© 2013 Nancy Emerson Lombardo, Ph.D., Brain Health and Wellness Center®
What is difference between cod liver oil vs. “regular omega3 fatty acids”?
Which is better for me, Cod Liver Oil vs. Omega 3 Fish oil?
What about flax seed oil?
Dr. Nancy: The short answer is – it is a very good idea, given the deficiency in American diet of Omega 3’s to supplement with Omega-3 oils, especially with a marine Omega 3 oil rich in BOTH DHA and EPA. Flax seed oil is helpful, but requires conversion inside your body to the long chain DHA and EPA that our bodies actually need to build brain cells and keep our cardiovascular system healthy. As we age, that conversion reportedly slows down for many people. But in any case, the more omega 3’s we eat even in plant foods (flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, green leafy vegetables), the healthier we are, and the lower our risk of many diseases including brain diseases, and thinking and emotional problems.
Detailed answers are actually complex, requires explanation and is part of what I do when I am asked by an individual to recommend which is best for them. Which marine oil I recommend (or indeed other options such as marine oil from Calamari, or algae) depends on what health issues most concern the person, concerns about sustainability, and any allergies. If the person is vegan, they are limited to algae based oils which are usually limited to DHA , or to flaxseed oil; their bodies can create some EPA from either DHA or the plant based ALA (alpha-linolenic acid ).
Each type of fish oil has different ratios and amounts of DHA and EPA; one must read the label of a particular product to know. Which one is best for a person depends on a lot of factors. Cod Liver Oil naturally contains some vitamin D which refined fish oil does not. (see our Dec. 2010 newsletter). Then are still other issues related to benefits of processed vs. Less processed oils, source of fish etc. That is why I recommend sticking to high quality companies like those on my website, and avoiding using drug store brands.
To learn more about Omega 3’s, why they are important for brain and body health, food sources, and other healthy fats, click here to see our 3- newsletter series published a while ago, but still current.
Nov 2010 https://brainwellness.com/2010/11/nov-2010-omega-3s/
Dec 2010 https://brainwellness.com/2010/12/dec-2010-more-omegas-holiday-recipes/
and
January 2011 https://brainwellness.com/2011/01/january-2011-fat-essentials-for-brain-power
To learn even more for yourself, contact Dr. Nancy for a consultation @ nemerson@healthcareinsights.net
https://brainwellness.com/services/memory-preservation-nutrition/
or shop for Dr. Nancy’s recommended brands of marine oils. See our blog-about BRAND NEW for this site: New Mark’s Advanced Omega 1000
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© 2013 Nancy Emerson Lombardo, Ph.D., Brain Health and Wellness Center®