The omega-3 fatty acid content (DHA and EPA) in fish has been found to be of great importance in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and psychiatric disorders such as depression. For those individuals unable or unwilling to eat the amount of fish necessary to meet the recommended amounts of these essential fatty acids through diet alone, relying on a pharmaceutical grade omega-3 supplement is a viable alternative.    But are all omega-3 supplements created equally? 

 When compared, fish and fish oil capsules have similar effects on the omega-3 fatty acid content of blood cells and plasma phospholipids, according to a study conducted by Dr. William Harris,* Director of the St. Luke’s Lipid and Diabetes Center in Kansas City, Mo., who randomized healthy female volunteers into two groups: 

• One group of volunteers ate two servings of salmon or albacore tuna per week
• The other group received a comparable amount of DHA and EPA in an omega-3 capsule each day 

The results of this study yield valuable information especially for those worried about the mercury content and other contaminants in fish.  Be sure to check the ratio of DHA to EPA in omega-3 supplements you purchase. Ideally, choose one that is rich in DHA with a 10:1 ratio of DHA to EPA.    *William S. Harris, James V. Petlala, Scott A. Sands and Philip G. Jones. Comparison of the effects of fish and fish oil capsules on the n-3 content of blood cells and plasma phospholipids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol.86, No.6, 1621-1625, December 2007.

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Barbara S. Levine, R.D., Ph.D., has been a researcher, consultant, and teacher of nutrition at some of the most prestigious medical institutions in the country. Dr. Levine is a DHA & B Vitamin Center scientific advisory board member and director of the first NIH-funded Nutrition Information Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Weill-Cornell Medical College, The Rockefeller University, Hospital for Special Surgery, and Strang Cancer Prevention Center.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 at 1:40 pm and is filed under DHA, Omega-3s and B Vitamins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.