January 25, 2013

Fish oil supplements better with butter and cheese

Research from the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus is calling into question the value of fish oil based supplements as a way to combat cardiac and inflammatory disease. Photograph by: File photo, Postmedia News

Assistant professor, Sanjoy Ghosh, of UBC’s Oakanagan Campus has determined that taking omega 3-rich  fish oil supplements could be harmful if there are increased levels of omega 6 in the body. With increased health consciousness, people are consuming healthier oils, such as corn and canola oils – rich in omega 6. Ghosh’s discovery has uncovered that with too much omega 6 in the system, omega 3 can potentially have negative effects.

Ghosh states that today’s healthier diets promote a greater intake of polyunsaturated fats and less intake of the saturated fats found in butter or cheese. She argues that there needs to be a greater balance of the omegas in our systems for the omega 3 to be beneficial.

“Our hypothesis is that levels of omega 6 are so high in our bodies that any more unsaturated fatty acid — even omega 3, despite its health benefits — will actually contribute to the negative effects omega 6 PUFA have on the heart and gut,” said Ghosh. “When there is too much [polyunsaturated fatty acid], the body doesn’t know what to do with it.”

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To all you  health nuts out there, maybe it is time to pass on the flax oil and pumpkin seeds and bring on the butter and cheese!
Posted by websitedev
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