Omega supplementation

 I usually recommend Omega supplementation to almost everyone, but especially people with Hypertension, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Thyroid disease, Constipation, IBS, Eczema, Psoriasis and Depression

Some people avoid fish because they don't like the taste or because of the potential for mercury contamination. If this is your situation, then you can do one of two things. You can increase your intake of plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids, or you can take omega-3 supplements.
Cold-water oily fish, like salmon, herring and tuna, are good sources for the omega-3 fatty acids, but there are plenty of plant-based sources of omega-3s you can eat if you don't want to consume fish. Plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flax seeds, canola oil, soy, walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Research suggests eating flax seeds may help to prevent cardiovascular disease, but the evidence is not as strong for flax as it is for fish oil and fish oil supplements.

Dietary modification to increase the consumption of cold-water fish (eg, salmon) rich in polyunsaturated fats may help to raise HDL-C. Capsules containing omega-3 fatty acids (1.48 g of docosahexaenoic acid + 1.88 g of eicosapentaenoic acid) have been formulated and are commercially available in some parts of the world (as Omacor). In a recent small study in patients with familial combined hyperlipidemia, treatment with this formulation for 8 weeks increased HDL-C by 8%, particularly the more buoyant HDL2 subfraction.
The Studies Look Promising…

The usual dose used in these studies ranges between 900 mg and 5 grams a day of a combination of EPA and DHA. In order to achieve this amount, one would need to consume a lot of fish. Therefore, supplements are typically used. Ingesting 900 mg of omega-3 fatty acids each day resulted in a 4-percent decrease in triglyceride levels after six months. The average effective dose used in most studies was between 2 to 4 grams, and this resulted in an average drop in triglycerides between 25 to 45 percent. The effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids on triglycerides is dose-dependent, meaning that the more omega-3 fatty acids ingested, the lower your triglyceride levels will fall. This works best when following a healthy diet. Omega-3 fatty acids seemed to affect recently ingested triglycerides more. Additionally, individuals with extremely high triglyceride levels (greater than 500 mg/dL) seem to derive the most benefit from omega-3 fatty acid supplementation.




Also see my Niacin Blog for suggestions on increasing HDL.


You will notice that one of the supplements have CoQ10. It has been studied for congestive heart failure and I have recommended that people at future risk of heart disease add this to their regimen. You will need two of these to approach the content of the other products on this page. CoQ10 is known to be highly concentrated in heart muscle cells due to the high energy requirements of this cell type. For the past 14 years, the great bulk of clinical work with CoQ10 has focused on heart disease. Specifically, congestive heart failure (from a wide variety of causes) has been strongly correlated with significantly low blood and tissue levels of CoQ10. The severity of heart failure correlates with the severity of CoQ10 deficiency. It is naturally present in small amounts in a wide variety of foods but is particularly high in organ meats such as heart, liver and kidney, as well as beef, soy oil, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts. To put dietary CoQ10 intake into perspective, one pound of sardines, two pounds of beef, or two and one half pounds of peanuts, provide 30 mg of CoQ10.
Testing is available. http://www.gdx.net/core/one-page-test-descriptions/Essential-Metabolic-Fatty-Acids-Test-Description.pdf http://www.metametrix.com/files/test-menu/sample-reports/Fatty-Acids-Bloodspot-SR.pdf
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These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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Folic acid metabolism problems

MTHFR

MTHFR is a gene that makes a protein called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (now you see why we call it MTHFR). The MTHFR mutation is actually just a certain version of the gene.

This version leads to a weaker MTHFR protein. And people with weak MTHFR proteins need extra folic acid.

Indications for MTHFR DNA Testing:

* Hyperhomocysteinemia

* History of venous thromboembolism, coronary artery disease, and/or stroke

* History of pregnancy complications including neural tube defects, stillbirths, and/or recurrent pregnancy loss

* Individuals with other genetic hypercoagulabilites (e.g. factor V Leiden)

* Relatives of individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia and MTHFR gene mutations

*Current or past history of Hypertension and/or Preeclampsia
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is the name of a gene that produces an enzyme, also called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. If a person carries the genetic mutation that inhibits production of this enzyme, it can result in hyperhomocytenemia, which is an elevated level of an enzyme called homocysteine found in blood plasma.

When the body is deficient in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, its ability to absorb folate (also known as vitamin B9), such as folic acid, is inhibited.

People with this mutation need extra folic acid. Something called homocysteine builds up in their blood and they need folic acid to combat its effects.

Symptoms Because MTHFR is a blood-based disease with many varieties, symptoms vary depending on the exact mutation of the disease. They can include:

*blood clots

*depression

*anxiety

Treatment Taking folic acid can help women with certain mutations of the disease. Folic acid can be found in eggs, dark leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, oranges and orange juice and legumes, such as peas and dried beans. Vitamin supplements also contain folic acid. Since this mutation is permanent, it is recommended that you take a supplement containing folic acid throughout your entire life.
Folic acid is often labeled folate or folicin. However, none of these are the active form of folate (known as 5-MTHF or l-methylfolate) your body can absorb and put to work. It takes four separate biochemical reactions for your body to turn folic acid into active folate. You can buy metafolin
if you have difficulty metabolizing folic acid. The products and statements made about specific products on this web site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. All information provided on this web site or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new vitamins, supplements, diet, or exercise program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Any testimonials on this web site are based on individual results and do not constitute a guarantee that you will achieve the same results.


http://www.gdx.net/core/sample-reports/NutrEval_FMV-Sample-Report.pdf http://www.spectracell.com/mnt/#nutrients Testing is available for vitamin deficiencies