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What
are Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids are important components of cellular and membrane
lipids (the chief structural constituents of living cells) that are
essential for life and health. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are two
groups of essential fatty acids (EFAs) that cannot be synthesized by
the human body and therefore must be ingested in the foods we eat.
Why
do I need to take Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD fish oil supplements?
There are countless reasons why you need to supplement
Omega-3 EFAs, and Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement
is the best available anywhere. Some of the top reasons for taking are
some of the following:
- Omega-3 EFAs
are the main components of brain and nerve tissue, including the retinas
of the eyes, and essential constituents of every cell membrane in
the body.
- Omega-3 EFAs
produce the most powerful anti-inflammatory eicosanoid hormones ("series
1", or "Good" eicosanoids), which are hormones found in every cell
of the body. On the other hand, Omega-6 EFAs produce pro-inflammatory
eicosanoid hormones ("series 2", or "Bad" eicosanoids), which are
also hormones found in every cell of the body. Ideally, for optimal
health, these two types of eicosanoid hormones should be in a 1:1
to 4:1 ratio (Omega-6: Omega-3). Unfortunately, today, the average
American pro-inflammatory eicosanoid (O-6) to anti-inflammatory eicosanoid
(O-3) ratio is around 20-50:1.
- Omega-3 EFAs
produce potent appetite suppression, when taken in sufficient quantities.
- Omega-3 EFAs
tremendously increase our stored fat burning capabilities, resulting
in dramatically improved energy levels and stamina. These actions
are achieved through the stimulation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated
Receptor (PPAR). By contrast, Omega-6 EFAs have no PPAR stimulating
action.
- As referenced
on the homepage, lesser, or "health food grade" Omega-3 fish oil supplements
and the food supply (i.e. both wild and farm raised fish) do not contain
adequate levels of Omega-3 EFAs to achieve the physiological and clinical
results whose criteria are outlined in the other four reasons above.
Furthermore, the health food grade supplements and the fish in the
food supply are too contaminated to take enough of them to meet the
body's daily Omega-3 EFAs requirements.
Even if the fish
in the food supply were not contaminated, and were safe enough to eat
to satisfy the body's daily Omega-3 EFA requirements, you would need
somewhere around 2 lbs. of it everyday. Just imagine the stomachaches,
the bad breath, and the smelly kitchens!
What
exactly is an eicosanoid and why haven't I ever heard much about them?
The word eicosanoid is derived from the Greek term "eicosa", which means
twenty, referring to the twenty-carbon chains that form the structural
backbone of these eicosanoid hormone molecules. They are very powerful,
yet short-lived hormones that travel in spaces between cells, as well
as cell to cell around the 70 or so trillion cells in the human body.
These eicosanoids
appear, perform their brief duties, then disintegrate in almost untraceable
fashion. A blood test cannot reliably measure them since they were not
designed to circulate in the blood.
Although eicosanoid
hormones have received relatively little attention over the years, their
discoverers won the 1982 Nobel Prize in medicine, due to the correlation
that was made between eicosanoid levels and their relative balance on
your health. They remain mostly a mystery in the medical community,
but are the subject of growing bodies of research, as demonstrated by
the searches of peer-reviewed journals that yield around 90,000 articles.
Eicosanoids were
the first class of hormones produced by living organisms around 500
million years ago. Now, as then, they remain the most influential hormones
on our body's health picture since they control the production of every
other hormone in the body. It could be said that we have as many eicosanoid
"glands" as we have body cells. Phytoplankton and all other organisms
with at least one cell produce eicosanoids.
Our challenge becomes
seeing to it that our body cells are fed and nourished in such a way
that a favorable balance exists for the series 1, or "good" eicosanoids
over the series 2, or "bad" eicosanoids, bearing in mind that we need
a certain level of "bad" eicosanoids to perform critical bodily functions
such as blood clotting, just not so much of them that we get too much
of a clot in the wrong places at the wrong times. It's all a matter
of preserving a delicate balance between the two classes of eicosanoids.
Listed below are some major physiological functions governed by the
presence of both "good" and "bad" eicosanoids:
Having an imbalance
of "bad" eicosanoids over the "good" eicosanoids can lead to conditions
such as heart attacks, Stroke, high blood pressure, arthritis, cancer,
ongoing infections, depression, autoimmune disease such as Alzheimer's,
etc.
Taking Dr. Madsen's
Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement several times every day
is the very best way to achieve a favorable balance of Series 1 "good"
eicosanoids over series 2 "bad" eicosanoids to achieve optimal health
and therapeutic effects. Go
to our online store and get your supply today!
I
have heard that taking fish oil is actually considered a type of natural
'autocrine' hormone replacement therapy. What are these 'autocrine'
hormones, do they interact with others in the body? Are there other
types of hormones in the body? How does Dr. Madsen address these hormones
with his patients?
Dr. Madsen deals with a whole host of patient health issues that deal
with hormone imbalances, including obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart
disease, hypertension, reproductive system issues, etc. He always advocates
the use bio-identical (just like the body makes for itself) natural
hormones to reestablish a balance to the individual that ordinarily
allows the body to correct its own maladies without the problematic
intervention of synthetic hormones and drugs.
The autocrine (eicosanoids)
class of hormones are the quickest acting (almost instantaneously),
most widespread (found in every cell of the body), and the most powerful
class of hormones. Their activity is limited to the individual cell,
but that activity, multiplied by trillions of body cells, translates
into a profound and substantial, bodywide, relatively good or bad, physiological
response.
Other types of hormones
include paracrine hormones, which are larger molecules than the eicosanoid
hormones (autocrine), communicate and act between more than cell at
a time, and are largely transported between cells via small ducts in
the brain. A prime example of this type of hormone includes the huge
array of neurotransmitters (communicators) our brains need such as serotonin,
dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, etc.
Finally, the largest,
farthest travelling, and slowest acting hormone class is the endocrine
hormone class. These are produced by specialty glands at different locations
in the body (pituitary gland in the brain, thyroid gland, adrenal glands,
pancreas, etc.), enter the bloodstream, then travel to and impact a
group of cells at a distant location. Good examples of these are estrogen,
progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, cortisol, and insulin, etc.
For more info on
these hormonal topics and how they relate to Dr. Madsen's understanding
and treatment of such with his patients, please
read the Fat Facts section of the website.
His unveiling of
the dynamic Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement is no exception.
The mechanism of inflammation and the control thereof results from the
interplay of the Omega-3 molecules with hormones found in every cell
of the body known as eicosanoids. Depending on the balance of the "good"
relative to the "bad eicosanoids, we can suffer from excessive inflammation
and lack of adequate blood flow, which limits our body's ability to
heal itself and enjoy consistent health and harmony.
Please refer to
some of Dr. Madsen's original writings, distributed regularly to patients
at the Omega-3 Institute of Preventive Medicine, on these crucial topics
in the Fat Facts section.
Q:
Where do Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) actually come from?
- Algae synthesize
Omega-3 fatty acids from sunlight and carbon dioxide.
- Small animals
eat the algae
- Larger animals
(i.e. fish) eat the smaller ones
- Humans eat the
fish.
Omega-3 fatty acids
are made only in plants. Vertebrate animals either never evolved the
ability to synthesize Omega-3s or lost that ability somewhere along
the evolutionary path. The largest source of Omega-3 fatty acids in
the ocean and freshwater bodies of water are algae (phytoplankton),
single celled plants that use the energy from sunlight to convert carbon
dioxide and water into complex bio-chemicals, including the Omega-3
fatty acids. Small aquatic animals, such as shrimp, feed on algae, assimilating
the Omega-3 fatty acids into their bodies. Larger, predatory fish feed
on shrimp and the process continues through various food chains all
the way to humans.
Q:
Can't we get enough Omega-3 from the foods we eat?
Generally, no. Many researchers believe the majority of Omega-3 food
sources have disappeared from the modern diet. The foods now considered
"mainstream" are often deficient in Omega-3. Even if your diet includes
several fish meals per week, you may not be getting sufficient levels
of Omega-3. This is because much of the fish we consume is now farm
raised or does not contain significant amounts of Omega-3. Ideally,
your diet should supply at least 650 mg of long-chain Omega-3 (DHA +
EPA) per day, either from food sources or dietary supplementation. Omega-3
fatty acids are found in deep, cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel,
anchovies, and sardines.
How
much of Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD fish oil supplement should I take each
day?
- Dr. Madsen recommends
that children as young as possible begin taking one capsule per meal.
If necessary, parents can snap the gelcap in two and allow the fish
oil itself to pour into a beverage that the child enjoys the taste
of. This will allow the youngsters to get their vital fish oil to
help further develop their brains, eyes, nervous system in general,
and all of the body's trillions of cell membranes.
- Teenagers and
adults should take 1-3 capsules with each meal to particularly prevent
and manage stress, obesity, depression, foggy thinking, diabetes,
cancer, etc.)
- Senior citizens
especially need Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement
several times a day to prevent or manage inflammatory diseases (i.e.
Alzheimer's, strokes, hypertension, and heart disease, etc.)
See
the Fat Facts section of the website for more detailed information
on these and other important related health issues.
Why
do I need to take Omega-3 MD fish oil supplements so many times per
day?
Omega-3 EFAs survive in the bloodstream about 4-6 hours before they
begin to breakdown. The body cannot make or store these Omega-3 EFAs,
and that is why they are referred to "essential" fatty acids. However,
the body can make and store enormous amounts of saturated fat, and some
monounsaturated fat (from the excess carbohydrates, proteins, and fat
that you eat every day).
We have to eat them
every day, ideally every 4-6 hours, for the rest of lives, or we begin
to become like so many of the people around us today who are afflicted
by the ravages of inflammatory diseases (i.e. obesity, diabetes, cancer,
heart disease, arthritis, ADHD, depression, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's,
MS, other autoimmune diseases, etc. etc. etc.!!!)
So, by taking Dr.
Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement every morning,
noon ,and night, you will prevent the body from ever running out of
crucial Omega-3 EFAs at any given point in the day and in any stage
of your life.
Has
there ever been a time where we didn't need to supplement Omega-3 EFAs?
Yes. There was a time, when human ancestors came onto the scene (Paleolithic
Man) around 40,000 years ago up until around 10,000 years ago. During
this period, they were sustained on a diet mainly consisting of lean
meats, fish, and vegetable matter. They consumed a balanced ratio of
pro-and anti-inflammatory fats and also had a very high intake of the
anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals.
Then, around 10,000
years ago, the Agricultural Revolution began. This era featured the
dramatically increased intake of grains, coupled with a reduced intake
of vegetables and meat. This pattern resulted in the displacement of
nutrient rich vegetables and meat with a moderate and growing shift
toward a generally pro-inflammatory diet (from too many Omega-6 EFAs
and less Omega-3 EFAs).
This progression
toward more and more grains and less vegetables and meats picked up
steam over the thousands of years and really accelerated at the time
of the Industrial Revolution (about 200 years ago). This period ushered
in the massive levels of refining and processing of grains and sugars,
making it affordable to the majority of people for their dietary staple.
This pervasive sugar and refined grain products for cheap created further
omission of nutrient-dense foods and the correspondingly greater risk
of elevated pro-inflammatory blood sugar levels.
Finally, the current
existence of the Convenience/Fast-Food Revolution (from around 60 years
ago up to the current day) has translated into the widespread usage
of refined, processed, and industrially manipulated foods based on the
massive overabundance of cheap grains and Omega-6 EFAs (especially in
the form of vegetable oils like corn, peanut, cottonseed, and sunflower,
and safflower, just to name a few). This current dietary pattern means
people have a very high consumption level of carbohydrates, an unbalanced
fat intake, and a very low vegetable intake. In fact, today's average
person has a pro-inflammatory Omega-6 EFA to anti-inflammatory Omega-3
EFA ratio of around 20-50 to 1, along with significantly fewer anti-inflammatory
vitamins and minerals.
There's no time
like the present to restore the "lost nutrient" to our fast-paced, deficient
Western diets by adding a daily dose of Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD Fish
Oil Supplements. These will help take us back to the health of the Paleolithic
era, when our ancestors were stronger, had thicker bones, were taller,
little or no tooth decay or missing teeth, very little arthritis, and
little inflammatory disease in general. Back then, his biggest concern
was outrunning the nearest saber-toothed cat, finding enough food, surviving
the cold conditions while he lived outside, and not catching his neighbor's
infectious diseases. Archaeological as well as anthropological data
suggest his arteries were much clearer than ours are today.
Ever since the Agricultural
Revolution began around 10,000 years ago, the introduction of grains
has been met with weaker bones, shorter statures, more tooth decay,
tooth loss, arthritis, and progressively higher levels of overall inflammation,
taking an incalculable toll on humanity.
What
are other major differences in the Paleolithic (ancient) and modern
diet and what did that mean to their respective disease profiles?
Compare
the differences between an ancient and modern diet:
- Our bodies are
genetically programmed to thrive on a diet similar to that of the
Paleolithic era. Compared to the modern diet, this diet contained
more meat and fish, more greens and fruit, virtually no milk products
or grains, less saturated fat, less than 2 percent Trans-fatty acids
(which naturally occur in some animal products], fewer omega-6 fatty
acids, and more omega-3 fatty acids.
- The ratio of
omega-6 to omega-3 in the Paleolithic diet is believed to have been
approximately 1 to 1. Our current ratio has been estimated to be from
14 to 1 to 20 to 1.
- During the agricultural
revolution of approximately 10,000 to 5,000 years ago, people began
eating more grains, which increased their intake of omega-6 fatty
acids. In addition, they domesticated animals and fed them an artificial
diet of grains, resulting in meat and eggs that had more omega-6 and
less omega-3 fatty acids than the meat from wild game.
- The industrial
revolution made it practical for people to eat large quantities of
omega-6 vegetable oils, further upsetting the omega-6 to omega-3 balance.
- The campaign
to lower cholesterol has led to an excessive consumption of omega-6
oils.
- People are generally
ignorant about the profound differences between the types of fat,
therefore the overall widespread fear of fat has further stripped
omega-3 fatty acids from our diet
- Until government
and industry, through legislation and advocacy, recognize the importance
of eating a balanced ratio of EFAs, you must take matters into your
own hands.
Q:
Why don't I need to supplement my diet with Omega-6?
Our diets are already rich in Omega-6 from foods that contain corn,
safflower, sunflower or soybean oils. The problem is the ratio between
Omega-6 and Omega-3. Optimum health is often attained when these two
essential fatty acids are found in the appropriate ratio. Most experts
recommend a ratio of 4 to 1. However, the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3
in modern society tends to be disproportionately high (often as high
as 30 to 1). Scientists are now encouraging a decrease in the intake
of Omega-6 while stressing an increase in Omega-3.
I
hear a lot of conflicting information about the proper food pyramid
people should follow for optimum health and wellness. Can't I simply
follow the one put out by the USDA and endorsed by the American Heart
Association?
There certainly is a lot of white noise out there concerning the correct
food pyramid to follow. This ought to be an accurate representation
of nutritional priorities and emphases we need to adopt everyday to
control our body's levels of internal inflammation and tendency towards
restricted blood flow, both of which are the major causes of the most
deadly diseases we battle today like heart disease, cancer, diabetes,
arthritis, stroke, autoimmune diseases, etc. etc.
For years, the
USDA has preached as gospel their antiquated food pyramid, starting
with school-aged children, who take these misprioritized habits into
adulthood and, consequently, jump on the fast-track to some or all of
the inflammatory diseases described above. With the stressing of grains
and starches as the baseline of the upper pyramid, excessive levels
of inflammation and progressively impeded and viscous blood flow results,
giving way to the myriad inflammatory diseases already mentioned. The
USDA Food Pyramid, first released in 1972 (and endorsed by the American
Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, American Dietetic
Association, etc. for the last 30 years) has resulted in the present
explosion of inflammation-related diseases and the obesity epidemic.
Harvard
Medical School's New Food Pyramid proposed for 2004 (pictured below)
is a slight improvement, but does not go nearly far enough in making
dietary changes to correct inflammation and obesity.
Dr.
Madsen's Food Pyramid (pictured below) has been exclusively developed
as part of his new "Inflammation/Weight Control System™".
This is the best and most significant improvement in dietary and health
recommendations in the last 30 years. Dr. Madsen's Food Pyramid addresses
the serious issue of Inflammation as far as it relates to health and
obesity.
Take
special note of where where Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish
Oil Supplement is positioned on the pyramid. This illustrates the
important role that Omega-3 EFAs have in a properly balanced diet.
Based on these food pyramids, what are some specific foods that, for
better or for worse, affect the levels of inflammation and efficiency
of blood flow in the body?
It helps to look at foods as either "hot" (pro-inflammatory)
or "cold" (anti-inflammatory). Hot foods set the stage for
the burning pain of inflammation, whereas cold foods reduce inflammation.
What is the bottom line with all of these refined, processed foods?
- First, they displace
many important nutrients, such as anti-inflammatory vitamins, minerals,
protein, and omega-3 fatty acids
- Second, grains
contain anti-nutrients, which actually interfere with normal nutrient
absorption.
- Third, highly
refined sugars and carbohydrates draw nutrients such as vitamins and
minerals from the body's reserves to aid metabolic processes that
normally burn these foods for energy.
- Fourth, the sheer
quantity of calories and carbohydrates in refined sugars promotes
obesity, and fat cells generate large quantities of interleukin-6
and C-reactive protein, two of the most powerful, inflammatory compounds
made by the body.
The end result is
a diet high in pro-inflammatory fats, devoid of anti-inflammatory fats,
and nearly empty of anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Anti-inflammatory
drugs don't really help, either, as they only temporarily mask the symptoms,
while introducing many undesirable side effects such as kidney and liver
damage.
The long-term solution
to this nutritional predicament is to limit the amount of refined carbohydrates
and sugars you consume, and also to limit your intake of Omega-6 EFAs
(you will never have trouble finding enough of these, and then some,
in virtually everything you eat). Along with these measures, you must
get adequate levels of the above-mentioned "cold" anti-inflammatory
foods, fresh water, and without question, substantially increase your
daily consumption of long-chain, pharmaceutical grade Omega-3 EFAs in
the form of Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement.
Q:
Is it true Omega-3 can promote a healthy heart?
Yes, it can through a variety of ways. Research suggests Omega-3 fatty
acids help to keep the blood healthy. It is also thought to support
a healthy level of blood triglycerides. Omega-3 allows for better circulation
of blood by making the red blood cells more elastic and flow more fluidly,
as well as reducing systemic inflammation, thus helping to maintain
overall cardiovascular health.
Q:
Is there any truth to the statement that fish is "brain food"?
Yes. In fact, the most polyunsaturated of the Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA)
makes up a large portion of the gray matter of the brain and neurons,
as well as the retina of the eye. Research in the last few years has
revealed that diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids may help promote a healthy
emotional balance and positive mood. Your mother and grandmother told
you to eat your fish because it's "brain food". They were
right.
Q:
I'm pregnant. I
heard that Omega-3 is good for my baby. Is this true?
Yes. Omega-3, especially DHA, is very important in the development and
function of the nervous system, the brain and the eyes, especially during
the last trimester of pregnancy and the first six months of the baby's
life. Since it is thought that the unborn child cannot make sufficient
enough amounts of Omega-3 for its rapidly growing brain, these needs
must be met by its mother. While the mother is breast feeding, Omega-3
fatty acids are passed to the baby through her milk. Even one pregnancy
can significantly deplete the mother's stores of Omega-3 due to the
passage of them through the breast milk. Restoration of these lost supplies
to the mother is thought to play a substantial role in reducing the
incidence and/or severity of post-partum depression.
Q:
Does Omega-3 help my immune system?
Yes, it does. The Omega-3 fatty acid, EPA, functions as raw material
for series 3 prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) that help to regulate
the responsiveness and performance of the immune system. Omega-3's ability
to minimize inflammation reduces the stress put on our immune system
and helps to keep it in tip top shape to combat illnesses, including
cancers. A healthy immune system is one that knows "when to attack,
what to attack, and when to hold back". A few studies have found that
a diet enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids may help you maintain a healthy
immune function. For instance, in cultures of normal human blood, only
blood incubated in the Omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, significantly decreased
the amount of white blood cell surface molecules needed in the immune
response of normal, healthy humans. (American Journal of Nutrition,
1996, 126:603-610.)
Q:
What can Omega-3 fatty acids do for my emotional and nervous system
health?
We've all heard that fish is considered "brain food". In fact, the most
polyunsaturated of the Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, makes up the majority
constituent of the gray matter of the brain. The fat in your brain,
as well as your retinas, makes up the type of fat that forms cell membranes.
Neurons in the brain, the cells that transmit chemical messages, are
also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Actually, there is more DHA in our
neurons than in our red blood cells. Research in the last few years
has revealed that diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids may help promote
a healthy emotional balance and positive mood, and may help us maintain
a healthy mental state in our later years. Researchers speculate that
a diet rich in the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA, found in fish oil, may help
to promote a healthy emotional balance and positive mood, in part because
DHA is a primary component of the synaptic membranes (American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, July 1995, pp.1-9.)
These are connective areas between nerve cells where neurotransmitters
(the means of communication between our nerve cells) like serotonin,
dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine reside and promote functions like
mood elevation, fat burning, and appetite control, just to name a few.
Researchers in another
study found that people with a healthy emotional balance and positive
mental outlook tended to have higher levels of DHA in their red blood
cells. (BIol Psychiatry 1998; 43(5): 315-9.) A Danish team of
researchers compared the diets of 5,386 healthy individuals and found
that the more fish in a person's diet, the longer the person was able
to maintain a healthy mental status. (Ann Neurol 1997; 42; 776-82.)
Q:
Does Omega-3 provide any benefit to the skin?
We all desire clear, youthful skin that radiates health and vitality.
But many of us think that healthy skin comes from creams and lotions.
Actually, the food we eat plays a major role in determining the overall
condition of our skin. Your skin is the largest organ of your body,
protecting underlying organs and tissues from infection, regulating
temperature, immune function, as well as metabolism. The best diet for
the healthiest skin emphasizes adequate amounts of lean protein, plenty
of fresh water, heart healthy fats such as Omega-3 and Omega-9 (from
nuts and olives, for example), plenty of low-glycemic index carbohydrates
like dark, cruciforous (tree-like) vegetables and fruits like broccoli
and blueberries, while reducing to minimal the levels of high glycemic
index carbohydrates like breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, peas, carrots,
corn, juices and other sweets. These lead to high amounts of inflammation
both above and beneath the skin. Omega-3 EFAs combat inflammation to
help improve the appearance of your skin. Around each cell of the skin
is a membrane that normally works to retain sufficient moisture inside
the cell. Omega-3 EFAs are a major part of that membrane, helping to
keep it moist and strong. They do this by producing collagen and elastin
fibers, which helps the skin look younger longer. Research suggests
that Omega-3, along with vitamins A, D, E, and the mineral zinc, may
help to protect teenage skin from simple acne, spots, blackheads, and
whiteheads when combined with regular exercise and the other healthy
dietary measures mentioned above.
Q:
Will Omega-3 EFAs help my joints?
Omega-3 fatty acids may serve to block some of the body processes that
limit joint health and flexibility. More than a dozen studies in the
last 10 years have found that a diet with a more balanced intake of
Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids may help to maintain healthy joints.
Researchers point out that humans evolved with a diet having an approximate
Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio of 2 to 1. Modern diets not only contain a
vast excess of Omega-6 fatty acids (up to 50 times more than we need
in many cases), but also feature a highly distorted ratio, around 25
to 1, of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids. Some researchers feel that
there is now enough evidence to recommend that joint health can be significantly
enhanced through the emphasis of Omega-3 fatty acids found in pharmaceutical
grade supplements. The qualification of "pharmaceutical grade"
requires clean and safe processing with a potency able to achieve the
required levels of daily Omega-3. This is different from the typical
"health food grade" products that would require 40-50 capsules
a day to equal the amount of pure Omega-3 found in the pharmaceutical
grade quality of Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement.
Considering the
residual contaminants found in the health food grade products, it's
only safe to consume 4-5 capsules of that low-grade product per day,
leaving one far short of the daily requirements of 1.5 to 5 grams of
pure Omega-3 that we recommend. It would take 40-50 health food grade
capsules daily, to equal the safe 3-10 pharmaceutical grade caspsules
daily of our supplements.
Q:
I've heard that my son’s Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
originates from a nutritional deficiency? Can you explain this to me?
The evidence strongly suggests that ADHD may be a birth defect caused
by a nutritional deficiency of DHA and perhaps other Omega-3 essential
fatty acids. Many studies provide a scientifically documented and logical
connection between the extremely low levels of DHA in the American diet
and the DHA-deficient brains and blood of ADHD children. However, nutritionally
induced learning and behavioral problems among children may not be a
new phenomenon. Powerful evidence that ADHD or something similar was
occurring in the 1930s came from a landmark book by Dr. Weston A. Price.
His extensive and well-documented studies compared the health of isolated
racial groups still living on their native diets with matched groups
of the same racial stocks living on modern foods.The modern diets consisted
chiefly of foods made from flour, sugar, polished rice, vegetable fats,
and canned goods. The primitive diets varied according to local customs
but were quite consistent in the regular inclusion of protein and fat
from fish, shellfish, animals, insects, and whole dairy products. Sugar
and refined starches were absent from this diet and carbohydrate was
always in the form of fruit, fresh vegetables, and small amounts of
unprocessed grain. Children in the groups eating the modern foods showed
symptoms of physical and mental degeneration after only one generation
on this new diet. These symptoms included narrow nostrils, faces, dental
arches, and hips; crooked and overlapping teeth; high rates of dental
caries; high susceptibility to tuberculosis; and learning and behavioral
problems in children that often progressed to delinquency. These physical
and mental symptoms did not occur in the groups of people living in
the same areas who had continued eating their primitive diets. Price
commented near the end of his book that such physical and mental degeneration
among the young seemed never to occur where seafood was used generously.
He attributed the degeneration to malnutrition of the parents, particularly
the mothers of these children.
The choice seems
clear. We can either continue to depend on prescription drugs to mask
the symptoms of ADHD, or consider preventing ADHD by modifying the American
diet, particularly for childbearing women and their children. Should
we decide to continue to depend on prescription drugs, which do not
remedy the underlying causes of nutritional deficiency diseases, we
can look forward to a country in which there will be more and more children
with undersized brains who cannot learn, use costly prescription drugs,
drop out of school, commit crimes, and cause anguish for their parents.
The solution for this DHA deficiency is to immediately begin a daily
regimen including a full serving of Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish
Oil Supplement.
Q:
How is Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement made
and why is it so much better than the fish oil supplement I already
buy at my local health food store?
To manufacture one gallon of Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish
Oil Supplement requires the equivelent of 100 gallons of health-food
grade fish oil sold in supermarkets, drug stores, and health food stores.
Producing pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplements demands cutting-edge,
state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities to assure maximum EFA/DHA
purity and concentration of long chain Omega-3 fatty acids essential
for eicosanoid modulation (production, development, and activity of
hormones inside of each cell). To learn more
about the manufacturing process, see the Fat Facts section.
Q:
Should I be concerned about the recent articles in the newspaper warning
people about the dangerous levels of pollutants in our natural supply
of Omega-3 (i.e fish)?
There have been several recent artricles suggesting that our natural
Omega-3 food supply (i.e. fish) have become dangerously contaminated,
both wild and farm raised. The abundance of industrial activity and
poor quality feed for these fish have been the predominate reasons for
the buildup of these alarming contamination levels. The timid recommendations
made by government and many in the scientific communities say that "one
fish meal a month" would be enough to get the benefits. However, as
has been stated here, the trace amounts of Omega-3 in wild salmon, let
alone the ZERO Omega-3 EFAs found in farm-raised salmon bely the suggestions
that one meal per month is adequate. It is important to bear in mind
that, even if contamination was acceptably under control and the pollutants
in question were not significantly harmful, you would need 3-4 servings
of salmon per day to achieve the recommended level
of Omega-3 consumption to realize significant health benefits as outlined
here, including more energy, stamina, clearer thinking, inflammation
control, better blood flow, etc. In addition, health food grade fish
oil is so small in its Omega-3 content and so high in its residual pollutant
content as to eliminate it from serious consideration as the source
of choice for reaching the recommended daily amount.of Omega-3. Only
Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement is clean
enough, potent enough, and pure enough to safely provide you with enough
daily Omega-3 without contamination.
Q:
I have heard that Eskimos from Alaska and Greenland, who eat mainly
fatty foods such as whale blubber and salmon everyday, are actually
very healthy. What does the research suggest about this?
This is true. The Inuit have the largest per capita Omega-3 EFA consumption
of any population on the planet. This translates into a much lower disease
risk profile in terms of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the other
major disease categories that are ravaging America today. For
more on an interesting finding about the Inuit population's fantastic
Omega-3 consumption and its corresponding health dividends, see the
Fat Facts section.
"Everyday you
should eat something from each of the five basic food groups:
Fried blubber, boiled blubber, stewed blubber, baked blubber and raw
blubber."
©
2000 by Sidney Harris
Q:
Is there any correlation between gum disease, tooth loss, obesity, heart
disease, and depression?
Yes. All of these conditions have their foundation in chronic levels
of systemic inflammation (internally in the body). Researchers suggest
that, similar to a snowball or domino effect, suffering from one of
the above conditions predisposes you for the others. Armed with the
tools (Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement) to
combat the systemic inflammation that causes virtually every major disease,
you can stop the disturbing trend of rapidly rising rates of inflammatory
diseases like the ones mentioned in this question. Please
refer to the full article about this topic in the Fat Facts section.
Q:
Is it true that even "farm-raised" salmon may now be too contaminated
to eat on a regular basis?
Unfortuantely, yes. The mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
levels are considered to be too high to safely ingest on a regular enough
basis to reach any significant health benefits. Furthermore, farm-raised
salmon contain extremely low levels of Omega-3 EFA in their meat. Therefore,
trying to eat enough farm-raised salmon to obtain the necessary amounts
of daily Omega-3 EFA would be a nearly impossible endeavor. And
so, while providing a respectable protein source, the farm raised product
is woefully deficient in Omega-3 EFA content as well as containing unacceptable
levels of contaminants. Please refer to a more
detailed profile of this information on farm-raised salmon in the Fat
Facts section.
Q:
What makes the Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) so much more preferable
to the health of the body than Omega-6 EFAs?
It really has everything to do with their respective chemical structures
and what these structures permit the respective molecules to do as far
as flexible, fluid movement and permeability. There is only a difference
of one double bond between two of the carbons in Omega-3 EFA (where
the double bonds that occur every third carbon begin at carbon number
three--hence the name"Omega-3"-- of the 20-carbon molecule that is EPA-a
certain type of Omega-3, rather than not until carbon six--hence the
name "Omega-6"--of the 20-carbon chain that makes up an Omega-6 EFA)
. What an amazingly subtle contrast that makes the difference between
pro-inflammatory disease formation (Omega-6 EFAs) and anti-inflammatory
disease prevention (Omega-3 EFAs). The more fluid an EFA molecule is,
the better it is for the surface of a cell whose membrane it now helps
to form. This flexibility has everything to do with easy entry into
the cell for vital nutrients and easy exit of cellular wastes. More
flexible EFA molecules make for easier neurochemical communication and
hundreds of other health functions, fundamentally because of the chemical
structure. Omega-3 EFAs are much more fluid and flexible than Omega-6
EFAs, thereby causing much less inflammation and allowing easier bloodflow,
etc.
Q:
Why haven't I heard about the importance of using high-dose pharmaceutical-grade
fish oil on a daily basis until now?
- Traditional fish
oils taste awful
- We've never used
enough fish oils to notice substantial benefits
- High-carbohydrate
diets cancel out many of the benefits of fish oil
- The amount of
contaminants and toxins in standard grade and health food grade fish
oils is too great to risk consuming levels consistent with any meaningful
benefits
- Only recently
has pharmaceutical-grade fish oil become available Dr. Madsen's Omega-3
MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish Oil Supplement meets and surpasses the requirements
of pharmaceutical-grade and is the most potent, refined, and powerful
disease prevention nutritional supplement available anywhere.
Q:
Will Omega-3 EFAs help to suppress my appetite?
Yes. In August 2003, researchers in London report that Omega-3 EFAs
produce two powerful natural appetite suppressants when taken in fairly
large doses (2 capsules, 3 times per day before meals). The appetite
suppressant hormones, known as cholecystokinin (CCK) and PYY are both
released in the upper part of the small intestines when Omega-3 fat
is consumed, helping patients to eat around one-third less calories.
This appetite-suppressant effect lasted a full 12 hours. As any dieter
knows, one of the hardest things to deal with is the feeling of being
hungry all the time. So, by taking one or two Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™
Phytoplankton fish oil capsules before each meal, you will have a much
easier time controlling your appetite and losing weight because of this
recently discovered natural "gut-to-brain" communication circuit of
appetite suppression.
Q:
Will Omega-3 EFAs help me to burn more of my stored body fat?
Yes. This is very exciting news for everyone trying to lose weight.
This is one of the most recent and exciting findings from Obesity Research.
Omega-3 EFAs dramatically increase Peroxisomal Proliferating Activated
Receptors (PPARs) alpha and delta in the genetic control center (genes)
within all human cells. PPAR alpha and delta both increase Beta Oxidation
(fat burning) of stored body fat. This results in much more energy for
the individual and more rapid fat loss. So, by increasing your intake
of Omega-3 EFAs (in the form of Dr. Madsen's Omega-3 MD™ Phytoplankton-Fish
Oil Supplements), you will achieve your weight loss goals and feel much
better. This is precisely why Eskimos can eat whale blubber and salmon
all day long yet still maintain low body fat. They experience low incidence
of major inflammatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke,
cancer, and depression.
Don't
see your question listed here? Ask the Doctor.
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