Flaxseed Oil and Fish Oil
Values of the Omega-3 Family
One of the hottest issues among healthconscious
consumers and healthcare
professionals concerns the benefits of
flaxseed oil and fish oil in modern human
nutrition. Our human tendency to fall into the habit of thinking
in terms “either/or,” rather than “both/and,” causes us to miss the
value that two related but distinct nutritional products can bring into
our lives. So it is with fish and flax oil. Both flaxseed oil and fish
oil have their appropriate places in health maintenance and disease
intervention. Let’s discuss some of the factors that distinguish these
two important tools in natural medicine and wellness.
The need for supplemental Omega-3 Fatty Acids
 The kinds of foods Americans
typically eat are heavily laden
with fatty acids of the omega-6
family. The sources of omega-6
fats are the common vegetable oils
(corn, sunflower, safflower, etc.) used
in cooking, hydrogenated versions of these
oils used to make margarine and vegetable shortening, and animal
foods from livestock raised on grain, rather than green vegetation.
The volume of these omega-6 sources in the average diet completely
overwhelms the volume of sources of omega-3 fatty acids – green
vegetables, wild ocean fish, flaxseed, walnuts, and animals raised
on green vegetation. As a result, Americans typically have in their
tissues omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in ratios of 10:1 to 20:1.
With this kind of staggering preponderance of omega-6s, there is
no wonder why people suffer from the consequences of omega-6
excess, including chronic inflammation, hypertension, and blood
clotting tendency that elevates risk for heart attack and stroke.
What’s the difference between flaxseed and fish oils?
Consider the following comparison of constituents:
ALA, the parent compound of the omega-3 family, is found
naturally in the chloroplasts (chlorophyll-containing structures)
of the cells of phytoplankton in the ocean and the green leaves
of plants on land. When herbivores (plant-eating fish and land
animals) consume these plants, some ALA, the mother compound,
is converted by tissue enzymes into the daughter compound EPA
and the granddaughter compound DHA. Each of the members of
the omega-3 family—ALA, EPA, and DHA—has its own valuable
role to play in human nutrition.
The human body also has enzymes that can convert ALA into both
EPA and DHA. One often-cited drawback of flaxseed oil, however,
is that conversion in the human body is slow and inefficient. Recent
research is dispelling this misconception. For example, women of
reproductive age convert 21% of ALA into EPA and 9% of ALA
into DHA. This means that, from one tablespoon of flaxseed oil,
containing 6600 to 7700 mg of ALA, the conversion enzymes will
produce 1386 mg to 1617 mg of EPA and 594 mg to 693 mg of
DHA. These quantities, from just one tablespoon of flaxseed oil,
are well above the recommended dosages for EPA and DHA for
general health maintenance.
In addition, there is little mention of the fact that the efficiency of
conversion can be reduced due to controllable factors that interfere
with the activity of enzymes involved in the conversion:
- High intake of omega-6 fats that interfere with the
conversion of ALA.
- Significant alcohol intake.
- Deficiency of nutritional enzyme co-factors: vitamins B3,
B6, and C; minerals zinc and magnesium.
- Trans-fatty acids from fried foods and hydrogenated oils.
By controlling these interfering factors, we can optimize the
natural conversion of ALA into its daughter omega-3 fatty acids.
Must ALA Be converted to EPA and DHA to be of value?
 The answer is “not necessarily.” In a number of studies
of breast cancer risk, the higher
the concentration of ALA in
breast tissue, the lower the
risk of manifesting breast
cancer. And the lower the
ALA concentration in breast
tissue, the higher the risk of
breast cancer. Moreover, if
breast cancer arises, the higher
the breast tissue concentration of
ALA, the lower the risk of cancer
metastasis to other parts of the body.
Are flaxseed and fish oils equally safe?
Here we find a major controversial difference between flax
and fish oils. Consider the following:
Organic flaxseed oil is made by simply squeezing the oil out of
organic seeds. Fish oil is made by separating the oil from the fish
and then cleansing and deodorizing the extracted oil. Thus, fish
oil is a much more processed product than flax oil. In addition,
fish oil sources suffer from the presence of ocean water pollutants.
Batch testing by competent laboratories is critical to protection of
consumers. Although all companies claim good manufacturing
practices, some fail to test all batches of raw materials or use labs
qualified to test accurately. The consequences of these shortcomings
were demonstrated in a recent Irish study revealing that many fish
oil products analyzed had 3 to 5 times the dioxin levels allowed by
the European Union.
How well does flaxseed ALA work compared to fish oil EPA
and DHA?
This question goes to the heart of the issue of the judicious design
of healing protocols for specific ailments. The answer depends on
the health problem being addressed. In addition, we must be mindful
that it takes a considerable amount of time for the normal turnover
of cell membrane fatty acids to allow the seating of sufficient
amounts of omega-3s to provide a palpable difference in signs
and symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids provide long-term support for
chronic conditions, not rapid symptom relief. Patience is required,
sometimes up to 3 to 6 months, with reduced omega-6 intake, to see
the full potential of any omega-3 nutritional source.
ALA and EPA/DHA have demonstrated the ability to be of
dramatic benefit for cardiovascular risk (including high blood fats,
high blood pressure, and risk for heart attack and stroke), mood
disorders (depression), attention deficit, inflammatory conditions,
diabetes, and a host of other complaints. In fact, the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) now allows manufacturers of
products containing ALA, EPA, and DHA to make claims relative
to protection against cardiovascular disease due to the overwhelming
evidence that the entire omega-3 family is beneficial. Substituting
measured amounts of flaxseed oil for measured amounts of olive
and corn oils can produce effects virtually equivalent to those of fish
oil in terms of favorably reducing synthesis of blood flow-impairing
local hormones made from omega-6 fatty acids.
For a pregnant woman or nursing mother, it may be prudent to
use fish oil (free from detectable contaminants) as a supplement, in
addition to flaxseed oil as a food ingredient, to ensure ideal structural
development of tissues in the brain and retina of the fetus and nursing
infant. If there is an indication of major enzymatic dysfunction and
malabsorption, such as in inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s
disease or ulcerative colitis), use fish oil as a supplement, in addition
to flaxseed oil in cooking, until the person’s health state improves
and is stabilized. Yet, for many health issues, flax oil and fish oil can
provide comparable benefits. Some studies indicate that flax ALA
can resolve certain problems that fish oil cannot -- for example in
the area of male infertility and sperm cell viability.
How do flaxseed oil and fish oil compare relative to cost?
Flaxseed oil provides a significant cost saving compared to fish
oil. The purification and testing of fish oil, extracted from an already
expensive source (wild ocean fish), elevates the cost of production,
which must be passed on to consumers.
Which one is easier to incorporate into our modern busy
lifestyles?
The answer to this question depends on your lifestyle. Both
oils are available in capsules. Of course, encapsulation is an
additional processing step that costs money, increasing the retail
cost to the consumer. Liquid flaxseed oil and fish oil are available
in pleasantly flavored versions. But flax oil has the advantage of
being more easily included as an ingredient in recipes for delicious
food preparations. (Consult the book The Healing Power of Flax
by Herb Joiner-Bey, ND, published by Freedom Press, sponsored
by Barlean’s Organic Oils, and available at health food stores and
book retailers nationwide.)
A valued place for flax and fish
Both flaxseed oil and fish oil have highly valued places in the vast
treasure chest of health-sustaining natural products. Prefer lignanrich,
unprocessed, unfiltered, organic flaxseed oil and laboratory bioassayed
fish oil. Consumers are advised to consult their respective
healthcare professionals before making any changes to their dietary
or supplement regimens.
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