Fish oil brands

I’ve been taking Omega Oils 369- Gelatin Free by Vertese for nearly one year now.

Perhaps you could frame your dissatisfaction without pushing peoples buttons?

Just a thought.

For those interested in mercury, I just stumbled across this nice overview:

ZANE,

I would like to personally thank you for the amount of time and effort you took to put together all the info related to fish oils in this thread.

Fish oil has recently come to my attention as a result of my eldest daughters ADHD condition. She also has been diagnosed with having a cognitive focusing and processing disorder similar to dyslexia but vastly more complex and difficult in it’s scope than just routine dyslexia. People, if you think dyslexia is just reading or writing your letters backwards, you’ve got a lot of reading to do.

Her IQ testing indicates that even with her processing malfunctions her IQ scores are in the mid 140’s range. The best way to describe it in layman’s terms is that everything goes in and it’s all there once it does, she just can’t get it back out. Another strange aspect of her condition is that it seems to only be effecting her over the short term. That is, what she can’t get back out today, may indeed be available some time in the future. So it is being committed to memory … somewhere….

Also thanks to a host of well intentioned (need I remind anyone that the road to HELL is paved with good intentions) medical professionals, my daughter now suffers from facial and muscular “tics” and may indeed be in the beginning stages of Tourette syndrome. It’s my contention that this condition was brought on as a direct result of her taking concerta (a time released version of Ritalin) as this is the #1 adverse side effect of this medication.

She was diagnosed with ADHD over 4 years ago. At first the Concerta seemed like the miracle drug. For the first 3 years she was on it, it worked fantastic … for the most part. The processing concerns it did nothing for, but it helped with the other ADHD problems. Then the last 6 months she was on it, it slowly began to loose it’s effectiveness and the side effects started. The doctors solution was to increase the dosage amount. We tried that once only for a few days. The down side of all the concerta was that in the a.m. (when it was time to go to school) when her serotonin levels were in the dump because of the back swing, I literally had to drag her out of bed to get her moving. She also became increasingly moody and depressed.

The MD’s, not the shrinks or psychologist, still contend that the solution is to give her more of the same. To which I have 2 questions, which I have asked the Doctors and gotten NO satisfactory answer to date:
1. Why the fuck would I give her MORE of the same medication in a higher dose that’s causing a secondary problem and no longer effectively dealing with the first problem> Duh?
2. How can they possibly make the claim that concerta or any other form of Ritalin is NOT habit forming/addictive when the 2 primary indicators of an addictive substance are: a) It’s mood altering, and b) it requires an increasing increase in dosage to achieve the same effect, ie ” an increase in “tolerance” issue until the point of it’s no longer being effective at all. Hum, reminds me of Heroin and just about every other drug.

To anyone reading this thread/post, I have been through a literal hell with trying to find a solution for my daughters issues.
I have spent thousands and thousands of dollars not covered by insurances, testing, doctors, shrinks, counselors, etc. I have been taken to court by the school system (I won … sort of - but that’s a whole other thread and still on going), and I’m currently contemplating suing my local school district via the OCR division of the ACLU. That decision will depend on what happens during the meeting I have with the school district ass holes next week. I could write a whole thread on this also, and maybe I will after next week. All of this has wreaked havoc with my family and to tell you the truth, I don’t have any clue how the wife and I have managed to stay together through it. Let alone have sexual relations.

We are also NOT your typical stereotype of a fucked up dysfunctional family! In the sense that we are not into drugs, drinking, etc.
Yes, I am in “recovery” as I mentioned in another thread, but that’s been 22 years and it’s not an issue in the sense that’s it’s not anything from recent history and my children know nothing about it. I diligently work on myself and try to keep myself in check at all times and stay “healthy” in mindset. We don’t beat our children and there’s NO history of abuse of any form, be it physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual. For all practical purposes we’re the fucking Cleavers here …. only everything seems like it’s going to hell in a handbag.

Maybe that’s what hurts the most in all of this. The fact that there’s no specific reason or event to blame it all on. Something didn’t get connected inside of my little girls head and no matter what I do for her, I just can’t fix it.

Back to fish oils…

There has been a lot of interest in fish oils in the treatment of ADHD and other dysfunctions of the brain. From everything I’ve read, these afflictions are concerned with the neuro pathways in the brain and the neuro transmitters in the brain. A show I watched on the discovery channel last night was very promising in this regard. It gave real world examples and an explanation as to how the amino fatty 3 acids are responsible for building and maintaining those very neurotransmitters that are in question with ADHD children.

Fish oils sound like a viable thing to give a try because after living with my Daughters Tourette like symptoms for almost a year, I can just about pinpoint when her brain will begin misfiring and she’ll begin to bounce around like a pogo stick. It’s so frustrating at times because you think to yourself, if someone could just reach in there and plug that damn extension cord back in, all would be fine. But it doesn’t work that way. I’m willing to try anything at this point, with the exception that I will no longer subject my daughter to the status of Guinea pig for the titillation of a bunch of asshole doctors that can’t even explain to me why they want to do what they want to. At the point in time I absolutely refuse to put her on meds of any kind - and we have tried many. I know a whole bunch that won’t do a thing for her.

I had already begun to research fish oils when this thread popped up, but as always it seemed like an uphill battle. I wanted so much to try the fish oil stuff with her, but I will no longer do anything without researching it first. I can not express my gratitude at being directed towards a plethora of information as a result of this thread and the members who posted here.

Especially Zane. I know I gave you a ton of shit in your introductory thread, and if I could take it back I would. Contempt prior to investigation is what I always dump at people who’s opinions are stronger than their intellect or social skills. I guess I’m guilty as charged. Please accept my very public apology for being an asshole in that thread.
Thank you for the wealth of info, and in an ass backwards sort of way, the ability to grow up a little more also.

Wow, Rootcap. I feel very complicated right now. The overwhelming thing though, is that I know, I KNOW how to help your daughter. Again, personal telephone conversations with people I don’t really want to talk about here in specifics, which I know is about as credible as saying that wee little purple pixies told me. So let’s just say that wee little purple pixies told me that ADD is basically a disease like scurvy, caused by a specific malnutrition and very promising research is being conducted right now with very heartening results showing that VERY high dose fish oil will help. You can wait a few years for the results to be analyzed and published, or you can take my word for it and also the preliminary research showing the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids on ADD. She may respond somewhat to a regular dose of fish oil but she might need more. I am not trained in that, but I am sure you can find a progressive nutritionist who would be willing to oversee treatment with high-dose fish oil with careful monitoring. At the levels she might need to take she will probably need a very pure product to avoid digestive upset. She will also probably need to take it by the spoonful, rather than in capsule form. Get the Sears stuff, don’t fool around. And yes, I am soon to be benefitting from a high-dose fish oil company so there is a conflict of interest. But three months will tell you if I’m right or not, and if she is monitored carefully by a nutritionist, there is low risk.

Oh, and I am very thick-skinned. Water off a duck. Just don’t insult my peeps! :)

Can you link the preliminary research zane?

Your brain needs DHA
NEW YORK, NY. Dr. Barbara Levine, Professor of Nutrition in Medicine at Cornell University, sounds the alarm concerning a totally inadequate intake of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) by most Americans. DHA is the building block of human brain tissue and is particularly abundant in the grey matter of the brain and the retina. Low levels of DHA have recently been associated with depression, memory loss, dementia, and visual problems. DHA is particularly important for fetuses and infants; the DHA content of the infant’s brain triples during the first three months of life. Optimal levels of DHA are therefore crucial for pregnant and lactating mothers. Unfortunately, the average DHA content of breast milk in the United States is the lowest in the world, most likely because Americans eat comparatively little fish. Making matters worse is the fact that the United States is the only country in the world where infant formulas are not fortified with DHA. This despite a 1995 recommendation by the World Health Organization that all baby formulas should provide 40 mg of DHA per kilogram of infant body weight. Dr. Levine believes that postpartum depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and low IQs are all linked to the dismally low DHA intake common in the United States. Dr. Levine also points out that low DHA levels have been linked to low brain serotonin levels which again are connected to an increased tendency to depression, suicide, and violence. DHA is abundant in marine phytoplankton and cold-water fish and nutritionists now recommend that people consume two to three servings of fish every week to maintain DHA levels. If this is not possible, Dr. Levine suggests supplementing with 100 mg/day of DHA.
Levine, Barbara S. Most frequently asked questions about DHA. Nutrition Today, Vol. 32, November/December 1997, pp. 248-49

On the other hand “A 2001 study found no benefits from DHA in treating symptoms of ADHD. “

There’s more out there—last year my daughter’s kindergarten teacher asked me for references (one of her classmates had it). Don’t know what I did with all of them.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children: Rationale for Its Integrative Management.

Author/s: Parris M. Kidd
Issue: Oct, 2000

Abstract

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common behavioral disorder in children. ADHD is characterized by attention deficit, impulsivity, and sometimes overactivity (“hyperactivity”). The diagnosis is empirical, with no objective confirmation available to date from laboratory measures. ADHD begins in childhood and often persists into adulthood. The exact etiology is unknown; genetics plays a role, but major etiologic contributors also include adverse responses to food additives, intolerances to foods, sensitivities to environmental chemicals, molds, and fungi, and exposures to neurodevelopmental toxins such as heavy metals and organohalide pollutants. Thyroid hypofunction may be a common denominator linking toxic insults with ADHD symptomatologies. Abnormalities in the frontostriatal brain circuitry and possible hypofunctioning of dopaminergic pathways are apparent in ADHD, and are consistent with the benefits obtained in some instances by the use of methylphenidate (Ritalin[R]) and other potent psychostimulants. Mounting controversy over the widespread use of methylphenidate and possible life-threatening effects from its long-term use make it imperative that alternative modalities be implemented for ADHD management. Nutrient deficiencies are common in ADHD; supplementation with minerals, the B vitamins (added in singly), omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, flavonoids, and the essential phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) can ameliorate ADHD symptoms. When individually managed with supplementation, dietary modification, detoxification, correction of intestinal dysbiosis, and other features of a wholistic/integrative program of management, the ADHD subject can lead a normal and productive life. (Altern Med Rev 2000;5(5):402-428)

These results were further confirmed in 1983. When essential fatty acids were examined in 23 maladjusted children and 20 normal children, EFA blood levels in poorly behaved children were significantly lower. In 1987, researchers further documented that 48 children with ADHD reported significantly greater thirst, more frequent urination, and more health and learning problems than children without ADHD. Significantly lower levels of two omega-6 fatty acids and one omega-3 fatty acid were found in the subjects with ADHD symptoms. In a 1995 study comparing plasma essential fatty acid levels in 53 boys with ADHD to a control group of 43 boys without ADHD, researchers found significantly lower levels of EPA and DHA (two key omega-3 fatty acids synthesized from alpha-linolenic acid contained in flax). In 1996, Laura J. Stevens, of the Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, and co-investigators published an extremely important paper in Physiology & Behavior. The researchers found that boys with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood showed more problems with behavior, learning, and health than those with higher levels of total omega-3 fatty acids.”

I know there’s more recent research out there, will poke around.

:homer: If I had looked in the obvious place first!

By the way, I think I mentioned this before but the reason why the United States has the lowest levels of DHA in the world, even lower than third world countries isn’t simply because of our low fish consumption. Lots of places don’t eat a lot of fish. Our DHA is low because meat, a key source of DHA, is raised differently here than pretty much everyplace else. We feed our cows and chickens grain. Other places they are free range. That “gamey” taste means meat is high in omega-3 fatty acids, and Americans have done everything they could to get that gamey taste out of our meat. Our meat is high in inflammation-causing omega-6 fatty acids instead.

I am an ancient soul, what more do you want me to say? I have had high Uric acid readings confirmed since 22. My first gout attack was at 27. I know how to get rid of it. My question is will the 6,000 mgs of Fish oil have the purines that cause gout like some of the sea foods I am supposed to eat sparingly?

OK zane, pony up them links that show free range is better than grain fed beef.

Hell if I know, twatteaser. Sorry, that is beyond my ken.

Thunder, man you are making me earn my keep. Is this link sufficient or do I have to root out more? Must do laundry.

Page Not Found - Purdue University News

Okay, no problem. I never found anyone in the know about it yet.

Hmmm,,,just how much cattle did humans eat 10,000 years ago? Probably not much. Is this apples to oranges here?