What is the effect of long term supplementation with high Omega-3 fish
oil supplements on:
1) Total cholesterol?
2) HDL cholesterol?
3) LDL cholesterol?

Hello saregamapa~

Omega-3, one of the fatty acids found in fish oils, ?acts to lower the
levels of cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoproteins) in the
blood,? says WebMD (?Fish Oil,?
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=13979 ) ?LDL
cholesterol is the ?bad? cholesterol.?

American Family Physician adds: ?Omega-3 fatty acids lower plasma
triglyceride levels?by inhibiting the synthesis of very-low-density
lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver. A
review of human studies concluded that approximately 4 g per day of
omega-3 fatty acids reduced serum triglyceride concentrations by 25 to
30 percent, increased serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
levels by 5 to 10 percent, and increased high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) cholesterol levels by 1 to 3 percent. Total cholesterol was not
significantly affected?High dosages of fish oil may increase LDL
cholesterol levels, but the clinical relevance of this finding remains
unclear.? (?Omega 3 Fatty Acids,?
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20040701/133.html )

?Those who follow a Mediterranean-style diet tend to have higher HDL
(?good?) cholesterol levels,? says the University of Maryland Medical
Center website. ?Similar to those who follow a Mediterranean diet,
Inuit Eskimos, who consume high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from
fatty fish, also tend to have increased HDL cholesterol and decreased
triglycerides (fatty material that circulates in the blood). In
addition, fish oil supplements containing EPA and DHA have been shown
to reduce LDL (?bad?) cholesterol and triglycerides. Finally, walnuts
(which are rich in ALA) have been shown to lower total cholesterol and
triglycerides in people with high cholesterol.? (?
Omega-3 Fatty Acids,?
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/Omega3FattyAcidscs.html )

For additional information about Omega-3 in general, I highly
recommend the American Family Physician article noted above.

Kind regards,
Kriswrite

KEYWORDS USED:
"omega 3" cholesterol

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Request for Answer Clarification by saregamapa-ga on 27 Jul 2005 20:15 PDT

At this point I am more confused than I was before asking the
question, because you have given contradictory references.  Two
references state that omega-3 reduces LDL, while the other says it
raises LDL.  Please provide clarification.

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Clarification of Answer by kriswrite-ga on 28 Jul 2005 07:14 PDT

Hello again saregamapa~

I?m sorry I confused you! Unfortunately, clinical evidence is often
contradictory. However, most studies show that omega-3:

?	Lowers LDL (?bad? cholesterol)
?	Increases HDL (?good? cholesterol)
?	Has little or no effect on overall cholesterol


However, some studies also show LDL going up a little with omega-3
intake. As American Family Physicians says, ?high dosages of fish oil
may increase LDL cholesterol levels, but the clinical relevance of
this finding remains unclear.? (?Omega 3 Fatty Acids,?
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20040701/133.html )

I hope this makes the medical facts more clear.

Kind regards,
Kriswrite

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/omacor_cp.htm

One more benefit to ingesting lab quality Omega-3, albeit not widely
tested, is that after two or three months of use, a much higher
proportion of the participants than would be indicated by stastical
analysis were able to stop taking anti-depressants that they were
using prior to the test.

As an anecdotal comment, I happen to be one of those who were taking
anti-depressants (Wellbutrin) for many years and was able to
discontinue it successfully and have had no need of them for six years
now.

There are a number of other benefits as well, most again, anecdotal
because there is no money to be made in dedicated testing of a
allopathic product.  Too bad..

oh yeah, and make sure, if you are buying fish oils from health food
stores, that you buy from a reputable brand.  there's a high risk of
heavy metals and impurities from fish oils that are not processed
properly and tested regularly for quality assurance.