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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 27 to 51 of 51. Go back in thread:
Posted by Sarah T. on July 16, 2005, at 0:09:24
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond, posted by cherylann on July 10, 2005, at 21:08:10
> I'm not really sure how fish oil is suppposed to work. But I did read something that made me think that it makes brain cell membranes more receptive to seratonin.> I've been taking it for about a year and it works for me. It only seems to work along with an AD, as I've tried it alone and had no effects.> I also notice a difference in brands.>> cherylann
Hi Cherylann,
I think fish oil might make brain cells more receptive. I think it helps improve membrane permeability. That's interesting that it only works for you when combined with an AD. I've heard that from people who've had success with Lamictal. They have to take Lamictal with an AD. I don't think I've ever met anyone who improved on Lamictal alone.
Posted by LOOPS on July 16, 2005, at 9:22:20
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » LOOPS, posted by Sarah T. on July 16, 2005, at 0:04:15
> Hi LOOPS,
> You mentioned that fish oil without GLA results in too much dopamine for you. Is that a fact? I've heard that fish oil has some effects on dopamine, but I never paid much attention to it because it doesn't seem to do anything for me. Can you tell me what you feel like when you don't take GLA? Do you feel too "wired" or anxious?Hi -
yes I feel like I can't sit still and concentrate on one thing without the GLA. Sometimes the anxiety is like feeling very motivated but with nothing to do - but that is my life sometimes; which is a shame, as I should be putting my mind to something good.
Oh but it is such a balancing act. Too much GLA and I get tired and irritable, although I am more inclined to sit down and do just one thing.
Not that you want to know this, but interestingly, too much GLA before a tennis lesson makes me play like crap. Just the fish oil and lecithin with a small amount of GLA is excellent.
If I haven't had any GLA all month (this is what happened recently) I get wicked PMT, which is immediately relieved by EPO.
Loops
Posted by KaraS on July 16, 2005, at 16:56:50
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » KaraS, posted by Sarah T. on July 15, 2005, at 23:27:33
> Hi Kara,
> Over the past couple of years, there have been so many posts from people who've noticed that fish oil causes acne. I'm surprised by this because fish oil is reputed to be so good for skin. I have not noticed an increase in acne, but my skin and other ailments (such as joint pain) are not improved at all on fish oil.
>
> The only supplement that has caused a noticeable improvement for me is Magnesium. I take 400 mg of Magnesium at night before bed. This is in addition to the Magnesium that is in the multi-vitamin I take.
>
> Thanks for mentioning the fish oils with the high EPA to low DHA ratio. If I decide to continue taking fish oil, I will look for such a brand. Are there any, in particular, that you recommend?
Hi Sarah,
I think it is very strange that we don't read anything in the literature about fish oil and acne. I thought it was just a fluke or an allergic reaction or something with me but after I posted about it and several others said that they had the same response to the fish oil, then I knew that somehow it had the potential to aggravate acne.Tealady has posted here about a B vitamin possibly offsetting this acnegenic effect. I think it was B5 but I'm not positive. I have not had the necessity to test it as I haven't had the acne problem with fish oil lately (either because of hormonal issues, not taking a high enough fish oil dosage or maybe even because of the brand I've been taking). I do plan on trying a higher dosage of fish oil in the future so this problem may come up again, in which case I'll try the B vitamin.
I'm can't tell you first-hand what brands of high EPA/low DHA fish oil to try. Maybe others can help you out more on that. The brands that have a high EPA fish oil product that I have read good things about on this board so far (that I remember) are Twinlab, Omegabrite and Source Naturals. I think there's another liquid one also that I can't think of now. This doesn't necessarily relate to all products by those companies so you'd have to look at their stats to make sure they were high EPA/low DHA.
Kara
Posted by Sarah T. on July 17, 2005, at 20:17:42
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond, posted by LOOPS on July 16, 2005, at 9:22:20
Hi LOOPS,
What form of GLA do you take? Evening primrose oil or black currant seed oil or borage oil?
You said that GLA helps alleviate your premenstrual symptoms. May I ask what your PMS is like, or does it vary from month to month? I've heard that EPO is very good for symptoms like breast pain and tenderness. Do you find that it also helps PMS symptoms like irritability, foggy thinking, etc?
S.
Posted by Sarah T. on July 17, 2005, at 20:25:07
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » Sarah T., posted by KaraS on July 16, 2005, at 16:56:50
Hi Kara,
Regarding fish oil brands, I think Nordic Naturals is also supposed to be good, but I don't know about its EPA to DHA ratio. You mentioned a liquid brand. Could that have been Carlson's by any chance? I've seen that at the health food store but I never bought it because I figured it would be too difficult to take along a bottle of fish oil when I travel. It would be awfully messy and smelly if a bottle of fish oil leaked in my suitcase, and it would probably make the TSA (airport security personnel) even more annoying than they already are.
Posted by MidnightBlue on July 17, 2005, at 23:20:34
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » MidnightBlue, posted by Sarah T. on July 15, 2005, at 23:48:19
The name of the acne med I use is Benza Clin and it is a combo of clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide gel. It IS prescription. I am in my early 50s, and STILL get acne! It does dry your skin out some, but not a lot. It is good for cystic type acne, too.
MidnightBlue
Posted by Sarah T. on July 18, 2005, at 21:25:46
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » Sarah T., posted by MidnightBlue on July 17, 2005, at 23:20:34
Hi Midnight Blue,
Thanks for the mention of Benza Clin. I'm pretty sure I used that at some point in the distant past. I think it was very good. Is that the one that has to be refrigerated? I could sure use some of that this summer! The heat and humidity have made my skin look as if I am going through puberty again.
S.
Posted by MidnightBlue on July 18, 2005, at 21:50:34
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » MidnightBlue, posted by Sarah T. on July 18, 2005, at 21:25:46
Yes, I keep it in the refrigerator. I tried to shorten that, and the computer thought it was a naughty word!
MB
Posted by KaraS on July 19, 2005, at 1:39:01
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » KaraS, posted by Sarah T. on July 17, 2005, at 20:25:07
> Hi Kara,
>
> Regarding fish oil brands, I think Nordic Naturals is also supposed to be good, but I don't know about its EPA to DHA ratio. You mentioned a liquid brand. Could that have been Carlson's by any chance? I've seen that at the health food store but I never bought it because I figured it would be too difficult to take along a bottle of fish oil when I travel. It would be awfully messy and smelly if a bottle of fish oil leaked in my suitcase, and it would probably make the TSA (airport security personnel) even more annoying than they already are.
Hi,
I was thinking that it might be Carlson's but when I looked it up on-line at iHerb.com, I couldn't find a Carlson's version that was high EPA. I'll have to look into it further.A lot of people here prefer the liquid but I have the same reservations that you have. I haven't tried it yet though.
K
Posted by Sarah T. on July 29, 2005, at 1:38:14
In reply to Re: Fish Oil Survey -- please respond » Sarah T., posted by KaraS on July 19, 2005, at 1:39:01
Hi Kara,
Today I found some fish oil with a high EPA: DHA ratio. It is "ProEPA" and is made by Nordic Naturals. I have seen many other Nordic Naturals products, and this is the only one I've seen with that large a ratio. Two softgels contain 850 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA. I think there are some products that might contain ONLY EPA or only DHA, but for those that contain both, this is largest ratio I could find.
Posted by KaraS on July 31, 2005, at 2:53:32
In reply to Kara, re: EPA: DHA ratio » KaraS, posted by Sarah T. on July 29, 2005, at 1:38:14
> Hi Kara,
>
> Today I found some fish oil with a high EPA: DHA ratio. It is "ProEPA" and is made by Nordic Naturals. I have seen many other Nordic Naturals products, and this is the only one I've seen with that large a ratio. Two softgels contain 850 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA. I think there are some products that might contain ONLY EPA or only DHA, but for those that contain both, this is largest ratio I could find.
I think that's a pretty good brand if I remember correctly. Good luck with it and let me know how it goes.K
Posted by MidnightBlue on July 31, 2005, at 23:57:26
In reply to Kara, re: EPA: DHA ratio » KaraS, posted by Sarah T. on July 29, 2005, at 1:38:14
One OmegaBrite 500mg softgel provides in a 7:1 ratio 350mg of EPA and 50mg of DHA. Their literature says that is the highest ratio in the industry, but I don't know for sure.
MB
Posted by LOOPS on August 1, 2005, at 10:16:21
In reply to Kara, re: EPA: DHA ratio » KaraS, posted by Sarah T. on July 29, 2005, at 1:38:14
Hi -
Source Naturals do a high EPA product which I like - Arctic Pure EPA (500mg EPA and 90mg DHA per cap) - it's cheaper than the Nordic Naturals.
Twinlab also do a high EPA fish oil - MegaTwin EPA which has I think 600mg EPA and 240mg DHA per cap. This one's more expensive.
Both of these have worked for me in terms of mood and inflammation.
Loops
Posted by Sarah T. on August 6, 2005, at 23:29:12
Hi. I started a thread quite far above on this board about fish oil. The thread is kind of old so I'm starting a new one. Several weeks ago, I posted a very discouraged and discouraging, frustrated post about fish oil. Basically, I've gotten the impression it's like the snake oil of the 21st Century. Several people responded and suggested that I try a fish oil with a high EPA to DHA ratio, so I looked for a brand with such a ratio. I found one made by Nordic Naturals called ProEPA. It has 850mg of EPA and 200mg of DHA. Yesterday I realized that my joint pains aren't as bad as they've been. My depression is unimproved, but I do think my joint pains have been every-so-slightly alleviated. I am currently at a point in my menstrual cycle when my joint pains are usually at their worst and, for the first time in a long time, they aren't that bad. I still have pain, but it's not as debilitating as it usually is. It's probably too early to tell whether the new fish oil is responsible for this improvement, but I will definitely keep you informed.
Posted by KaraS on August 7, 2005, at 2:36:54
In reply to I think I might have some good news. . ., posted by Sarah T. on August 6, 2005, at 23:29:12
> Hi. I started a thread quite far above on this board about fish oil. The thread is kind of old so I'm starting a new one. Several weeks ago, I posted a very discouraged and discouraging, frustrated post about fish oil. Basically, I've gotten the impression it's like the snake oil of the 21st Century. Several people responded and suggested that I try a fish oil with a high EPA to DHA ratio, so I looked for a brand with such a ratio. I found one made by Nordic Naturals called ProEPA. It has 850mg of EPA and 200mg of DHA. Yesterday I realized that my joint pains aren't as bad as they've been. My depression is unimproved, but I do think my joint pains have been every-so-slightly alleviated. I am currently at a point in my menstrual cycle when my joint pains are usually at their worst and, for the first time in a long time, they aren't that bad. I still have pain, but it's not as debilitating as it usually is. It's probably too early to tell whether the new fish oil is responsible for this improvement, but I will definitely keep you informed.
Yay! That's a good start. I hope it continues to improve your joint pain and then begins to effect your mood as well.K
Posted by Sarah T. on August 8, 2005, at 0:04:11
In reply to Re: I think I might have some good news. . . » Sarah T., posted by KaraS on August 7, 2005, at 2:36:54
Posted by windygo on August 8, 2005, at 3:57:14
In reply to Fish Oil Survey -- please respond, posted by Sarah T. on July 4, 2005, at 21:21:45
Sarah,
This is my first post on this board. As part of a program using many supplements as well as meds for my BP(II), I've been taking fish oil for three years now. No magic bullet for me, but nothing else has worked either for my predominantly depression and ultra-rapid cycling. For its broad range of health benefits (and no, this one is backed up by lots of good research), I will continue taking one softgel every meal. For a while I was on twice that much, but then the research showed that more is not necessarily better!
I researched all the brands carefully, both for price and quality. (The last thing I wanted was mercury poisoning, so distallation for purity is essential.) I've settled on Source Naturals brand Arctic Pure EPA, which contains 500 mg EPA + 90 mg DHA (a 5.5:1 ratio, compared to 1.5:1 for pure fish oil). Taste or burping is not an issue with their lemon oil and rosemary extract. iHerb.com has great prices and service, particularly if one orders many months' supply in advance to get a quantity discount. (Store in a cool place!)
One last word. Do also cut out all the partially hydrogenated oils in your diet, and try to take foods high in omega-3 fats, not omega-6.
Best of luck to everyone. I do hope you find a magic bullet, but maybe we all need several parts to get our cars working, or they won't run at all!
Posted by Dr. Bob on August 8, 2005, at 9:18:47
In reply to I think I might have some good news. . ., posted by Sarah T. on August 6, 2005, at 23:29:12
> I started a thread quite far above on this board about fish oil. The thread is kind of old so I'm starting a new one.
Is being old a problem? I think there's more continuity if discussions aren't split up, so ordinarily I'd reconnect these...
Bob
Posted by teejay on August 8, 2005, at 20:20:26
In reply to Re: thread is kind of old » Sarah T., posted by Dr. Bob on August 8, 2005, at 9:18:47
Blimey, a matter of admin that I do agree with Dr Bob on!! Whatever next?? LOL
TJ
Posted by tealady on August 11, 2005, at 1:34:58
In reply to Re: thread is kind of old, posted by teejay on August 8, 2005, at 20:20:26
> Blimey, a matter of admin that I do agree with Dr Bob on!! Whatever next?? LOL
>
> TJB Limey me2 :-) B4 u get ya knickers in a knot;-) Dr Bob still didn't actually move the post... LOL
tea
Posted by JLx on August 11, 2005, at 20:02:57
In reply to Kara, re: EPA: DHA ratio » KaraS, posted by Sarah T. on July 29, 2005, at 1:38:14
> Hi Kara,
>
> Today I found some fish oil with a high EPA: DHA ratio. It is "ProEPA" and is made by Nordic Naturals. I have seen many other Nordic Naturals products, and this is the only one I've seen with that large a ratio. Two softgels contain 850 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA. I think there are some products that might contain ONLY EPA or only DHA, but for those that contain both, this is largest ratio I could find.Country Life has a high EPA too, 5:1 EPA to DHA. I just completed a two month trial, taking 3 capsules a day, which is 1.5 gram of EPA. It coincided with a definite downturn, but that may have been coincidental. It's always hard to say. Still, I'm going back to the usual ratio and will take more of it too, as I used too.
JL
Posted by Dr. Bob on August 12, 2005, at 8:14:59
In reply to Re: thread is kind of old » teejay, posted by tealady on August 11, 2005, at 1:34:58
> Dr Bob still didn't actually move the post...
I was waiting for Sarah to respond?
Bob
Posted by Sarah T. on August 12, 2005, at 11:57:38
In reply to Re: thread is kind of old » Sarah T., posted by Dr. Bob on August 8, 2005, at 9:18:47
Hi Dr. Bob,
I apologize for not responding sooner. I was uncertain whether you really wanted a response. I think I was worried that my newer post wouldn't be seen if it got "lost" in an old thread. If you want to move my post to the original thread, please do. Thank you for asking.
Sarah
Posted by Dr. Bob on August 13, 2005, at 20:38:50
In reply to Re: thread is kind of old » Dr. Bob, posted by Sarah T. on August 12, 2005, at 11:57:38
> I think I was worried that my newer post wouldn't be seen if it got "lost" in an old thread. If you want to move my post to the original thread, please do.
Thanks. IMO, it's *less* likely to get lost in and old thread because (1) it'll be closer to the top and (2) people already following that thread will be notified of it.
Bob
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on August 16, 2005, at 15:04:03
In reply to I think I might have some good news. . ., posted by Sarah T. on August 6, 2005, at 23:29:12
Hello
Fish oil is widely known to help joint problems, at least here in the UK. There was even an advert for 'seven seas cod liver oil' that had a rusty tinman with creaking joints 'made better' by the advertised cod liver oil.
I think the thinking with the fish oil and depression is that some types of depression can be caused by a lack of EFAs in the brain, which is what the brain is composed of. But I guess if your depression is caused by something else, then taking fish oil won't help particulary with the depression. However, it will help you keep generally healthy because we need alot of EFAs in our diet, like for keeping our joints supple etc. Apparently we are chronically lacking in them in our daily (western) diets.
This is the end of the thread.
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