Fish Oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. It contains the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors to eicosanoids that reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, flounder, albacore tuna and salmon may be high in omega-3 fatty acids, but due to their position at the top of the food chain, these species can accumulate toxic, because it contaminants such as mercury, dioxin, PCBs and chlordane.
The preferred source of omega-3 should be from the fish’s body, not the liver. The liver and liver products (such as cod liver oil) of fish and many animals (such as seals and whales) contain omega-3, but also the active form of vitamin A. At high levels, this form of the vitamin can be dangerous.
What are the benefits of taking an omega 3 Fish Oil supplement?
Lowers blood triglyceride levels
Can help regulate cholesterol in the body
Reduces the risk of heart attack
Reduces the risk of dangerous abnormal heart rhythms
Reduces the risk of strokes
Lowers blood pressure
Several studies report possible anti-cancer effects of n?3 fatty acids found in fish oil (particularly breast, colon and prostate cancer). Omega-3 fatty acids reduced prostate cancer growth, slowed histopathological progression, and increased survival.
The FDA recommends no more than 3 grams of combined EPA and DHA per day. Intake of 3 grams per day or greater of omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of bleeding, although there is little evidence of significant bleeding risk at lower doses. Very large intakes of fish oil/omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke.
Creatine is often taken by athletes as a supplement for those wishing to gain muscle mass (bodybuilding). There are a number of forms but the most common are creatine monohydrate (creatine complexed with a molecule of water) and Creatine ethyl ester (CEE).
Creatine increases the activity of satellite cells, which make muscle hypertrophy possible. Creatine supplementation appears to increase the number of myonuclei that satellite cells will ‘donate’ to damaged muscle fibers, which increases the potential for growth of those fibers.
Changes in substrate oxidation may influence the inhibition of fat mass loss associated with creatine after weight training when they discovered that fat mass did not change significantly with creatine but decreased after the placebo trial in a 12-week study on ten active men. The study also showed that 1-RM bench press and total body mass increased after creatine, but not after placebo. The underlying effect of creatine on body composition has yet to be determined, no effect on body composition, but had less overall emphasis on metabolic effects.
Creatine use is not considered doping and is not banned by the majority of sport-governing bodies.
Recommendations for magnesium are provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) developed by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Dietary Reference Intakes is the general term for a set of reference values used for planning and assessing nutrient intake for healthy people. Three important types of reference values included in the DRIs are:
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), average daily intake that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy people.
Adequate Intakes (AI), AI is set when there is insufficient scientific data available to establish a RDA for specific age/gender groups. AIs meet or exceed the amount needed to maintain a nutritional state of adequacy in nearly all members of a specific age and gender group.
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL), the maximum daily intake unlikely to result in adverse health effects.
Recommended Dietary Allowances for magnesium for children and adults
Age
(years)
Male
(mg/day)
Female
(mg/day)
Pregnancy
(mg/day)
Lactation
(mg/day)
1-3
80
80
N/A
N/A
4-8
130
130
N/A
N/A
9-13
240
240
N/A
N/A
14-18
410
360
400
360
19-30
400
310
350
310
31+
420
320
360
320
There is insufficient information on magnesium to establish a RDA for infants. For infants 0 to 12 months, the DRI is in the form of an Adequate Intake (AI), which is the mean intake of magnesium in healthy, breastfed infants. Table 3 lists the AIs for infants in milligrams (mg).
Recommended Adequate Intake for magnesium for infants
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential to good health. Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in bone. The other half is found predominantly inside cells of body tissues and organs. Only 1% of magnesium is found in blood, but the body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium constant.
Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It have several functions:
Helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function
Keeps heart rhythm steady
Supports a healthy immune system
Keeps bones strong.
Helps regulate blood sugar levels
Promotes normal blood pressure
There is an increased interest in the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
What foods provide magnesium?
Green vegetables such as spinach are good sources of magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule (which gives green vegetables their color) contains magnesium. Beans and peas, nuts and seeds, and whole, unrefined grains are also good sources of magnesium.
Tap water can be a source of magnesium, but the amount varies according to the water supply. Water that naturally contains more minerals is described as “hard”. “Hard” water contains more magnesium than “soft” water.
What is the best way to get extra magnesium?
Eating a variety of whole grains, beans and peas, and vegetables (especially dark-green, leafy vegetables) every day will help provide recommended intakes of magnesium and maintain normal storage levels of this mineral. Increasing dietary intake of magnesium can often restore mildly depleted magnesium levels. However, increasing dietary intake of magnesium may not be enough to restore very low magnesium levels to normal.
Oral magnesium supplements combine magnesium with another substance such as a salt. Examples of magnesium supplements include magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate.
Elemental magnesium refers to the amount of magnesium in each compound. The amount of elemental magnesium in a compound and its bioavailability influence the effectiveness of the magnesium supplement. Bioavailability refers to the amount of magnesium in food, medications, and supplements that is absorbed in the intestines and ultimately available for biological activity in your cells and tissues.
Iron and heart disease. Some evidence suggests that iron can stimulate the activity of free radicals. Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that are associated with chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Free radicals may inflame and damage coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle. Other researchers suggest that iron may contribute to the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, changing it to a form that is more damaging to coronary arteries. Numerous ways has been done to test an association between iron stores and coronary heart disease. But with conflicting results, and different methods to measure iron stores, make it difficult to reach a final conclusion on this issue.
Iron and intense exercise. Many people who engage in regular, intense exercise such as jogging, competitive swimming, and cycling have marginal or inadequate iron status. Possible explanations include increased gastrointestinal blood loss after running and a greater turnover of red blood cells. Also, red blood cells within the foot can rupture while running. For these reasons, the need for iron may be 30% greater in those who engage in regular intense exercise.
Iron and mineral interactions. Some researchers have raised concerns about interactions between iron, zinc, and calcium. When iron and zinc supplements are given together in a water solution and without food, greater doses of iron may decrease zinc absorption. However, the effect of supplemental iron on zinc absorption does not appear to be significant when supplements are consumed with food. There is evidence that calcium from supplements and dairy foods may inhibit iron absorption, but it has been very difficult to distinguish between the effects of calcium on iron absorption versus other inhibitory factors such as phytate.
Nutrient requirements increase during pregnancy to support fetal growth and maternal health. Iron requirements of pregnant women are approximately double that of non-pregnant women because of increased blood volume during pregnancy, increased needs of the fetus, and blood losses that occur during delivery. If iron intake does not meet increased requirements, iron deficiency anemia can occur. Iron deficiency anemia of pregnancy is responsible for significant morbidity, such as premature deliveries and giving birth to infants with low birth weight.
The RDA for iron for pregnant women increases to 27 mg per day. Unfortunately, data from the 1988-94 NHANES survey suggested that the median iron intake among pregnant women was approximately 15 mg per day. When median iron intake is less than the RDA, more than half of the group consumes less iron than is recommended each day.
Several major health organizations recommend iron supplementation during pregnancy to help pregnant women meet their iron requirements. The CDC recommends routine low-dose iron supplementation (30 mg/day) for all pregnant women, beginning at the first prenatal visit. When a low hemoglobin or hematocrit is confirmed by repeat testing, the CDC recommends larger doses of supplemental iron. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences also supports iron supplementation during pregnancy. Obstetricians often monitor the need for iron supplementation during pregnancy and provide individualized recommendations to pregnant women. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp
Iron is an integral part of many proteins and enzymes that maintain good health. In humans, iron is an essential component of proteins involved in oxygen transport. It is also essential for the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. A deficiency of iron limits oxygen delivery to cells, resulting in fatigue, poor work performance, and decreased immunity. On the other hand, excess amounts of iron can result in toxicity and even death. Iron can used for many purpose:
Treatment for patients with anemia which commonly known as Blaud’s pills. It was named after P. Blaud of Beaucaire, the French physician who introduced it.
A food supplement intended to provide nutrients that are missing in a a person’s diet.
Medicine to treat iron-deficiency anemia.
What foods provide iron?
There are two forms of dietary iron: heme and nonheme. Heme iron is derived from hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells. Heme iron is found in animal foods that originally contained hemoglobin, such as red meats, fish, and poultry. Iron in plant foods such as lentils and beans is arranged in a chemical structure called nonheme iron. This is the form of iron added to iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods. Heme iron is absorbed better than nonheme iron, but most dietary iron is nonheme iron. You will find iron in Chicken liver, Oysters, Beef, Clams, cereal, Oatmeal, and Soybeans.
Pregnancy increase the need for iron
Nutrient requirements increase during pregnancy to support fetal growth and maternal health. Iron requirements of pregnant women are approximately double that of non-pregnant women because of increased blood volume during pregnancy, increased needs of the fetus, and blood losses that occur during delivery. If iron intake does not meet increased requirements, iron deficiency anemia can occur. Iron deficiency anemia of pregnancy is responsible for significant morbidity, such as premature deliveries and giving birth to infants with low birth weight.
Iron supplements
Iron supplementation is indicated when diet alone cannot restore deficient iron levels to normal within an acceptable timeframe. Supplements are especially important when an individual is experiencing clinical symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. The goals of providing oral iron supplements are to supply sufficient iron to restore normal storage levels of iron and to replenish hemoglobin deficits.
A vaccine against swine flu will be fast-tracked for use in Britain in just five days, with 130 million doses on order.
The Department of Health expects to have enough vaccine to give it to half the population this year and, should enough people want it, vaccinations for the remainder over a longer period. Each person will need two doses of the vaccine.
The first doses specific to the H1N1 swine flu virus are set to arrive in September and could be prioritised through regulatory approval in less than a week.
It comes after the first British patient without underlying health problems died after contracting swine flu, taking the number of swine flu-linked deaths in the UK to 15.
Peter Holden, the British Medical Association’s lead negotiator on swine flu, who has been attending Department of Health meetings on the outbreak, said GPs’ surgeries were prepared for one of the biggest winter vaccination campaigns in almost 50 years.
He said that, although swine flu was not in the main causing serious illness in patients, health officials were eager to start a mass vaccination campaign, starting first on priority groups who were susceptible to infection or prone to complications.
It is likely the elderly would be given a seasonal flu jab to guard against other circulating flu strains – as happens every year – as well as the swine flu vaccination, Dr Holden said. The new vaccine is likely to be given in two doses, but could be left as a single jab if this is found to provide high rates of immunity.
“The high-risk groups will be done at GPs’ surgeries. People are still making decisions over this, but we want to get cracking before we get a second wave, which is traditionally far more virulent.”
Britain also has a stockpile of 500 million doses of Tamiflu (ostelamivir), the anti-viral drug used to treat flu symptoms. But a vaccine would provide a preventative measure against illness and would be used to ease pressure on the health service and the wider economy if “several million” people become ill as expected at the height of a pandemic.
It takes several weeks or months to make flu vaccines as they have to be cultured using chicken eggs.
Regulators at the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) said the fast-tracked procedure has involved clinical trials of a “mock-up” vaccine similar to the one that will be used for the biggest mass vaccination programme in generations. It will be introduced into the general population while regulators continue to carry out simultaneous clinical trials.
The EMEA said fast-tracking would not be at the expense of patient safety, adding: “The vaccines are authorised with a detailed risk management plan. There is quite a body of evidence regarding safety on the trials of the mock-up, and the actual vaccine could be assessed in five days.”
The Department of Health said that a vaccination programme would be drawn up based on expert advice.
Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.
One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the risks of being overweight or obese.
Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds:
Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.
The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and supplement or pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary.
It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time.
Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:
1. Do not starve your self.
The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.
You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday.
If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge sandwich in one day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i.e. highs, buttocks, hips).
2. Start your day right.
Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism.
Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day long.
3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently.
Five small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.
4. Decide on how much weight you want to lose.
Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life.
Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules.
5. Drink lots of water.
Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy.
6. Avoid too much sugar.
Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean meat and protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be once-in-a-while indulgences only.
7. Watch your fat intake.
Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level.
There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts and canola oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good for the heart.
8. Exercise.
Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or skate. Use these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities.
It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.
Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break then try to lose the next 5 pounds.
Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your health, which would result to a new, healthier you.
Krill are shrimp-like crustaceans that account for the world’s largest single-species animal biomass. A Canadian company, Neptune Technologies, has the patent for the extraction of oil from krill. Like fish oil,
krill oil is a rich source of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but there is a major difference between fish oil and
krill oil: in fish oil, DHA and EPA are present in triglycerides, whereas in
krill oil they are present in phospholipids. So what? Well, the fact is that phospholipids are what cell membranes are made of. This means that the super-beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in
krill oil are more easily absorbed – VERY easily absorbed, in fact: some research has shown that
krill oil supplements can have positive effects on the brain within TWO HOURS of being taken!
Krill oil: health benefits, supplements and research
Krill oil has several health benefits. Ingesting EPA and DHA in phospholipids instead of triglycerides allows the body to absorb them more efficiently and easily. So supplementing your diet with
krill oil results in the more efficient uptake of DHA and EPA.
Krill oil also reduces the risk of heart attacks: it keeps cholesterol at healthy levels, reduces bad cholesterol, and has anti-inflammatory properties that are very beneficial for your cardiovascular system.
Another benefit of
krill oil is that it is extremely rich in antioxidants – chemicals that mop up free radicals. (Free radicals damage DNA and other biological molecules in cells. They cause ageing, cancer and other problems.) Specifically, the EPA part of the phospholipids in
krill oil has an antioxidant known as astaxanthin attached to it. All in all, the antioxidant properties of
krill oil are over 40 times as powerful as those of fish oil. Astaxanthin protects your skin against the harmful effects of UV rays, among other things.
A number of research studies have shown
krill oil to have even greater beneficial effects than fish oil on depression and other mood and personality disorders. In some cases, in experiments comparing fish oil and
krill oil, only
krill oil had beneficial effects on brain function and depression. Scientists* think this might be due to one or both of the following factors:
(1)
krill oil contains a greater proportion of EPA than fish oil, and EPA seems to be the crucial omega-3 fatty acid in brain health – more so than DHA;
(2) as mentioned above, in
krill oil, DHA and EPA occur in phospholipids, not triglycerides, and this makes it much easier for the body to incorporate them into cell membranes.
Other studies have shown
krill oil to have benefits on adult ADHD, pre-menstrual tension (PMS) and dysmenorrhea.
————————- * Sampalis F., Bunea R., Pelland MF., Kowalski O., Duguet N., Dupuis S. Evaluation of the effects of Neptune
Krill Oil on the management of premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea. Altern. Med. Rev. 2003, 8:171-179.
Krill oil vs Fish oil
1.
Krill oil supplies omega-3-unsaturated fatty acids that are much more bioavailable than those in fish oil. This means that
krill oil has much bigger benefits on depression, OCD and other brain disorders.2.
Krill oil contains the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin. Fish oil does not.
3. Fish oil easily goes rancid.
Krill oil does not.
4.
Krill oil contains proportionately more EPA (eicosapentaeneoic acid) than fish oil – this is why it has a stronger effect on depression and other mood disorders.
5.
Krill oil is a little more expensive that fish oil, but unquestionably worth it.
YOU should take krill oil supplements – stay young, live longer!
So it’s pretty simple: you should take
krill oil because it will make you live longer and age more slowly. It also makes you smarter and improves your mood.
