The July/August issue of Darpan Magazine had a fantastic article written by Dr. Sujatha Nilavar on vitamin D and its multitude of benefits. I’d encourage you get a hold of a copy and read it (again). Just a quick recap, vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin in that generally over 75 per cent gets into our bodies as a result of sun exposure (and no, this is not a good excuse to go tanning in a box). Sunlight hits our skin and converts a type of cholesterol in our skin into vitamin D. Unfortunately, coloured skin is a bit thicker and prevents those sun rays from penetrating into our skins deep enough to where it is needed for vitamin D production.
Some vitamin D can be found in fish such as salmon and mackerel, in addition, egg yolks and in foods and drinks fortified with vitamin D such as milk and yogurts. Unfortunately, living in Canada, we are not particularly exposed to a good level of sunlight; most people lather on the sunblock; we generally like to keep our bodies well clothed; and gone are the days of sun worshipping for fear of skin cancers and wrinkles. On top of that, the duration of sun exposure for most of us is just the amount of time it takes for us to open the front door and then get into our air-conditioned vehicles.
The research is now clear, and even conventional doctors now agree, that nearly all of us need to supplement with vitamin D. It has been found to reduce the symptoms of depression; help build bones; assist in keeping your blood vessels healthy; reduce migraines; help the elderly to walk better; makes athletes perform better; helps decrease weight; and the list goes on. Oh, and the big one, lower levels of vitamin D have been associated with numerous types of cancers. So, vitamin D do I need it? I do indeed.
Now what would be my second favourite nutrient if I were to be marooned on a deserted island. Well, life wouldn’t be too bad if I knew how to fish for salmon. Yes, I’m talking about fish oils which are a type of fatty acid. “Fat! No I don’t need more of that!” I hear some of you scream. Let me tell you, I am as much of a fat head as anyone of you reading this. Our brains are mostly composed of fat. In fact, every cell in your body is dependent on this kind of fat to hold it together.
The walls of each cell in our body contain fatty acids. Without these fatty acids, we would lose what’s known as cell membrane fluidity, and this is what determines what goes into a cell (e.g. nutrients) and what gets driven out (e.g. waste products). Without cell membrane, fluidity within our cells would quickly get clogged up and cease to function! Research on fish oil has become so rampant and positive that even a pharmaceutical company has developed its own “patented” fish oil, and you know that when a pharmaceutical company realizes such a profitable and marketable commodity, it’s time to pay attention.
Let’s get a bit more specific now. Omega 3 fish oils or fatty acids have been found to suppress cancer cells, reduce blood pressure, depression, autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, help control blood sugar in type 2 diabetics, and reduce inflammation in bowel disorders such as ulcerative colitis. There are many positive effects of having fish oils as part of your daily nutrition in terms of your heart health.
Omega 3 fish oils can help reduce certain types of cholesterol, make your blood less sticky and reduce calcification in your arteries thus reducing your chances of a heart attack. One study in the Lancet, a peer reviewed medical journal, noted a 45 per cent reduction in sudden cardiac death. It’s because of these positive effects on the heart health and blood vessels that really reminds me to take my Omega 3’s each day. If you really want to get down to the ‘nitty gritty’ from a scientific perspective, it’s the nitric oxide increase that occurs in arteries due to increased levels of Omega 3’s that gets me all excited.
This little molecule is a major player in keeping your blood vessels nice and wide open and preventing the ever increasing numbers of heart attacks and strokes that are being experienced in North America every day. Heart attacks and strokes are our number one cause of death in adults. The evidence is particularly compelling when it’s been found that heart attack occur less in people where fish consumption is higher, for example, in Japan and amongst the Inuit communities.
Is it really that easy, just take a fish oil supplement? Yet again as the science evolves, the fish oil story gets more complicated (or fascinating to me, just depends on your perspective). Research is showing us that certain disease conditions respond better to certain types or balances of fish oils. Omega 3 can actually be split into two derivatives in particular, EPA or DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid respectively for those who want to impress their partners and friends with long words).
Now this is where the fun begins, certain disorders seem to respond better to certain ratios (balances) of EPA and DHA. For example, some types of brain disorders require more DHA. Children may benefit from DHA in terms of brain development rather than EPA. Oh, and then there’s the balance between Omega 3 levels and Omega 6 levels. Studies have found that generally the North American diet is too high in Omega 6 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids can get converted into arachidonic acid. High levels of this are not thought to be of benefit and can actually cause inflammation throughout your body, and those who have higher levels of Omega 6 have a tendency to have higher levels of heart disease. Ouch indeed! It is possible to check these levels and then have things balanced out.
Wow! So what’s the down side doc? I hear you ask. Well, so long as your particular inclinations don’t prohibit you from taking a fish oil, and you don’t have a fish allergy there are very few if any down sides. In Europe, their equivalent to Health Canada has set the limit to taking 5 grams of fish oils per day for the general population.
The risk to be aware of has been that of increased bleeding, particularly if you are already taking blood thinners. Currently, the risk of bleeding had not been found to be significant even at a dose of 5 grams per day. Another good
option is of course to increase your cold water fish (e.g. Pacific salmon and mackerel) consumption to two to three times per week.
But, I’m vegetarian. What now? There are vegetarian Omega 3 fatty acid capsules available made from algae.
Now there is this issue with contaminants or toxins. What I try to do is avoid king mackerel, tuna steaks, snapper fish, swordfish, bass, shark, bluefish and fresh water fish. These tend to have higher amounts of dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) and mercury, which have been found to cause all sorts of problems related to hormonal function and metabolism.
Buyer beware: the quality of the fish oil supplement is paramount. Again, be careful. If you’re heading out to pick up your “3, 6, 9,” remember I was saying that the Omega 6 might not be good for you. Also fish oils supplements have a tendency to be susceptible to oxidation. If the fish oil has not been stored properly, air can get into those precious little capsules and soon that goo of goodness turns into a rancid inflammatory fuel, exactly the opposite of what you were trying to accomplish (e.g. it’ll actually be bad for you).
This can also happen during the manufacturing of the capsules when companies are not proficient at processing the fish oil or even sealing each capsule properly. Some fish oil capsules may not have the same stringent regulations as to which type of fish are used and so may actually contain significant levels of toxins such as mercury. Bottom line, you’ll need to talk to your health care professional who has training in nutrition and can guide you accurately as to what would be best for you as an individual.
Now on to my third favourite nutrient. Do you get symptoms of fatigue, muscle aches and cramps, feeling edgy and anxious, emotional swings and even depression? Don’t we all at some time in our lives? Well, maybe it’s low magnesium. This nutrient is required for over 300 different enzyme related reactions in our body. In North America, magnesium deficiency has been found to be very prevalent, and unfortunately regular blood tests will not accurately determine your level of magnesium. Determining magnesium deficiency can indeed be tricky since the symptoms associated with this condition can be so varied such that it can be easily missed.
Magnesium has been found to be beneficial for patients with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, migraine headaches, asthma, certain types of palpitations and even high blood pressure, diabetes and heart failure. Magnesium is involved in building bone, calming nerves and even treating constipation. Certain medications such as diuretics – “water pills” – deplete your body of magnesium, and some pills like proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s) which are used to treat “acid problems” in your stomach can hinder the absorption of magnesium from your diet.
Magnesium supplementation can be dosed at 200 to 800mg daily but should be supervised by a health professional, who has trained in nutrition.
Buyer beware: it has been found that oral magnesium oxide is not as efficient at repleting magnesium stores in your body as well as for example magnesium citrate. And remember, you can get too much of a good thing…high magnesium levels can bedetrimental to your health too.
Good sources of magnesium include meats, halibut, mackerel, rice bran, nuts, seeds, tofu and green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and Swiss chard.
Tune into Darpan Magazine next issue for the second installment of my favourite nutrients.
By Dr. M. Gosal, MB ChB, MSc
Kaizen Med Inc.