Dr. McKee's Health Matters » Omega 3

Glucosamine + fish oil omega-3’s has been shown to begin the process of reversing osteoarthritis

Dwight McKee — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:53:37 +0000

A recent study looks at the effect of glucosamine sulfate with or without omega-3 fatty acids in patients with osteoarthritis.

Glucosamine + fish oil omega-3’s has been shown to begin the process of reversing osteoarthritis, as published by Gruenwald et al in the Sept 2009 issue of the journal Advances in Therapy. (link) Though this is not a big surprise, its nice to see as a new addition to the scientific literature. I’ve been recommending glucosamine/chondroitin + fish oil/vitamin D + green lipped mussel oil + MSM + proteolytic enzymes, for years, and now have added to the repertoire concentrated anthocyanins from all the major “super fruits”, for all manner of inflammatory problems. With just 1500 mg of glucosamine, and 200 mg of EPA+DHA (a wimpy dose of omega-3) 44% of the group receiving both glucosamine and omega-3 showed at least an 80% reduction in pain over 26 weeks time, as compared with only 32% of those who received only glucosamine. Just think what they might find if they added vitamin D, green lipped mussel oil, MSM, proteolytic enzymes, and fruit anthocyanins…

Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce obesity

Dwight McKee — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:34:05 +0000

OK, so fish oil isn’t going to make you lose those extra 30 pounds you’re carrying. But it appears that keeping your omega-3 intake high, and your omega-6 intake (meat, poultry, warm weather vegetable oils) low, may contribute to making it easier to maintain a healthy weight—not to mention a healthy heart, healthy brain, healthy joints, healthy immune system, etc. etc…..

A recent study found:

Higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce obesity, according to a new study from Australia’s University of Newcastle.

Omega-3 levels in people who are a healthy weight are 15 percent higher than in those who are overweight, the researchers reported in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Mercury not a problem in fish oil products

Dwight McKee — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:30:03 +0000

News reports are routinely talking about the problem of mercury in fish.

WASHINGTON – Mercury contamination was found in every fish tested at nearly 300 streams across the country in the most comprehensive look at the spread of the toxic element in streams and rivers.

All fish had traces of contamination, and about a quarter had mercury levels exceeding what the Environmental Protection Agency says is safe for people eating average amounts of fish.

Why do “they” never advise people to take fish oil (DHA and EPA) supplements? Seems like a no brainer to me….. Even without the extra purification step of molecular distillation (which should be used to remove PCBs, dioxins, and other fat soluble environmental contaminants to produce a high quality fish oil), the mercury stays in the fish protein. There is essentially no mercury in any (even low quality) fish oil products. Seems like this ought to be better known…..

All fish had traces of contamination, and about a quarter had mercury levels exceeding what the Environmental Protection Agency says is safe for people eating average amounts of fish.

Omega-3 Kills Cancer Cells

Dwight McKee — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:12:07 +0000

Medical News today reported the results of a study showing DHA’s role in reducing tumor size:

Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils, has been shown to reduce the size of tumours and enhance the positive effects of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, while limiting its harmful side effects.

Ever since a case report was published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer in 2005 in which an elderly man with a large and inoperable lung sarcoma went into complete remission with high dose fish oils, predominantly DHA, I’ve been emphasizing DHA (and vitamin D) in my nutritional recommendations for people facing cancer challenges.

In the case report, the intake of EPA+DHA was in the range of 15-18 grams per day, about the amount that the Innuit on their traditional diet of seal, fish, and whale blubber used to consume. That’s a lot of omega 3, and should be supervised by a nutritionally knowledgeable physician, but even 4-6 grams per day, especially with a high DHA product can be a big help.