The traditional diet of Greece and cancer.

[R.B.]

THIS THREAD IS PRIMARILY ABOUT THE THE EVIDENCE THAT EXCESS OMEGA 6 AND LACK OF OMEGA 3S SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER.

(I apologise for the "shout" but I think this is something worth shouting about - figures as high as a 70% for reduction in BC risk deserve a hearing)

WE NEED 1/2-2% OF CALORIES AS OMEGA 6 1-4 GRAMS FOR A 2000 CALORIE DIET WE EAT 8-13% OF CALORIES.

WE ARE SERIOUSLY OVERLOADING ON OMEGA 6.

THE BIGGEST CULPRIT OF EXCESS OMEGA 6 ARE HIGH OMEGA SIX VEGETABLE OILS,WHICH ARE MOST OF THE COMMON ONES FOUND THROUGHOUT THE FOOD CHAIN.

WE FEED LIVESTOCK ON GRAIN WHICH DISTORTS THEIR OMEGA 3/6 BALANCE BY A FACTOR AS HIGH AS 10 TIMES, AND THAT INCLUDES THEIR PRODUCTS EGGS, AND DAIRY. GRAIN FEEDING ALSO REDUCES ANTIOXIDANTS AND SOME VITAMINS eg K.

WE HAVE DEPLETED THE MINERAL CONTENT OF LIVESTOCK AND VEGETABLES OF MINERALS BY BETWEEN 20% AND 70% IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. http://www.mineralresourcesint.co.uk..._1940_2002.pdf

WE ARE AGAIN SEEING IODINE DEFICIENCIES IN SIGNIFICANT PARTS OF WESTERN POPULATIONS (EG AUSTRALIA 2005).
IODINE HAS A SPECIAL ROLE IN THE BREAST, AND DEFICIENCY MAY HAVE A ROLE IN BREAST CANCER.
EXCELLENT VIDEO http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=37340
USEFUL PAPER http://www.articlearchives.com/medic...2297945-1.html Iodine and iodide: functions and benefits beyond the thyroid.
By: Rheault, Shana,Olmstead, Stephen,Ralston, Janet,Meiss, Dennis
EXCELLENT SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON IODINE - http://www.iodine4health.com/index.htm

VITAMIN D PLAYS A ROLE IN CANCER PREVENTION. VITAMIN D DEFICIENCIES ARE INCREASING DUE TO LACK OF MODEST SUN EXPOSURE. FACTOR 15 SUNCREAMS BLOCK 90% OF UVB. UVB IS NEEDED TO MAKE VITAMIN D.
EXCELLENT VIDEOS ON VITAMIN D. http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=37448 and another on melanoma, sunscreen, ozone etc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeXtG...layer_embedded and one on the risk of cancer including BC with reductions of risk of up to 80% http://www.uctv.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=15767 .
(Caucasians who have not seen the sun for a while can make up to 50,000 IU of vitamin D in half an hour of full body exposure to sunshine, which suggests to me we were intended to get more than a few hundred units a day.)


AND THIS WILL MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT BEING TOO LIBERAL WITH THE SUNSCREEN
The Chemical Sunscreen Health Disaster http://www.skinbiology.com/toxicsunscreens.html

WE REMOVE OMEGA3S FROM THE FOOD CHAIN BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KEEP.

WE DO NOT EAT ENOUGH LONG CHAIN OMEGA 3. LONG CHAIN OMEGAS 3S ARE FOUND PRIMARILY IN OILY FISH. FISH AND SHELLFISH ARE ALSO GOOD SOURCES OF MINERALS AND IODINE.



I will try and revisit this thread for the first time since I wrote it in the next few days and amend it where my knowledge has moved on. I am removing the numerous appalling spelling errors with the assistance of an online spell checker. I am definitely a little word blind I think, as it is only with the spell checker that the errors stand out, or maybe it is the way I read - anyway my sincere apologies I had no idea there were so many spelling errors.

I have recently (2008) found I had a large jaw abscess which has now been removed. A capped tooth had died and caused an asymptomatic abscess. It must have been there some time, several years I would guess.They found the tooth abscess but not the jaw abscess about a year ago. I had complained about discharges and bad tastes, periodic worries about bad breath to doctors and dentists, but nobody had suggested a jaw abscess, or asked if it had ever been suggested that filling/caps were close to tooth nerves etc. It turns out the abscess had been leeching into the sinuses, which may explain a slightly fuzzy brain, anxiety etc . . . Fuzzy brain may have contributed to the above. It is minor compared with what you all go through, but does emphasise the importance of dental health. I have just had a CT scan, as I am not certain they have yet got all the infection. Update - the CT scan disclosed more infection where I said I believed it was; all of which has taken more than a year. Two further infections, one of which had resulted in a significant area of infected jaw bone, were found (late 2009), and both related to root filled teeth; a subject on their own. In summary all three of my root filled teeth had resulted in bone infection in the jaw.

[Since I started this thread I have written a book (2008) on Omega 6 and 3. It looks at a wide range of health issues including mental health. It only has a short section on breast cancer. It will be updated fairly soon with a simple summary and how to section.

It is called Omega Six The Devils Fat because EXCESS Omega six as well as having huge health implications arguably promotes societal changes in behaviour in the "Seven deadly sins" (extravagance later lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride - wikipedia). Fish (a source of Omega 3 and minerals) has been promoted in many cultures for 1000s of years. Those following Christian teachings would have eaten fish about 180 day a year. All of which is dealt with in less than a page.

Omega 6 arguably controls our ability to breed and links that ability to the fertility of the environment. Excess Omega 6 and lack of Omega 3, combined with a lack of vitamin D minerals and iodine, is arguably one of the greatest threats to human survival because all these nutrients are essential to brain function, and because excess Omega 6 subtly alters our behaviour towards more male characteristics, including, aggression, impulsiveness, and acquisitiveness as in territoriality, which are all seen in the breeding behaviour of male animals.

These nutrients are equally essential to wider health.

The book is a serious work with over 900 references

www.Omegasixthedevilsfat.com

RB

[added 26th Feb 2010]




More on food fats omega three and six.


RB



ABSTRACT

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

1: Eur J Cancer Prev. 2004 Jun;13(3):219-30. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
The traditional diet of Greece and cancer.

Simopoulos AP.

The Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, 2001 S Street, N.W., Suite 530, Washington, DC 20009, USA. cgnh@bellatlantic.net

The term 'Mediterranean diet', implying that all Mediterranean people have the same diet, is a misnomer. The countries around the Mediterranean basin have different diets, religions and cultures. Their diets differ in the amount of total fat, olive oil, type of meat, wine, milk, cheese, fruits and vegetables; and the rates of coronary heart disease and cancer, with the lower death rates and longer life expectancy occurring in Greece. The diet of Crete represents the traditional diet of Greece prior to 1960. Analyses of the dietary pattern of the diet of Crete shows a number of protective substances, such as selenium, glutathione, a balanced ratio of n-6/n-3 essential fatty acids (EFA), high amounts of fibre, antioxidants (especially resveratrol from wine and polyphenols from olive oil), vitamins E and C, some of which have been shown to be associated with lower risk of cancer, including cancer of the breast. Epidemiological studies and animal experiments indicate that n-3 fatty acids exert protective effects against some common cancers, especially cancers of the breast, colon and prostate. Many mechanisms are involved, including suppression of neoplastic transformation, cell growth inhibition, and enhanced apoptosis and anti-angiogenicity, through the inhibition of eicosanoid production from n-6 fatty acids; and suppression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), interleukin 1 (IL-1) and IL-6 gene expression by n-3 fatty acids. Recent intervention studies in breast cancer patients indicate that n-3 fatty acids, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in particular, increase the response to chemopreventive agents. In patients with colorectal cancer, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA decrease cell proliferation, and modulate favourably the balance between colonic cell proliferation and apoptosis. These findings should serve as a strong incentive for the initiation of intervention trials that will test the effect of specific dietary patterns in the prevention and management of patients with cancer.

Publication Types:More on food fats omega three and six.

[R.B.]

A related article


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_DocSum


1: Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 1999 May-Jun;60(5-6):421-9. Related Articles, Links

Evolutionary aspects of omega-3 fatty acids in the food supply.

Simopoulos AP.

The Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Lcgnh@bellatlantic.net

Information from archaeological findings and studies from modern day hunter-gatherers suggest that the Paleolithic diet is the diet we evolved on and for which our genetic profile was programmed. The Paleolithic diet is characterized by lower fat and lower saturated fat intake than Western diets; a balanced intake of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids; small amounts of trans fatty acids, contributing less than 2% of dietary energy; more green leafy vegetables and fruits providing higher levels of vitamin E and vitamin C and other antioxidants than today's diet and higher amounts of calcium and potassium but lower sodium intake. Studies on the traditional Greek diet (diet of Crete) indicate an omega-6/omega-3 ratio of about 1/1. The importance of a balanced ratio of omega-6mega-3, a lower saturated fatty acid and lower total fat intake (30-33%), along with higher intakes of fruits and vegetables leading to increases in vitamin E and C, was tested in the Lyon Heart study. The Lyon study, based on a modified diet of Crete, confirmed the importance of omega-3 fatty acids from marine and terrestrial sources, and vitamin E and vitamin C, in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease, and cancer mortality.

Publication Types:

* Review


PMID: 10471132 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[R.B.]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum



A related article same author

1: Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Oct;56(8):365-79. Related Articles, Links

The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Simopoulos AP.

The Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, Washington, DC 20009, USA. cgnh@bellatlantic.net

Several sources of information suggest that human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of approximately 1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is 15/1-16.7/1. Western diets are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and have excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids compared with the diet on which human beings evolved and their genetic patterns were established. Excessive amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today's Western diets, promote the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, whereas increased levels of omega-3 PUFA (a low omega-6/omega-3 ratio) exert suppressive effects. In the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, a ratio of 4/1 was associated with a 70% decrease in total mortality. A ratio of 2.5/1 reduced rectal cell proliferation in patients with colorectal cancer, whereas a ratio of 4/1 with the same amount of omega-3 PUFA had no effect. The lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio in women with breast cancer was associated with decreased risk. A ratio of 2-3/1 suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a ratio of 5/1 had a beneficial effect on patients with asthma, whereas a ratio of 10/1 had adverse consequences. These studies indicate that the optimal ratio may vary with the disease under consideration. This is consistent with the fact that chronic diseases are multigenic and multifactorial. Therefore, it is quite possible that the therapeutic dose of omega-3 fatty acids will depend on the degree of severity of disease resulting from the genetic predisposition. A lower ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids is more desirable in reducing the risk of many of the chronic diseases of high prevalence in Western societies, as well as in the developing countries, that are being exported to the rest of the world.

Publication Types:

* Review


PMID: 12442909 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[R.B.]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum


1: Poult Sci. 2000 Jul;79(7):961-70. Related Articles, Links

Human requirement for N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Simopoulos AP.

The Center for Genetics Nutrition and Health, Washington, DC 20009, USA. cgnh@bellatlantic.net

The diet of our ancestors was less dense in calories, being higher in fiber, rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meat, and fish. As a result, the diet was lower in total fat and saturated fat, but contained equal amounts of n-6 and n-3 essential fatty acids. Linoleic acid (LA) is the major n-6 fatty acid, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the major n-3 fatty acid. In the body, LA is metabolized to arachidonic acid (AA), and ALA is metabolized to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The ratio of n-6 to n-3 essential fatty acids was 1 to 2:1 with higher levels of the longer-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as EPA, DHA, and AA, than today's diet. Today this ratio is about 10 to 1:20 to 25 to 1, indicating that Western diets are deficient in n-3 fatty acids compared with the diet on which humans evolved and their genetic patterns were established. The n-3 and n-6 EPA are not interconvertible in the human body and are important components of practically all cell membranes. The N-6 and n-3 fatty acids influence eicosanoid metabolism, gene expression, and intercellular cell-to-cell communication. The PUFA composition of cell membranes is, to a great extent, dependent on dietary intake. Therefore, appropriate amounts of dietary n-6 and n-3 fatty acids need to be considered in making dietary recommendations. These two classes of PUFA should be distinguished because they are metabolically and functionally distinct and have opposing physiological functions; their balance is important for homeostasis and normal development. Studies with nonhuman primates and human newborns indicate that DHA is essential for the normal functional development of the retina and brain, particularly in premature infants. A balanced n-6/n-3 ratio in the diet is essential for normal growth and development and should lead to decreases in cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases and improve mental health. Although a recommended dietary allowance for essential fatty acids does not exist, an adequate intake (AI) has been estimated for n-6 and n-3 essential fatty acids by an international scientific working group. For Western societies, it will be necessary to decrease the intake of n-6 fatty acids and increase the intake of n-3 fatty acids. The food industry is already taking steps to return n-3 essential fatty acids to the food supply by enriching various foods with n-3 fatty acids. To obtain the recommended AI, it will be necessary to consider the issues involved in enriching the food supply with n-3 PUFA in terms of dosage, safety, and sources of n-3 fatty acids.

Publication Types:

* Review


PMID: 10901194 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[R.B.]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

1: Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Sep;70(3 Suppl):560S-569S. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Comment in:

* Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):523-4.


Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease.

Simopoulos AP.

Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, Washington, DC 20009 cgnh@bellatlantic.net

Human beings evolved consuming a diet that contained about equal amounts of n-3 and n-6 essential fatty acids. Over the past 100-150 y there has been an enormous increase in the consumption of n-6 fatty acids due to the increased intake of vegetable oils from corn, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, cottonseed, and soybeans. Today, in Western diets, the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids ranges from approximately 20-30:1 instead of the traditional range of 1-2:1. Studies indicate that a high intake of n-6 fatty acids shifts the physiologic state to one that is prothrombotic and proaggregatory, characterized by increases in blood viscosity, vasospasm, and vasoconstriction and decreases in bleeding time. n-3 Fatty acids, however, have antiinflammatory, antithrombotic, antiarrhythmic, hypolipidemic, and vasodilatory properties. These beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids have been shown in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and, in some patients with renal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Most of the studies were carried out with fish oils [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)]. However, alpha-linolenic acid, found in green leafy vegetables, flaxseed, rapeseed, and walnuts, desaturates and elongates in the human body to EPA and DHA and by itself may have beneficial effects in health and in the control of chronic diseases.

Publication Types:

* Review


PMID: 10479232 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[marymary]

This is all Greek to me! What would be most helpful to me is recipies, and foods that are especially beneficial and should be emphasized in my diet.

Currently I go to Farmer's Market as often as possible, at least once and sometimes twice a week. The only problem is that foods there are entirely seasonal. By January it's onions and chard.

Right now I am consuming blueberries like a bear. I ate big bowls of broccoli all winter. Right now it's salad with the following olive oil dressing:

Minced garlic
Salt
Pepper
Curry Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Pinch of ground Cloves
Dash of tabasco
Extra virgin locally grown olive oil
Lemon juice (from the tree in my backyard)
Balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard as an emulsifier

I read on Web MD that olive oil fights HER 2 and also it just tastes so good, although I know it does pack some calories. I try and eat half an avocado daily, fattening, yes, but also a good cancer fighter.

Right now it's salad, salad, salad and my husband eats lunch out daily, yesterday it was a BLT for him!

I am trying to lose a few pounds, stay off the sugar, etc. and I do believe eating fruits & veggies has helped me live as long as I have. That & Herceptin/Arimidex!

Thanks.

Mary

[R.B.]

This post is out on a limb as I have not seen it suggested any where as cancer treatment adjunct but would have grounds for consideration if one takes the stance that the omega three six balance is relevant.

Thought provoking article.

An interesting area for a trial, or consideration by those running out of options.

One for discussion with your onc????

RB

http://www.jimmunol.org/cgi/content/full/171/9/4837

ABSTRACT from full trial write up

"Potential impact of {omega}-3 fatty acids, as contained in fish oil, on immunological function has been suggested because observations of reduced inflammatory diseases in Greenland Inuit were published. A fish oil-based lipid emulsion has recently been approved for parenteral nutrition in many countries. We investigated the influence of a short infusion course of fish oil-based ({omega}-3) vs conventional ({omega}-6) lipid emulsion on monocyte function. In a randomized design, twelve healthy volunteers received {omega}-3 or {omega}-6 lipid infusion for 48 h, with cross-over repetition of the infusion course after 3 mo. Fatty acid profiles, monocyte cytokine release and adhesive monocyte-endothelium interaction were investigated. Resultant {omega}-6 lipid emulsion increased plasma-free fatty acids including arachidonic acid, whereas the {omega}-3/{omega}-6 fatty acid ratio in monocyte membranes remained largely unchanged. It also caused a tendency toward enhanced monocyte proinflammatory cytokine release and adhesive monocyte-endothelium interaction. In contrast, {omega}-3 lipid emulsion significantly increased the {omega}-3/{omega}-6 fatty acid ratio in the plasma-free fatty acid fraction and in monocyte membrane lipid pool, markedly suppressing monocyte generation of TNF-{alpha}, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-8 in response to endotoxin. In addition, it also significantly inhibited both monocyte-endothelium adhesion and transendothelial monocyte migration, although monocyte surface expression of relevant adhesive molecules (CD11b, CD18, CD49 days, CCR2) was unchanged. Although isocaloric, {omega}-3 and {omega}-6 lipid emulsions exert differential impact on immunological processes in humans. In addition to its nutritional value, fish oil-based {omega}-3 lipid emulsion significantly suppresses monocyte proinflammatory cytokine generation and features of monocyte recruitment."

[R.B.]

On the general thread and published in NEJM.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/...e2=tf_ipsecsha

Interesting as to levels of supplementation 18grms fish oil (4tps ? assuming 5grms per tps. approx?)

Effect 61% reduction inflammatory factors.

Dependence on omega three. Supplementation stopped so did effect. Washout 2o weeks which is in ball park of other trials I have read (time was for DHA).

No mention of omega six. From what I have read elsewhere lowish and balancing threes and sixes further enhances effects of omega three.

On omega six intake

To particularly watch for

Concentrated plant reproductive vehicles - seeds and nuts (and their oil etc) generally contain significant amounts of omega six, and not many contain much three

Products of herbivores - the fat offal content etc of living things we eat reflect what they eat. So if chickens cattle etc are fed on grain they will have higher omega six which will be concentrated by them in fat offal eggs etc. It is difficult to be definitive is so is more of a "food for thought" than anything else, combined with noting suggestions that those who eat grass fed meat may be less prone to these inflammatory diseases. A whole subject on its own. http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c20wT.html This is an example for beef, not on the same high level as nuts but still quite a lot of omega six and half as much three, if you are eating a lot of meat. This is a link for chicken liver pan fried. Corn fed? http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c21sJ.html. The omega threes and sixes are totalled at the end of the column which helps.

Farmed fish. - as above they are what they eat - so high grain etc content will push up omega six content - of course better than some alternatives but it is important to be aware of the different fat profiles of grain fed and wild animals - grain fed animals also have lower vitamin D, and plant antioxidant levels in their fat - feeding fish to fish also does not seem a very productive use of a potentially scarce resource, it takes 4-5 tons of wild fish to grow a ton of farmed fish - time to start farming algae etc.


Nut are excellent sources of all sorts of things but that has to be balanced with the omega six factor if that is in your sights. As previously noted a number of dietary books suggest no more than a palmful about a day.

I cant think of any other "very high" (you get quite a lot in a small or very small portion) omega six sources I have come across but there may be others.

But at the end of the day we are all individual and have to make our own choices.

Please do talk to your advisers about significant dietary changes.

RB


Abstract

We examined whether the synthesis of interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor, two cytokines with potent inflammatory activities, is influenced by dietary supplementation with n-3 fatty acids. Nine healthy volunteers added 18 g of fish-oil concentrate per day to their normal Western diet for six weeks. We used a radioimmunoassay to measure interleukin-1 (IL-1 beta and IL-1 alpha) and tumor necrosis factor produced in vitro by stimulated peripheral-blood mononuclear cells. With endotoxin as a stimulus, the synthesis of IL-1 beta was suppressed from 7.4 +/- 0.9 ng per milliliter at base line to 4.2 +/- 0.5 ng per milliliter after six weeks of supplementation (43 percent decrease; P = 0.048). Ten weeks after the end of n-3 supplementation, we observed a further decrease to 2.9 +/- 0.5 ng per milliliter (61 percent decrease; P = 0.005). The production of IL-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor responded in a similar manner. Twenty weeks after the end of supplementation, the production of IL-1 beta, IL-1 alpha, and tumor necrosis factor had returned to the presupplement level. The decreased production of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor was accompanied by a decreased ratio of arachidonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid in the membrane phospholipids of mononuclear cells. We conclude that the synthesis of IL-1 beta, IL-1 alpha, and tumor necrosis factor can be suppressed by dietary supplementation with long-chain n-3 fatty acids. The reported antiinflammatory effect of these n-3 fatty acids may be mediated in part by their inhibitory effect on the production of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor.


Source Information

Department of Medicine, New England Medical Center Hospital, Boston, MA.

[R.B.]

A table of EPA and DHA in fish


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gquery/g...cosapentaenoic


And this is the article it comes from

"Practical Applications of Fish Oil ({Omega}-3 Fatty Acids) in Primary Care
Robert Oh, MD

From the Department of Family Medicine, MCHJ-FP, Madigan Army Medical Center, Ft. Lewis, Washington "

http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/content/full/18/1/28#R4

It is more readable than most and deals with arthritis, heart disease etc.

RB

[R.B.]

If you have questions check the manufacturers web site these trials are general and not specific and buy reputable brands I guess.

These trials below would suggest that as far as mercury etc goes that fish oils are low risk - possibly lower levels than whole fish which is comforting but no reason not to eat the original food source as well.

Little fish in general terms don't live as long and so have lower contaminates.

Big fish shark swordfish are reported as having "higher" levels, so are possibly not the best everyday menu item.

There are also other pollutants eg dioxins etc but the solution is to stop putting them into the environment. They will also be concentrated in land animals etc. However the trial below would suggest that the risks of organochlorines in fish oil are lower that those in fish.

As to species bottom feeders particularly, but other fish as well that come from potentially polluted inland waters or industrial outlet areas to the sea (e.g. Baltic) are reported as containing on average more pollutants.

Many of the heavy metals also have natural sources volcanoes etc but we are adding to them significantly industrial pollution, incineration, fossil fuels, metal production etc. So do amalgam fillings etc - dentists are reported as having higher mercury levels etc. so whilst not good the risk of pollutants has to be kept in perspective in balancing risks and benefits.

So one less thing to worry about may be fish oil.

RB


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

1: Z Ernahrungswiss. 1989 Mar;28(1):76-83. Related Articles, Links

[Contaminating substances in 22 over-the-counter fish oil and cod liver oil preparations: cholesterol, heavy metals and vitamin A]

[Article in German]

Koller H, Luley C, Klein B, Baum H, Biesalski HK.

Institut fur Physiologische Chemie II, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitat, Mainz.

Fish oil capsules are increasingly used by self-medicating patients. We studied 22 commercial fish oil and menhaden oil preparations in respect to accompanying substances that could be harmful. The substances measured were: cholesterol as determined by gas liquid chromatography, heavy metals measured by atomic absorption, and vitamin A as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The contents of cholesterol and heavy metals were in ranges which can be regarded as negligible; the content of vitamin A in menhaden oils, however, was found in amounts which warrant that pregnant women do not exceed the dosage as recommended by the manufacturers.

PMID: 2718527 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum


1: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2003 Dec;127(12):1603-5. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Measurement of mercury levels in concentrated over-the-counter fish oil preparations: is fish oil healthier than fish?

Foran SE, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB.

Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass 02114, USA.

CONTEXT: Fish consumption has been associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have illustrated that the high mercury content in cold-water fish may negate the cardiovascular benefits of fish meals. Fish oils have similar antiatherogenic properties to fish, and similar studies should be performed to determine the level of mercury in fish oils. OBJECTIVE: To determine the concentration of mercury in 5 over-the-counter brands of fish oil. RESULTS: The levels of mercury in the 5 different brands of fish oil ranged from nondetectable (<6 microg/L) to negligible (10-12 microg/L). The mercury content of fish oil was similar to the basal concentration normally found in human blood. CONCLUSIONS: Fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and their consumption is recommended to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. However, fish such as swordfish and shark are also a source of exposure to the heavy metal toxin, mercury. The fish oil brands examined in this manuscript have negligible amounts of mercury and may provide a safer alternative to fish consumption.

PMID: 14632570 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum


1: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005 Jan;129(1):74-7. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Measurement of organochlorines in commercial over-the-counter fish oil preparations: implications for dietary and therapeutic recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids and a review of the literature.

Melanson SF, Lewandrowski EL, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB.

Clinical Laboratories Division, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

CONTEXT: The consumption of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids is advocated by the American Heart Association to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. However, fish contain environmental toxins such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides, which may negate the beneficial cardiovascular effects of fish meals. Toxin levels vary depending on both the fish source and the specific toxin, and neither farm-raised nor wild fish are toxin free. Fish oil supplements also prevent the progression of coronary artery disease and reduce cardiovascular mortality. However, only sparse data exist on the level of toxins in fish oil. In a previous study we showed that the amount of mercury in 5 over-the-counter brands of fish oil was negligible. OBJECTIVE: To determine the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and other organochlorines in 5 over-the-counter preparations of fish oil. DESIGN: The contents of 5 commercial fish oil brands were sent for organochlorine analysis. RESULTS: The levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorines were all below the detectable limit. CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil supplements are more healthful than the consumption of fish high in organochlorines. Fish oils provide the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids without the risk of toxicity. In addition, fish oil supplements have been helpful in a variety of diseases, including bipolar disorder and depression.

PMID: 15628911 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[R.B.]

"Farmed salmon had greater levels of total lipid (average 16.6%) than wild salmon (average 6.4%). The n-3 to n-6 ratio was about 10 in wild salmon and 3-4 in farmed salmon."

IN WILD FISH omega three to six 10:1
IN FARMED FISH omega three to six 3-4:1

as independently reflected on the nutritional data site

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c216F.html

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c216g.html

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c216F.html

So still a good source of omega three but less useful in balancing the threes and sixes.




http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum


1: Environ Sci Technol. 2005 Nov 15;39(22):8622-9. Related Articles, Links

Lipid composition and contaminants in farmed and wild salmon.

Hamilton MC, Hites RA, Schwager SJ, Foran JA, Knuth BA, Carpenter DO.

AXYS Analytical Services, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.

Levels of omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids and lipid-adjusted concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, toxaphene, and dieldrin were determined in 459 farmed Atlantic salmon, 135 wild Pacific salmon, and 144 supermarket farmed Atlantic salmon fillets purchased in 16 cities in North America and Europe. These were the same fish previously used for measurement of organohalogen contaminants. Farmed salmon had greater levels of total lipid (average 16.6%) than wild salmon (average 6.4%). The n-3 to n-6 ratio was about 10 in wild salmon and 3-4 in farmed salmon. The supermarket samples were similar to the farmed salmon from the same region. Lipid-adjusted contaminant levels were significantly higher in farmed Atlantic salmon than those in wild Pacific salmon (F = 7.27, P = 0.0089 for toxaphene; F = 15.39, P = 0.0002 for dioxin; F > or = 21.31, P < 0.0001 for dieldrin and PCBs, with df = (1.64) for all). Levels of total lipid were in the range of 30-40% in the fish oil/fish meal that is fed to farmed salmon. Salmon, especially farmed salmon, are a good source of healthy n-3 fatty acids, but they also contain high concentrations of organochlorine compounds such as PCBs, dioxins, and chlorinated pesticides. The presence of these contaminants may reduce the net health benefits derived from the consumption of farmed salmon, despite the presence of the high level of n-3 fatty acids in these fish.

PMID: 16323755 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[AlaskaAngel]

RB,

My sincere appreciation for this unbiased distinction you provided.

An Alaskan Angel

[R.B.]

The basis of many margarines and used in processed food to varying degrees.

Note potential inflammatory link.

RB


ABSTRACT

"Consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA) predicts higher risk of coronary heart disease, sudden death, and possibly diabetes mellitus. These associations are greater than would be predicted by effects of TFA on serum lipoproteins alone. Systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, acute coronary syndromes, sudden death, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and heart failure. Evidence from both observational and experimental studies indicates that TFA are pro-inflammatory. Limited evidence suggests that pro-inflammatory effects may be stronger for trans isomers of linoleic acid (trans-C18:2) and oleic acid (trans-C18:1),"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_DocSum

1: Atheroscler Suppl. 2006 May;7(2):29-32. Epub 2006 May 18.Click here to read Links

Trans fatty acids - Effects on systemic inflammation and endothelial function.

* Mozaffarian D.

The Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.

Consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA) predicts higher risk of coronary heart disease, sudden death, and possibly diabetes mellitus. These associations are greater than would be predicted by effects of TFA on serum lipoproteins alone. Systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, acute coronary syndromes, sudden death, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and heart failure. Evidence from both observational and experimental studies indicates that TFA are pro-inflammatory. Limited evidence suggests that pro-inflammatory effects may be stronger for trans isomers of linoleic acid (trans-C18:2) and oleic acid (trans-C18:1), rather than of palmitoleic acid (trans-C16:1), but further study of potential isomer-specific effects is needed. TFA also appear to induce endothelial dysfunction. The mechanisms underlying these effects are not well-established, but may involve TFA incorporation into endothelial cell, monocyte/macrophage, or adipocyte cell membranes (affecting membrane signaling pathway relating to inflammation) or ligand-dependent effects on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) or retinoid X receptor (RXR) pathways. Activation of inflammatory responses and endothelial dysfunction may represent important mediating pathways between TFA consumption and risk of coronary heart disease, sudden death, and diabetes. Further study is indicated to define these effects of TFA and the implications of such effects for cardiovascular health.

PMID: 16713393 [PubMed - in process]

[RobinP]

Recent investigations with growing rats given butter fat and supplements of CLA demonstrated an increased rate of bone formation and reduced ex vivo bone PGE2 production, respectively...............This taken with your above post on margarines certainly promotes butter over margarine and the trans fa. Of course, lets not forget to balance butter with the omega 3s and do butter in moderation.

Rhonda ,

Thanks for the links on fatty acids.Could you please clarify why walnuts and soybeans are one of the best omega 3 sources on your first link and why soybean and walnut oil are referred to as omega 6 on the second link. It seems a little contradictory. What do you think?

Thanks!

[R.B.]

Walnuts and soy are identified as they have some omega three which is you will see from the chart below is unusual. { there are many more rarefied members of these fat families but they are not commonly discussed and it starts getting very complicated - the subs bench might be a description.}

Many of the trials on omega three and six have only got as far as omega three and take no account of omega six intake as a factor. Omega six is not yet on the wider radar.


Hence they will look at say the impact of walnuts on a diet - so the subject is getting more three which is an improvement BUT misses the real point that six is the key and omega three the essential partner. Fred Aistaire without Ginger Rogers. This also can lead to suggestions that three has no impact, which may in fact be simply because the relatively low additional intake is being swamped by the impact of excess omega six already in the diet.

It is the mother fat linolenic acid 18:3 n3 soy and walnut etc contain which if your body is working ok, pathways not hindered by medication, not compromised by excess six....can be made into the longer and more flexible and influential children DHA and EPA.

BUT walnuts soy etc do not provide DHA or EPA which is even harder to find high level food sources for - there is only basically fish and meat with offal and particular fish providing higher levels - which is why scavengers etc prize the offal as a food source and it is first choice on the carnivore menu, why
bears like salmon etc. I guess.

In general terms the animals have collected the mother fat it from green things and made it into the children, and collected it and the children fats from littler living things, and we are making use of that.

There are vegetarian options but they are limited, which I guess makes balancing the threes and sixes and low level sources of the mother fat greens etc even more important for some. There are some algae products as well.

http://www.benbest.com/health/fpercent.gif

http://www.benbest.com/health/fcontent.gif

This site is useful to look up particular foods
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c20oc.html
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c20ob.html
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c20ob.html

So in the absence of any other omega three sources some walnut and soy is better than none. In a three six diet they would be included for variety and width of diet but factored into the omega six intake (and soy is a personal chioce given the issues that surround it for BC reasons).

AND they also have high levels of six, which as a nomad who fished so omega threes were no problem was good news too ( except soy is reported not to have been on the menu until the chinese found out how to cook it or ferment it to make it more digestible).

AND walnuts have lots of antioxidants and other things - soy products have lots of facets which are the subject of much ongoing discussion for BC sufferers good or bad is still under debate as noted above.

BUT whilst having more three than most things which is good news if you are short of sources of three, they are high sources of omega six which is an issue if you are trying to balance the threes and sixes.

HENCE the general observation if the three six is of interest to keep in mind that nut consumption is high six source in many instances, and nuts and seeds should be consumed in strict moderation. AGAIN CHECK ON NUTRITION DATA as some nuts like macademia and to a lesser extent cashew are much lower in Omega 6s, and some like sunflower are very high.

Levels of intake must be an individual choice but there are suggestion that low sensible is the most effective option keeping the three six balance in mind.

Flax perillia etc are some of the few high three vegetable seed source exceptions - but they too have some six but less six than three see above table.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for the comments. It is a pleasure to feel of some use hopefully, and questions / posts make me check and think about things from different perspective, and force a better understanding which is very helpful in my wanders.

RB

[StephN]

Living in the glorious great Northwest, we are blessed to have an abundance of healthy fresh fish. Much comes from Alaskan waters.

With a diabetic husband, fresh fish is a menu staple. We spend the extra money on the lovely fish and thoroughly enjoy our dinner meals. Had some fresh Ling Cod last night after the baseball game.

Now that the "cat is out" about the farmed salmon not having the right levels of the omega 3, as these fish do not develop the muscle tissue from swimming upstream, we have avoided this type. Also, the doubts I have about the feeding and living conditions of farmed fish, including shrimp from Asia, keep me away from these.

Since we eat fish more than once a week, I have not taken the fish oil separately. Not sure if I should anyway, but do get plenty of high quality olive oil, some grape seed and seasame oil in cooking.

Thanks a lot RB!

[R.B.]

FARMED FISH

They do have omega three just not in the same proportions, and a trial raised questions as to levels of certain chemicals etc. But if you cant get wild fish or too expensive probably better than no fish.


VEGETABLE SEED OILS AND NUT OILS(with very limited exception)

***************THEY ARE HIGH IN OMEGA SIX*****************

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_DocSum

in 218 grams of oil GRAPESEED

Total omega-3 fats (est) 218 mg
Total omega-6 fats (est) 151,700 mg

IN 218 grams SESAME

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c208F.html

Total omega-3 fats (est) 654 mg
Total omega-6 fats (est) 90040 mg

IN 216 grams OLIVE ( this will be a virgin oil in cheap olis as much as 50% is omega six)

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c208D.html


Total omega-3 fats (est) 1644 mg
Total omega-6 fats (est) 21090 mg


THIS IS THE POINT I AM TRYING TO MAKE

NOT A LOT OF MOST VEGETABLE AND SEED OILS IS A LOT OF OMEGA SIX.- and it is everywhere in process foods, olives in oil (sunflower etc)

You need to check on fish to as you may be surprised how the amounts of omega three differ.

MY GUESS is that you would need fish oil to balance your omega threes.

MY SUGGESTION if omega three six is now on your radar is spend a week actually checking how much omega six and three you are getting - no need to be too fussy but in broad terms, and then consider the dietary iimplications.

Sorry to shout but I have been down this path of diet discovery too - a year a ago being pleased with my self for consuming lots of high polyunsaturated veg oils, cutting down, and then realising with a shock when I checked how far out my three six balance was.

Two Brazil nuts balance a teaspoon of fish oil in very approximate terms.

Essentially in balancing the threes and sixes vegetable oils are very high on the NO list - with the exception of flax (no good for cooking) and olive virgin (and virgin olive still has about 10% omega six).

I hope this helps.

RB

[R.B.]

Whilst going back through Smart Fats ( latest version called Brain Building Nutrition) I noted the following comment in relation to fatty acids and brain tumour tissue.

I have not managed to find the original research.

" Indeed, intravenously administered fatty acids were more rapidly incorporated into the implanted tumour cells than the normal brain tissue." This was in respect of intralcerebrally implanted brain tissue.

The book suggests that brain tumours have higher omega six and lower omega three than healthy brain tissue.

The book asks the question could balancing the fats and oils prevent or treat brain tumours.

Very much on the edge and an area that is unresearched, but maybe a subject to discuss with advisers for those with brain tumours whose options are otherwise limited.

Trials referred in book to as to the composition of normal and tumorous brain tissue are copied below. I have been unable to find two.

RB

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...+human+gliomas

1: Lipids. 1996 Dec;31(12):1283-8. Related Articles, Links

The fatty acid composition of human gliomas differs from that found in nonmalignant brain tissue.

Martin DD, Robbins ME, Spector AA, Wen BC, Hussey DH.

Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52242, USA.

To compare the fatty acid composition of tumor tissue from glioma patients with that of normal brain tissue, tissue samples were obtained from 13 glioma patients and from 3 nonmalignant patients. Following lipid extraction, total fatty acid composition was measured using gas-liquid chromatography. samples were further separated into phospholipids and neutral lipids. Representative samples were then separated into phospholipid classes by thin-layer chromatography and the fatty acid composition assayed. Levels of the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were significantly reduced (P = 0.029) in the glioma samples compared with normal brain samples; mean values were 4.8 +/- 2.9% and 9.2 +/- 1.0%, respectively. This reduction in glioma DHA content was also observed in terms of phospholipids (4.6 +/- 2.1% vs. 9.6 +/- 0.8%, P = 0.002). The phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipid classes were reduced in the glioma samples. Differences were also noted in the n-6 PUFA content between glioma and normal brain samples. The glioma content of the n-6 PUFA linoleic acid was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that observed in the control samples in terms of total lipids. Thus, the fatty acid composition of human gliomas differs from that found in nonmalignant brain tissue.

PMID: 8972462 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


1: Acta Physiol Hung. 1992;79(4):381-7. Related Articles, Links

Phospholipids and fatty acids in human brain tumors.

Ledwozyw A, Lutnicki K.

Department of Pathophysiology, Veterinary Faculty of Agricultural Academy, Lublin, Poland.

Phospholipid and fatty acid composition of human brain tumors is presented. The white matter contains a greater amount of phosphatidylinositol and a very low level of lysophosphoglycerides, as compared to the grey matter. Glioma and meningioma tumors contain a greater amount of phosphatidylinositol, sphingomyelin, and lysophosphoglycerides, as compared to normal cortex tissue. A significant rise in oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acid content in tumor tissue was observed. It is suggested, that changes in lipid composition, may play a role in structural and functional membrane perturbations in neoplastic cells.

PMID: 1343190 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Mary Anne in TX]

My husband has made vast improvements in his "heart health" after a heart attack 10 years ago. I have watched him exercise, eat "amazing things", and take a handful of supplements.

Now, I am working hard to eat right, exercise everyday, and take some vitamins and fish oil.

But I must confess that I don't have a clue whether it will help with my cancer. I just know when I eat those veggies and fruit and drink my tons of water, I feel better to fight the next fight!

I'm so glad that I have access to so many who are learning so much and are willing to share. Thanks a million!
ma