Tag Archives: fish oil

According to a new study by Harvard scientists, Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil seem to keep the heart in good working order by preventing a type of irregular heart beat known as atrial fibrillation.

Irregular heart rhythm can be a threat to your health but according to a new study published in the science journal Circulation, people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood have up to 30 per cent lower risk of atrial fibrillation compared with people who have low levels of these fatty acids. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heart beat and is typically associated with palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. It can increase the risk of stroke by up to seven times that of the average population.

Fish or capsules?
Oily fish like salmon, herring, and mackerel are excellent omega-3 sources whilst Bio-Marine Plus is an alternative for those who do not like the taste of fish. Bio Marine Plus supplement provides purified (PureMax-certified) fish oil in the form of free fatty acids that are highly bio-available. Bio-Marine Plus also contains vitamins B12 and folic acid, which help to control levels of homocysteine, a natural compound that is linked to an increased risk of atherosclerosis. PureMax is considered to be the world’s leading technology for purifying fish oils. It guarantees levels of pollutants that are far lower than the official threshold values set by health authorities.

Ingestion of only five grams of fish oil daily combined with a diet low in fat is in just 4-6 weeks able to reduce the growth of prostate cancer cells compared with the ingestion of a traditional Western diet, says new study.

Researchers from the University of California (UCLA) wanted to investigate whether a change in dietary fat and the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 in the diet alter biomarkers for cancer. Biomarkers are biological substances and constituents of our body that can say something about our health.

The study included a group of 55 men diagnosed with prostate cancer who were about to have removed their prostate gland and some surrounding tissue. It was a so-called phase II study which evaluates the biological effects of a substance and possible side effects. 48 men completed the study.

The ratio between omega 6 and omega 3
The men were divided into two groups for 4-6 weeks before their planned surgery. They were given either a standardized Western diet or a diet low in fat with a daily supplement of 5 g of fish oil. The reason that fish oil supplementation was combined with a low fat diet was that you in this way achieved an omega 6/3-ratio of 2:1, meaning two parts omega 6 for each part omega 3 For comparison, a typical Western diet have an omega 6/3-ratio of 15:1, (15 parts omega 6 for each part omega 3). There were 21 people who completed the trial in the Western diet group and 27 who completed the low fat / fish oil diet.

Quick results
In the group who ate a low-fat diet combined with fish oil the content of omega-3 fatty acids in cell membranes of the prostate was significantly higher than in the group who ate the Western diet. This was true both for the sick and the healthy prostate cells. Omega-6-content was also lower. The content of cholesterol in the blood were lower than in the group on Western diet, but particularly interesting it turned out that cancer cells had reduced their cell division – and mind you in just one month.

This study is especially important for those who have been previously treated for prostate cancer. With this knowledge they can reduce their risk of relapse.

Ref. Aronsom WJ, et al. Phase II Prospective Randomized Trial of a Low-Fat Diet with Fish Oil Supplementation in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2011, Oct. [Epub ahead of print]

Facts about prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Most men with prostate cancer are over 65 years. Overweight and obesity provides an increased risk. The risk that the cancer returns after treatment is quite high. A high antioxidant intake may further reduce the risk for the development and return of this kind of cancer.

About omega 6:3
A dietary ingestion of omega 6 and 3-fatty acids approaching 2:1 is important to reduce disease-promoting inflammation in the body.

About Movember
During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. Marketing coordinator Thomas Laursen-Arons, Pharma Nord Denmark whose image decorates this article is not suffering from any illness but has decided to grow a moustache this November to raise funds for men’s health, and especially when it comes to prostate cancer. You can read more on the website: movember.com

Children diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) may benefit from taking supplements of fish oil.

Fish oil is associated with a long list of health benefits, and according to researchers, it can also be a good idea to give a daily supplement of omega-3 fatty acids to children with ADHD. In an article in the October edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, two researchers working for the Yale Child Study Centre conclude in a meta-analysis of 10 scientific studies with 699 children that fish oil supplementation demonstrates a small but statistically significant effect in improving ADHD symptoms.

Safe to use
The researchers pointed to the fact that the current drugs used to ameliorate ADHD symptoms were more effective than fish oil. However, fish oil is not associated with the side effects typically observed in prescription drugs. The researchers note that in mild to moderate cases of ADHD supplemental fish oil may be used to improve the effectiveness of conventional treatment, or fish oil supplementation may be a viable option for those who do not want to treat their children with chemicals.

Effects of omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids work in several different ways. For use in ADHD it is the fatty acid eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) in particular who seems to be effective although the exact mechanism is not known. For example, this type of essential fatty acids are known to have anti-inflammatory properties that can protect brain cells. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have a positive effect on brain levels of two important neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine. The brain’s serotonin levels are believed to affect our mood, while dopamine is important for learning, motion control, mood, thought and memory.

Ref:  Bloch MH, et al. Omega3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for the treatment of children With Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptomatology: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2011;50(10):991-1000.

Our comments

Choosing the right fish oil
Pharma Nord’s preparations, Bio-Fish Oil 1000mh and BIOmega-3 Kids,  are a good choice for long term consumption. First of all, the fish oil is purified with one of the world’s leading purification techniques (PureMax ™) that ensures the lowest possible levels of pollutants such as heavy metals and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), that occur naturally in fish. PureMax technology purifies the fish oil to the point where the remaining levels of such toxins are substantially lower than the threshold levels set by health authorities to be safe for human consumption.

Bio-Pycnogenol and ADHD
There have been reports of positive experiences with pycnogenol for children with ADHD and adults with ADD (lack of attention). It is said to improve the brain’s blood circulation and increase the production of the neurotransmitter NO2 which improves memory and learning ability. Although there is not much research into this topic, there may be yet other mechanisms of action.

Ref: Heimann SW. Pycnogenol for ADHD. Letter. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 1999:38(4):357-8.

Pharma Nord's Managing Director scales new heights

The company director of Pharma Nord UK, may be 73, but Bent Henriksen shows no signs of slowing down. Bent recently returned from climbing Mont Blanc in the French Alps with his son, Troels, 47, and 15-year-old granddaughter Celine.

The trip comes six months after he reached the Base Camp of Mt. Everest, but this time was even more special for Bent as it saw three generations displaying the exceptionally good health that the family has built a business on.

Bent says: “I was very proud of my family. My son Troels has been very good to encourage my granddaughter Celine and they made a good team. It was a good trip, but a tough climb.”

Extra energy from Q10
“Thankfully, we were taken up by Noel Hanna, the endurance athlete and mountaineer, he was a fantastic guide and very professional throughout. He gave very clear advice and I would recommend him to anyone doing a trip like this.”

“We all took Bio-Quinone Q10 for energy and muscle recovery. Bio-Fish Oil and Bio-Glucosamine were good for our joints too. Noel, who is a professional athlete, swears by our products, especially Q10.”

Hard climb up…
Bent left the UK to tackle Mont Blanc’s 4,810 metres in July.

“The walk up was a very difficult climb and the weather was changing all the time. We were now roped up all the time and the guides had to help us a lot. There was not much snow, but we had to wear crampons It is the most difficult climb I have ever done and I was not looking forward to going down later.

After successfully navigating their way higher, Bent and his team arrived at the summit just in time for the weather to improve.

He says: “When we got closer to the summit, the sun came out. The wind had slowed down and the fog had lifted. It was a clear sky but we could not see anything beneath us.

We arrived at the summit at 11.56am. We spent about 15 minutes at the summit taking photos and talking to other climbers. We were very pleased to have made it, but we knew we had a hard time to get down. ”

…and down
The journey back proved just as grueling and arduous as they were expecting with heavy snowfall and temperatures as low as minus 15C, but after a long walk down the Henriksens and their guide managed to catch the last train back to La Fayet.

Now the trip is over, Bent says he is proud to have done it and hopes his fitness and good health can be an example to others.

He says: “I believe in the importance of nutrition for good health and I’ve been taking dietary supplements for more than 25 years. They keep me active and healthy. I wouldn’t go a day without them.

“For a physically demanding trip like this, I made sure I took plenty of Coenzyme Q10, a vitamin-like substance, which provides a natural energy boost.”

To find out more about Pharma Nord’s Bio-Quinone Q10, visit the product page on MultiVits.

Blood levels of triglyceride seem to be what we should be concerned with rather than cholesterol, according to a new Danish study. Omega-3 fatty acids may come in handy, as they have a documented triglyceride-lowering effect.

For decades, elevated cholesterol levels have been viewed as one of the main cardiovascular threats. This helps to explain why the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs is more widespread than ever.

A new Danish study (The Copenhagen City Heart Study), however, conducted on 7,579 women and 6372 men, shows that it is a different type of blood fat called triglycerides that we should be concerned with. The study(1), which is published online in the Annals of Neurology and headed by Anette Varbo, M.D., Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Herlev Hospital, Copenhagen, found elevated triglycerides levels to be associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in both men and women.

Ischemic stroke is death of an area of the brain that results from blocked arteries. In comparison, an association between cholesterol and ischemic stroke was only seen in men and with cholesterol levels exceeding 9 mmol/l, which is way above the levels that normally prompt physicians to write out prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering medicine.

The benefits of fish oil

There are different ways to keep your triglyceride levels in check. Besides taking regular exercise and being selective with one’s diet and avoiding or limiting the intake of those foods and beverages that are known to spike triglyceride levels in the blood, a good idea is to eat more omega-3 fatty acids from fish, as they have been shown to effectively reduce triglycerides.

This was demonstrated in, among other things, a study(2) from the University of Kuopio, Finland, where scientists compared the triglyceride-lowering effect of either eating 4-5 weekly fish meals or taking fish oil capsules (Bio-Marine from Pharma Nord) daily.

Both the volunteers who were assigned to eating fresh fish and those who got omega-3 in capsule form had significant reductions in their triglyceride levels after 15 weeks of treatment.

Sources:
1 “Non-fasting Triglycerides, Cholesterol, and Ischemic Stroke in theGeneral Population”Annals of Neurology, published online ahead of print (DOI: 10.1002/ana.22384)2 “Fish diet, fish oil and docosahexaenoic acid rich oil lower fasting and postprandial plasma lipid levels”Agren JJ, Hänninen O, Julkunen A, Fogelholm L, Vidgren H, Schwab U, Pynnönen O, Uusitupa M.Eur J Clin Nutr. 1996 Nov;50(11):765-71.