Fishy Business

Tilapia may not be the best way to bump up your intake of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A new study from the Journal of the American Diabetic Association shows that the increased popular farm-raised fish may be short on omega-3s but rich in omega-6s (a type of fatty acid that could trigger inflammation when consumed in excess).

There's no need to shun tilapia altogether, notes Laurie Tansman, R.D., a nutritionist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "When it comes to omega-3s and omega-6s, you need to look at the ratio of what you're getting in your whole diet, not just from one food," she explains. (Red meat and refined vegetable oils, such as corn, sunflower, and soybean, also contain omega-6s.) To fill up on omega-3s, Tansman recommends eating at least 8 ounces of fatty fish such as salmon, herring, trout, and mackerel per week.

Holy Mackerel!

Research identifies fatty fish oil’s many health benefits.


(December 26, 2008, Canton, GA). It’s no fish story that those who include seafood as a staple in their diet benefit from the ingestion of high levels of omega-3 fatty acids — known to reduce the risks for heart-related diseases, age-related cognitive decline, abnormal brain development and functioning, even obesity and mood disorders. Now, new studies have shown that it is the oil from fatty fish (salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel) that may offer the most health benefits.

During the course of a 10-year study conducted in Sweden, it was established that the consumption of fatty fish oils might inhibit a commonly found receptor for kidney cancers in women, the Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC), which triggers more than 80% of kidney cancers. Consistent long-term intake of fatty fish oil reduced the RCC risk by up to 74% in the Swedish women tracked for the report. At the same time, the intake of fatty fish oils triggered an increase in the level of serum vitamin D in these women. Low levels of vitamin D are believed to trigger the development and progression of RCC.

“You might say that fatty fish oil is phat!” said a smiling Dr. Mike Headlee when contacted about the study. “Even lean fish — although to a lesser extent — provide similar health benefits,” the doctor continued. Headlee, whose chiropractic office is located in Canton, GA, follows developments in chiropractic science closely.



“Consuming fish oil or eating raw, baked or broiled fish — not fried — can also
protect your heart’s electrical system by decreasing the risk of fatal heart-rhythm disorders,“ noted Headlee. “Omega-3 fats have been found to benefit a healthy heart rhythm,” he added.

In addition, according to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, fish oil consumption by the elderly prevented a decline in heart rate variability that was caused by same-day exposure to indoor airborne pollutants (which can trigger arrhythmia and sudden death.)

This study also found that a diet including fish at least once a week has other significant health benefits for the elderly. These finds included a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease as well as a 10% slower rate of annual age-related cognitive decline (and a 13% slower rate decline when fish was consumed more than once a week). In addition, seafood and by products decreased incidences of strokes because high levels of omega-3 fatty acids (especially DHA or docosahexaenoic acid) are crucial for normal brain functioning.

There’s even more to this school of thought.

“ Several epidemiological studies find a correlation between omega-3 fatty acids intake and mood disorders like depression — which are affected by an omega-3 fatty acids deficit. In addition, people suffering from coronary artery disease may benefit from omega-3 fatty acids as well since there is an established link between the disease and depression,” stated Headlee.


“An increased omega-3 intake, even through supplementation, may have therapeutic benefits,” he declared.

Fishing for compliments about a reduce waistline?

A study conducted by the University of South Australia noted that daily omega-3 fatty acids intake — when combined with exercise — can aid in weight loss because fatty acids increase blood flow to the muscles during exercise and thereby assist in fat burning.

“The studies are overwhelming. Will people change their dietary habits due to the promise this research shows? It’s certainly food for thought,” concluded Doe.


Editor’s Note:
Those seeking additional information regarding this study may contact Dr. Mike Headlee directly at 206 Sawtooth Ct, Canton, GA, 30114, telephone (770) 720-6813.

Reference Material:
Alicja Wolk, Susanna C. Larsson, Jan-Erik Johansson, and Peter Ekman: Long-term Fatty Fish Consumption and Renal Cell Carcinoma Incidence in Women, JAMA, September 20, 2006, Vol. 296, No. 11

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 12, 2006.

Fish Oil Prevents Potentially Deadly Heart Rate Variability, Science Daily, December 2005.


Fish Consumption May Be Linked to Reduced Cognitive Decline, Medscape, Oct. 11, 2005.

Gordon Parker, Neville A. Gibson, Heather Brotchie, Gabriella Heruc, Anne-Marie Rees and Dusan Hadzi-Pavlovic: Omega-3-Fatty Acids and Mood Disorders, The American Journal of Psychiatry, June 2006.

Reuters, Australian Study Finds Fish Oil Helps Weight Loss, July 28, 2006.

(Edited and re-written by Tekla Szymanski)

7 Fish Oil Benefits

1. Less Pain and Inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body's inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cystitis and anything else ending in "itis."
2. Cardiovascular Health. Omega 3 fatty acids have also been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This adds years to your life expectancy.
3. Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack. When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what's known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.
4. Better Brain Function and Higher Intelligence. Pregnant and nursing mothers can have a great impact on the intelligence and happiness of their babies by supplementing with fish oil. For adults, omega 3 improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus. You'll swear you're getting younger and smarter.
5. Less Depression and Psychosis. Making you smarter is not all omega 3 does for your brain. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield, along with many other research studies, found that omega 3 fish oil supplements "alleviate" the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis (Journal of Affective Disorder Vol. 48(2-3);149-55).
6. Lower Incidence of Childhood Disorders. Just to show how fish oil fatty acids leave nobody out, studies show that children (and adults) with ADD and ADHD experience a greatly improved quality of life. And those with dyslexia, dyspraxia and compulsive disorders have gotten a new lease on life thanks to omega 3 oils.
7. Reduction of Breast, Colon and Prostate Cancer. And finally, omega 3 fish oil has been shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon and prostate. Science tells us that omega 3s accomplish this in three ways. They stop the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and causing apoptosis, or cellular death, of cancer cells.