omega 3's DHA question

[seanf399]

I was just wondering if anyone else takes algal oil as a DHA supplement. I have two tbs of ground flax daily in addition to my 200 mg of DHA. I just wanted to know if that seems to be a good idea. thanks

[chronyx]

I just finished 60 V-Pure capsules. I noticed no differences at all.

I eat a lot of walnuts, and try to have some hemp oil with things, so maybe I was already converting everything I needed.

[Baggy]

I just finished 60 V-Pure capsules. I noticed no differences at all.

What kinds of differences were you expecting?

When you say you "just" finished them, do you mean you downed them all in one go, or has it taken you a month or two to get through 60 capsules?

According to:
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/omega3/
low levels of DHA are associated with depression, and high levels are associated with lower rates of heart disease. EPA "is converted into series 3 eicosanoids which can reduce blood clotting, inflammation, blood pressure, and cholesterol". So, have you noticed that you: are less depressed, have less heart disease, have reduced blood pressure?

My point is, most of the supposed benefits of omega 3s are not the sorts of things you might notice after a month or so of supplementing.

[chronyx]

2 a day.

Have been feeling a bit tired and struggling to 'wake up' in the morning. A bit down sometimes.

I've felt better since I finished them actually But while I was taking them, no difference.

[Baggy]

Have been feeling a bit tired and struggling to 'wake up' in the morning. A bit down sometimes.

A British winter will do that to you.

Changed your caffeine intake recently?

[chronyx]

I cut it out totally for a week or two a few months back - now I just have it in the afternoon, I don't like to shock myself with it as soon as I wake up.

I have installed a full spectrum light (Just one like this in my bedroom too, on Christmas Eve now you mention it, maybe that has helped.

[offense74]

There are differences of opinion within the vegan health "community".
I know Joel Fuhrman and Jack Norris thinks it's a good idea to take them while Jeff Novick, John McDougall and others think you don't need them.
The reasoning for the pro crowd is one or a few studies showing that vegans tend to have low levels of DHA/EPA in their blood. The ones who are against says that you will make enough of it if you eat right (ie low fat, whole food vegan diet). They also have studies backing this up.

To understand how they get to these perspectives you have to understand where they are coming from but they are all very credible in their own terms. I'd say that if you insist to eat a diet with fat > 15% of calories and you use oil in any form, taking DHA/EPA is probably a good idea since omega-6 blocks the conversion of them by converting itself to AA which is a pro inflammatory long chained omega-6. As I understand, saturated fats can also block the omega-3 conversion.

[aliquis]

I was just wondering if anyone else takes algal oil as a DHA supplement. I have two tbs of ground flax daily in addition to my 200 mg of DHA. I just wanted to know if that seems to be a good idea. thanks

I would change that to 200-400 mg DHA + 2 tbs of flaxseed oil instead.

[juicyfitness]

raw food is loaded with your omega 3's. Once heated they are completely destroyed. 2 heads of romaine, or 3 cantaloupes have all you need in a day. Vitamin companies try to convince us we need supplements. Nature provides everything we need.

[chronyx]

Hook that shit up to my vains then. Can you get a cantaloup down IV tubing. Make it a widebore. MAINLINE

[Fallen_Horse]

2x loose-leaf lettuce = 1.4g o3, 0.6g o6
3x cantaloupe = 0.8g o3, 0.6g o6


It's good to know we humans only need 3.4g (~35 cals) of fat in our diets every day. I had better cut down my intake. Let's see, perhaps 20% protein, 79% carbs, and 1% fat?


Sounds balanced.

[Linnéa76]

I recently heard a lecture by a nutritionist, who said that vegans on average have lower levels of DHA/EPA in their blood. However, the levels don't continue to drop over time but stabilize! So it seems like with many other things, the body adapts. She recommended algae capsules during pregnancy/breastfeeding and for small children. Others should be ok with flaxseed oil as long as their omega-6 intake isn't too high, that is stay clear of sunflower oil and such.

[human vegetable]

Some fitness factoid I just came across which supports DHA over ALA:

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/flax.htm

If this is true, then vegan DHA supplements might have some merit. On the other hand, these supplements are fairly expensive and DHA is definitely not an essential nutrient, so the cost/benefit ratio may be out of whack unless you suffer from a specific condition that might be helped by DHA.

[human vegetable]

Sorry for the double post. Did some research on vegan DHA supplements, and found one that is cheaper than the rest while still seeming legit: http://www.v-pure.com/

I might give this a try...

[hardcore iv]

Decent article from new scientist about the "fishy claims for fish oil" with some arguments for the adequacy of ALA.