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Omega-3 Supplementation

Omega 3 Supplementation

I reviewed an article from the Canadian Medical Association Journal (Vol. 141, pg. 1063) on how fish oils affect cardiovascular disease.   In this article they discussed how Inuit people of Greenland, who consume a lot of fish, have a significantly lower rate of CV disease when compared to the general population.   It has been determined that eating 2 fish meals/week can considerably decrease triglyceride levels and is thought to protect against coronary heart disease.   Oral supplements of Omega-3 have shown to have few side effects and in certain subjects can have an effect comparable to what they would expect to have when taking prescribed medication.   The most worrisome side effect is that it can interfere with blood clotting, so if you have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant, nursing or about to have surgery, you should let your MD know that you are taking this supplement.

I chose this article because I have had high cholesterol since at least the age of 18 and have been looking for a way to decrease it without using prescribed drugs (my body does not tolerate any of them).   Researching this article has been valuable to me because I found a credible physician-based organization that can substantiate claims made by Omega-3 manufacturers.   When searching for this article I also found an article from the American Journal of Medicine indicating it may be beneficial in patients with primary Raynaud’s syndrome – this was meaningful to me because my husband and daughter both suffer from this and the only treatment we have received is a prescription for Nitroglycerin paste.

Manufacturers state that you should take roughly a total of 1000mg per day of Omega 3, divided into two or three doses.   At this dosage, a monthly supply of a mid-priced product can run about $6 - $10.   If you are taking it to lower your triglyceride level, you should take between 2-4g/day – however, you should discuss this with your MD first.   At this dosage, it would...