Sorting Though The Omega Fatty Acids For The Heart And Cholesterol

Omega fatty acids include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and alpha-linoleic acid (ALA).  The DHA and the EPA can be found fish, whereas, ALA is found in soy, flaxseed, English walnuts, and canola oil.  These omega fatty acids can be divided in two ways.  First by source; fish or plant and second by type omega-3's, omega-6's, and omega-9's.
Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish such as salmon and albacore contain the highest amounts of DHA and EPA.  According to the American Heart Association they have the best evidence for heart benefits and in lowering triglycerides a component of cholesterol.  It should be noted that omega-3 fatty acid  DHA/EPA from a fatty fish source can not be tolerated it is also extracted from krill a shrimp like shellfish, however, I do not recommend it since there is no data supporting its benefit.
Omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources contain ALA and do not contain DHA/EPA. Plant omega-3's are different than fish omega-3's.  In fact, plant omega-3's have no hard evidence in benefiting the heart or lowering triglycerides.  The ALA contained in these products derived from flaxseed and canola oil do have evidence in the reduction of LDL cholesterol.
As far omega-6's and omega-9's these fatty acids are considered to be healthy for the heart.  However, these two fatty acids should never be recommended as supplements.  Omega-6 fatty acid is linoleic acid and most people get enough of this from our everyday diet. Omega-9 fatty acid is oleic acid it is found in poly unsaturated oils like olive oil and can have an effect in lowering lipids, however, when needed our body can produce this fatty acid naturally.
I usually get three main questions about omega-3 supplements.   One, are they safe to take even during pregnancy and do I have to worry about the heavy metal poisoning from the mercury in the fish the omega-3 fatty acid is derived from.  Two, are they safe to take with my other medications and three, which brand do you recommend.
First as to this question the easiest thing for me to refer to you to a website that can give you up to date information on the mercury levels found in the fish used for omega-3 fatty acids the website is http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html.
Second are they safe to take with other medications I am presently on?  Make sure that you ask your pharmacist and he will have you discuss its use with your physician if necessary, especially you are planning to take it because doses in excess of 2 grams a day could interact with aspirin, Coumadin (warfarin), or Plavix. It is also a good idea to let your doctor add it to your patient profile in case he decides to prescribe any of these medications in the future.
Third what brand do I recommend, The patient really has two choices now, especially since it is available by prescription under the name of Lovaza and available other the counter.  If you purchase the over the counter version it is available under many different labels by a wide variety of manufactures, so make sure that label contains the letter USP somewhere after the name.  This way you are guaranteed to get the strength that is actually labeled on the bottle.







 

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