Omega 3 Fatty Acids? Go Fish!

I was shocked last night to see my client, Nordic Naturals, whose Omega 3 fatty acids I take, being highlighted on our local Fox News station here in Dallas, as a product that someone just discovered…may not work to prevent heart disease! Using a bottle from a lesser company might have proven their point, because I know how some of these products are “made.” But NOT Nordic Naturals!

Then I read “the study.” As it turns out, there was no research or study done. Rather, Moses Elisaf, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital of Ioannina in Greece (and colleagues) did a “meta analysis randomized (I don’t trust that word) review” of published research papers on the subject of Omega 3 fatty acids used in the prevention of, or treatment of heart disease patients. Just an hour ago, I typed the words “omega 3 fatty acid benefits” into a Google search engine and up popped about four and a half million papers! That is very impressive and one of the reasons that I take this product! How many papers did the good Dr. Elisaf, et al, study? Twenty! I kid you not….20 papers were “analyzed”, each of which could have very easily been biased studies published by detractors of natural supplements. It could have been a rigged analysis, but the headlines made all of our major US networks immediately.

Ordinarily, American doctors raise their eyebrows when any research study or analysis is done outside of the United States is done. But this one somehow got a very quick “high 5” from American doctors, perhaps because it dismissed something they don’t prescribe.

We don’t know the truth because we don’t have access to anything but their data. Many questions are now begged: How rancid were the Omega 3 capsules used in the 20 studies? What brand were they? Did a financial conflict (or otherwise) of interest play a role in any of experts who authored those 20 papers published? Why were these particular 20 papers isolated, when you had a pool of 4.5 million to draw from? The list seems endless!

Should you continue taking Omega 3 fatty Acids? Here are my conclusions;

1. I don’t have evidence that this study was rigged, but I do know that there exist many companies that wish to separate us from our safe supplements.

2. If 20 papers were studied, that might mean that 4,499,980 didn’t work for these few reviewers, because the content of those was far too convincing that we do need Omega 3 Fatty Acid.

3. They might prevent heart disease and I get to choose the brand I take? I’m more pumped now than I was last week! I’m in!