Omega fish oils, EPA, EFA’s, 3-6-9 and other essential fatty acids.
17 January 2008EFA’s (Fish Oil)
My family first started to take EFAs in 2005; my son then just over a year old, was not talking. He literally was not attempting any verbal communication whatsoever. Luckily for us our pediatrician, alerted to a possible problem with our son’s development, suggested signing up for an early intervention screening. Early Intervention screening is available at no cost through your local Department of Developmental Services office. She also handed me information for a book she thought would be helpful to read-: “The Late Talker. What to do if your child isn’t Talking Yet” St Martin’s Press May 2003 by Marilyn Agin MD, Lisa Geng, and Malcolm J. Nicholl”
In the book there is some great information and resources for parents to explore to help children who have missed verbal milestones. One of the paragraphs mentioned that people were achieving great success by having their children take Fish oils, or more specifically EFA, DHA and other essential building blocks derived from the fish oils. I was intrigued and hoped it might be the answer I was looking for to help our son. From the book I was directed to the Cherab website in search of further answers. I actually ordered our first bottle of “Nordic Naturals Pro EFAs” that night, thinking, “Oh boy how am I ever going to get him to take this?” and even more perplexing was the question “how on earth will this make him talk?”
The fish oil finally arrived and astonishingly my son took to eating it like candy! We still have to hide the bottle, otherwise he and his little sister will eat far more than they are supposed to have.
After some time on the “Nordic Naturals PRO EFAs” (aka 3-6-9) my son did start to make some great progress in his verbalization. It’s important to note at this point that he was also in speech therapy via Early Intervention and finally diagnosed in June this year with Autism, so he wasn’t just a “late talker”. However, I truly believe that starting the EFAs was an important step in our journey to improve his communication. We would also intentionally stop the fish oils periodically, as although at first there was a reduction in language, we would usually get a burst of new speech or sign language once we restarted the oils, usually after a period of a week or so break. We are not sure why this would happen and eventually it has tapered off the more verbal he becomes.
Regardless of our son’s speech difficulties, the more I researched the fish oil, the more I discovered how vitally important the Omega oils really are to not only development, but also to our overall physical health. This is the reason I have kept both of our kids, myself and my husband on the Nordic Naturals fish oils over the past two years.
What exactly are fish oils? According to Nordic Naturals, one of many companies who produce and market this oil, fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish; sounds simple right? However, as you are about to read, this product has a far from simple effect on our overall health and cognitive function. This product is recommended for a healthy diet because it contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors to eicosanoids that reduce inflammation throughout the body. Basically Omega-3 and Omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids constitute the two families of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs).
EFAs are considered “essential” because they are needed throughout the human life cycle, cannot be produced in the human body, and therefore must be provided through the diet. EFAs aid in the maintenance of cell membrane fluidity and stability, development and function of brain and nerve tissue, oxygen transfer and energy production, immune functions, and conversion into compounds involved in all body functions including local hormones governing inflammatory responses.
The following is directly from Nordic Naturals website: “EFA’s help with: Heart disease, arthritis, inflammation, asthma, infant development (brain, eyes, immune, nervous system), pregnancy, depression, language and learning, attention and focus, cognition, dementia, aggression and anger, immune function, diabetes, weight management, dry eye syndrome, vision, prostrate health, colon health, osteoporosis, and longevity”.
I have certainly found that when taking the Nordic Naturals 3-6-9 (PRO EFA’s) my fingernails grow long and healthy with no little ridges as they did before, my hair grows about 3/4” a month, my short term memory is far better and my night vision has really improved. These are the things I notice, not while taking the oils, but more so when I stop, my nails break and become brittle, I have a hard time driving at dusk and I can’t ever remember where I left my keys. I just feel better overall when I take the oils on a consistent basis. For those in dry climates, such as Colorado or Arizona, this supplement can also help the dry skin that can be a side effect from the lack of humidity.
The following is information from the WebMD website: All Omega-3s Are Not Created Equal. You hear a lot of claims about omega-3s today, especially as additives to foods. All three major omega-3 fatty acids listed below are needed by the body, but not equally so. DHA plays the most important role in visual and mental development.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in the brain and retina. It is an important structural component of the nerve cells in the brain and eyes and a key component of heart tissue. DHA is also a natural component of breast milk.
• Important for healthy brain, eye and nervous system development in infants
• Key component of the heart and one of the omega-3 recommended by the American Heart Association and the USDA Dietary Guidelines for good cardiovascular health
• Plays a key role in the anti-inflammatory process
• Important at every stage of life
• Original source: microalgae. The DHA-rich oil is extracted for use as an additive in foods, supplements and infant formulas
• Dietary sources: fatty fish and organ meats.
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid important for human health. However, unlike DHA, EPA is not found in significant levels in the brain or retina and is not considered a significant structural part of the body.
• Plays a role in cardiovascular health and is one of the omega-3 recommended by the American Heart Association and the USDA Dietary Guidelines for good cardiovascular health
• Shown to help reduce chronic inflammation by modifying the immune response
• Dietary sources: fatty fish. DHA can also be converted by the body into EPA.
ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) an essential fatty acid, is an omega-3 that serves as a source of energy and a building block for DHA and EPA.
• Only 5-10% of ALA is converted to EPA and 5% or less to DHA18-25
• No known independent benefits of ALA on the brain or retina
• Dietary sources: flaxseeds, walnuts and soy
The Distinct Benefits of Omega-3s (click to enlarge)
Through word of mouth and my own research I chose the Nordic Natural oils, but there are many companies out there producing an Omega product. Whichever you choose, remember all fish oil is not created equal, be sure to do your research and look for a balanced formula with guaranteed purity for the best benefits and most success:
The full range of Nordic Natural products are available at Fontana Chiropractic Evergreen Colorado.
Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at (303) 674 1500 to schedule a consultation or email office@fontanachiro.com
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