Omega-3 Supplements: Do They Have to be So Fishy?

It's no secret that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart. These healthy fats, known as DHA and EPA, are usually derived from fish oil, and protect us in several important ways. First, they help prevent life-threatening heart rhythms by stabilizing our heart muscle cells. We can also use omega-3's to lower triglyceride levels and raise good cholesterol. For people with very high levels, we cardiologists often prescribe a drug called Lovaza, which is a highly purified, FDA-regulated product derived from fish oil. Most people will not require this, and can use a supplement for prevention instead.(If you eat fatty fish like salmon 2-3 times a week, you probably can take a pass on supplemental omega-3’s).

So how do you decide what supplement to take? There are literally hundreds of choices. The problem with most supplements is that they are extracted from the bodies of fish that are caught specifically for that purpose. Much of it comes from the Menhaden fish, which is in serious danger of being over-fished. That's why I am so excited about Cardiotabs (www.cardiotabs.com), a product developed by cardiologists at the MidAmerica Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. This supplement is made using calamari that are basically cast-offs from the food industry. That means no overfishing, and a safe, sustainable source of omega-3's. Even better, the product is far more purified than most supplements (meaning less potentially harmful contaminants), and, because it is flavored, it doesn't tend to give that fishy aftertaste so common with many other products.

What if you're a vegetarian? In the past, there were no good options. Flax seed oil is a plant-based omega-3, but our bodies cannot put the oil to use right away. Instead, after we swallow the capsule, flaxseed oil undergoes a complicated and highly inefficient conversion process that transforms the oil into usable DHA and EPA. Ultimately, the amount of DHA and EPA created from this process is about 10% of the starting dose. Recently, an algae-based form of DHA has hit the market. There are a number of different brands, so the best way to choose is to compare the milligrams of DHA per capsule. One example is Spring Valley - ALGAL-900, DHA 900 mg, Fish Free Omega-3, 30 Ct  There is some debate as to whether you are missing out by not getting the EPA as well, but several small studies have shown a similar lowering of triglycerides with DHA as compared to DHA+EPA, and it appears that, nutritionally speaking, algal-oil DHA is basically the same as salmon-oil DHA.

Should You Choose Organic?

As a huge fan of fresh fruits and vegetables, I am often asked whether organic foods trump conventionally grown produce. The answer is not as neat and simple as it might seem.

Aesthetically and ethically, I prefer the idea of eating organic. Less reliance on pesticides and man-made fertilizers means less of these potentially dangerous chemicals end up in our bodies, the bodies of our children, and in our ecosystem.

Although the EPA and other organizations regulate pesticide use in order to ensure public safety, these chemicals are, by definition, unsafe, since they are designed to kill bugs and other unwanted pests. In most cases, careful washing of produce should get rid of any minute amounts of residual pesticide. However, that certainly does not ensure that the pesticides do not enter the local groundwater and from there our waterways and wildlife.

What many people don't realize is that organic foods are often grown with pesticides as well. It's just that those pesticides are naturally derived. Although they are often less toxic, being organic doesn't necessarily make them all that much safer.

There is a very practical and pragmatic reason that pesticides are so widely used. The simple truth is that without them, farmers would be much less productive, costs would go up, and consequently, fresh produce would be much more expensive and harder to come by. For a more complete discussion, EcoWorld.com has a great review of pesticide use, both natural and organic ( www.ecoworld.com/animals/safe-pesticides.html )

In 2009, a group of British researchers set out to settle the organic debate by painstakingly reviewing fifty years of research into the question. The verdict: there was virtually no difference in nutritional quality between organically and conventionally grown produce.

For a few months, we could all breathe a sigh of relief. The debate resurfaced this year when a collaboration of researchers from Harvard and the University of Montreal, Canada reported that children with high levels of urinary organophosphates were twice as likely to develop ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) than children with no evidence of exposure. Organophosphates are commonly used pesticides frequently detected in fresh and frozen produce, but also found in commonly used home bug sprays.

My take on the very controversial question? Go organic when it is feasible, but don't avoid conventionally grown fruits and vegetables because of pesticide fears. Washing produce with running water will usually remove most pesticide residue, as well as other potentially harmful hangers-on like the e.coli bacteria, which has shown up in organic and conventionally grown produce alike. (Unfortunately, not all bacteria washes off, as we have learned from recent outbreaks). Keep your knives and cutting surfaces clean, to avoid cross-contamination, and if you are cutting a fruit with a rind, like a watermelon, wash it, too, since your knife can transfer dirt from the outside back into the fruit.

Conventionally grown foods such as apples, nectarines, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, potatoes and spinach are most likely to have high pesticide exposure, so organically grown alternatives are worth considering. Bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, and onions generally are lower in pesticide residue, so organic versions may not offer as much of an advantage.