Fish Oil Supplements, Vitamins Won't Lower Your Cholesterol

While I think this article, by the Cleveland Clinic, is plain BS, I post it because ultimately the consumer will make their own decision - I hope it will be an informed decision. 

I am going to continue taking nutritional supplements including a Omega 3 supplement. My cholesterol levels have dropped from 210 to the 150 range; blood pressure that was normally on the high side (138/98) is now routinely in the 120/76 range. I have three sets of parents tell me that once they put their ADHD children on a good daily supplement and an Omega 3 supplement, their ADHD symptoms and behavior went away.

In the western diet, which is high in Omega 6 and low in Omega 3, various symptoms, often manifested as joint pain are present. Many scientists believe the high ratio of Omega 6 to 3 create free radicals which cause pain and other health issues, which could simple be averted by reducing the ratio through an Omega 3 supplement. You all do what you want, but I'll continue what I'm doing. 

Fish Oil Supplements, Vitamins Won't Lower Your Cholesterol

If you’re taking supplements like fish oil or a multi-vitamin in the hopes of improving your cholesterol counts, save your money. There are better, more effective strategies.

There’s no scientific evidence that fish oil supplements will lower your cholesterol, says Julia Zumpano. Ms. Zumpano is a registered dietitian in Cleveland Clinic’s section of Preventive Cardiology.

Fish oil will not prevent heart disease. It can, however, help to manage some of your risk factors, Zumpano says.

Lowered triglycerides

Some studies have shown that fish oil can lower triglycerides and helps to thin the blood. But it’s unclear how many fish oil supplements you need to take every day to reap the benefits.

Triglycerides are the main constituents of natural fats and oils. If you have high concentrations of triglycerides in the blood, it may indicate an elevated risk of stroke.

“There’s no need to take fish oil from a supplement if you’re just generally trying to focus on heart health,” Zumpano says.

“More important, if you have a history of high triglycerides, that’s something you may want to take fish oil for,” Ms. Zumpano says.

Tempted to try a fish oil supplement to lower your triglycerides? Ms. Zumpano says check with your doctor first to see if it might help.

Vitamins and heart disease

A recent survey found that almost half of the respondents think vitamins can help lower cholesterol. But vitamins are less vital to heart disease prevention than most people think.

Taking a multi-vitamin every day will not compensate for eating food that’s high in cholesterol. Nor will a multi-vitamin repair the damage done by a poor diet.

“A daily multi-vitamin is not preventing your risk of heart disease," Zumpano says. "A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol can result in an increase in blood cholesterol.”

Besides, you can get all the vitamins you need from your diet, Zumpano says. A heart-healthy diet should include seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

A good diet plus exercise will do more to keep your heart healthy than popping supplements, Zumpano says.

“Eating a healthy diet, exercising and knowing your risk factors are the best ways to prevent heart disease,” Zumpano says. “It doesn’t come in a pill.”

MyAchingKnees comment: "Besides, you can get all the vitamins you need from your diet,.... a heart-healthy diet should include seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day." Who actually eats 7 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables day and where do they get their produce that actually still has much of it's nutrients after picking, processing and shipping?

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Do You Have High Cholesterol?

This is an article from Natural News, titled "High cholesterol levels easily managed with these five nutritious foods". If you have high cholesterol, you have inflammation in your arteries and very likely inflammation in the rest of your body that often manifests itself in joint pain. That's why many people feel they incur a surprising benefit for aching joints when they go take a quality Omega 3 supplement to help combat high cholesterol levels. My cholesterol level was 210 nine years ago before starting taking quality supplements including a Omega 3 product. Today, at 55 years old, my cholesterol level is always around the 150 to 160.......I would undoubtedly benefit from moderating my diet of milk products, but I certainly like my biscuits with a lot of butter and the I don't go more than a few days with a large chocolate milkshake!

Almost 15 percent of American adults have high levels of cholesterol, putting them at risk for stroke, heart disease and other serious health issues that can significantly increase the risk of mortality. For many, cholesterol-controlling drugs called statins have become a mainstay, yet despite the widespread use of statins, recent studies have shown that using them long-term may also pose serious risks.

Turning to medication for every ailment is a deeply entrenched habit associated with Western culture, but the fact is, there are alternatives for controlling cholesterol that don't include medicine. These approaches rely on a few simple dietary changes that can help reduce cholesterol significantly.

What is cholesterol anyway?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is derived from different types of foods -- both meats and vegetables. Some cholesterol is good for the body, playing an essential role in metabolizing some vitamins and minerals. But too much of the wrong kind of cholesterol can build up along the sides of blood vessels, impeding blood flow and often causing clots.

There are two types of cholesterol -- so-called "bad" and "good" cholesterols. Low-density lipoproteins, or LDLs, are considered "bad," because they can turn into artery-clogging plaque, a substance that sticks to vessel walls, blocking blood flow and making vessels less flexible. "Good" cholesterol is found in high-density lipoproteins, also called HDL. HDL actually acts as a scavenger, helping remove LDL from the bloodstream, so less plaque builds up.

For many people, high cholesterol levels are easily managed by just a few changes to their diet. Here are a few of the most common foods that can help you manage cholesterol:

Beans

"Beans, beans, the magical fruit...." Turns out, they actually are pretty magical when it comes to helping lower levels of LDL cholesterol. A recent study from Canada showed that just one 3/4-cup serving of beans, chickpeas or lentils per day could cut LDL levels by as much as 5 percent. Beans are full of soluble fiber which helps remove LDL from the blood. All that fiber can also help promote healthy digestion and even reduce the risk of colon cancer. Not crazy about the, ahem, side effect of eating beans? Turns out, incorporating beans more often into your diet helps your body adjust to the increase in fiber, so the gassy effects can also be reduced over time.

Oatmeal

Like beans, oats contain that LDL-lowering soluble fiber too. The fiber in oatmeal helps reduce the amount of "bad" cholesterol that can absorbed into the bloodstream. Many grocery stores carry products that are made with oat bran, but you can skip the middle man by simply eating more oatmeal. All it takes is about a cup and a half to get 6 grams of fiber. Experts recommend 5 to 10 grams per day to reduce LDL. Pump up the fiber by chopping up an apple or a banana for an additional 4 to 5 grams.

MyAchingKnees comment: I prefer Steel Cut Oats - pretty yummy!

Tea

Prefer to drink to your health? Then tea is the way to go. Just three cups of green or black tea each day are all that's need to get the maximum LDL-lowering benefits of tea, and tea also provides a significant source of antioxidants called polyphenols that can help ward off certain cancers. Tea also boosts levels of "good" HDL. Like to drink your tea iced? It makes no difference -- the benefits are the same.

Olive oil

It's true that many of the fats we eat contain high levels of LDL cholesterol, but one fat that can actually help battle "bad" cholesterol is olive oil. Olive oil is one of the mainstays of the "Mediterranean" diet that's been touted in the news recently for its substantial health benefits. You only need to add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to your diet each day in order to reap the benefits. Mix it with herbs to make a flavorful dip for bread or use it in a dressing for fresh vegetables. Choose extra-virgin olive oil to get the most benefits.

Fish

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and even tuna contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, proven to reduce blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of fatty fish each week to keep your heart healthy. If you can't stand the taste of fish, you can find fish oil tablets to supplement your diet, but you'll miss out on many of the other minerals and nutrients found in fish. Another source of omega-3s: flaxseed. Grind it up first to release the healthful benefits and sprinkle the ground seed on foods before eating.

In addition to making a few dietary changes, don't neglect those other heart-healthy steps you can take that also help lower cholesterol, like regular aerobic exercise. Like dietary changes, exercise doesn't have to be complicated or extreme: Simply taking regular walks can yield amazing benefits.



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Can Fish Oil Boost Cancer Risks?

MyAchingKnees comment: A friend of mine brought to my attention. There were actually several recent articles concerning prostate cancer. One article on a new laser technique to remove any suspect spots on the prostate therefore bypassing side effects; another article that stated PSA blood level testing was inconclusive in determining prostate cancer or risk of prostate cancer in men. Then this latest article about Omega 3's increasing prostate cancer risk. 

About 10 years my PSA level hit 3.9 where 4.0 was the warning call for a visit to the urologist. Since I have been on high quality, pharmaceutical grade supplements, my PSA levels have been 0.7 and 0.6, so low that I now ony get them checked every 3 years. All this while also taking an Omega 3 supplement. I do not think that Omega 3's that helped lower my PSA level,.....I think a optimal dose of daily nutrients did that, I do think that Omega 3's have helped my cognitive function and my joint pain, which is minimal if at all. 

While there is little to no proof, or belief, in the mainstream Medical Community that nutritional supplements can help with any degenerative disease, I also fail to find any literature in medical journals that jamming a sharp stick in your eye is bad for you. 

Me? I will continue to take my Omega 3 supplement daily. And I say proof's in the pudding.

Here is the article, titled "Can Your Fish Oil Habit Boost Cancer Risks?" by Samantha Cassetty, M.S., R.D., and posted on Good Housekeeping|Healthy Living


New headlines about omega 3s and cancer risk are generating buzz -- no surprise given the startling conclusions that fish oil raises the risk of prostate cancer by a frightening 44% among men with the highest levels of these fats in their blood. Even more alarming: The study found that compared to those with the lowest blood levels of these fats, men with the highest amounts are at a whopping 71% greater risk of the disease. Scary!

What the headlines don't say is that the study, while important in advancing our knowledge of omega 3s and their impact on the development of cancer, wasn't designed to determine cause. Meaning, it's unclear if the fish oil is at play or if there's something else about fish-oil-eating men that raises their risk. (Maybe men who have high levels of fish fats in their blood also favor another food or supplement that's the real culprit. Or maybe these guys took supplements to make up for a crummy diet.) And since the study didn't consider participants' eating habits, researchers can't put the blame on fish or pills, though they caution against supplements since they're such a concentrated source of the nutrient.

Most health authorities suggest eating two servings of seafood each week -- an amount that protects against heart disease, the leading cause of death among men and women. It's reassuring to me that in the recent study, the difference in blood levels between those with the lowest and highest figures exceeds the amount you'd get from eating salmon twice a week (a notable source of the nutrient).

As a nutritionist, I always favor food forms of nutrients to pill versions. From what I've seen, I still think it's safe, and even wise, to aim for two servings of seafood per week. A number of studies link fish fats to healthy outcomes, like a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, skin cancer, mood disorders, and more. But bear in mind that when it comes to nutrients, more is not necessarily better. Eat fish a couple of times a week and on other nights, have chicken, turkey, or a vegetarian meal that takes advantage of the season's fresh produce. If you're a supplement taker, you may want to talk to your doctor or dietitian about the pros and cons based on your diet and history.



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5 Steps to Joint Pain Relief

The following is from a Real Age article on Joint Pain Management. Chronic pain comes in a variety of forms. Joint pain is a common one. If you suffer from stiff, achy joints, you're not alone. Twenty-seven million Americans have osteoarthritis -- leader of the pack when it comes to joint-pain culprits. You can thank other causes, as well, including ligament and tendon damage, muscle tears, excess body weight, age, bad posture, and poor biomechanics. Whatever the reason, there are special steps that can help ease painful hip, shoulder, spine and knee pain. Here are 5 of them:

1. Eat to relieve joint pain. Food can't prevent or cure joint pain, but certain nutrients not only enhance muscle and bone strength, they also take a bite out of joint pain. Fill your plate with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, pain-fighting polyphenols, and vitamins C, K, and D. Stock your fridge with these 8 foods for pain.

MyAchingKnees comment: While Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin C are great nutrients for joint and connective tissue health, it is super hard for most people to obtain the quantity and quality of nutrients in today's nutrient depleted food supply. Hence the need to supplement with high quality nutritional supplements. And while you are at it - add Glucosamine.  

2. Move to improve joint pain. Resist the urge to hit the couch when your joints hurt. Move through the pain instead. Why? Exercise triggers the production of lubricating synovial fluid and feel-good brain chemicals, and improves joint pain, function, and range of motion. It may even boost cartilage growth in the knees. Ask your doctor about exercises that help rather than hurt your joints.

3. Watch your weight. If you're overweight, ask your doctor for a safe weight-loss plan. Every excess pound you shed takes 4 pounds of pressure off your knees, and can reduce hip and back pain, too.

4. Work with your doctor. Ask your primary care physician if a specialist can help you with your joint pain. An orthopedic specialist and/or physical therapist may be better equipped to tailor an effective pain-treatment plan. Use these tips to get better pain relief from your doctor's visits.

MyAchingKnees comment: Just be careful and use your own common sense as physicians sometimes are quick to go to pain medications treating the symptoms as opposed to the cause.   

5. Don't ignore joint pain. Pace yourself and avoid activities that aggravate your joint pain, such as running long distances, lifting heavy objects, or kneeling for hours pulling weeds. Use a daily pain diary to note the activities that worsen or improve your joint symptoms.

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Nutrients For Faster Weight Loss

From the article Six Nutrients For Faster Weight Loss, by Alisa Bowman and The Editors Of Women's Health

Vitamin D For years scientists have searched for a magical ingredient that would help people shed fat. In 2008, Dr. Shalamar Sibley of the University of Minnesota put 38 obese people on an 11-week diet where they consumed 750 calories less than their estimated daily need. Study participants whose blood levels of D were higher at the study's start lost more weight than participants whose blood levels of D were lower. They actually lost a lot more--70 percent more, to be exact. Based on the results of this study, by fueling your body with the D-rich nutrients it needs to stay out of a fat-storage state and in a fat-burning state, you can speed weight loss by 70 percent! Thousands of studies on vitamin D have been completed over a span of 40 years, and it's become clear that vitamin D is pretty incredible and effective. Still, it's not the only player on this fat-melting team. Turn up your metabolism and melt body fat adding vitamin D and these five fat-melters from The Vitamin D Diet.  

MyAchingKnees comment: While I believe that we need to take much more Vitamin D that the RDA recommends,...I am currently taking between 3,900 and 5,900 mgs each day, it is hardly definitive that Vitamin D works to burn fat. It is widely thought, and believed by me anyway, that Vitamin D is an essential ingredient for bone health and especially proper immune system function. The question needs to be asked, "what other nutrient deficiencies did the obese people with Vitamin D deficiencies also have?"  

Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that works in tandem with D to help you shed fat. Calcium is stored in fat cells, and researchers think that the more calcium a fat cell has, the more fat that cell will release to be burned. Calcium also promotes weight loss by binding to fat in your GI tract, preventing some of it from getting absorbed into your bloodstream.  

Protein
In addition to keeping hunger in check, regular doses of protein help to keep body composition--the amount of fat relative to muscle--in better proportion. Along with calcium and D, protein helps you to preserve muscle mass as you drop pounds. A recent study out of the University of Illinois found that women who consumed protein twice daily lost 3.9 percent more weight than women who consumed less of it on a diet. They not only lost more weight, they also got stronger as they did so, with their thigh muscles alone ending up with 5.8 percent more protein at the end of the diet than before.  

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s enable weight loss by switching on enzymes that trigger fat-burning in cells. They also help to boost mood, which may help reduce emotional eating. And omega 3s might improve leptin signaling in the brain, causing the brain to turn up fat burning and turn down appetite. You almost can't consume D without consuming omega-3 fatty acids, and that's a good thing. Fatty fish like salmon (which are also high in D) are one of the richest sources of this fat. Other foods, such as some nuts and seeds, contain a type of fat that can be converted into omega-3s after ingestion.  

MyAchingKnees comment: I think that all the benefits of Omega 3's are relatively unknown to people. If people have experienced what I have experienced with a quality Omega 3 supplement, they would be breaking down the doors to take it.  

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs)
MUFAs are a type of fat found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, peanut butter, and chocolate, and they have just one chemical bond (which is why they are called "mono" unsaturated). One Danish study of 26 men and women found that a diet that included 20 percent of its calories from MUFAs improved 24-hour calorie burning by 0.1 percent and fat burning by 0.04 percent after 6 months. Other research shows that MUFAs zero in on belly fat. Specific foods that are high in MUFAs--especially peanuts, tree nuts, and olive oil--have been shown to keep blood sugar steady and reduce appetite, too.  

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
CLAs are potent fat burners that are found, along with D and calcium, in dairy products. They are fatty acids that are created when bacteria ferments the food in the first part of the stomach of cows, sheep, and other ruminant animals. The CLA that is created through fermentation then makes its way into the meat and milk of these animals. When we consume these foods, the CLA helps blood glucose enter body cells, so CLA can be burned for energy and not stored as fat. CLA also helps to promote fat burning, especially in muscles, where the bulk of our calorie burning takes place.  

The whole fat-melting picture Now before you start superdosing yourself with all of these fat melters and waiting for the fat to magically melt away, let's be clear: D and other fat melters facilitate weight loss, but they are not magic pills. If you just took a bunch of supplements, you might see some effect--for instance, by swapping some fat for muscle. But to see serious weight loss, you'll need to combine these fat melters with portion control.

MyAchingKnees comment: While I like all the efforts to bring sound nutritional research to people, the danger of articles listing single ingredients as some people will buy and consume these single ingredients while missing others.  I believe that we need a wide range of nutrients in scientifically determined ratios so they can work syngergistically with each other to provide our body's immune system with the complete package.    

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Harold's Knee Pain

I received another e-mail from Harold, a 50 year carpenter-home repair specialist who I have been talking to about his bad knees and his health in general. Harold said ”I wanted to tell you that after two months of adding the Omega 3’s I feel better than ever. No doubt the Glucosamine helped greatly as my pain going downstairs is gone, but somehow I think the Omega 3’s is helping my knees too. I haven't got my cholesterol level yet, but will let you know. Thanks”

When I first started talking to Harold I suggested trying pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine that is optimized with Vitamin C and a highly bioavailable complex from Curcumin, before he gave in and tried a prescription drug or pain killer. He tried it for two months and found significant pain relief. 

Back and forth with Harold uncovered that he was an unabashed red meat eater,...almost every day.  I told Harold that he may want to add a Omega 3 supplement and try to reduce the large amount of Omega 6's he was getting in his diet, which he told me also consisted of alot of eggs and nuts.  He did not try an Omega 3 supplement at first until I mentioned that a quality Omega 3 supplement shows promise in clinical trials in reducing cholesterol levels and Harold had a cholesterol level of 240.     

Red meat, walnuts, cashews, eggs, vegetable oil and almonds are high in Omega 6 Fatty Acids which combined with our low intake of Omega 3 foods (normal in the Western diet) will increase our Omega 6 to 3 ratios well past the recommended 2:1 ratio to sometimes as high as 40:1.

This imbalance of Omega 6 to 3 Fatty Acids is thought to increase oxidative stress and therefore free radical damage and resulting in inflammation which of course can affect the body anywhere and can as joint pain and a host of other symptoms.  

So even though Harold tried the Omega 3 supplement primarily for his cholesterol, he found out that it seems to also be helping with his knee pain which was his primary concern. 

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Do We Need More Fat?

I read this article on Yahoo! HealthyLiving. I have previous written several posts on the benefits of an Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acid Supplement. Read this article then my comments at the bottom.

When you hear the word "omega," you probably think, "healthy!" However, just as we've been learning over the past few years that all fats are not created equal, turns out, neither are all omegas. William D. Lassek, M.D., a public health doctor and the co-author of Why Women Need Fat, says there are two types of polyunsaturated fats that are essential to your health and must come from your diet: omega-6 and omega-3.

"Both types are required by our bodies and both are found in large amounts in our brains," explains Lassek. "Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are unquestionably beneficial, because they reduce both weight and inflammation and are very critical to healthy brain function," he says.

However, while our bodies do require some omega-6, Lassek says the excessive amount in the average American's diet has been shown to increase appetite and weight, and also promote inflammation in your body tissues. "Our extraordinarily heavy dose of omega-6 is not good for us," he says, noting that inflammation plays a critical role in coronary disease.

What is it about the modern diet that's leading you to eat too much omega-6? Like omega-3, omega-6 fats occur naturally in small amounts in plants and in the meat of animals that eat plants, while nuts and seeds tend to have more omega-3. "In the diet of our Stone Age ancestors, there was probably more omega-3 than omega-6," says Lassek. "The problem for us today is that there is more than 20 times as much omega-6 as omega-3 in the American diet."

The culprit? Industrially processed vegetable oils, like corn and soybean oils, which according to Lassek, are added to most prepared foods. Marjorie Nolan, RD, national spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, agrees that the average American is consuming excessive amounts of omega-6. "A problem arises when the balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is off," she says. "Omega-6 is easily found in the standard American diet, while omega-3 is not."

According to Nolan, your body needs a ratio of 1:1 omega-6 to omega-3, yet she says the typical American consumes at least 15 times as much omega-6 as omega-3.

Yikes! So what should you be eating so you're getting enough omega-3 and not consuming an excess of omega-6? According to Lassek, your best bets are wild-caught seafood (which has lower amounts of mercury than farm-raised); eggs from chickens fed diets enriched in omega-3; and meat from grass-fed animals (corn-fed supermarket meats are high in omega-6). Other good sources include flaxseed, canola and walnut oils, as well as dairy products from grass-fed cows.

And step away -- far, far away -- from that package of chips, especially if you're trying to lose weight. According to Lassek, who's a big fan of the Mediterranean-style diet, "Cutting way down on prepared foods and increasing foods rich in healthy and slimming omega-3 fats should help most women to gradually return to more natural weights."

MyAchingKnees comments:

The sources I use articulate an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratios of 2:1, while the average western diet has a ratio of 20:1 to 40:1. This imbalance can affect prostaglandins produced within the body which are like chemical messengers between the cells. When these prostaglandins are out of balance inflammation can occur increasing our susceptibility to degenerative diseases. Because our western diets are high in Omega 6 Fatty Acids and we consume relatively little Omega 3 Fatty Acids, westerners have a tendency to have a higher imbalanced ratios of Omega 6 to 3.

While I agree with the gist of the article to eat better and consume more foods with natural Omega 3, this just isn't possible for most people hence the need for supplementation of Omega 3's through nutritional supplements. However, with the supplementation of Omega 3 Fatty Acids the need to consume the highest quality product is doubly important as Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplements usually come in the form of fish oil and fish oil is thought to be the highest contaminated supplement with PCB's, mercury and other contaminants being found at a higher percentage than the toxins and impurities normally associated with food grade, off the shelf supplements.

There has been dramatic increases in the behavior of ADD/ADHD children when placed on Omega 3's; adults will sometimes feel a better cognitive function when taking high quality Omega 3's; joint health can be enhanced with Omega 3, not because they provide nutrients to the joint but because they decrease the Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio and therefore inflammation which can results in many conditions including joint, particularly knee pain; lastly, Omega 3 can help lower cholesterol levels and be a good choice for people concerned about cardio-vascular and heart health.

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Are Nutritional Supplements Killing You?

I imagine a lot of people read this article on Yahoo! And thought “Should I quit taking supplements? Is he crazy?!” What is not stated is the publishing date of the “study from the Archives of Internal Medicine. Maybe it was published in 1922. There is no doubt that the vitamin and supplement business is in the tens of billions of annual sales. But there is a doubt as to what good supplements do for people. When the vast majority of supplements sold in store fronts and some through direct sales are food grade and do not have any guarantees as to their potency, purity, bio-availability or dissolution there is certainly reason to believe that studies can conclude supplements as a whole either don’t do a person any good or are actually harmful.

Anyway, make up your own mind…here is the article:

Should You Quit Taking Vitamins?
By Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men's Health, 24 Oct 2011

I'm a big fan of vitamins. And judging by the size of the vitamin and supplement industry—$20 billion in annual sales, a quarter of that in multivitamins—so are you. Pop one pill and you get a day’s worth of nutrients. What’s not to love?

Well, there is this: A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that taking multivitamins and other supplements may actually shorten your life. Uh-oh.

Researchers in the study collected information from nearly 40,000 women (but say the findings apply to men too) several times over 22 years. They asked about all sorts of health issues, including vitamin and supplement use. After reconciling this data with health and death records, researchers identified seven supplements that actually seem to hasten death: vitamin B6, folic acid, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and your innocent-looking multivitamin. The increase in mortality rate ranged from 2.2 percent (multivitamins) to a whopping 18 percent (copper).

All of which begs the question: Should you quit taking your vitamins? Well, I’m not going to quit—and you shouldn’t either. Here’s why:

MyAchingKnees comment: I’m not going to quit taking supplements either. But I know the quality of the nutrients I take. Do you?

1. The Study Was Observational.

This means that researchers followed a group of people over time, but didn’t test the supplement group against a placebo group. Although researchers did carefully control for factors such as age, diabetes, physical activity, high blood pressure, and a few dietary habits, even they say the findings should be interpreted with caution. There may be factors they didn’t account for that skewed the results, admits lead author Jaakko Mursu, Ph.D., of the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Minnesota.

2. The Study Followed a Group of Older Women.

Average age: 62. That’s not quite a representative sample of the population. Plus, it’s been well established that iron supplements increase the risk of heart disease in post-menopausal women (which is why there’s no iron in Centrum Silver and other multi’s formulated for older adults). And copper—which can be toxic in large amounts—is prevalent in many natural foods, such as vegetables and nuts, so few people need large doses of supplementation.

MyAchingKnees comment: Centrum Silver? Does anyone really take that? Iron, at least in several tableted forms, interferes with the absorption of other nutrients. Hence the need to get the majority of what you need via foods.

3. People Who Take Vitamins Generally Make Poorer Health Choices.

A study in Psychological Science earlier this year found that the perceived benefits of multivitamins may cause many people to cheat on their diets and workout routines. “Taking dietary supplements increases perceived invulnerability,” Wen-Bin Chiou, Ph.D., a professor at National Sun Yat-Sen University and author of the study, told Men's Health. In other words: It’s not the vitamins that are harmful; it’s the life choices people make while taking vitamins. So, you know, don’t do that.

MyAchingKnees comment: Well, you are partially right. Supplements are necessary since you cannot get the amount of nutrients you need for optimal health with today’s food supply,…..and you must make lifestyle changes such as avoiding the bad foods and consuming the better foods; avoiding toxins that are so prevalent in today’s environment; and, get some type of physical exercise.

4. Scores of Studies Have Found Benefits to Certain Vitamins and Supplements.

“In my mind, there's no question that low levels of vitamin D are associated with heart disease and many other issues including obesity and type 2 diabetes. I recommend it routinely and have for years,” says Robert Tozzi, M.D., chief of pediatric cardiology at the Hackensack University Medical Center . While your body produces vitamin D from sun exposure—and you consume it in certain foods—roughly one-third of Americans don’t have sufficient levels. (Mursu’s study found that vitamin D supplementation had no effect on total mortality.)

The American Heart Association recommends eating three servings of omega 3–rich fish per week, but how many of us meet that lofty goal? That’s why many experts recommend supplements. Studies show that men with the highest omega-3 levels, whether it's from natural sources or supplements, have the lowest risk of dying of heart disease. In fact, when researchers in Italy gave 2,800 heart-attack survivors 1 g fish oil a day, they found that the supplement reduced their risk of dying of heart disease by 30 percent and of sudden cardiac death by 45 percent, compared with those who didn't supplement their diets. That's pretty compelling evidence.

MyAchingKnees comment: Absolutely Omega 3 Fatty Acids are a hidden secret. The benefits are robust, carrying over not just for cardiac health, as a cholesterol fighter, but for joint health and brain energy and connectivity as well. Just be aware that low quality Omega 3 supplements are reported to have the highest levels of toxins such as PCB's, Dioxins and Mercury.  Before I took any off the shelf, food grade Omega 3 supplement, I would use whole foods high in Omega 3's, such as quality Olive Oil, flax seed and meal, and almonds.  




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Omega 3 - Where Art Thou?

I received a question from a reader, Jack in Oregon, asked: "Can you explain why you think Omega 3 oils are beneficial for your joints? I use Flax Seed oil in my food and think it's a good thing and can't find anything that shows to take Omega 3 for joint pain."

MyAchingKnees reply: Omega 3 Fatty Acids are found in Flax Seed Meal and Oil. It's great for a person to use with their foods, if they are getting a whole source. I buy Flax Seed and use a coffee grinder to grind up and use in Steel Cut Oats for Breakfast or Lunch most of the time.

There are many sources that claim not only the joint pain reduction benefits of adding a good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids to your diet, but link Omega 3 to other degenerative disease fighting benefits and energy transfer between cells especially in cognitive functions.

I don't think Omega 3's are the end all to nutritional supplements, but I think they are an essential optimizers to a balanced daily nutritional supplement. I think there is truck loads of information that you bring a person to believe that there are amazing changes in your health that can be brought about from taking a quality (read pharmaceutical grade) nutritional supplement and optimizers, especially combining that eating good foods and avoiding bad foods, getting physical exercise and avoiding a toxic lifestyle. I am convinced of that and will be taking the supplements I do for the rest of my life, including the Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Glucosamine, which I attribute to not only reducing, but eliminating my knee pain.

Below is a recent article (you have to do your diligence to find these articles) on Omega 3 Fatty Acids and the link to slowing arthritis and osteoarthritis both degenerative diseases and causes of sometimes unrelenting joint pain. The article from Natural News can be found here.

Omega-3 fats from fish oil and supplements prevent and slow arthritis progression

Humans have been consuming omega-3 fats from natural fish, nut and seed sources for countless generations. Our core genetic structure depends on a regular supply of the long chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA to form cell wall structures and perform millions of metabolic functions that we normally associate with vibrant health. Imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats cause a surge in inflammatory cytokines that can lead to the painful and debilitating condition known as osteoarthritis.

New research published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage has shown for the first time that omega-3 fats supplied by fish oil could "substantially and significantly" reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis as we age.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in England tested the effect of omega-3 fats on a breed of guinea pigs that are genetically predisposed to develop arthritis. Guinea pigs were chosen for this study as they develop osteoarthritis in a similar manner to humans. Anecdotal reports over the years provide support for the beneficial effect of fish consumption on joint health. Dr. John Tarlton from the Matrix Biology Research Group and his team set out to confirm the impact of omega-3 fatty acids, either sourced from fish oil or flax oil, in preventing or slowing down the progression of osteoarthritis.

Omega-3 Fat Supplementation Slashes Osteoarthritis Disease Progression by Half

The team fed one group of guinea pigs a diet including full-spectrum omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) and compared the results to a second control group of non-supplemented animals. Typical degradation of collagen in cartilage and the loss of molecules that give it shock-absorbing properties were both reduced in the omega-3 supplemented group. Researchers noted that omega-3 fats reduced disease by
50 per cent compared to the control group.

Upon examination of the results, Dr. Tarlton explained: "there was strong evidence that omega-3 influences the biochemistry of the disease, and therefore not only helps prevent disease, but also slows its progression, potentially controlling established osteoarthritis." This is a critical finding, as most people suffering from arthritis are prescribed a plethora of ineffective pain medications that
dramatically increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or of suffering a heart attack.

Omega fat imbalance from a poor diet causes excessive joint inflammation and needless suffering. Researchers performing this study concluded "Most diets in the developed world are lacking in omega-3, with modern diets having up to 30 times too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. Taking omega-3 will help redress this imbalance and may positively contribute to a range of other health problems such as heart disease." Many health-minded individuals will want to supplement with a
molecularly distilled form of fish oil (minimum 1200 mg EPA/DHA content) each day to combat inflammation and osteoarthritis.


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Reader Question on Omega 3 Fatty Acids

MyAchingKnees.com received a reader contact from Shirley in North Carolina.

"I take Fish Oil gel tablets for three months now, and have not yet received any reduction in my knee pain."

Well, Shirley although Fish Oil has high levels of Omega 3 Fatty Acids there is no way of telling how much and what quantity you are taking with off the shelf, food grade products. Additionally, without the guaranteed quality, free of toxins that you would get from a pharmaceutical grade product, you risk mercury and other toxins with food grade Fish Oil products.

From EnvironmentalChemistry.com: "In spite of the health benefits provided by omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils, people are decreasing fish in their diets due to high levels of mercury found in some fish. Elevated levels of Mercury, a toxin affecting cognitive development in unborn children, is being found in many species of fish raising health concerns from eating mercury laden fish."

Keep in mind that Omega 3 Fatty Acids aren't necessarily a targeted product for your joint pain. Omega 3's work by balancing out the Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratios therefore thought to keep inflammation reduced which can affect your knees.

I take a pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine product called Procosa II, which is listed on page 3476 of the Physicians Desk Reference 2010 edition. I also take a pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 product, called Bi-Omega, to enhance what the Procosa II does for me, by helping to reduce inflammation. I have no other reason to explain the great reduction in my knee pain. Although I have your e-mail, I will not send anything unsolicited nor give your address to anyone. If you want more information on the products I take, then please fill out the form to the right.

Good luck and be careful on the off the shelf fish oil.

More Information on Omega 3 Fatty Acids

This is important since inflammation is a major cause of chronic joint pain especially in the knees.

From Doctor Ray Strand:

These Swiss investigators reviewed 97 randomized, controlled clinical trials, which involved over 275,000 subjects. They looked at comparing the reduction in cardiovascular deaths between individuals who were taking the lipid lowering drugs called statins, those who consumed higher doses of omega-3 fatty acids, and a controlled group or placebo group. The statin group reduced cardiovascular deaths by 22%, while the omega-3 fatty acid group decreased cardiovascular disease by 32%. Statin drugs reduced overall mortality by 13%; however, the omega-3 fatty acid group reduced overall mortality by 23%. These were significant findings and brought up the fact that supplementing your diet with high-quality omega-3 fatty acids from pharmaceutical-grade filtered fish oil was more effective than the expensive statin drugs when it came to cardiovascular death and overall mortality.

Now statin drugs have been shown to decrease inflammation and part of their clinical effectiveness is due to this aspect of these drugs. So researchers are not sure if it is the lowering of cholesterol or the anti-inflammatory aspect of these drugs that provide their health benefits. However, omega-3 fats are the building blocks of the body’s natural anti-inflammatories. In fact, supplemental intake of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA found in filtered fish oil has been shown to significantly decrease inflammation throughout the body, including our arteries. They also do not have the adverse side effects that the statin drugs have.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids - More Than Just for Joint Pain

MyAchingKnees.com has long be a fan of adding Omega 3 Fatty Acids supplements along with Glucosamine to aid in a reduction of chronic knee pain caused by degenerative joints. Of course, we advocate both supplements need to be pharmaceutical grade, even more important when faced with an Omega 3 Fatty Acid from Fish Oil, as fish are believed to have a higher chance of toxins (primarily mercury) than other supplements.

We have also talked about how Omega 3 Fatty Acids supplementation can balance the Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratios in our bodies and help reduce inflammation and possibly joint pain.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids have also been linked in numerous studies to better brain and eye development in babies and toddlers. I have several clients who have children between the ages of 5 and 12 who were thought to be ADHD/ADD and who did much better after being put on a daily mineral and anti-oxidant supplement AND an Omega 3 supplement.

For a link to an excellent Q and A article with John Cuomo, Ph.D., a nutritional scientist, click here.

Do you have Knee Pain going up a Flight of Stairs?

The below video shows a 50 year old man running up, back down then up and back again on a short flight of stairs showing that his knee pain has been greatly reduced if not eliminated to what he attributes is his consumption of Pharmaceutical Grade Nutritional products specifically Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Aching Knees – Jerry’s Story

Jerry M. is a roofer and HVAC maintenance worker in the greater Dallas , Texas area. Although relatively young in his mid 30’s, he was experiencing knee joint pain that was aggravated by climbing ladders and standing – working on sloped roofs. Previously he had been using Ibuprofen, sometimes taking 600 mg’s a couple times day. Jerry is also taking a statin drug for high cholesterol. Not knowing the bad combination of aspirin and Ibuprofen, Jerry also took one 325 mg aspirin each morning until he found out about the bad combination of Ibuprofen and Aspirin. Jerry also took an off the shelf 500 mg Niacin (Vitamin B3) supplement.

Jerry had tried an off the shelf joint health product with 1,500 mg of glucosomine and 1200 mg of chondroitin. He had tried this supplement for six months and felt that it had not helped one bit.

One of our representatives talked to Jerry which lead Jerry to quit taking the single Niacin (Vitamin B3) product as it was in a much greater dosage than necessary, the Blended Standard recommend daily dose being 60 mg, but there is no data available that support Niacin or Niacinamide helping joints. Jerry started taking a pharmaceutical grade daily nutritional supplement (actually the highest rated product in the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements) but did not get any joint pain relief. Although Jerry reported feeling great and even dropping a few pounds, he still had joint pain after a day of roofing or installing HVAC systems.

Our associate recommended to Jerry, that since he as experiencing better health taking the daily nutritional supplement, that he may want to try a pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acid (Fish oil) supplement. At less than $44 a month, Jerry thought it was worth a test. About four weeks into taking this product Jerry called our Associate and commented that he no longer had pain at the end of day like he used to from walking on sloped roofs.

We believe that while Glucosamine helps joint health and reduces pain through it’s interaction with existing cartilage, we also think the Omega 3 Fatty Acids are crucial to working against the sometime cause of chronic joint pain and that is Inflammation.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Back Joint Pain

When talking about adding Omega 3 Fatty Acids to a nutritional supplementation for Joint Pain has some people asking "Why Omega 3 Fatty Acids? What do they have to do with Joint Pain relief?"

A recent University of Pittsburgh study using a daily dose of 2,400 mg of EPA/DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid), then reducing to a dose of 1,200 mg of EPA/DHA on subjects with back pain resulted in 60% of the subjects gaining relief from chonic back pain. However the big statistic is that 80% of the subjects stated they would continue to take Omega 3 as they saw or felt other benefits as well.

My Aching Knees believes that Omega 3 Fatty Acids (usually derived from Fish Oil) is not only effective for joint pain but studies have suggested other health benefits as well, which include:

May significantly inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells.

Appears to help the brain to work faster, it increases IQ scores and slows down the aging process by reducing inflammation. (Lawrence Whalley, a mental health professor at Aberdeen University)

Fish oil with a high EPA content improves behavior, concentration and learning resulting in better grades at school. (The Durham trials led by Dr Madeleine Portwood)

High levels of EPA fish oil, may be an effective treatment for ADHD. (Adelaide University)

Fish oil reduced the severity of the symptoms for Bipolar disorder. (Dr Andrew Stoll)

Omega 3 supplementation improves complex cortical processing with improvements in mood and a reduction in anger, anxiety and depression. (Italian study by Fontani)

We have witnessed changes not only in chronic joint pain when adding a pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 to Glucosamine, but we have also seen positive (and quick) changes in ADD/ADHD children when Omega 3's are added to a daily anti-oxidant/multi-mineral nutritional supplement.

Be careful not to take non-pharmaceutical grade Fish Oil Supplements and you cannot be guaranteed to purity or potency and the presence of toxins, such as mercury can be significant.