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John
John Romano is a well known and controversial writer and champion of the Libertarian cause.  For 18 years he held the position of Senior Editor at Muscular Development magazine. He also contributed to Fitness Rx for Women magazine as well as Fitness RX for Men magazine.  He also authored and co-authored several books in the bodybuilding and fitness field.
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Got Joint Pain? You Probably Need Fish Oil!

by: John Romano

I recently attended the International Society of Sports Nutrition annual symposium where I asked several “nutrition gurus” (with PhDs) to name the top five supplements they would recommend for hard training athletes, assuming these would be the only supplements they would be able to afford. Interestingly, all of them came up with the exact same list!

• Whey protein
• Creatine
• Caffeine
• Beta alanine
• Fish oil

While much has been written and discussed about these front line supplements, fitness internet forums are rife with a discussion unique to fish oil. It revolves around identifying the best fish oil based on how much it cost based on a milligram per EPA/DHA basis. In fact, so much has been written about determining the value of fish oil that it made me wonder why there could be such a disparity in opinions and pricing, from very low to very high. I mean, fish oil is fish oil, right? I used to think so. But, boy was I wrong. Before I get into how to evaluate your fish oil, let me first give you a brief explanation as to why such a supplement ranks among the “top five.”

“Fish oil” is the common term for the Omega−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) commonly found in cold-water fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, etc. Omega-3 fatty acids are considered “essential” because they are necessary for growth and health but the body cannot synthesize them in adequate quantities; you have to get them through food. The Omega-3s that are important in human physiology are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

You can get one component of omega-3 from plants such as flax and flaxseed oil. The problem is that your body can’t use this specific omega-3; it has to be converted by the body into DHA and EPA. Flax Oil contains only alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It contains absolutely no DHA or EPA. The most recent studies done by the U.S. National Institutes of Health show that almost none of the ALA from Flax seed converts to the forms the body can use. So, if you think you’re getting your Omega-3s from flax or flaxseed oil, you’re not. Scientists from the National Institutes of Health concluded that flaxseed oil is simply not a viable source of EPA or DHA and should not be considered as a substitute for fish and fish oils in the diet. The only recommended source of dietary Omega-3s comes from either cold-water fish or fish oil supplements.

Although Omega-3 fatty acids have been known as essential for normal growth and health since the 1930s, awareness of their health benefits has dramatically increased since the 1990s. The health benefits of EPA and DHA are the best known. These benefits were discovered in the 1970s by researchers studying the Greenland Inuit Tribe. The Greenland Inuit people consumed large amounts of fat from fish, but displayed virtually no cardiovascular disease. The high level of Omega-3 fatty acids consumed by the Inuit reduced triglycerides, heart rate, blood pressure, and atherosclerosis.

There is overwhelming evidence from multiple scientific studies supporting the intake of omega-3 PUFAs in the form of dietary fish or fish oil supplements. Those studies suggest that Omega-3 fish oil can play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development, lower triglycerides, reduce the risk of heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease, slow the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques ("hardening of the arteries"), and slightly lower blood pressure. Even the American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon) at least two times a week.

In spite of the foregoing, studies show that 85% of Americans have a dietary deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids. Even more amazing is that 20% of Americans have blood levels of Omega-3 that are so low that absolutely no Omega-3 fatty acids are found in their blood! And, as a result, scientists believe we have chronic illnesses to show for it. However, what’s more relevant to those of you reading this is the effect Omega-3s have on inflammation.

If the paucity of Omega-3s in our bodies wasn’t bad enough, compounding the issue is the over abundance of pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fats in the western diet. Omega-6 fats are by no means “bad fats” such as hydrogenated oils, however when the concentration of Omega-6 fats in the body exceeds a healthy balance, we start to have problems. Simply put, Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and most Omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. Under normal circumstances this tends to promote homeostasis. Unfortunately, the highly processed nature of the typical American diet tends to oversupply us with anywhere from 14 to 25 times more Omega-6 fatty acids than Omega-3 fatty acids, which many nutritionally oriented physicians consider way too high on the Omega-6 side. Since Omega-3 fats are considered anti-inflammatory, and Omega-6s are pro-inflammatory, guess what we get with a diet too high in Omega-6 and too low in Omega-3? INFLAMATION.

There are two types of inflammation: chronic low-level systemic inflammation (more on this dangerous condition in a future article), and acute inflammation that manifests itself in the form of painful joints, either as a result of an arthritic condition or injury. Injury, in most cases relevant to those of you reading this, is the injury we inflict upon ourselves in the gym – by hard training, not necessarily injurious poor form or other accidents that cripple us with inflammatory pain; however both types are relevant to this discussion. Do your elbows hurt? Knees? Hips? Low back? Well, you probably have some form of acute inflammation. In order to reduce the pain and restore mobility of your torched joints, you need DHA and EPA.

And therein lies the rub. All sources of EPA and DHA are not created equal. Some Omega-3 fish oil supplements are in triglyceride form, some are phospholipids while others have a very high concentration of Omega-3s in the form of free fatty acids. Which form is best relative to cost? How do DHA and EPA fight inflammation? Why are some fish oils better than others? What are the down sides? These and other questions will be answered in the next installment…





CATEGORY: Supplements