It's obvious that fish oils are quickly becoming a "given" amongst fitness experts. I think that this, along with the myriad of questions that accompany this valuable but misunderstood supplement, warrants a collection of good discussions and articles.
Below are links to some of the better discussions we've had here at JP's, and below those are links to other sites.
JP Fitness Discussions:
"Charles Poliquin's New Article" (12/11/06)
Charles Poliquin's New Article
"New Mike Roussell Article" (12/4/06)
New Mike Roussell Article
"Coromega?" (10/9/06)
Coromega?
"Omega-3 Index" (9/8/06)
Omega-3 Index
"Fish Oil and Depression" (8/16/06)
Fish Oil and Depression
"TIME article on fish oil" (6/25/06)
TIME article on fish oil
"Fish Oil/Omega 3" (4/24/06)
Fish Oil/Omega 3
"Odorless Fish Oil Caps" (3/22/06)
Odorless Fish Oil Caps
"Fish Oil Supplements.....Your Thoughts Regarding Health" (2/16/06)
Fish Oil Supplements.....Your Thoughts Regarding Health
"Flame Out super fish oil/CLA" (2/6/06)
Flame Out super fish oil/CLA
"Fish: omega-3's good, toxins bad" (12/15/05)
Fish: omega-3's good, toxins bad
"Fish oil capsule question" (8/22/05)
fish oil capsule question
Articles:
Eric Cressey's "Fishy Advice"
http://www.ericcressey.com/fishyadvice1.html
http://www.ericcressey.com/fishyadvice2.html
Michael Roussell's "27 Nutrition Facts"
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1351653
"Omega-3: Fat You Can and Should Eat"
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/humannutrition/omega3.htm
TIPS:
"Today's tip comes from Mike Roussell: No Fish for Breakfast
Don't take your fish oil on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. EPA and DHA are "magical" but they're also fats. This means they can be burned as energy. So don't take them at a time when your body is dying for fuel — it's just a waste."
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1363375
"Today's nutrition tip comes from Dr. John Berardi: Eat Fat, Lose Fat
To lose fat, sometimes you have to eat fat. Monounsaturated fats and certain polyunsaturates actually speed up the metabolic rate. The best of the fat burning bunch are the highly unsaturated omega 3s called EPA and DHA. These omega 3 fatty acids can potentially help burn blubber through a variety of different mechanisms. A diet supplemented with omega 3-rich fish oil promotes losses of body fat with simultaneous gains in lean mass. That's right, more muscle and less fat, baby!"
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=931686
"Today's nutrition tip comes from Dr. John Berardi: Fish vs. Flax
Since flax and fish oils are made up mostly of polyunsaturated fats, they both play an important role in overall health and body comp. However, they play different roles. My advice: use both. My polyunsaturated fats come from both fish oil and flax oil. However, I do limit my flax oil to 1 tbsp per day as there's some evidence that high intakes of flax seed oil may have a negative effect on prostate health. So, I exercise caution and moderation with flax. "
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1354784
"Today's nutrition tip comes from Dr. John Berardi: Fish Oil Rules
I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA)."
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=813735
Eric Noreen:
"the omega fats are polyunsaturates. There are several different omega 3 fatty acids, and there are several different omega 6 fatty acids. The grand daddy of all omega 3s is a fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (LNA). This fatty acid can be elongated and desaturated in the body to form several other omega 3 fatty acids. The two most talked about omega 3s that are made from LNA are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The grand daddy of the 6 family is linoleic acid (LA). Just like LNA, LA can be elongated and desaturated in the body to form several other omega 6 fatty acids. The two Omega 6s made from LA that are most often talked about are gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA).
LA, LNA and the fats made from them are essential for physiological function. Since our bodies don't have the ability to make them, the amounts of omega 3s or 6s found in the body are largely a function of what we eat. Omega 3s are mainly found in fish oil, flaxseed oil, canola oil, walnut oil, and green leafy vegetables. Omega 6s are mainly found in vegetable oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil.
Interestingly, the fats from animal products (meat, dairy, and eggs) that we usually think of as being all saturated can also provide some polyunsaturates. The level of polyunsaturates and the ratio of 3s to 6s is entirely dependent on what the animals are fed. Animal feed high in corn will produce animals that have high omega 6 fats. Animals fed natural grasses will be high in omega 3s. The implications of this are really important for us. "
http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/...roundtable.htm
OTHER LINKS:
Christopher R. Mohr, PhD, RD:
"Check out Nordic Naturals. As a health professional, you can get discounts on quality products like N. Naturals through a company called
www.Emersonecologics.com. Honestly, you'll be hard pressed to find a higher quality product than NN (there are a few, but this is up with the best of them)."