acids or enzymes.
The Science Behind Fish and Krill Oil
A new health claim came out in 2019 from the FDA, which connected fish oil constituents to a drop in blood pressure. Dropping your blood pressure by a few points contributes to preventing the development of heart disease, which can lead to stoke and heart attack.
Fish oils in general are good for your muscles, which includes the heart muscle. For instance, when you give older people fish oils, it helps them maintain their muscle mass for a longer time. Normally, Sarcopenia sets in, when they lose muscle.
There are two very strong meta analysis published in the second half of 2019. This is the highest level of scientific scrutiny and evidence, that collates similar studies. In these studies, researchers were observing fish oils, the heart and heart attacks. One of the meta analysis was published in the European Journal of epidemiology and they looked at the presence of cardiovascular disease throughout Europe. And they found that diets low in fish oils (omega-3 fatty acids), contributed to more than 10% of cardiovascular disease-related deaths.
A similar study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in the United States, attributed low fish oil levels to close to 1.5 million deaths every year.
A separate major analysis which included 13 studies of 130,000 people found that those who received fish oil supplements – randomized, clinical trials – had a lower risk of a heart attack and other cardiovascular disease-related events. This meta analysis was performed by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The researchers found an association between taking fish oils every day and the reduced risk for most cardiovascular disease outcomes, including a heart attack. This is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Stanford University in California is one of the leading academic research institutions on the plant – I think there are 27 different Nobel Laureates teaching here. Published in JAMA, they reviewed 19 human clinical trials from 16 countries and over 45,000 people. They found that people with the highest blood levels of fish oils had about a 25% lower risk of dying from a heart attack, compared to those with the lowest levels. This is very powerful evidence.
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For years, heath experts have been touting the benefits of fats from fish, and rightfully so. Fish and other seafood are considered the best source of fats from the Omega-3 family, which includes the fatty acids EPA and DHA. Most people do not get nearly …
For years, heath experts have been touting the benefits of fats from fish, and rightfully so. Fish and other seafood are considered the best source of fats from the Omega 3 family, which includes the fatty acids EPA and DHA. Most people do not get …
A new study, conducted by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) entitled, “The Ranger Resilience and Improved Performance of phospholipid bound Omega-3s” (RRIPP-3), will determine if omega-3 supplementation, Krill Oil, can improve cognitive processes in high-performing warfighters from the US Army. The trial started August 1, 2016 and will last until spring of 2018.*
The Study
The study’s lead researcher Bernadette Marriott, PhD, from MUSC says the purpose of this study is to investigate whether or not “supplementation with krill oil concentrate can improve specific cognitive processes that underlie key elements of soldier performance that may have a measurable impact on performance and mental health under the extreme psychophysiological stress of military office training”.
Numerous studies have shown omega-3s to benefit individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as seen in this study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. The purpose of studying fish oil specifically, according to Dr. Travis Turner, a neuropsychologist and MUSC co-principal investigator, is because it is “phospholipid-bound and is reported to be absorbed more readily”
Researchers of the study will be seeking answers to these three questions, according to the South Carolina Research Studies Directory –
Dr. Marriott explains, “In the big picture, intake of omega-3s is essential for living a productive and healthy life. For instance, sustained attention, inhibition and cognitive control are essential for everyday things like safe driving, parenting, academic achievement and handling challenges at work.”
Jerry Hickey, R. Ph, Pharmacist and Scientific Director of InVite® Health says, “The oils from fatty fish supply amazing health benefits. It’s true – fish is “brain food”. The key component in fish oil is their EPA-DHA omega-3 fatty acid content. Fish oils are essential for memory and cognitive function and to protect the brain.”
*As soon as new information is available on this study, InVite Health will be sure to keep you updated!