Flaxseed oil and fish-oil capsule consumption alters human red blood cell n-3 fatty acid composition

"A daily 2.4 gram dose of ALA-rich flax oil is enough to raise overall levels of omega-3 fatty acids, suggests a new study that supports inclusion of ALA-rich sources in the diet."

Results
As the researchers expected, the fish oil supplements produced increases in EPA and DHA.

Meanwhile, the higher dose flax oil supplements were associated with increases in ALA, EPA and, in the 2.4 gram group, DPA. No increase in DHA levels in red blood cells was observed in the flax oil groups, indicating the very low conversion of ALA to DHA, said the researchers.

A 2.4 gram daily dose of flax oil increased EPA 1.4-fold, while the

 higher dose increased EPA 1.3-fold after six weeks. For the fire-fighters receiving the fish oil supplements, EPA levels increased 1.6 fold for the 0.6 grams per day group after two weeks and remained high for the rest of the study. Supplementation with 1.2 grams per day of fish oil also increased EPA levels 1.6-fold after two weeks, but levels had increased 2.1-fold after 12 weeks.

The researchers did not note any differences between the groups with regards to levels of inflammatory markers or cholesterol profiles at the end of the study.

“Our results clearly indicate that 2.4 g flax oil per day is sufficient to significantly increase red blood cell phospholipid omega-3 fatty acids, which suggests that a similar effect may be occurring in other tissues,” wrote the researchers.

“The similarity between the greater concentrations of EPA and DPA in the group receiving 2.4 g flax oil/d than in either fish-oil group suggests that dietary ingestion of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids is sufficient to meet the dietary needs of humans.”

Please go here to read the full research report.

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Gary comments:

Flax oil is a delicious oil that does not need to be expensively delivered in capsules.  Drizzle flax oil on your toast, on your muesli, mix with avocado or cottage cheese and drizzle onto your potato and pumpkin.  Give it to your kids in their food.  There are so many health benefits, including reducing inflammation, managing eczema and asthma, for brain power and for clear skin, strong hair and nails.  Got the idea!

Here is the link to flax oil sales, if you want to get some.

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Nutritional strategies for beating chronic pain and fatigue

The most common health complaints I come across are a group of related conditions including chronic fatigue, cold limbs, aching muscles and joints. Underactive thyroid function is widespread and it has recently been reported that around 40% of New Zealand women report low sex drive (men are probably no better off, going by Viagra sales!). With an ageing population, this is a growth area!

While there is much that can be done to fire a body up and to relieve pain with physical exercise and massage, these are wasted efforts if the body chemistry is unhealthy. Exercise is the baking of the cake. Baking without first gathering all the ingredients (Top quality - of course!) will result in an unpalatable product. A malnourished body is weak and tired and anything more than gentle exercise will only make matters worse.

The most exciting and challenging area is trying to detect the nutritional metabolic switches that need to be thrown to fire up a person's internal furnaces and to help bake a strong body and lively mind. We are talking about firing up tiny cellular furnaces that may be currently running on little more than the pilot light. These switches vary from one person to another and may be a group of amino acids, enzymes, minerals or a particular vitamin or two.

What I first studied and learned in exercise physiology in the early 1970's still applies to today. The physiology of the human body has not changed in a thousand years and won't in another thousand. However; what has happened since 1970 is the physiologists have burrowed deeper and deeper into the chemistry of life. For example; we have known for ages that we break down muscle protein during intense or exhausting exercise. What we now know much more about is which amino acids in those proteins are most damaged during exercise and most needed for muscle repair.

While this research has been mostly focussed on the physiology of athletic performance, I am excited about applying this burgeoning knowledge to my ordinary every day clients, who are simply tired, aching and who simply crave for the good old days when physical and mental energies were so much higher. There are four nutritional products that show promise for restoring energy and vitality and let me talk about these: Kordel's Coenzyme Q10, Balance Carnitine, Balance Beta-Alanine and Alpha Linoleic Acid and other Omega 3 fatty acids found in products like Waihi Bush Flax Oil.

Coenzyme Q10 is required by mitochondria (the power plants of the cells) to produce ATP (the cellular energy molecule). Every muscle, nerve, heart, immune and brain cell requires coenzyme Q10 to survive and maintain the health of the body. Levels of Q10 tend to drop with age and low levels at any age may cause excess fatigue. In a study published earlier this month, seventeen healthy volunteers were randomised to receive coenzyme Q10 at 100 mg or 300 mg daily or placebo for eight days. The participants were then asked to engage in certain physical tasks. It was found that the group receiving 300 mg of coenzyme Q10 daily performed better and, in addition, had subjectively less fatigue compared to the placebo group.

Balance L-Carnitine has an important role in fat burning and exercise performance and the metabolism of fat for energy depends on it absorption, converison to fatty acids and glycerols. By promoting the transport and metabolism of fatty acids through the inner mitochondrial membrane, where fat is converted to energy, L-Carnitine can assist aerobic performance, anaerobic capacity and may improve power output and stamina in athletes. So much for athletes; I am more interested in the possible benefits for people off the street!

In a study published this month, 96 elderly people between the ages of 71 to 88 were supplemented with carnitine. At the end of the testing, those given this carnitine had a significant decrease in physical fatigue and mental fatigue along with significant improvement in cognitive functioning compared to placebo.

Balance Beta Alanine is an Amino acid with exciting possibilities. It acts as an intracellular buffer to offset acid production in the muscle to help delay muscle fatigue and speed recovery. This is proving very effective with clients who suffer fatique associated with fluid and acid buildup within tissues, such as about the shoulders.

Finally, there are the delicious organic Waihi Bush flax oils which have numerous health benefits including improving eczema, reducing inflammation, thinning sticky blood and improving concentration. Athlete or not; in combination with modalities like exercise, massage and adjustments to diet, these four nutrients can bring about relief from pain and renewed vigour for life.

A warning:
Please do not be lulled into thinking that these substances are the panacea for all ills. Each individual is different and there may be many factors at play, such as low iron levels (very common in women). These nutritional supplements are just some of the growing list tools in the health toolbox available to natural health advisers.

References

1. Mizuno K, Tanaka M, Nozaki S, Mizuma H, Ataka S, Tahara T, Sugino T, Shirai T, Kajimoto Y, Kuratsune H, Kajimoto O, Watanabe Y, Antifatigue effects of coenzyme Q10 during physical fatigue, Nutrition, Published online ahead of print 13 February 2008, doi:10.1016/j.nut.2007.12.007/
2. Malaguarnera M, Gargante MP, Cristaldi E, Colonna V, Messano M, Koverech A, Neri S, Vacante M, Cammalleri L, Motta M, Acetyl l-carnitine (ALC) treatment in elderly patients with fatigue, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Volume 46, Issue 2, Pages 181-190, March 2008.

Nutrients for keeping your arteries healthy flexible

As we get older our arteries tend to lose their flexibility. They harden. This shows as an increase in blood pressure. If we were listening to the pulse of hardening arteries through a stethoscope we would hear a hard wooden knock as compared to a soft thud as the heart ejects each pulse of blood into healthy arteries.

Maintain sexual performance by looking after your arteries

Sexual drive and performance relies on the healthy functioning of a number of mind and body systems, including healthy circulation - the ability of the arteries to contract and relax freely. This applies as much to women as much as it does to men, so strategies to improve arterial health should be beneficial for your sex life as well!

All is not lost. Every part of your body is renewed with even the bones being completely replaced about every 6-7 years or so. So, one can assume that arteries can be softened up to some degree if the conditions are right. This starts with good nutrition and we now know nowadays that there are several nutrients that are beneficial for keeping arteries healthy:

Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been used for decades, if not longer, for softening scar tissue. Numerous studies have confirmed the benefits of vitamin E in improving arterial health. This ability to maintain normal blood vessel tone may partly account for vitamin E's benefits in preventing cardiovascular diseases. There has been some adverse, confusing publicity about vitamin E recently. Do not worry; the bulk of the evidence is in favour of the health benefits of natural vitamin E. Stay away from synthetic vitamin E.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for maintaining healthy collagen tissue. The extreme of unhealthy collagen due to vitamin C deficiency if scurvy. Arteries are made up of collagen among other substances. Vitamin C can also provide some protection of the blood vessels against homocycsteine which is one of the most reliable predictors of heart disease.

L-Arginine
This amino acid is the precursor to nitric oxide, and it is known that nitric oxide can increase the flexibility of arterial walls. Nitric oxide increases endothelial flexibility, and studies have found L-Arginine supplements helpful in angina pain and congestive heart failure. As people age the production of L-Arginine decreases and many experts believe this is responsible for many degenerative processes related to aging. Natural sources include: Nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chocolate, popcorn, raisins, brown rice, carob, gelatin desserts, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and protein rich foods including whey protein.
Vitamin C may further improve the activity of L-arginine.

Garlic
Garlic is rich in antioxidants and increases nitric oxide production. When cloves are chewed, crushed or cut, they release a sulphur-bearing compound called allicin - the chemical that gives garlic its pungent taste and smell. And it's the allicin that scientists have discovered is the magic ingredient thought to be responsible for garlic's many therapeutic qualities. Kyolic garlic and garlic oil are both potent sources of the active ingredients of garlic.

Alpha-Lipoic AcidThis antioxidant has long been used to treat symptoms of diabetic nerve disease. Alpha-lipoic acid works together with other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. It is important for growth, helps to prevent cell damage, and helps the body rid itself of harmful substances. It has recently been shown to be beneficial for blood vessel health. Good food sources of alpha-lipoic acid include spinach, broccoli, beef, yeast (particularly Brewer's yeast), and certain organ meats (such as the kidney and heart).

Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)
EPO is rich in the essential gamma-linoleinc acid (GLA), a very valuable fatty acid that is not found in many plants. It has numerous vital functions in the body. GLA is an essential fatty acid that the body does not manufacture. This fatty acid is known to help prevent hardening of the arteries, heart disease, eczema, cirrhosis, rheumatoid arthritis, menopause, PMS, multiple sclerosis, and high blood pressure. It has a positive effect on sex hormone response including the hormones estrogen and testosterone, aids in lowering cholesterol levels, and is important in treating cirrhosis of the liver. Research also demonstrates that primrose oil helps relieve pain and inflammation.

Flavonoids
Flavonoids are a family of more than 5,000 potent antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. Studies are showing the importance of these antioxidants for maintaining cardiovascular health, including healthy blood vessels.

Good sources of flavonoids include all citrus fruits, berries, onions, parsley, legumes, green tea, red wine, seabuckthorn, and dark chocolate. I especially recommend dark berries like blue berries, black berries and boysenberrries.

Fish oil and flaxseed oil
Omega 3 fatty acids have also been proven to work wonders for your heart, arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDL and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol.

Minerals, including magnesium
Low mineral levels, particularly magnesium, can result in increased arterial muscle tension and an irregular pulse. Supplementation with magnesium can include a bone broth and a nightly soak in a warm bath of Epsom Salts. A bone broth is also a wonderful natural source of gelatine

Monitor cardiovascular health
If you have high blood pressure, or a heart condition and you are intending to try natural therapies including nutritional supplementation, it is important that you monitor your heart health. Do this daily using a digital blood pressure monitor. Consult your doctor and discuss your plans. Heed any advice given.

These nutrients are good for you when taken according to professional guidance. Even if there is no measurable benefit in cardiovascular health from taking these, you may find a pleasant offshoot: healthy skin, hair and nails!