New Studies
A recently published study shows that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids (i.e., fish oil or flax seed oil) has a positive impact on memory on young adults.
Previous studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have a positive impact on mood and cognitive functioning as well.
Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for brain function and the vast majorities of American are deficient in these critical nutrients. These nutrients must be ingested from food and are in high amounts in fish and shell fish.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also helpful in reducing cardiovascular disease, cancer, psychiatric disorders and inflammation.
I’m presently giving a series of talks that discuss the modern understanding of inflammation and it’s significant impact on many of the common illness affecting us today.
You can hear my first talk here and future talks will be posted on this blog (sign-up here) and my Facebook Page (click here to Like and get notices of future talks).
Fish Oil Recommendations
I recommend high dose fish oil supplementation to most of my patients because the benefits are readily noted by the patients often within a week or 2.
The dosage I recommend is approximately 1,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids (the total amount of DHA + EPA listed on the ingredient label on the back of the container). You’ll note this is much higher than what is listed on the dosage instructions.
Many patients are surprised by how good they feel. I think they had just become so accustomed to their sluggish brain function they though it was normal.
NOTE: The amount of fish oil listed on the front of the bottle DOES NOT equal the amount of omega-3 on the back.
Got The Burps?
Some patients will have a fishy burp if taking this much. I recommend starting at a low dose and slowly increasing the dose every few weeks. Also try freezing the capsules; this give the stomach more time to push them into the small intestine before they fully dissolve. If they dissolve in the small intestine, there’s no fish oil in the stomach to burp up.
Vegetarian?
Try taking flax seed oil. This contains a substance call alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is converted by the body into the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. You’ll need about 1,000 mg of ALA twice daily to equal 1,000 mg of omega-3 twice daily.
Conclusion
I recommend giving the high dose fish oil a try for a few weeks. You may be surprised by how good you feel.
Hi Dr Nemechek, I recently came across your protocol and it has given me high hopes. I have a 9 year old boy with Aspergers – high functioning autism. Sometimes it’s heart breaking because he recognizes he is different and wants to be ‘like others’ but isn’t able. We’ve been giving him Dr Mercolas ‘Antarctic Krill Oik Omega3 bound to Phospholipids’ for 3 years now. We would prefer to stay on this, as a omega3 supplement. Can you help me with dosage – I wasn’t able to find this in your book. I’ve read that we should give lower amounts… Read more »
There is no truth that krill oil is absorbed substantially differently than routine fish oil.
Don’t attempt my protocol with different versions of fish oil, inulin or olive oil.
Good to know! thank you very much!
Hello Dr. Nemechek,
Do you have a recommendation on a brand of Fish Oil? I have tried Dr. Tobias Omega 3 Fish Oil Triple Strength before. Is that a good one?
Thank you.
In my book I discuss the brands and doses of fish oils I recommend to my patients. Dr. Tobias is not one of them.
What is your thought on Krill based omega-3’s
Krill, salmon and algae sources of omega-3 are all fine.