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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phil on December 25, 2004, at 12:03:01
Lar, I was reading your posts on Grohol's site yesterday where you generously offered your brain power concerning Omega 3.
I've heard good things about OmegaBrite but can't afford it. Do you think it actually offers any advantage over the Walmart brand or is it just marketing hype? It's incredibly expensive.Thanks my friend,
Phil
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 25, 2004, at 12:03:01
In reply to Omega 3...Larry, posted by Phil on December 25, 2004, at 7:56:45
> Lar, I was reading your posts on Grohol's site yesterday where you generously offered your brain power concerning Omega 3.
It's hard to not just keep going on and on, truth be told.
> I've heard good things about OmegaBrite but can't afford it. Do you think it actually offers any advantage over the Walmart brand or is it just marketing hype? It's incredibly expensive.
Omegabrite is artificially manipulated to contain proportionally more EPA (relative to DHA) than is found in any natural food. Instead of a ratio of about 1.5:1, Omegabrite is 7:1. There are arguments that EPA is the primary antidepressant/mood-stabilizing fatty acid, but I am not convinced. It may be responsible for some of the more rapid effects, but DHA is a structural component of neural membranes, and also acts to regulate receptor expression by acting at DNA-transcriptional levels. I'm rather hesitant to recommend EPA over DHA, but I suppose it's nice to know that the option is there.
With respect to Walmart fish oil....as far as the common commodity fish oil goes, I have never found a more cost-effective solution. The quality (rancidity) has also never been a problem for me, and I can't say the same thing for other brands. So, Spring Valley gets a Best Buy rating from me.
Still, there are other options. Carlson's (from Norway) is a very high purity product. There are some fat-soluble pollutants that might be present in other brands (it's awfully hard to know, without analysing them), but Carlson's is tested to ensure that there are undetectable levels of e.g. PCBs and dioxins. It's available at a fairly reasonable price from iherb. http://www.iherb.com/liquidfish.html (If you put in a good sized order at iherb, you get up to 20% off the whole order, and they still have a great deal on shipping.)
You'll also see a product called Ultra-Omega, from Health from the Sun, on that iherb page. When I read the product description, it says the oils are derived from sardines and anchovies, both fish at the low end of the food chain. That suggests the oils are naturally less contaminated than e.g. those from predator fish like salmon.
The liquid oils are convenient, but a little weird in one respect. Having an oily liquid in your mouth is an uncommon sensory experience. They taste quite pleasant, though, so it's not a yucky thing in any way. The cod liver oil would be a really good source of vitamins D and A, which I'd wager you're deficient in, in any case. I take a tablespoon of both (fish oil and cod liver oil) at the same time. The cod liver oil also supplies EPA and DHA at high levels.
> Thanks my friend,
>
> PhilYou are most welcome.
Lar
Posted by Dan Perkins on December 25, 2004, at 12:03:01
In reply to Re: Omega 3...Larry » Phil, posted by Larry Hoover on December 25, 2004, at 9:46:14
I am a big fan of Carlson's Cod Liver oil, it is simply one of the healthiest things you can put into your body.
I don't know how much of a direct antidepressant effect that I have felt from it, but when I am taking it I just feel so much better and healthier overall.
I tried the Omegabright but found it way, way, way too expensive to take in high enough doses for any real length of time. A daily serving of one tablespoon of Cod Liver Oil is probably about $.25 - $.50 and worth every penny.
The vitamins A & D in Cod Liver Oil, as Larry points out, are crucial for your overall health and well being.
Posted by isg on December 26, 2004, at 5:17:03
In reply to Re: Omega 3...Larry, posted by Dan Perkins on December 25, 2004, at 10:39:05
I eat a can of sardines (in water) every day, which provides a nice dose of omega-3 plus good protein (without the mercury found in tuna).
Posted by Tabitha on December 26, 2004, at 16:03:33
In reply to Omega 3 plus protein, posted by isg on December 26, 2004, at 5:17:03
I like sardines too-- well, when I say "like" I mean I know they're good for me and I can usually choke em down, if they're the mustard sauce kind and they're on a cracker. A whole tin is a bit too much at one sitting. OK I guess I don't like sardines so much, but I still try to eat them now and then for the nutrition.
I saw the Omega-3 eggs at the market-- anyone know about them? Are they worth it? I was thinking of buying them instead of my usual "cage free" eggs.
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 26, 2004, at 19:32:01
In reply to Re: Omega 3 plus protein-- eggs?, posted by Tabitha on December 26, 2004, at 16:03:33
> I like sardines too-- well, when I say "like" I mean I know they're good for me and I can usually choke em down, if they're the mustard sauce kind and they're on a cracker. A whole tin is a bit too much at one sitting. OK I guess I don't like sardines so much, but I still try to eat them now and then for the nutrition.
>
> I saw the Omega-3 eggs at the market-- anyone know about them? Are they worth it? I was thinking of buying them instead of my usual "cage free" eggs.I'd presume those eggs are similar to those available in Canada. Here's a link to the nutrition information: http://www.burnbraefarms.com/food_service/nutrition_info.html#omega
Each omega-3 egg contains more vitamin E, and about seven times the omega-3 content of a typical egg. Unfortunately, the various omega-3 fats are not quantified.
They're certainly better for you than regular eggs, but I hope you'll keep choking down some sardines, or some salmon, or some fish oil caps, etc. Very important for wellbeing.
Lar
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 26, 2004, at 20:04:32
In reply to Re: Omega 3 plus protein-- eggs?, posted by Tabitha on December 26, 2004, at 16:03:33
I love your exphairiments. ;-)
Lar
Posted by Emme on December 26, 2004, at 21:03:21
In reply to Omega 3...Larry, posted by Phil on December 25, 2004, at 7:56:45
300 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA per softgel. Bottle of 90 softgels for about $8.00. See what you think.
Posted by isg on December 27, 2004, at 5:02:53
In reply to Trader Joe's Omega-3, posted by Emme on December 26, 2004, at 21:03:21
Tabitha,
I feel the same way you do about sardines -- they are fine nutrition and perhaps medicine, not a delight for the palate.As for the omega-3 content (compare pills above):
2300 mg of omega-3 per 100g (small can) sardines,
vs.
300 mg of omega-3 per 100g (2 eggs) omega-3 enriched eggs:http://hdlighthouse.org/see/diet/triad/diet/sardine.htm
http://www.egginnovations.com/omega_3.ht
This is the end of the thread.
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