[information below is from http://www.omegagold.com/introduction.html]

Recent studies indicate that modern people's diet intakes excessive Omega 6 and too little Omega 3. This leads to an acute imbalance of PUFA (poly unsaturate fatty acids) somewhere between one Omega 3 to fourteen Omega 6. Imbalance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 increases the risk of having diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, and skin disorder.

Most of the world's major health organizations, including the Health Canada and the British Nutrition Foundation, suggest a minimum daily intake of 1.25 grams of Omega 3 PUFA.

Many of us supplement out diets with Omega 3 EFAs in the form of flaxseed oil and fish oil. There is however, another source of Omega 3 EFAs that is considered superior to both of these: Seal oil.

A little background information:

Omega 3 EFA consists of three components, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DPA (docosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), all necessary and vital to human functioning.

Docosahexaenoic acid
DHA is a key component of the brain and visual system. It maintains and improves human memory and learning behavior.

Eicosapentaenoic acid
EPA is able to lower the level of cholesterol, to clean blood vessel, to prevent stroke, and to prevent ischaemia of heart and most of the cardial diseases. EPA can lessen myocardial infarction in exercises as well.

Docosapentaenoic acid
Recent Studies reported that DPA, abundant in mother's milk, is essential for human growth and development. DPA displays the following functions:

• Improve human memory
  Enhance the ability to respond and learn
  Lower the level of cholesterol in blood to protect the heart

Flaxseed oil does not contain any of these components, however, it does contain ALA (Alpha Linolenic Acid) which the body can convert into EPA and DHA. It should be noted that there are those in the population who lack the enzyems required to make this conversion. Fishoil contains both EPA and DHA and until now has been the standard. Enter seal oil.

Seal Oil contains all three components of Omega 3 and in the same proportions that are found naturally in the human body.

Why Seal Oil is a superior source of Omega 3:

The absorption of seal oil into the human body is easier and more thorough than fish oils. In seal oil, the omega-3 fatty acids are in the -1 and -3 positions of the triglyceride molecule (same as humans) while in fish oil they are in the -2 position. The omega-3 content of seal oil is 20%-25%, which is higher than most fish oils, making seal oil capsules a much more effective source of omega-3 than fish itself.

Dr. Fereidoon Shahidi of Memorial University of Newfoundland, provides the following explanation:

"In comparing seal oil with fish oils, assimilation of seal oil into the body is more efficient than fish oils. EPA, DHA and DPA in seal oil are located primarily in the terminal positions of the triglyceride molecules (as in humans) while they are preferentially present in the middle position of triglycerides in fish oils. The difference in the location of the omega 3 PUFA is a major reason for the superior effect of seal oils compared to fish oils in disease prevention and potential health benefits."

Fish oil is susceptible to oxidization whereas seal oil is more resistant to natural oxidative processes. Preliminary experiments by Drs. Nakhla and David have shown that the extent of oxidization of omega-3 PUFA in seal in vitro was less than half observed in fish oils.

With the exception of seal oil, the highest incidence of DPA is in human breast milk. Deficiencies in omega-3 PUFA's such as DPA may result in impaired development of visual acuity and motor skills, according to several studies.

About a third of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids circulating in human blood is attributable to DPA. Because of this, DPA has become of interest to medical researchers in both France and Japan. It seems that in the blood vessel walls, EPA may actually be converted to DPA as the effective agent. Japanese researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Tokyo have shown that the one stimulating effect of EPA on endothelial cell migration occurs via DPA, which may act as a powering anti-atherogenic factor. Although it has been believed that EPA is the key in producing prostaglandin that keeps the artery wall soft and free of plaque, this study indicates that DPA may be 10-20 times more powerful than EPA in this effect. Seal oil is the only supplement rich in natural DPA.

As seals are mammals like us, they use their metabolic and digestive systems to filter out the many natural impurities found in fish. The "bio-filtering" provides an essential component not found in most fish oils and naturally enriches the omega 3 content and adds an essential element not found in most fish oils: DPA. Seal oils therefore supply a naturally purified and high quality source of omega 3.

Where you can read more:

http://fatsforhealth.com/news_update/menstrual.php3
http://www.kiip.gl/inussuk/1999/2he...old/004_35.html
http://www.wildsea.com/page2.html

Nat

Thanks for posting that Nat

Is Seal Oil readily available in health food stores? Is it sold by the bottle in liquid form like Flax Oil or in capsules? What is the daily recommended dose? I am looking for an alternative to Flax Oil due to possible thyroid concerns.

Lesley

Les, I'm not sure how readily available it can be found in nutrition houses, although I suspect that if enough people asked for it and the demand increased that would change There are a number of manufacturers and distributors of seal oil in NFLD and they do have a web presence. Everything I have seen thus far comes in pill form.

One of the guys I work with on the Council has been taking seal oil for a few years - it was recommended to him by a scientist from the east who was up on the lastest info on Omega 3. This man was going to have to have surgery on his knee things had deteriorated so badly - today he's the only other person from the Council I ever run into in the hotel gyms, and I usually see him after he's gone jogging.



Supplementwatch.com suggests: an intake of 3-10 grams is beneficial for cardioprotective benefits and may prevent mood swings.

Nat

what kind of seals??

I don't know that I could take that, being indoctrinated with the image of baby seals and their big eyes...

Funny. cows have big lovely eyes, too, but I don't have a problem munching on them happily.

Or lambs, or chickens, or cute little piggies *oink*

Nat

Thanks Nat. I'm going to switch to seal oil if I can find it in a glass bottle as Dr. Eades mentioned concerning protection from lipid peroxides.

You can buy seal oil capsules here:

http://www.omegavite.com/order1.htm

http://tesco-shopping.com/terranovadrho.htm

OR FOR CANADIANS ONLY:

http://www.tidespoint.com/health/sealoil1.shtml

http://www.omegaplus.nf.ca/capsules.htm

Delilah, I'm not sure you are going to want to read this:

http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cach...eal_041998.html

The nutrition house that I get most of my 'supplies' from actually knew about seal oil and when I asked for it they said "not yet" - meaning it was something they were looking at carrying

Keep in mind re the oxidation, that seal oil is less 'tempermental' than fish oil and does not oxidize or spoil like fish oil/ flaxseed oil does.

Nat

How bout a report on slaughter houses for cattle to even things out?

Personally, my belief is that humans evolved to eat meat and as long as the seals are used for their pelts and used as food, then I'm okay with it. The only time I'm not okay with the death of any animal is when there is no good purpose for it--when it is a waste and useless. Obviously if they made the seal oil capsules from the seals, then it was to a good purpose. The Canadians who make the seal oil capsules also sell many other seal products from clothing to seal meat, so I feel confident buying from them. It is mass slaughter of animals for no purpose that I'm against.

Nat, you are right. I was reading more on it and seal oil oxidizes at half the rate of fish oil. But as with all oils, they can become rancid and care should be taken. They should be refrigerated after opening.

Nat, what I don't see is anything about mercury in the seals. Usually larger sea animals that eat a lot of fish have more mercury than smaller ones. Do you know anything on this?

Everything that I've come across has been that because seals are more higly evolved than the fish they eat they have better 'bio filtering' going on. I do know that seals tend to eat young, smaller, fish (they actually 'hang out' at spawning grounds) and the smaller the fish the less likely the contaminants. It is something I plan on asking the guy I talk to at Terranova, though.

N