Reuters Health, in New York, reported recently on a new study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that emphasizes the benefits of Omega-3 fish oils when studying the link between mercury and disease.
In an analysis of more than 1,600 men from Sweden and Finland, researchers found that men with high levels of mercury in the body had an increased risk of heart attacks, while those with a high concentration of Omega-3s had a lower risk. Then looking more closely the researchers found that men with high levels of fats, it took higher levels of mercury to see an increased heart attack risk – suggesting the two compounds might have opposite effects on the heart. The Omega-3 oils in fish seem to have a protective effect on the heart for those men that ate more fish oils and had exposure to the mercury in the fish.
As a note: Large predatory fish tend to have high levels of mercury in them. Shark, Swordfish, King mackerel, Tilefish and some other fish such as Tuna, Grouper, and Chilean sea bass have high levels of mercury in them (www.nrdc.org ). Fish with lower levels of mercury tend to be: Salmon, Pacific sole, Freshwater trout, Ocean perch, Arctic cod, White fish and others.
There are companies that sell fish oils with very low levels of mercury, I.E. wwwzonediet.com and you could also get Omega-3 oils from seed oils, such as; flax, sunflower, hemp, neem, evening primrose, i.e. www.florahealth.com .
This stury highlights the heart protective effects of Omega-3 oils in people exposed to mercury and confirms the link between mercury and heart diseasae.
Source:bit.ly/PQ4CVi American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online August 15, 21012.
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Does fish oil help with dental health?
Dear Lisa,
Omega 3 oils are excellent for the gums. They decrease the chronic inflamation in gum tissue. I recommend at least 860mg of EPA and 580mg of DHA per day. A good book to read on ways to fight chronic inflamation is “The Inflamation Zone” book by Dr. Barry Sears. Other good supplements for the gums are Vitamin C, Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin A, Calcium, Magnesium, and Folic acid.
Find fish oils that do not have high mercury content or use seed oils instead (flax, hemp, sunflower,sesame).
Blessings,
Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Lawrence