Fish Oil vs Salmon Oil vs Flaxseed Oil

[RAV TUX]

...before I start I know that Salmon is a fish.

Here is my question, a few doctors have suggested that I take Fish Oil, while in Boulder, Colorado I bought two bottles of Fish Oil Gel Caps(buy one get one free).

I found one negative effect, the Fish Oil gel caps gave me a terrible after effect(nothing worse then a Fishy burp).

So when I ran out I bought some Salmon Oil gel caps, immediately after a short time of taking the Salmon Oil Gel caps the negative effects I experienced with the Fish Oil caplets is gone.

Thats something to be happy about. I began to wonder what are the benefits and draw backs of taking Salmon Oil as opposed to Fish Oil caplets.

Sense this is beyond the scope of traditional western medicine I have of course turned to the internet and my trusted forum home online, ubuntuforums.org.

So the primary difference from Fish Oil and Salmon Oil is quite obvious:

Fish Oil caplets-derived from many kind of fish

Salmon Oil caplets-derived from Salmon only

Some more information about Fish Oil in general:

Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_oil

Fish oil is recommended for a healthy diet because it contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors to eicosanoids that reduce inflammation throughout the body
However, fish do not actually produce omega-3 fatty acids, but instead accumulate them from either consuming microalgae that produce these fatty acids, as is the case with prey fish like herring and sardines, or, as is the case with fatty predatory fish, by eating prey fish that have accumulated omega-3 fatty acids from microalgae. Such fatty predatory fish like mackerel, lake trout, albacore tuna and salmon may be high in omega-3 fatty acids, but due to their position at the top of the food chain, these species can accumulate toxic substances (See biomagnification). For this reason, the FDA recommends limiting consumption of certain (predatory) fish species (e.g. albacore tuna) due to high levels of toxic contaminants such as mercury, dioxin, PCBs and chlordane.[1] Due to this limitation, many people have turned to fish oil supplements to get adequate omega-3 fatty acids.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_oil

Some benefits of Fish Oil:

Some experts believe that taking fish oil (in any form) can help regulate cholesterol in the body,[attribution needed] because fish oil has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The regulation occurs through effects of the EPA and DHA constituents on Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). Besides cholesterol regulation, benefits include anti-inflammatory properties and positive effects on body composition. However, the preferred source of Omega 3 should be from the fish's body, not the liver. The liver and liver products (such as cod liver oil) of fish and many animals (such as seals and whales) contain Omega-3, but also the active form of vitamin A. At high levels, this form of the vitamin can be dangerous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_oil

So here is my primary concern, while the short term benefit of Salmon Oil is immediately realized.

What are the potential drawbacks of Salmon Oil, what kind of toxic substances may I be exposing myself to with a Salmon Oil only gel cap as opposed to a combined species of fish oil gel cap.

I need some help from anybody who may stumble upon a good research article. Please if you have a minute or two or have already done the research for yourself because you are taking Fish/Salmon Oil gel caps please let me know what you have found.

Also, if any members here are currently taking Fish Oil or Salmon Oil(or something else) please share your knowledge and experience.

[BarfBag]

Fish Oil is wonderful stuff. I take it daily. You think you have it bad? I have to drink the liquid directly! The fishy burps are much worse.

[jrusso2]

If you get the enteric coated fish oil you won't get fishy burps

[RAV TUX]

If you get the enteric coated fish oil you won't get fishy burps

Are these gel caps or tablets?

I did find this article in the New England Journal of Medicine:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/334/24/1557

[LaRoza]

If you can smell it, it means it is most likely rancid. I am a vegan now, but when I did use Fish Oil (From GNC), it had no taste, as it should. It was a capsul.

For an alternative, use Flax Seed Oil, or just eat healthy oils, read: no animal fat, except for fish possibly.

[RAV TUX]

If you can smell it, it means it is most likely rancid. I am a vegan now, but when I did use Fish Oil (From GNC), it had no taste, as it should. It was a capsul.

For an alternative, use Flax Seed Oil, or just eat healthy oils, read: no animal fat, except for fish possibly.

Good point as I have been evolving to a more vegetarian diet Flaxseed oil may be a good alternative.

Does Flaxseed oil have the same positive effects as Fish Oil?

[LaRoza]

Does Flaxseed oil have the same positive effects as Fish Oil?

It has to do with the ratio of fatty acids, specifically, the omega-3 and omega-6 families. They "compete" for absorbtion, so if you consume a gross imbalance, you won't have any affect. This is more pronounced in flaxseed oil, because of the amount of animal fat people generally consume. For a vegan, like me, it has a better affect. (No possibility of Hg, no dead fish, no ocean troubles, no animal fat, and a cleaner and tastier oil)

I don't take them any more, as I am more of a naturalist, and like things raw.

[RAV TUX]

It has to do with the ratio of fatty acids, specifically, the omega-3 and omega-6 families. They "compete" for absorbtion, so if you consume a gross imbalance, you won't have any affect. This is more pronounced in flaxseed oil, because of the amount of animal fat people generally consume. For a vegan, like me, it has a better affect. (No possibility of Hg, no dead fish, no ocean troubles, no animal fat, and a cleaner and tastier oil)

I don't take them any more, as I am more of a naturalist, and like things raw.

I primarily need Fish Oil/Salmon Oil/Flaxseed Oil because I am a diabetic and have high Cholesterol and high triglycerides.

LaRoza I Thank you for your post I think I well finish off my Salmon Oil Gel Caps and get Flaxseed Oil Gel Caps next time...

I found this article on Flaxseed Oil on the University of Maryland Medical Center website:

Flaxseed oil is derived from the seeds of the flax plant. Flaxseed oil and flaxseed contain substances that promote good health. Flaxseed oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial for heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and a variety of other health conditions. Flaxseed, in addition to ALA, contains a group of chemicals called lignans that may play a role in the prevention of cancer. Please see the flaxseed monograph for further information on this herbal agent.

ALA, as well as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), belongs to a group of substances called omega-3 fatty acids. EPA and DHA are found primarily in fish while ALA is mostly found in flaxseed oil and other vegetable oils. Although similar in structure, the benefits of ALA, EPA, and DHA are not necessarily the same....

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/f...oil-000304.htm

[LaRoza]

I primarily need Fish Oil/Salmon Oil/Flaxseed Oil because I am a diabetic and have high Cholesterol and high triglycerides.

LaRoza I Thank you for your post I think I well finish off my Salmon Oil Gel Caps and get Flaxseed Oil Gel Caps next time...

Those fats mentioned are the basis for the EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids).

I am not a doctor and not able to give medical advice <disclaimer> but if I were in your situation (if possble for a vegan ), I would use Flaxseed Oil, or change my diet to a diet high in healthy fats and shun all animal fat.

[RAV TUX]

Those fats mentioned are the basis for the EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids).

I am not a doctor and not able to give medical advice <disclaimer> but if I were in your situation (if possble for a vegan ), I would use Flaxseed Oil, or change my diet to a diet high in healthy fats and shun all animal fat.

I have basically stopped eating all animals so it makes perfect sense for me to take the Flaxseed Oil instead.

I have made the conclusion not just by your post alone but also from the brief research I have done.

Again Thank You for the suggestion, it was right on!