Can Omega 3 Cause Prostate Cancer?

Despite the fact that study after study is coming out demonstrating the benefits of increasing your intake of the omega 3 essential fatty acids, not all studies published recently do that. In fact a recent study has suggested that having plenty of omega 3 fatty acids in your blood could be a problem for men, as it could cause prostate cancer. In fact it suggested a 70 percent increase in risk of prostate cancer for men with higher levels of Omega3 in their blood.

This is in direct contradiction to some earlier studies which have suggested that in fact more omega 3 can reduce your risk of prostate cancer.

So does this mean that we should all now be throwing our fish oil supplements in the trash? Or at least those amongst us of the male persuasion?

Not yet. Despite the fact that this study has gained some exposure online and in the press, there are many critics who maintain that the study does not establish on any causation, namely that it does not establish that the omega 3 actually caused the prostate cancer.

This is a debate which is bound to go on for some time, and obviously is of considerable interest to men, particularly older men who are more likely to contract prostate cancer.

So if you're interested in finding out more about omega 3 prostate cancer here are some good places to start reading.

Here's some articles that all provide some interesting reading.

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/news/2009/04/omega-3s-may-protect-against-prostate-cancer.aspx

http://bestfishoilsupplements.net/does-omega-3-fish-oil-protect-you-against-prostate-cancer-or-cause-prostate-cancer/

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/news/2013/07/industry-defends-omega-3-supplements-against-canc.aspx

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/news/2013/07/industry-defends-omega-3-supplements-against-canc.aspx

How Do You Choose the Best Fish Oil Supplements?

Because Not All Fish Oil Supplements Are The Same

There's a massive number of fish oil supplements available to buy. Over the last few years there has been considerable attention paid in the popular press to the research around the health benefits of the omega 3 essential fatty acids, and as a result sales of omega 3 supplements are growing in volume like just about no other health supplement in history.

If you go online you'll find so many different supplements available. Are they all the same and if not how do you choose between them?

First I should say that we have spent quite some time researching this, as we talk about it on this site and also take fish oil supplements ourselves. We have been amazed at what we have discovered about the differences between the different brands of fish oil supplements.

These differences can be summarised as follows, and we will discuss each in more detail further below.

1. How much DHA you are getting in your capsules, because it varies hugely, and the cheaper supplements are not necessarily best value.

2. The risks of PCB and mercury contamination in your supplements

3. The freshness and purity of the fish oil used in the supplements

How Much Omega 3 Are You Really Getting?

You assume when you buy omega 3 supplements that they are full of omega 3 essential fatty acids. But none of them are "full" of omega 3 fats, all of them have other ingredients which are there to help carry the omega 3.

So if you're not getting a full capsule of omega 3 fats how do you know how much you're getting? Good question.

Most supplements are what are called 18/12 supplements. This means that they are 18 percent EPA and 12 percent DHA. In other words only 12 percent of what is in the capsule is DHA, and 18 percent is EPA, and these are the 2 most important omega 3 fats, though it seems generally agreed that DHA is more important.

This means that in 1000 milligram capsules you're getting 120 milligrams of DHA, which isn't a lot.

Not all capsules are the 18/12 type. The best fish oil supplements in fact contain 300 milligrams of DHA, which is about 2 1/2 times as much as what you find in 18/12 capsules. But they're not 2 1/2 times the price of the cheaper capsules, so in reality they represent better value.

The Risks of PCB and Mercury Contamination in Your Supplements

It may not have come to your attention however it is a sad fact that much of the fish in our oceans is contaminated with man-made contaminants such as PCBs and mercury. In fact the government warns about this, particularly in relation to pregnant women, suggesting that for this reason we should be careful about our intake of fish, particularly some types.

And sadly some brands of fish oil supplements have also been found to contain such contaminants. To find out more click here and here. In fact there's even a lawsuit about it, to find out more click here.

That is concerning. Some fish oil supplement manufacturers will source their fish oil from wholesale sources, and in many cases these fish are caught in areas close to large bodies of population, for example the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and North America. Fish caught there are at higher risk of contamination than fish caught near Antarctica for example, for obvious reasons.

The fish oil supplements we choose are manufactured from oil from fish caught way down in the southern ocean. The company manufacturing them specifically contracts the fishermen directly to supply these fish from this area.

They are therefore much lower in any form of contamination, in fact it's not there. Not only that but every single batch of fish oil used in their supplements is tested for contamination by rigourous testing process under very strict guidelines, and the results are posted on their website for everyone to see. You can be confident you're not eating any PCBs or mercury or anything else nasty.

The Freshness and Purity of the Fish Oil Used in the Supplements

Have you ever had "fishy burps" from fish oil supplements? No one should assume that this will happen because it's because the fish oil used in the supplements is stale, or rancid. Fish oil sourced from wholesale sources can be old, and like anything else fish oil goes off with time.

Our preferred supplements are sourced from fish which are taken directly from the fishing boats to the factory for processing as fast as possible. You will not get fishy burps.

And You Get a Money Back Guarantee

Our preferred supplier of fish oil supplements also offers a full 100 percent 365 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're unhappy for any reason send them back for a refund. Try getting that from some of the other manufacturers of fish oil supplements.

So to conclude, as you can see, not all fish oil supplements are the same. There are some serious matters which you need to consider before buying your Omega3 capsules.

And for a much fuller explanation of all of this visit http://bestfishoilsupplements.net/

To your good health.

Omega 3 Is Essential to Good Brain Health. You Don't Need Brain Exercises

If you're getting older and worried about your brain health you're not alone. So many people, as they get older, start to realise that their memory isn't as good as it used to be and they don't seem to think as clearly.
Hence the proliferation of websites offering various games, tests and puzzles all designed to help exercise your memory and brain. How boring it is to spend a half hour or an hour every day doing brain exercises.
However it would seem that exercises are not the only way to improve your brain health. There is a growing body of evidence that a low level of Omega 3 in your system contributes to poorer brain function and memory.
In fact the growing scientific data supports conclusions that low levels of Omega 3 in your system can increase the incidence of depression, increase the likelihood of mood disorders, reduce your memory and even age your brain faster.
As much as it seems unlikely, there is now solid scientific evidence that the Omega 3 essential fatty acids are extremely important to overall brain health.
The Omega 3 fatty acids are found primarily, though not exclusively, in fish. The 2 most important of these fats are DHA and EPA.
Unlike most fat, which is considered to be unhealthy, particularly saturated fat, Omega 3 fats are healthy fats, in fact evidence is mounting that they are not only healthy but crucial to a wide range of health conditions.
There's many studies linking Omega 3 with good brain health. The most recent of these, published in the journal Neurology, in February 2012, looked at 1575 people, with an average age of 67, and no evidence of dementia.
The levels of Omega 3 in their blood were measured, and they were given various exercises and tests to perform to measure memory and cognitive performance.
And it was discovered that the people who had the lowest levels of Omega 3 in their blood also exhibited the lowest levels of memory and cognitive performance. Not only that but they also exhibited slightly smaller brains, in fact it was estimated that their brain showed evidence that they had aged more than the brains of people with much higher levels of Omega 3 in the blood.
Whilst there is much more work to do about the link between Omega 3 and brain health, intuitively these conclusions make sense, because the brain is made up largely of fat, and a large proportion of that is DHA, the most important of the Omega 3 fats.
Science, over the last 30 or 40 years, is beginning to understand that an adequate intake of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA is a huge part of maintaining good health, not just your brain but your heart and cardio vascular system as well as being important for maintaining good health generally.
As DHA and EPA are found in greatest proportions in fish it never hurts to eat more fish, though fish is getting more expensive and some of it is now contaminated, leading to warnings by the government.
Most people prefer to improve their DHA and EPA intake using fish oil supplements, which is a cost-effective and simple way of getting Omega 3 fats in your diet every day.
Find out more about the link between Omega 3 and brain health and to find out more about how to choose between all the available brands of Omega 3 supplements on the market, and which supplements I have chosen to take myself.
By all means keep up the brain exercises, if you can. If you love chess that's great. But I certainly got tired of the exercises very quickly.

You Need Omega 3 Fats for Eye Health, Especially If You Have Retinitis Pigmentosa

It has long been known that an adequate supply of the Omega 3 fats is good for you, reducing your risk of heart attack, and therefore death, as well as helping improve a whole range of health conditions.
In fact it seems that there are powerful reasons why those of us whose diets are deficient in the Omega 3 fats should be eating a diet higher in Omega 3, or taking fish oil supplements.
However we don't immediately associate increasing your Omega 3 intake with eye health. And yet there is ample evidence that plenty of the Omega 3 fats DHA and EPA is important to the health of your eyes from the start of your life right through to the end.
In fact the retinas in your eyes have a significant amount of Omega 3 fats in them, and is now being understood that, from early on in life, infants should have a sufficient supply of Omega 3 fats in their diet as this helps with the development of infant visual accuity.
It is also now established that increasing the amount of Omega 3 in the diet can help older people who may be suffering, or who may well start suffering from macular degeneration which is a condition of the eyes which affects older people. It is in fact the leading cause of blindness in older people in the US.
So it comes as no surprise that there is now evidence that other eye diseases may also benefit from more essential fatty acids. One of these is a disease of the eyes called Retinitis Pigmentosa.
Retinitis Pigmentosa is a relatively uncommon, and hereditary eye disease which affects around one in 4000 people. It has a range of symptoms, which often become apparent in early life, including night blindness, tunnel vision and blindness for some.
There is no current cure for Retinitis Pigmentosa.
However 3 studies are now establishing that increasing your intake of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA, in conjunction with an increased intake of vitamin A, may help slow the visual deterioration which results from having Retinitis Pigmentosa.
This is excellent news for those who suffer from this eye disease. It is certainly not a cure, however where a cure is not available it is better to slow the progression of a disease than not.
So it's quite clear that increasing your intake of the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA, either through eating foods rich in Omega 3 such as fish, or more commonly through taking fish oil supplements, will not only help your heart, and a range of other parts of your body, it is also good for your eyes.
Visit my website to find more about the health benefits of Omega 3.

Eat More Sardines. There's Lots Of Reasons To Eat Them

Sardines are fish that are small. That's just small in size, not small in nutrition. In fact the health benefits of sardines are greater than their size.
Sardines are a small school fish which live in many of our oceans, and they are caught in their millions. Most people eat canned sardines, and in fact sardines were the first fish ever to be canned. However many people also eat sardines fresh.
Of course eating sardines is just wonderful for the taste. Sardines are extremely yummy, however sardines are nutritious too.
You've probably heard of the health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids. The Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fats, meaning that they are essential to the proper functioning of your body. Sardines are extremely high in the Omega 3 fatty acids.
The health benefits of the Omega 3 fats are numerous, and include a reduction in your risk of dying from heart attack as well as many other cardiovascular benefits, and improvement to mental function, just to mention a few.
In fact sardines have more Omega 3, pound for pound, than just about any other fish in the ocean.
But the health benefits of sardines just start with the Omega 3 fatty acids. Sardines are also packed with a wide range of other nutrients.
Calcium for example, which is extremely important for your bones, good nerve function and more. Or how about potassium, or phosphorus. Sardines are high in protein too.
And then there's the vitamins. These include vitamins D and E as well as vitamin B-12, in which they are very high. Vitamin B-12 is very important to the proper functioning of your immune system and central nervous system.
Then there's your skin. Sardines are high in antioxidants, which benefit the health of your skin, and the Omega 3 essential fatty acids are also extremely good for your skin, particularly for maintaining skin moisture.
Overall the most important health benefit of eating sardines is for the Omega 3 fatty acids. Science is discovering that most of us are deficient in these important fats, and increasing your intake can do wonders for your health.
So eat lots of sardines, canned or fresh, for all those good nutrients in sardines.
But to get the maximum amount of benefit from increasing your intake of Omega 3 fats take high quality Omega 3 supplements every day. That is unless you're likely to be eating a can of sardines every day.
Note that not all Omega 3 supplements are high quality. Visit my website to find out which are.

If You Take Omega 3 Supplements You Must Read This

Omega 3 supplements are big business, and it is now estimated that sales of various Omega 3 products run into the billions of dollars. And for extremely powerful reasons. Taking high quality fish oil supplements containing DHA and EPA may well be one of the best things that you can do for your health.
Many health conditions can benefit from increasing your intake of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids, from birth, or even before, right through into older age. That's why a whole range of Omega 3 products have now, over the last decade or so, become available.
And that's why the sales of products which have DHA and EPA, the major Omega 3 essential fatty acids, have exploded.
Many people, including me, have taken fish oil supplements for many years, and intend to do so for the rest of their life.
But they may not be able to.
Yes, there is a powerful reason why you, myself and everyone else may not be able to take Omega 3 fish oil supplements for the rest of our lives.
The reason is this. The pharmaceutical industry is an immensely powerful and profitable industry. It has been both powerful and profitable for many decades, and its tentacles reach right into government.
And the tentacles of the pharmaceutical industry also reach into the FDA.
The FDA, with the support of the pharmaceutical industry, now proposes a range of actions which, if they are allowed to take them, will make virtually all nutritional supplements, including Omega 3 supplements, illegal.
Yes that's right. Most nutritional supplements will no longer be marketed to anyone in the US if the FDA is allowed to get its way. You will no longer be able to buy your Omega 3 supplements.
Of course the pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce similar products, and in fact they already do. At about 10 times the price.
This is an outrage. This is an assault on the right of people to choose how they manage their health. It is an attempt by the pharmaceutical industry to drive their competitors out of business.
Whilst you may only be an individual, and you do not have the power of the pharmaceutical industry, if enough individuals protest their voice will be heard.
To find out more about this visit my website and add your voice to the growing protest.

Fish Is Contaminated. So Should You Eat Fish?

It is becoming common knowledge that most of the fish in our oceans are contaminated to some degree with Mercury, PCBs and more. Given this, is fish good for you?
There are some important nutrients in fish, probably the most important is what I call the Omega 3 essential fatty acids. These are important fats which your body cannot produce itself, which must come from your diet, and which are essential to good health. The evidence is now showing that most of us are lacking in the Omega 3 fats.
But the nutrients in fish aren't just limited to the Omega 3 fats. Fish is extremely nutritious for a number of other reasons.
Protein is essential for good health. A large part of our body is made up of protein, it exists in every cell in our body. Protein is essential for the repair of damaged muscles, makes up a large percentage of our nails and hair as well as our bones and skin.
Fish is very high in protein, around 15 to 20 percent protein in fact.
It is also well-known that red meat is high in protein. However red meat comes with saturated fat, which clogs your arteries whereas the fat in fish is unsaturated.
There are more nutrients in fish than just protein and the Omega 3 fats. Micronutrients include iodine, phosphorus and calcium and there are also good supplies of vitamins A and D.
And in a world obsessed with losing weight it's good to know that fish has no carbohydrate. It's easy to digest too. On top of that it's yummy.
Reading all that you would think that fish was the perfect food. Apart from one tiny thing. According to various sources including our own government fish is contaminated with toxins like Mercury and PCBs. And we are warned, particularly if we are a pregnant woman, not to eat too much and to only eat certain types.
Yuk. Surely then we should all be avoiding fish. Given all this, is fish good for you or should it be avoided altogether?
There's no doubt contamination is a concern, however if you're prudent, choose the right fish and don't eat lots there is no reason why you shouldn't take advantage of all of the good nutrients found in fish. Our government tells us that two fish meals a week is healthy, and there is no reason to think this isn't true.
In fact research has shown over the last couple of decades that eating too little fish has exposed most of us to a wide range of lifestyle diseases such as heart disease. Not eating fish may be far more dangerous than eating it.
Don't eat fish every night. Be careful with the type you eat, some fish is more contaminated than others. And cook it the right way. You can find out more about all of these on my website.
But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Don't stop eating fish, it's good for you.
But do make sure that you take clean high quality Omega 3 capsules every single day. To find out more about these visit my website all about the health benefits of Omega 3 fish oil.