Question1. Is omega 3 good for someone with diabetes in the family, but not diagnosed? 680 mg being taken.
2. I bought Vital Basics Omega 3 Factor, and I ordered on automatic sale. However, now I see that there have been many complaints about the billing and the false advertising that co. has done (claiming omega 3 will prevent cardiac occurences). This makes me think I should be concerned about the co! Although, there is a check mark on the bottle which (I looked up and don't have the bottle here) meant some kind of check that it doesn't have mercury, lead, contaminents. Do you think I should not deal with them because of the lawsuits mentioned?
Thanks so very much!
AnswerHi Lauren,
The health benefits of omega-3s in diabetes is a current area of research, but studies so far have produced mixed results (some show benefits, others do not).
The following are some of the more well established benefits of omega-3 fats (this information is summarized from WholeHealthMD.com):
Improve heart health. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to play a part in keeping cholesterol levels low, stabilizing irregular heart beat (arrhythmia), and reducing blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids are also natural blood thinners, reducing the "stickiness" of blood cells (called platelet aggregation), which can lead to such complications as blood clots and stroke.
Reduce Hypertension. Studies of large groups of people have found that the more omega-3 fatty acids people consume, the lower their overall blood pressure level is.
Improve rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Raynaud's disease, and other autoimmune diseases. Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids (such as fish oils) have been shown to increase survival in people with autoimmune diseases. This is probably because the omega-3s help the arteries--as well as many other parts of the body--stay Inflammation free.
In numerous studies over the years, participants with inflammatory diseases have reported less joint stiffness, swelling, tenderness, and overall fatigue when taking omega-3s.
In 1998, an exciting review of well-designed, randomized clinical trials reported that omega-3 fatty acids were more successful than a Placebo ("dummy drug") in improving the condition of people with rheumatoid arthritis. The research also showed that getting more omega-3 fatty acids enabled some participants to reduce their use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Improve depression and symptoms of other mental health problems. The brain is remarkably fatty: In fact, this organ is 60% fat and needs omega-3s to function properly. Now researchers have discovered a link between mood disorders and the presence of low concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in the body.
Apparently, omega-3s help regulate mental health problems because they enhance the ability of brain-cell receptors to comprehend mood-related signals from other neurons in the brain. In other words, the omega-3s are believed to help keep the brain's entire traffic pattern of thoughts, reactions, and reflexes running smoothly and efficiently.
Aid cancer prevention and cancer support. Preliminary research from the University of California, Los Angeles, suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may help maintain healthy breast tissue and prevent breast cancer. Also, in a recent study, participants who supplemented their diet with fish oils produced fewer quantities of a Carcinogen associated with colon cancer than did a placebo group. More research into this exciting use for omega-3s is underway.
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Regardless of risk for diabetes, it is important for everyone to make sure they get adequate omega-3 fatty acids to promote optimal health. The recommended Adequate Intake for omega-3s is 1.1 grams per day for women. You can easily get this amount through careful food choices (either foods naturally rich in omega-3s, or foods fortified with omega-3s, like eggs, bread, cereals, etc).
Whether you want to deal with a certain company or not due to questionable ethics/legal issues, etc is entirely your decision. What I do recommend is to check out any supplements you are considering taking on ConsumerLab.com. This is an unbiased testing facility that publishes reports on a wide variety of supplements and whether they contain contaminants, the proper amount of the active ingredients, etc.
Hope that helps!
Karen
www.getfitwithkaren.com
