Re: Flax Seed Vs Fish Oil

From: Jan (shantigiri_at_luukku.com)
Date: 08/11/04 

Date: 10 Aug 2004 23:05:47 -0700

"Yukon" <wallswall@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<8ZURc.19058$Jp6.15538@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net>...
> What is the difference between flax seed oil and fish oil supplements? Which
> one should I be taking or is it okay to take both? I currently have been
> taking 1000mg of flax seed a day. Is it better to take the supplements in
> capsules or the oil form?
> Thanks
> Donna

Basicly healthy individuals can get their omega-3 acids from either
source. But if you have any serious health condition or you are old,
you can not count that the enzymatic process which is required to
transform some of the alpha-linolenic acid of flax to EPA and DHA
works properly. So, for young people that are basicly healthy flax
seed is OK.

For males I would suggest taking fish oils because their is some
evidence that taking alpha-linolec acid can increes your prostate
cancer risk (look below).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15051847

It is very important that the flax seed oil is fresh and kept in cool
because it becomes rancid very quickly. It might also be a good idea
to add some vitamin E from a capsule to it when you open a new bottle.
It prevents some of the oxidation.

Jan