Is there something ?fishy? about your vitamin supplement? | Health ...

IOnce again, the doctor?s advice is changing.? Up until now, I have touted the benefits of fish oil supplements for my patients at risk for heart disease and stroke.? In all their discharge instructions, I have boasted the heart health benefits of fish oil supplements and have glorified their protective effects on the blood vessels around the heart and the brain.? Now, I am changing my mind.

In the recent September 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a review of 20 studies comprised of almost 70,000 patients failed to show significant heart health benefits of fish oil (omega-3) supplements.??? In fact, there was no difference in the risk for heart attacks, stroke,? or sudden (heart-related) death between people who? took fish oil and those who took a placebo pill (non-active pill).

I am becoming increasingly aware that supplements (of almost any sort) do little to promote good health and that ?better living thru better eating? holds greater truth.? See my previous blog on supplements from a few months ago.

http://healthblog.dallasnews.com/2012/07/a-supplement-a-day-wont-keep-the-doctor-away.html/

Studies have shown that people in the Mediterranean who choose to eat less red meat and eat more fish, nuts and vegetables have lower risks of heart disease and cancer. ?More recently, the Mediterranean people were also found to have approximately 46% decrease in Parkinson?s disease (European Journal of Neurology 2012).? The New England Journal of Medicine 2003 suggested that it is the combination of healthy lifestyle choices including a diet high in fish that lead to longer lives in people that live in that region of the world.

While those of you doing well on fish oil supplements may not need to stop your golden capsules, those of you with heartburn and burping as a result of their side effects may consider stopping them sooner than later.? I will recommend you discuss this information with your physician and review your own personal ?health needs including the risks and benefits of fish oil capsules. Stomach discomfort and increased risk of bleeding can be a complication of the oil supplements, but some patients tell me their joints feel better or that they just ?feel healthier? when they take it.? Just be sure your supplement is mercury-free and has the right kind of oil (DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids).

A better lifestyle decision may be to eat oily fish 2-3 times weekly. Please go to www.doh.wa.gov for a list of healthy fish for consumption.

Think twice before buying another bottle of expensive fish oil capsules. While it is easier to reach for the medicine cabinet for our nutrition than the refrigerator, no pill can take the place for the level of nutrients absorbed from fresh foods.? In fact, any supplement pill should be considered the ultimate ?processed food?.

Source: http://healthblog.dallasnews.com/2012/09/is-there-something-fishy-about-your-vitamin-supplement.html/

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