A recent study in Canada has shown that over 80% of consumers associate Omega-3 with fish oil; the other's look to flax and seal. But new research from Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada has shown that seal oil is even better than fish oil.

Seven years of intensive research has focused on the effects of fish oil in a species of hamster prone to atherosclerosis by Dr. Sukhinder Kaur Cheema in Newfoundland's Memorial University. Atherosclerosis is a common precursor to heart disease that increases cholesterol and obstructs blood flow. Hamsters were selected because their lipid and cholesterol metabolism are similar to humans.

Dr. Cheema discovered that hamsters supplement with fish oils had increase blood cholesterol levels. Higher amounts of fish oil resulted in the hamster's blood becoming  "very thick and milky" according to Dr. Cheema. The reason is two-folded: 1) the hamsters had difficulty digesting and absorbing the fish oil which affected their blood and cholesterol; & 2) DPA, a key component of Omega-3 is too low in fish oil.

DPA is an essential part of Omega-3 that helps balance levels of EPA and DHA. It also found in human Omega-3 when we are born but we lose it as we age. The only way we can obtain DPA, much like EPA and DHA, is from our diets. Unfortunately, fish and fish oils are extremely low in DPA. Some fish and fish oils contain no DPA at all.

"So seal oil is already looking better than fish oil," said Dr. Cheema who decided to switch from fish oil to seal oil for a trial period. After just 4 weeks the hamsters had no problem digesting and absorbing the seal oil. These results have been presented at numerous conferences with positive responses. Dr. Cheemas hopes to begin clinical trials with seal oil on humans in the future.

Read the full article here: http://today.mun.ca/news.php?news_id=3923