Fish Oil IS GOOD FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
By Laurel Sterling, MA, RDN, CDN, National Nutritionist & Educator for Carlson Labs

Fish oils, in particular omega-3 fatty acids, are great for the entire family for a variety of reasons! They are very well known, researched, and documented for supporting cardiovascular health, brain and nerve health, vision, the immune system, and joint health. In children, in particular, omega-3s have been seen to promote brain development, impact behavior and learning abilities, support comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and reading skills.

The study that really changed the acceptance of EPA and DHA supplements for people with heart issues and for prevention of heart issues was the Gissi Prevenzione trial. This was a study of 11,000 myocardial infarction survivors. One group was taking a placebo, and the other group that took 1 gram daily of omega-3 EFAs (EPA/DHA) had a 20% decrease in total deaths, a 30% decrease in cardiovascular deaths, and a 45% decrease in sudden deaths over a 4-year period versus the placebo group. This led to widespread recommendation of EPA and DHA by organizations like GOED. GOED, which is the Global Organization of EPA and DHA has established omega-3 daily intake recommendations based on scientific research. For the general healthy adult population, to lower the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) 500mg is recommended. For pregnancy and lactation, 200 additional mg/day of DHA over the recommendation for healthy adults. For secondary prevention of CHD, 1000mg/day of EPA + DHA is recommended. Over 1g/d is supported for a range of additional health conditions like elevated blood pressure and elevated triglycerides. Some great options to get in the amount of fish oil you need daily include Carlson's Very Finest Fish Oil at 1 tsp/day which yields 1,600mg of omega-3s. If you prefer a softgel, you can take 1-2 of Elite Omega 3 Gems with a meal. One softgel yields 800mg of omega-3s. Super DHA Gems, which yields 500mg of DHA in 1 softgel, is ideal for the pregnant or breastfeeding mom.

Looking at the benefits of omega- 3s for children, there was the Dolab Study and Oxford Durham Trial. The Dolab Study took 493 children, who were poor readers and had a low omega-3 index percentages, and supplemented them with DHA. Reading and behavior improved significantly. In the Oxford Durham trial, 120 kids aged 6-12 were given 558mg EPA, 174mg DHA from fish oil, and 60mg GLA (from Evening primrose oil). Learning and behavior improved significantly, and concentration and reading dramatically improved. Each ½ teaspoon dose of Carlson for Kid's Very Finest Fish Oil provides 800mg of omega-3's (yielding 400 EPA/250 DHA) in a natural lemon or orange flavor. A great way for your child to get in their dose of cod liver oil is by drizzling it into or over some of their favorite foods like popcorn, PB & J sandwiches, pizza, hummus, yogurt, or smoothies. There are many more recipes you can access on the Carlson website www.carlsonlabs.com. All flavors of our high-quality liquid fish oils have been honored with Superior Taste Awards from the renowned chefs and sommeliers of the International Taste and Quality Institute in Brussels.

Like fish oil, cod liver oil provides the important omega-3 fatty acids, but with the added benefit of naturally occurring Vitamins A & D. Both Vitamin A & D give added support for the immune system. This additional immune support is great to use during the months of September through April when kids are not out playing in the sunshine as much; therefore, their bodies will be making less vitamin D. Each ½ teaspoon dose of Carlson For Kid's Cod Liver Oil provides 550mg of omega-3's (yielding 200 EPA/250 DHA), 425 IU of Vitamin A, and 200 IU of Vitamin D3 in a delicious lemon or bubble gum flavor. Adult dosing of cod liver oil is 1 teaspoon which yields 1,100 mg of omega- 3s fatty acids, 850 IU of vitamin A, and 400IU of vitamin D. The cod liver oil comes from Arctic cod off the coast of Norway. All Carlson suppliers hold the Friend of the Sea Certificate. Friend of the Sea is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, whose mission is marine habitat conservation. Known for their strict guidelines and procedures, Friend of the Sea is a leading international certification project. We also pride ourselves on superior purity and potency. To insure this, Carlson uses IFOS, which is The International Fish Oil Standards program. IFOS is the only third party testing and certification program exclusively for fish oil supplements. It tests for purity, potency, and freshness of fish oils. Carlson repeatedly receives the highest 5-star rating on over 28 of our fish oils.

Fish oil provides important omega-3 fatty acids that are crucial for supporting and maintaining healthy cells, and medical studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids are key components to the structure of our nervous system. EPA and DHA, the most important omega-3s, promote healthy cardiovascular, brain, nerve, vision, joint, skin, and immune function for the entire family. So try adding some into your daily routine!

REFERENCES:
W.S. Harris, "The Omega-3 Index as a Risk Factor for Coronary Heart Disease," Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 87 (6), 1997S-2002S (2008).

Relationship between the total EPA and DHA (expressed as the Omega-3 Index) and sudden cardiac death. Data are from Dr. C.M. Albert and colleagues (2).

C.M. Albert, et al., "Blood Levels of Long- Chain N-3 Fatty Acids and the Risk of Sudden Death," N. Engl. J. Med. 346 (15), 1113-1118 (2002).