fish oil/flaxseed oil question

[Virus4762]

I'm trying to decide if I can just buy pure omega-3 tablets. Every website about fish oil that I go to mentions that fish oil is great because it has Omega-3 and then it lists all the benefits of fish oil but it never specifies if every benefit is purely because of the Omega-3 (I know this is probably a very stupid question. I just really wanna make sure).

Also, flaxseed oil has omega 3, 6, and 9 (fish oil only has omega-3). Are there any negatives of flaxseed oil I don't know about?

[staunchkg]

Don't waste your time on Flax for the omega's. The conversion ability for the omega's within Flax are terrible. Use fish oils.

[Virus4762]

Don't waste your time on Flax for the omega's. The conversion ability for the omega's within Flax are terrible. Use fish oils.

What about pure omega 3 tablets instead of fish oil tablets? Does fish oil contain any extra nutrients besides omega 3?

[EfficientLiver]

Fish oil contains a direct source of EPA and DHA (which are Omega-3s), which is what you want.

Cliff notes: You want fish oil.

[schabowy90]

Don't waste your time on Flax for the omega's. The conversion ability for the omega's within Flax are terrible. Use fish oils.

interesting...i thought flax seed is suppose to complete the omega 3 group.

fish oils had 2 of them, and then flax has the missing one that flax seeds don't have right?

I remember reading about that a few months ago I'll try and site in a bit

[staunchkg]

interesting...i thought flax seed is suppose to complete the omega 3 group.

fish oils had 2 of them, and then flax has the missing one that flax seeds don't have right?

I remember reading about that a few months ago I'll try and site in a bit

Fish Oils/Essential Fatty Acids
If there is a single nutrient that is almost impossible to achieve adequate amounts of with the modern diet (outside of the handful of people who eat a lot of fatty fish), it’s the w-3 fish oils. In a very real sense, fish oils ‘do everything’ and impact on not only overall health but help to control inflammation, promote fat oxidation, inhibit fat storage and a host of others. It’s a list of benefits that seems almost too good to be true but the research is there.
Due to their general unavailability in the food supply, supplementation is almost necessary and both pills (containing varying amounts of the active EPA/DHA) and liquids are available. Both are acceptable and some people simply prefer the liquids (which can be used on salads or in blender drinks) to pills (which often cause burps).
Years ago, flaxseed oil was suggested as a source of the essential fatty acids as it contains the parent fatty acid that can be converted into EPA/DHA. However, that conversion is exceedingly inefficient in most people (vegetarians appear to be an exception to this for some reason) and I do not feel that flax is an acceptable substitute for fish oil supplementation. I suggest that athletes find an omega-3 fatty acid source that they like and consume it daily (again, consuming cold water or fatty fish is also a possibility).
While little research has examined athletes, I recommend a total intake of EPA/DHA of 1.8-3.0 grams per day. A fairly standard capsule of fish oils may contain 120 mg EPA and 180 mg DHA (300 mg total fish oils) so that daily dose would require 6-10 capsules per day which should be split at least morning and evening (taken with meals).
Higher concentration fish oils are available (at a premium cost) but may be preferred by athletes who don’t like swallowing pills. Again, the goal should be a total EPA/DHA intake of 1.8-3.0 grams per day regardless of how it is obtained.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/mus...ts-part-1.html

[UnsafeAtAnySpd]

Liquid is a better cost/omega 3 ratio.

[TERMplus]

Fish Oils/Essential Fatty Acids
If there is a single nutrient that is almost impossible to achieve adequate amounts of with the modern diet (outside of the handful of people who eat a lot of fatty fish), it’s the w-3 fish oils. In a very real sense, fish oils ‘do everything’ and impact on not only overall health but help to control inflammation, promote fat oxidation, inhibit fat storage and a host of others. It’s a list of benefits that seems almost too good to be true but the research is there.
Due to their general unavailability in the food supply, supplementation is almost necessary and both pills (containing varying amounts of the active EPA/DHA) and liquids are available. Both are acceptable and some people simply prefer the liquids (which can be used on salads or in blender drinks) to pills (which often cause burps).
Years ago, flaxseed oil was suggested as a source of the essential fatty acids as it contains the parent fatty acid that can be converted into EPA/DHA. However, that conversion is exceedingly inefficient in most people (vegetarians appear to be an exception to this for some reason) and I do not feel that flax is an acceptable substitute for fish oil supplementation. I suggest that athletes find an omega-3 fatty acid source that they like and consume it daily (again, consuming cold water or fatty fish is also a possibility).
While little research has examined athletes, I recommend a total intake of EPA/DHA of 1.8-3.0 grams per day. A fairly standard capsule of fish oils may contain 120 mg EPA and 180 mg DHA (300 mg total fish oils) so that daily dose would require 6-10 capsules per day which should be split at least morning and evening (taken with meals).
Higher concentration fish oils are available (at a premium cost) but may be preferred by athletes who don’t like swallowing pills. Again, the goal should be a total EPA/DHA intake of 1.8-3.0 grams per day regardless of how it is obtained.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/mus...ts-part-1.html

I agree on the ALA part and how it is poorly converted into EPA & DHA, but Lyle shouldn't recommend that EVERYONE should take 1.8-3.0 grams of EPA/DHA per day -- everyone should make sure their daily intake of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids are in a 1:1 - 4:1 ratio, so, for example, if someone consumes very little omega 6, they might end up needing less than 1.8 g of EPA/DHA; if, however, someone has a high omega 6 intake, he may need a lot of EPA/DHA to achieve the "optimal" 1:1 - 4:1 omega 6: omega 3 ratio.

[mannydawg]

I agree on the ALA part and how it is poorly converted into EPA & DHA, but Lyle shouldn't recommend that EVERYONE should take 1.8-3.0 grams of EPA/DHA per day -- everyone should make sure their daily intake of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids are in a 1:1 - 4:1 ratio, so, for example, if someone consumes very little omega 6, they might end up needing less than 1.8 g of EPA/DHA; if, however, someone has a high omega 6 intake, he may need a lot of EPA/DHA to achieve the "optimal" 1:1 - 4:1 omega 6: omega 3 ratio.

I remember alan posting/writing about how trying to achieve an omega 3/6 ratio is completely useless and unnecessary; and that people should focus more on consuming enough epa/dha.

[determined4000]

I remember alan posting/writing about how trying to achieve an omega 3/6 ratio is completely useless and unnecessary; and that people should focus more on consuming enough epa/dha.

but it is pointless to supplement WITH O6 when you already get more than enough

OP- Stick with fish for the EPA/DHA content, flax converts at a poor rate

[snorkelman]

but it is pointless to supplement WITH O6 when you already get more than enough

I encourage you to take a look at the fish oil / omega threads in the supplement section and you will see a particular rep in nearly every single thread encouraging everyone to buy Omega 3, 6, 9 caps. When he is confronted with statements such as "western diets are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and have excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids," he will agree and claim that bodybuilders don't eat standard western diets.

[mannydawg]

but it is pointless to supplement WITH O6 when you already get more than enough

OP- Stick with fish for the EPA/DHA content, flax converts at a poor rate

That was my point exactly.

[Virus4762]

While little research has examined athletes, I recommend a total intake of EPA/DHA of 1.8-3.0 grams per day. A fairly standard capsule of fish oils may contain 120 mg EPA and 180 mg DHA (300 mg total fish oils) so that daily dose would require 6-10 capsules per day which should be split at least morning and evening (taken with meals).
Higher concentration fish oils are available (at a premium cost) but may be preferred by athletes who don’t like swallowing pills. Again, the goal should be a total EPA/DHA intake of 1.8-3.0 grams per day regardless of how it is obtained.

Ya, the 'NOW Ultra Omega 3' has 750mg EPA/DHA per pill whereas the cheap fish oil supplements contain 300mg EPA/DHA per pill. In terms of EPA/DHA content, you would only have to pay $2.52 more for 180 softgells of the 'NOW Ultra Omega 3' and you would be ingesting less than half as many pills.

NOW Ultra Omega 3: $19.99 for 180 softgells (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/ultra3.html)
Cheap Supplements Fish Oil: $6.99 for 180 softgells (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ch...s/fishoil.html)

[snorkelman]

^^ That's $.11 per pill which gives you 750mg EPA/DHA? Of course shipping costs will add to that total, but overall that is a good buy for insurance if you don't regularly eat fatty fish. I came across a sale a little while ago on CL Orange OxiMega Fish Oil 120 Softgels, which ended up costing me 8.4 cents per cap after shipping and each cap gives me slightly less than what you listed with the NOW product, as I get 400 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA in each cap.