Omega-3 Explained: Fish Oil, Algae Oil, Omega-3 Index and Supplement Quality

00:00:00: Actually, de facto omega-six isn't necessarily the problem.

00:00:02: Around fifty percent of conversion capacity is genetic.

00:00:05: I'd say that

00:00:06: negative genotypes are also dominant meaning it's extremely unlikely.

00:00:10: you're a high converter.

00:00:11: People used to think inflammation starts and eventually fizzles out but actually the body actively resolves the inflammation And this happens among other things through specific byproducts of EPA and DHA.

00:00:30: Welcome to a new episode of We On Lifespan.

00:00:32: Hey Max,

00:00:33: hey Mario

00:00:34: Today is about Omega-three.

00:00:37: we've touched on omega three in many other episodes talked a bit about it said why omega Three Is important and also mentioned what to look out for with supplementation today?

00:00:48: We want to condense that a bit and dive deeper into how omega three is actually metabolized What to watch out for what genetic factors exist when it comes to omega three metabolism and what the problems of today

00:01:05: are.

00:01:05: Right?

00:01:06: When we think off, uh, the whole seed oil debate which we've also done an episode on Omega-three plays a role in all.

00:01:13: that's why its topic is interesting me personally because It just such important molecule right That isn't as common our diet anymore.

00:01:25: I think nowadays there Many products that are especially enriched with omega-three, but otherwise we mainly have an Omega six problem That we just consume too much of it and that's exactly the topic.

00:01:39: We want to talk about a bit today.

00:01:42: I Already said Omega six is a big problem.

00:01:46: Can you put that into context?

00:01:47: A bit

00:01:49: yeah.

00:01:49: as a man actually de facto Omega Omega six isn't necessarily the problem Right.

00:01:54: It's always the ratio that matters, it is relative of course because so much is done with vegetable oils.

00:02:04: you consume a huge amount of omega-six.

00:02:07: but what also comes into play?

00:02:09: we on other hand actually consumed very little omega three at least in Germany and most western nations In Japan.

00:02:16: its different.

00:02:17: thats always prime example.

00:02:19: they somehow get enough and don't necessarily need to supplement or whatever.

00:02:24: No, unfortunately that's not the case for us.

00:02:26: we usually have way too little omega-three and accordingly this ratio of omega six two Omega three shifts And um... That is actually proven to be something that promotes inflammation can lead to cardiovascular disease And there's actually very, very good data on that.

00:02:47: and maybe to put it into perspective.

00:02:51: Ideally you want a ratio of omega-three to omega six... ...of omega-six to omega three of one two four to one.. ..and we're usually more like ten fifteen to one right?

00:03:02: That is not ideal.

00:03:05: I think anyone can figure this out!

00:03:08: We also all know cardiovascular disease still the number one cause for death.

00:03:13: Accordingly it makes sense to address the topic, potentially reduce inflammation and consequently also reduced cardiovascular events whether its a heart attack or whatever.

00:03:24: To reduce that too exactly?

00:03:27: so maybe just put in context

00:03:29: um...

00:03:29: Too much.

00:03:30: omega-six is always bit tricky right because per se omega six isn't bad but at end of this ratio causes problem.

00:03:38: It could be that omega six is too high, but it could actually also mean that Omega three.

00:03:42: Is just to low?

00:03:44: That's why you have to express a little bit more nuanced.

00:03:47: exactly.

00:03:47: You can theoretically compensate for a diet high in Omega Six simply by consuming enough Omega Three and then the ratio would balance out again.

00:03:56: And uh than Then it will be okay.

00:03:58: or you just reduce Omega six right.

00:04:00: so In The end you Have many many levers its A scale and you want To keep it balanced somehow and Make sure tip too far to the other side, overflow or drift.

00:04:11: Now if we look at the supply situation I also looked up a few numbers.

00:04:15: you already said yeah omega-six two omega three index ten to one sometimes fifteen to one in the US sometimes up to twenty to one.

00:04:24: so very extreme imbalance i'd say.

00:04:28: and there are also number for Germany and Austria.

00:04:33: And you have to realize when we talk about omega-three or omega three supplementation, We're always talking about EPA and DHA.

00:04:42: Right?

00:04:42: But of course there are several Omega Three fatty acids for example also ALA so alpha linolenic acid.

00:04:49: but if we just look at EPA and Dha then the average intake median intake To be more precise is around one hundred sixty two two hundred milligrams per day right?

00:05:01: So combined EPA and DHA together.

00:05:06: That is of course an amount that with the omega-six consumption we have today, it's not enough to bring into a nice balance right?

00:05:14: So that is way too little.

00:05:17: if you look at the average omega six to omega three ratio then in Germany or Austria It somewhere between seven two one over ten to one.

00:05:25: so The range is relatively large probably also due to There are people who Converted better.

00:05:36: we'll get back to that.

00:05:38: Get back to it later.

00:05:39: That actually concerns in a way your genetic makeup.

00:05:42: there Are simply people?

00:05:43: Who can convert it better and People, who can convert at less.

00:05:47: that probably also causes this is basic fluctuation.

00:05:51: Ideally you Actually already said It's one-to-one two-to One right.

00:05:54: four To one Is actually Already the upper normal range.

00:05:58: then if You look At fish consumption Germany and Austria are at thirteen grams of fish per day.

00:06:03: So neither is a nation that likes to eat fish...

00:06:07: I always imagine eating a tiny, thirteen gram piece of fish every day but in reality it's more like you just eat fish every two weeks right?

00:06:15: But yeah!

00:06:16: That obviously super low.

00:06:18: if you think about what a normal- If you buy salmon for example those individual salmon fillets they're all one hundred fifty grams.

00:06:26: so that would be roughly well not quite eating one of those pieces of salmon every two weeks and otherwise having absolutely no contact with fish.

00:06:36: That is, of course also very little right?

00:06:39: Now we can look at the DGE recommendation which in large part let's say a bit controversial especially when you look it from preventive perspective And there about twenty to thirty well twenty-one to thirty-one exact grams per day Is recommended.

00:06:55: that means We actually only consume half Something like that.

00:06:59: Yeah, and then I also found a value for the omega-three index.

00:07:02: we'll get to that later too.

00:07:04: It's an interesting value that you can measure.

00:07:06: it describes The content of Omega three fatty acids in the red blood cells So the percentage of the total fatty acids that you find in the Red Blood Cells.

00:07:16: Ideally You want to be above eight?

00:07:18: The average in Germany and Austria is four point eight.

00:07:22: so way Too low especially because below four the risk increases dramatically for cardiovascular events.

00:07:31: So, cardiovascular problems let's say with everything that goes along with it means there is a very large discrepancy despite the fact we consume such high amount of energy from fatty acids.

00:07:48: so their cardiovascular problem.

00:07:53: That means there's a very large discrepancy, despite the fact that we consume such high amount of energy from fatty acids.

00:08:01: So let us say an official recommendation says you should cover about thirty percent of your energy needs with fatty acids and we're already at over thirty-five percent.

00:08:11: so it means we consume enough fatty acid but just wrong fatty acids right?

00:08:16: It is not really omega three heavy which is interesting regarding supply in general.

00:08:22: its important to understand EPA and DHA, those are the forms that you also take in supplements which also occur in diet.

00:08:30: But very often something else occurs namely ALA right?

00:08:33: So alpha linolenic acid And that would then actually have to be converted.

00:08:38: Yes Yeah.

00:08:38: so in the end I mean if you eat walnuts You've probably heard quite often like flax seeds Walnuts That you can cover your omega-three needs with Those.

00:08:45: i mean i could even bet we had it a bit Like that In our studies To some extent.

00:08:49: but maybe im wrong.

00:08:50: In any case, in principle not wrong either.

00:08:52: You can definitely get omega-three acids from them and they are indeed omega threes.

00:08:57: the only problem is what you actually need And What Is ultimately also really active in The body?

00:09:02: It's mainly EPA and DHA.

00:09:05: right those Are just the two important ones.

00:09:08: Dha is sometimes needed even a bit more often.

00:09:11: Epa on the other hand is A bit More relevant for cardiovascular issues.

00:09:16: DHA again much more relevant in the brain, but I don't want to go too deep into that right now.

00:09:20: In the end you're taking an ALA there and not EPA and DHA.

00:09:24: just make it clear.

00:09:26: And then There's also a big issue.

00:09:29: Okay The body can convert this AL A?

00:09:32: The only problem is first of all It's genetically determined how much of it you manage to convert and Realistically speaking even if your very good at it You'll probably managed to convert maybe fifteen percent.

00:09:43: That means in the end you also need about six to seven times the amount of Omega three fatty acids To get the same amount of EPA and DHA as if he were to use marine sources like salmon or or herring, right?

00:09:56: that means yeah.

00:09:57: You would have to eat a lot of flaxseeds A lot of flaccid oil a lot Of walnuts

00:10:04: chia seeds are also very rich in ALA, right?

00:10:06: Exactly.

00:10:07: To somehow get to relevant amounts that actually manage to offset what you have simply from the rather omega six heavy diet.

00:10:17: So there are people out there and I don't want to say at all That it's impossible.

00:10:21: It's like always in biology There are always people who somehow managed it Right.

00:10:26: But i mean Realistically speaking with a normal diet that people have nowadays In Germany or Europe You most likely won't Manage.

00:10:32: And thats What The Numbers Show Too.

00:10:34: I mean we see it in the numbers, four point eight percent.

00:10:36: that's actually a poor showing really sad.

00:10:38: Actually and um We also know from ourselves for example right?

00:10:42: i mean without supplementation You probably won't reach relevant levels Even if you might have good genotype meaning good genetics.

00:10:50: It is just extremely difficult.

00:10:52: And as said this ALA first has to be converted by body into EPA and DHA at a maximum of fifteen to twenty percent, that's really like the genetic maximum.

00:11:03: So if you manage fifteen-to-twenty percent then your already doing incredibly well?

00:11:07: Exactly!

00:11:09: That is actually the maximum you can achieve.

00:11:11: maybe for comparison The average conversion rate of linoleic acid to EPA...that in range five percent.

00:11:20: some sources say five or ten percent And the conversion of alpha linoleic acid to DHA, so even longer chain omega-three fatty acids.

00:11:30: That is usually under one percent you know?

00:11:32: So then combined it would be at six seven percent... See

00:11:36: I didn't even know that!

00:11:37: ...so that's incredibly low.

00:11:40: and maybe a little tip there if rich in omega-three fatty acids on a food or package.

00:11:47: Maybe try to find out is it EPA, DHA?

00:11:51: Or is it ALA?

00:11:52: because while ALAs are super important and we need them too It's just going be very hard To cover your omega three needs with the long run.

00:12:01: So if its only alpha linolenic acid then Just keep that in mind.

00:12:07: The conversion rate is very low here.

00:12:10: And one hand you have genetic make up that comes on top of it.

00:12:14: And, on the other hand you have this competition between... So with omega-six fatty acids because you have to imagine the conversion of ALA to E, P, A and DHA That happens with same enzymes that also metabolize omega six fatty acids!

00:12:31: That means if you have a super high amount of omega-six then they grab all available capacity for conversion.

00:12:38: You could even have a Super Genotype but it won't do you any good because we have so much omega-six that this mechanism is simply overridden, y'know?

00:12:45: Because there's SO MUCH competition for the same enzymes.

00:12:48: And THAT'S why its a bit of a TOO PRONGED problem!

00:12:51: On one hand We HAVE TOO MUCH omega six which takes away the body's capacity to convert alpha linoleic acid to omega three and on the other hand You still have these genetic components Which maybe since were already in subject quickly go into right now.

00:13:09: genetic test once, it's always very exciting because with most topics there is somehow a genetic component and uh... Once you've done that.

00:13:17: You can look up how to score on the respective genes And in case of omega-three this specifically about FADS polymorphisms.

00:13:28: FADs?

00:13:29: Look at that up!

00:13:30: FAD S one and FAD s two are relevant.

00:13:33: they're those exactly enzymes that do conversion from alpha linoleic acid to EPA and subsequently also DHA.

00:13:42: So those are desaturases, delta five and delta six de-saturase in case anyone wants to know exactly.

00:13:49: but in the end Those are enzymes that ensure this conversion And you can have a good or bad genetic makeup there.

00:13:57: How does it look for?

00:13:57: You

00:13:58: yeah I was actually quite pleasantly surprised That i'm extremely well equipped.

00:14:02: they're really high converter.

00:14:05: Nevertheless I actually take omega-three fatty acids because otherwise, i wouldn't manage like not even close to managing.

00:14:15: Yeah so maybe that's also because i don't really like eating things like walnuts... ...i dont' really like flaxseed oil.

00:14:22: uh..I actually find flax seed oil really gross

00:14:26: Especially since it oxidizes so quickly So It goes bad so fast Even if you have in a dark bottle In the fridge after few weeks You can't drink anymore.

00:14:33: Its just

00:14:33: useless in everyday life.

00:14:35: and then Yeah, well and then of course there's certainly the fact that I do eat out

00:14:40: a lot.

00:14:40: That i order food alot simply because time maybe?

00:14:43: Because I don't have that much time right now.

00:14:46: you know accordingly... ...that will certainly be related to that too.

00:14:51: Maybe I would have chance to manage without it although I would strongly question that.

00:14:57: Yeah, it's also the case that in so if you eat a mainly plant-based diet then You usually also have a very high intake of this alpha linoleic acid and not necessarily Of the important fatty acids EPA and DHA.

00:15:08: right because you're also avoiding fish.

00:15:10: That means you don't eat fish in the first place.

00:15:12: And If you don' t also either Very I Don'T know algae rich diet or additionally take an algae oil Then It'S Also Very Hard to Reach This Goal!

00:15:20: And If You Then Also Have A Problem Converting This Alpha Linolein Acid Well Than That Is Of Course Bad starting point.

00:15:27: even though you eat a healthy and plant-based diet.

00:15:29: You will still have a poor omega three index.

00:15:31: that just has to be said.

00:15:32: so Even more important for vegetarians and vegans.

00:15:35: Exactly, there it is.

00:15:37: There It Is Super super important.

00:15:39: I yeah am unfortunately not uh Not A super good metabolizer.

00:15:42: i'm a normal metabolizer or Normal converter?

00:15:45: There's low And high and then there's another level in between.

00:15:48: and um i Have a rather positive genotype For fad s one but then a normal one for FADS-II, and in the end it just comes out as normal.

00:15:57: Because FADs-II is actually an even bigger key factor of conversion than FAD S-Iis.

00:16:03: So if anyone has genetic tests feel free to look at up.

00:16:05: I always find that super exciting because around about fifty percent of the conversion capacity is genetically determined.

00:16:15: so you can't really help much when people talk about this AD-Twenty rule with omega three.

00:16:21: only about fifty percent is, in a way, influenceable by reducing this competition or this competition from omega-six.

00:16:30: And I think that even the negative genotypes are also dominant.

00:16:34: if i'm not mistaken That means it's extremely unlikely.

00:16:38: you're a high converter So its really rather unlikely Blacky!

00:16:44: If your lucky then right?

00:16:45: But like said at end... You often can't manage it with a normal diet anyway and end up needing some kind of supplementation.

00:16:56: Maybe you could just dose a bit lower,

00:16:58: right?

00:16:58: Exactly that should be possible.

00:17:00: so maybe quick recap.

00:17:01: the process is always like this... ...you also get EPA & DHA directly from your diet.

00:17:07: That's why its found in supplements for example.. ..that how it isn't fish And thats how it is an algae.

00:17:13: Maybe few words about cycle.

00:17:15: originally EPA &DHA are produced by algae which then eaten by fish and fish then eat other fish.

00:17:23: That means larger fish or predatory fish theoretically also have a slightly higher, or high EPA slash DHA content.

00:17:31: but the larger the fish... The greater theoretically.

00:17:35: not just theoretically but also practically the heavy metal contamination.

00:17:38: so you have to be careful there.

00:17:40: we'll come back later.

00:17:42: that's why above all uh.. You need a marine source whether it is algae or fish.

00:17:46: But thats where EPA and DHA already occur in their finished form And otherwise, it's very often just contained as alpha linoleic acid.

00:17:56: That is also an omega-three fatty acid but a much shorter chain one and that then has to be elongated by the body.

00:18:08: building up further.

00:18:10: Alpha linolenic acid is found in flaxseed oil, chia walnuts for example as we already said and is then elongated to.

00:18:17: these are all wild names right?

00:18:19: EPA stands for icosapentaenoic acid DHA stands for docosa hexaenoic Acid.

00:18:24: that means penta for five Hexa for six.

00:18:27: That Is always a numerical indication For the omega bonds exactly If we look at what omega-three actually does in the body, right now.

00:18:38: EPA and DHA We know that too.

00:18:41: They have for example very many health claims.

00:18:44: a health claim is always something that is approved by the European Food Safety Authority By EFSA so that you can say it about a product because there is And I say this very deliberately overwhelming clinical evidence That It Is Actually The Case Right.

00:18:58: Otherwise You Wouldn't Get A Health Claim From EF SA Because There Are Many molecules that also have many positive studies in one direction, but still don't have a health claim.

00:19:11: Yeah yeah I mean i'm not even sure if it was really due to this overwhelming burden sometimes.

00:19:15: so with omega-three its certainly the case in part But um...yeah..I wouldn't put it that strongly.

00:19:23: In the end It's just a structural issue.

00:19:26: That was simply decided back in nineteen ninety seven And since then thats' just the way is and you just have to accept There have been new health claims since then, but it has become very, very difficult.

00:19:37: Since then and accordingly many of the products that already existed back then already have health claims.

00:19:43: those are zinc omega three and so on And the new things rather less so right?

00:19:48: So basic molecules above all

00:19:49: Exactly!

00:19:50: The basic molecules we've known forever Magnesian All

00:19:52: vitamins Minerals Yes

00:19:55: Accordingly I don't even know if thats necessarily always evidence.

00:19:59: i would question that.

00:20:00: But whatever Quick digression?

00:20:03: Exactly.

00:20:03: No, so the study situation for omega-three is admittedly already very good especially in recent years.

00:20:09: actually it's become very good.

00:20:12: So I'm not even sure if much of that was clear in nineteen ninety seven honestly but what has been shown in various studies now Is simply at beginning.

00:20:23: you get this cardiovascular risk reduced and i brought a few study examples with me.

00:20:28: first the reducet trials from There, they actually took high risk patients.

00:20:36: So cardiovascular risk heart circulatory High-risk patients with elevated triglycerides but also elevated cholesterol levels and They Actually Gave them omega three But in a highly purified form.

00:20:50: so it was really a pharmaceutical Omega Three.

00:20:53: you can't get that In our shop or wherever?

00:20:56: You don't get something like that right.

00:20:58: That was really four grams of completely purified EPA, right?

00:21:02: So really also a bit synthetically purified.

00:21:06: And that was a high amount to begin with.

00:21:08: but what did they see?

00:21:10: They managed to achieve A relative risk reduction of twenty five percent and That is of course crazy when you think about it.

00:21:18: Still if you look at it maybe another number Number needed to treat was twenty one.

00:21:22: That means the people You had to treat With It give four grams per day Over Five Years We have To Treat Twenty One To really have a risk reduction, so notice.

00:21:31: Really fewer events

00:21:32: right?

00:21:33: So now I needed to treat maybe as an explanation that always means you have to treat That.

00:21:37: many people saw that one person exactly.

00:21:39: so that one Person uh... really didn't Have an event in that case Right and then that sounds A bit worse again.

00:21:46: but at the end of The day that's not bad At all.

00:21:48: with statins You're also somewhere around ten twenty right sometimes higher for it to actually Yeah benefit One person In the End And over five years is actually not that long a period of time when you think about it, considering these are really just Omega three fatty acids.

00:22:04: Right?

00:22:05: So practically no side effects.

00:22:07: You just take it and uh...you actually have A really really strongly measurable effect.

00:22:14: The only thing That was criticized a bit there Was that mineral oil was used as a placebo.

00:22:23: This in turn increased the inflammatory markers on the other side and the placebo group.

00:22:27: That's why you can question that a bit, but In the end You see there probably is a benefit for high-risk patients?

00:22:34: That's the gist of the study in the end.

00:22:37: But as I said There is this criticism with the mineral oil.

00:22:39: we have to make up your own mind about that Sometimes.

00:22:43: then there was the strength trial that was actually A bit different.

00:22:49: um...there wasn't really a significant Benefit Here, they're not quite sure what that was actually in the end due to.

00:23:03: It is definitely a bit difficult to judge because we are back at similar level with vitamin D. if you have low-level beforehand then obviously more likely benefit from product If high-level before hand well than really going achieve relevant risk reduction.

00:23:22: And that wasn't necessarily looked at that closely.

00:23:27: You have to look at it in proportion, of course.

00:23:30: if you achieve a strong increase in tissue levels then obviously more relevant for your outcome than if you don't and made so clear there they didn't give as high doses right?

00:23:46: It just isn't well-designed study but this is an example.

00:23:50: There are definitely also some studies where nothing came out of it, as is often the case with supplements.

00:23:56: And even there they actually gave four grams of EPA and DHA.

00:24:00: so quite interesting still in recent years...and I'm talking about twenty one to twenty three..there have been several meta-analyses and pretty much all of them showed a moderate reduction.

00:24:12: So that means you achieve a certain reduction simply for heart attacks or cardiovascular events twidies from cardiovascular events.

00:24:21: What they found there is okay that's only really significant at doses of about two grams per day, two grams of EPA and DHA.

00:24:30: That doesn't necessarily mean to grams a fish oil or algae oil right because an algae oil.

00:24:35: in fish oil There's only a certain percentage of EPA DHA.

00:24:39: so you have to pay attention to that.

00:24:41: um And that real benefit was only shown starting at two grams Per day.

00:24:48: Okay, if you already have a ten percent omega three index then You probably won't get such a huge benefit from taking more or taking something on top.

00:24:57: But if you have a low baseline value Then it is indeed the case.

00:25:01: It's like so often right?

00:25:02: I mean, it's the same with vitamin D. There are also many many large studies.

00:25:07: there are studies that say vitamin d Is great and they're our studies that says vitamin D does nothing at all Right?

00:25:12: yeah in the end i'm glad these studies exist But for me personally, I go and measure it.

00:25:20: If i have a bad value then I want to bring that value into an optimal range And That's the whole story right?

00:25:26: So with vitamin D if I Have A level of twenty thats too low For Me Personally.

00:25:30: I Want To Have A Higher One Somewhere In The Range Of sixty to eighty.

00:25:33: Then Make Sure I Get It There!

00:25:35: If I Have An Omega Three Index Of Five Then I Also Wanted To Be Above Eight And Ill make sure to get it above eight And I'm convinced that you then also get a benefit from it and that you support the body optimally.

00:25:48: That's the problem with very, very large studies like reduce IT or the strength trial of the vital study where they only gave one gram of omega-three fatty acids right?

00:26:00: But now we actually already know if i have an omega three index of four percent Then its going to be difficult for this one gram ever getting above eight because of the problems we've already mentioned, right?

00:26:13: Poor conversion rate in some cases which you have anyway.

00:26:17: And then you also have this competition with omega-six.

00:26:20: that means it's a bit difficult to reach your goal with that... That was a study for example where nothing came out of it but as I said you always have to keep that in mind and i think its good that is applied on large scale simply beacuse you want know if products work or they're safe.

00:26:40: You just measure it and see what it does.

00:26:43: Now we have these studies mainly looked at cardiovascular things, right?

00:26:47: If you take a step back and look at what omega-three actually does in the body and what functions it has there then It's also a bit exciting with the cardiovascular system because Actually mechanistically speaking Omega three actually increases The electrical stability of the heart muscle cells.

00:27:06: Right that would actually suggest that it has a somewhat anti arithmic effect.

00:27:10: On the other hand, I don't quite remember when it was two years ago.

00:27:15: There was a safety warning that very high-dose omega three supplementation can cause atrial fibrillation right?

00:27:23: So That kind of suggests there's like a U curve... ...that there is an ideal range for Omega Three intake.

00:27:32: and if you take too much If someone takes five or six grams per day then that seems to be too much.

00:27:38: and that again throws this electrical stability of the heart muscle cells a bit out-of-sync.

00:27:43: That's an assumption, it has to be said.

00:27:45: we know mechanistically omega three actually stabilizes the heart muscles but at excessively high doses there seem to be higher incidence of atrial fibrillation.

00:27:57: just mention them right?

00:27:59: Other than that, it does a few other things.

00:28:01: It also supports the blood vessels to some extent via this wonderful nitric oxide Actually we should do a separate episode on that as often as we've mentioned by now and of course its support.

00:28:14: The inflammation management in the body right.

00:28:17: so the inflammatory process And thats where another fatty acid comes into the picture That's arachidonic acid.

00:28:28: later when it comes to measuring.

00:28:30: And arachidonic acid is basically pro-inflammatory, that means it causes more inflammation to happen in the body.

00:28:38: That is as I said sometimes desirable.

00:28:40: In the long term however or chronically It's never desirable.

00:28:44: and if you have more EPA Then it competes with this arachydonic acid for enzymes that promote inflammation.

00:28:51: If arachydonic acid gets these enzymes Then inflammation occurs.

00:28:55: If EPA gets to these enzymes, then no inflammation occurs.

00:28:59: You can visualize it like that.

00:29:01: That means the more EPA you have The better.

00:29:05: this competition with arachidonic acid for pro-inflammatory enzymes works.

00:29:11: That's why reducing inflammation is also a very important effect of omega three fatty acids Not just the inhibition of inflammation, but actually the active resolution as well.

00:29:24: Because we used to think that inflammation is something starts and then eventually just peters out... ...but actually the body actively resolves the inflammation And that happens among other things through specific breakdown products of EPA & also DHA.

00:29:41: Those they are called Resolvants.

00:29:44: you might have heard them.

00:29:46: But there are also protectants, marisines and lipoxins.

00:29:50: Those are like four categories of SPMs.

00:29:55: It's a bit technical I have to say but in the end what you can remember from that?

00:30:00: There are breakdown products of EPA And DHA In The Body That Are Actively Involved In Stopping Inflammation And those are these specialized pro-resolving mediators SPMs and they are called Resolvans, Protectans, Marisans, Lepoxans.

00:30:19: Just so you've heard it as I said, resolvans is a bit more common but otherwise yeah its'a bit more specialized very important for inflammation.

00:30:29: we also already mentioned the cardiovascular system.

00:30:31: that was classic in all these big studies.

00:30:34: And For The Brain DHA Is Particularly Relevant.

00:30:37: Because You Can Imagine Hey!

00:30:38: The brain is sixty percent fat.

00:30:40: DHA is mainly incorporated there As A Fatty Acid And that's important for what also called plasticity, right?

00:30:50: So how the brain can adapt to new demands.

00:30:53: The peak of neuronal plasticity is when we're young... That decreases or the capacity for neuronal it already doesn't work as well is when we were fifteen but still well enough that you can adapt to many new situations.

00:31:14: the?

00:31:14: u can also learn new things even learn languages.

00:31:17: But even that something at seven years old.

00:31:21: if someone is raised bilingual for toddlers, no effort to learn a language they learned quite naturally right?

00:31:30: If he where to go now and say let's learn chinese or russian whatever then That would be quite a chore, right?

00:31:36: It doesn't come as easily.

00:31:38: As when you're younger and for that DHA is particularly relevant now.

00:31:45: we already talked about the Omega three index earlier Right And that actually brings us to The next point how can You even measure omega-three?

00:31:53: because there isn't just one way To measure omega three but many ways to get A good assessment of How well your supplied via a so-called fatty acid profile, right?

00:32:04: Usually it's classic omega three test which we also have but doesn't just spit out single value for the Omega Three index.

00:32:12: It gives you super comprehensive Fatty Acid Profile and we've picked few values from that now.

00:32:18: Yeah exactly.

00:32:19: So I think theoretically you can order an Omega Three Index That does exist But usually with most at home tests You actually get whole Fatty Asset Profile Right Away Which shows Omega Three And also omega-six fatty acids and trans fats, which is of course very exciting on one hand.

00:32:39: But a lot isn't actually that important in the analysis because many values are super relative not really meaningful.

00:32:49: but

00:32:50: we've taken out the values meaningful you can control.

00:32:56: so give input.

00:33:00: It's actually not that easy to understand sometimes.

00:33:03: The Omega-III index, on the other hand is very easy to understanding because what does it measure?

00:33:07: Basically just measures total amount of EPA and DHA in red blood cells.

00:33:12: So Red Blood Cells have a lot of fatty acids In their cell membrane And you want certain percentage of that to be omega three fatty acids.

00:33:22: More specifically obviously EPA & DHA.

00:33:25: Those are really functional fatty acids we need most And this omega-three index shows exactly, okay that's the percentage of it.

00:33:35: Which means we said earlier over eight percent would be good.

00:33:38: That means It Would Be Good To Have Over Eight Percent Of This EPA and DHA In The Cell Membranes Of The Red Blood Cells.

00:33:45: Um...and thats actually a very Very Cool Long Term Marker Like Maybe HBA One C Is For Sugar Right?

00:33:51: which Also Basically Shows long term blood sugar also via the red blood cells.

00:33:56: But accordingly, it's also a marker that won't completely change from one week to the next.

00:34:00: That means when you measure it?

00:34:03: It doesn't make sense to do every month necessarily but maybe every three or four months max.

00:34:08: just see if therapy is sufficient because we know these red blood cells have broken down first and they're lifespan of three-four months Before the entirety of these blood cells you measured last time have actually been replaced.

00:34:27: That that's just by the way.

00:34:30: and The cool thing is actually that you can super super easily See, okay how much isn't my blood now?

00:34:37: And which direction do I need to go.

00:34:40: In most cases it'll be like they measure for the first time.

00:34:42: Maybe i've never taken omega-three.

00:34:44: It comes out to five percent.

00:34:46: Then supplementation is necessary.

00:34:48: You can supplement high Just measure again half a year later.

00:34:52: Or maybe I need to do a dose reduction, which is rather unlikely though.

00:34:59: Exactly so.

00:35:00: here again Just as a reminder you want to be between eight to twelve percent.

00:35:06: above that.

00:35:06: it's probably just Unnecessary.

00:35:08: You probably don't have any further benefits.

00:35:11: Anore or Maybe i Need To Do A Dose Reduction Which Is Rather Unlikely Though exactly So.

00:35:17: Here Again Just As A Reminder You Want To Be Between Eight to Twelve Percent Above That.

00:35:23: It's Probably Unnecessary.

00:35:25: you probably just don't have any further benefits, but it could also be that if your even higher.

00:35:30: You might just be taking too much and then you have the issue with a rid me as we talked about which was kind of weird Where nobody can really explain why?

00:35:37: That is maybe there's also due to some underlying conditions people had hard-to-say Probably.

00:35:43: But the weird thing was that in some cases It wasn't like.

00:35:46: that means ideally Just stop at twelve percent rather take a bit less save the money And just stay in that corridor and then you're really on the idea track.

00:35:57: It's just like with vitamin D too, right?

00:35:59: You get the biggest effect when you go from a deficiency or an undersupply to an opposite supply.

00:36:06: Anything beyond that which can be over one hundred they say it doesn't bring any benefit anymore.

00:36:12: So, exactly the same applies to omega three.

00:36:14: You want get into an optimal range but you don't wanna push it up till like fifteen, sixteen, seventeen percent because there's simply no good data on whether that might not even be bad right?

00:36:23: Not just regarding arrhythmias but also when it comes to the topic of blood clotting they're played a role as well.

00:36:28: so if we have very exciting marker this clear optimal range and measure it can influence is actually perfect longevity marker or put in that way.

00:36:35: now other important value uh...is the omega-three to omega six ratio.

00:36:41: We talked about that at the beginning.

00:36:42: It's often way too high a ten to one fifteen two on.

00:36:45: ideally you want have one-to-one, twotowon three-towon something around there.

00:36:50: What do we learn from?

00:36:51: That or why does it make sense to measure this value just to determine how... ...it is in a way.. ..it can have two effects right!

00:37:00: On one hand if you supplement a superhigh amount of omega three You can still have an enormously high Omega six intake.

00:37:07: But the ratio can be fine, and then that's actually a good sign because you can maintain this balance in your body wonderfully.

00:37:15: A second way of influencing it I'd say is to consume less omega-six than you'll also bring this balance back into a balanced so to speak.

00:37:26: most.

00:37:27: like many of these fatty acid reports they also spit out an additional value for the omega three fatty acids per se.

00:37:35: That means pure EPA and pure DHA are also measured, those are usually percentages.

00:37:41: Then you can look again.

00:37:43: omega-six is also measured.

00:37:45: then you can see where your own focus actually lies right?

00:37:48: If you maybe already have a super good omega three supply but still high omega six to omega three index than you should reduce omega six.

00:37:57: if the indexes high because you have a Super Low Omega Three Supply Then you can do something on the omega three supply side.

00:38:04: That means also a super exciting value about the balance in the body, which we actually want to maintain.

00:38:11: and usually it's a combination right?

00:38:12: A bit more omega-three, a little less omega six so fewer ultra processed highly processed foods And then just turn down the seed oil portion a bit and that usually fits quite well Can be adjusted very easily.

00:38:26: What was your value?

00:38:28: I think It Was Three To One pretty much optimal.

00:38:33: Mine was four to one, so there's still a bit of potential?

00:38:36: I'd have to check again but i think it was three-to-one... The advantage here is just as a reminder with the index you really only have the omega-three fatty acids and here you also see okay how much omega sixes are in relation And Of course You can manage your diet through that like you said.

00:38:53: That's why It makes sense To have measured both.

00:38:56: Just understand your own fatty acid structure Well Your Own Diet Actually A Bit Better.

00:39:01: That actually holds up a mirror to you.

00:39:03: The other one just shows whether your supplementing well?

00:39:06: Exactly, yeah and in the end if you have an omega-three index of say twelve percent right then You're already at the upper limit But if your omega six two Omega three index is still ten to one Then it's not because of the Omega Three fatty acids.

00:39:20: exactly that.

00:39:20: very unlikely.

00:39:22: but I mean with todays diet nothing Is impossible!

00:39:24: Thats why It can happen that Your Still Not In An Optimal Range And then the solution is not to supplement more omega three, but rather to watch the Omega six a bit and cut that down.

00:39:35: Then there's another exciting one arachidonic acid.

00:39:38: two EPA

00:39:40: exactly?

00:39:40: That is actually especially in terms of inflammation very exciting marker often something that gets overlooked a bit also maybe because the reference values aren't set so ideally.

00:39:54: So that's always a question which lab you use?

00:39:59: arachidonic acid is ultimately just a fatty asset that we do need, so it's not like its completely irrelevant.

00:40:06: You explain at the beginning when an arachodontic acid binds and tends to lead to inflammation?

00:40:12: That means you want have little bit of it because a little inflammation is okay and actually good for various processes.

00:40:18: but don't wanna too much of this.

00:40:21: And often in case people are very high Proportion of arachidonic acid compared to EPA and that's actually usually over five two one.

00:40:33: That is the case for most people, and it's definitely pro-inflammatory meaning promotes inflammation.

00:40:39: you want to prevent that And can be managed through supplementation but also a dietary issue.

00:40:53: If you actually consume a lot of processed foods and so on, those also increase this ratio.

00:41:05: And are therefore not ideal for your inflammatory processes.

00:41:09: That means if want to be optimal To have parity A one-to-one ratio Of arachidonic acid to EPA or up to three to one Then still at good level then it starts getting borderline.

00:41:25: And over five to one, you definitely have a pro-inflammatory state that is actually very well proven in studies.

00:41:33: so you don't really want to be there?

00:41:34: That means even though the high sensitivity CRP can all still be normal.

00:41:42: So It doesn't automatically mean that huge amount of damage has already been done.

00:41:47: but In long run its just not good if this ratio.

00:41:53: because then you constantly have this pro-inflammatory pressure, right?

00:41:57: Everything is constantly directed toward inflammation and not towards anti-inflammation.

00:42:02: So just keep that in mind that besides the omega three index and the omega six to omega three ratio This is also a very important value.

00:42:10: And now there are really only two more.

00:42:12: I said earlier That they're also individual values for EPA and DHA everywhere In the end.

00:42:21: DHA for me too, for example.

00:42:24: DHA is often higher than EPA right?

00:42:28: Normally they say you want to have a percentage of about three to five percent for both.

00:42:33: if You add that up you also get the omega-three index that we mentioned at The beginning.

00:42:37: so If I have Three percent Epa and Five percent dha then i have an Omega-three Index Of eight.

00:42:44: That's actually a good sign.

00:42:46: For me, for example it was shifted very heavily toward DHA even though I take a supplement that has more EPA than DHA.

00:42:54: Maybe the body just converts more of it back like from EPA to DHA which can happen too but is less about individual values.

00:43:05: they should be somewhat balanced.

00:43:07: if you have eight percent DHA and one percent EPA then certainly makes sense EPA along a bit, even though you have a wonderful omega three index just to maybe shift the ratio little.

00:43:17: Yeah But it's less about the individual values and much more about the index itself.

00:43:23: right that should be The message there.

00:43:25: so EPA DHA an index they're all connected.

00:43:29: in the end It's just an addition.

00:43:31: And um the the index per se I'd say is more important than the individual value.

00:43:37: But if EPA is very, very low you probably also have the problem with arachidonic acid that it can't balance out as well anymore.

00:43:44: That's also interesting.

00:43:46: and The last thing is trans fats.

00:43:49: Exactly!

00:43:50: The trans fats are actually shown in all of these fatty-acid profiles As well...that's just a proportion of trans fats In total You know?

00:43:58: And trans fats maybe.

00:44:01: Just as quick reminder..in end came about I think in the sixties or so.

00:44:06: They were basically vegetable fats, mainly that were well hardened.

00:44:12: So turned from liquid to solid and then something like margarine was originally mainly trans fats.

00:44:19: And today other ways have been found to make margarin.

00:44:22: Margarine isn't as high in trans fats As it used to be.

00:44:26: In the end they're also produced in large amounts when frying When pan-frying?

00:44:32: When you know dishes are being prepared when cooking And of course you get a lot of it when you eat fast food, When you eat out a lot which is often not that healthy and clean.

00:44:44: Meaning like if at an Asian restaurant where super high amount frying is done... You'll still have extreme amount of trans fat in there.

00:44:55: It's almost unavoidable.

00:44:58: This value very interesting because also has huge pro-inflammatory effect.

00:45:05: That's where you can also challenge your diet a bit and see what are the actual effects of me maybe eating out often or just frequently eating fried foods.

00:45:17: Or, I don't actually do that very often but maybe eat more often.

00:45:21: then somehow they don't seem to prepare it healthily And... Where would be there?

00:45:26: You definitely want under one percent because anything above is way off track on bad path Um, and ideally you actually want to be under zero point two percent.

00:45:38: That's really, really good.

00:45:39: then that means you have a really clean diet.

00:45:42: I think i was at zero point three or zero point four?

00:45:44: I think zero point for which is also really okay.

00:45:46: It's totally within range but it's just not optimal yet.

00:45:50: I don't know where You

00:45:50: were.

00:45:51: there still room for improvement.

00:45:52: To Be Honest!I Don'T Know It By Heart Something Like Maybe Zero Point Five Or So Definitely Under One.

00:45:58: In Any Case As Long as You're Under one Your Definitely Doing Reasonably Well Right And Then You're Definitely Also Also also already above average.

00:46:07: That's really solid.

00:46:08: But you actually want to get as low as possible because trans fats are always bad.

00:46:13: people Are pretty sure about that now, right?

00:46:16: Exactly Now.

00:46:16: we've already Actually talked about this so often in this episode and also before.

00:46:22: Whenever it comes to supplementation You should first look at your diet And see where you have potential To get more omega-three fatty acids in.

00:46:30: Right if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet.

00:46:34: It's difficult because they're mainly marine sources where omega-three occurs in the preferred forms, EPA and DHA.

00:46:43: That means if you don't eat fish then a very large part is already gone Because I find it hard to imagine balancing that in your diet purely through let say algae products without a supplement.

00:46:54: i'm saying that intentionally right?

00:46:56: But If You Do Eat Fish Then There Are A Few Fish Groups That Are Actually Preferred as preferred omega-three sources, let's say.

00:47:05: And those are fatty cold water fish such as salmon mackerel herring sardines anchovies.

00:47:14: Those are also rather smaller fish especially when you think of sardine for example right?

00:47:18: They're very small fish which means they tend to have a low heavy metal load and that is the most efficient source and the safest sources.

00:47:28: quote unquote.

00:47:33: Otherwise, they have a very positive aspect because in these natural sources.

00:47:38: They have a Very high bioavailability.

00:47:40: that means A lot of the omega three can also be absorbed Because there are in.

00:47:44: The natural triglyceride form will get back to That later or they Are embedded within phospholipid structures?

00:47:52: Ideally, you should always take an omega-three supplement with a high fat meal even though it is already oiled per se simply because its absorbed better than.

00:48:00: That's automatically the case with fish Because fish are already high in fat anyway.

00:48:04: that why the Omega three is still embedded In natural structures there plus you also get a bit of iodine vitamin D A bit of selenium so just this natural food matrix.

00:48:15: thats very positive.

00:48:18: otherwise Exactly.

00:48:21: For, let's say environmental reasons algae is actually the better option because fish have to be caught.

00:48:29: there's a big industry behind that and algae they naturally keep reproducing on their own.

00:48:36: so in that respect algae would theoretically also be very good options.

00:48:40: They're also vegan which vegetarian?

00:48:43: So they are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

00:48:46: classic algae oil with aquaculture.

00:48:48: you need Careful because that.

00:48:53: so if you eat fish from aquaculture, let's say.

00:48:55: Because that depends heavily on how they were fed right?

00:48:58: So what's in this feed meal?

00:49:01: sometimes there can also be specific like medications and their or residues of medications.

00:49:06: If I already have aquacultures then i don't want the fish to die off cause nothing left to make money.

00:49:11: insane amount such a tight space

00:49:15: Exactly.

00:49:15: That's why there are usually some kind of feed additives in their.

00:49:19: sometimes they're also medications.

00:49:21: and that means whenever it says aquaculture, thats not necessarily a sign off quality.

00:49:26: you should keep that in mind when it comes to fish.

00:49:30: now exactly that is one option you have.

00:49:35: moving onto supplementation theres the big debate official versus algae oil.

00:49:40: i think we've said several times at the cost benefit ratio is definitely better for fish oil Simply because fish oil is much cheaper even high quality fish oil and it Is usually also a bit more potent than algae oil.

00:49:55: Yeah, you get.

00:49:56: I mean there are really strong algae oils out.

00:49:58: They're now You have to admit but big butts.

00:50:03: they Are all so Really expensive.

00:50:07: We've been back in product development for a long time Now And always looking for some good manufacturers And now there are good ones also with high EPA and DHA values.

00:50:18: So even the ratio is really strong, which was just impressive.

00:50:22: but price still an issue right?

00:50:24: You'll tend to be at least thirty percent more expensive often twice as expensive for the same amount of EPA in DHA.

00:50:32: that's pretty crazy Right!

00:50:35: With EPA-DHA from fish oil you get a higher dosage.

00:50:38: That means take like three grams And off that, really seventy to eighty percent more like eighty percent is EPA DHA.

00:50:46: You get oils like that and you practically don't get that with algae there.

00:50:51: You're already doing really well.

00:50:52: if you have like fifty to sixty or like fifty?

00:50:54: You already have a really highly dosed product.

00:50:56: That means actually de facto has to take more.

00:50:59: That's the issue in the end.

00:51:00: Actually for the same amount... ...you have at least one-to two capsules Yeah, then we're back at that level.

00:51:08: It's definitely going to be more expensive right?

00:51:10: That just has to be clear.

00:51:12: But of course you also have less risk Of the classic contamination phenomena Be it like heavy metals which is of course an issue especially with large fish Which isn't even an issue With most omega-three fish oils anyway because they only use sardines mackerel and so on.

00:51:26: Anyway Um but you definitely also Have less off the microplastics issue Also a part of it, which probably isn't such a big deal in refined oils anyway because they are filtered and so on.

00:51:40: But yeah even there the micro plastic contamination in the fish oil will definitely be higher than an algae product Which was made in an algae farm.

00:51:48: Anyway They're not going to harvest that from the ocean.

00:51:50: It's Made In An Algae Farm.

00:51:52: That Means Its A Super Super Safe Environment.

00:51:54: There Are Just No Contaminants There.

00:51:57: In The End If You Have A Synthetic Product Then the only problem with a synthetic product might be that it has solvents, but definitely doesn't have heavy metal problems right and That's how you have to maybe look at.

00:52:09: It means algae oil is probably the safer choice in the long run But you'll also end up paying more.

00:52:16: And then in between there's even krill oil Krill.

00:52:18: those are really tiny creatures Right?

00:52:21: In the end like marine insects I just say right Which in turn eat the algae which in turn are also eaten a lot by fish.

00:52:28: There you have a bit of the best-of both worlds.

00:52:30: It's very bioavailable, still relatively clean and yeah.

00:52:37: but there you have cost issue again.

00:52:39: Krill is also super expensive right accordingly.

00:52:42: so in the end I think if you find a fish oil where you know okay there are certificates for heavy metals they looked at how the oxidation is that it's high quality product whether content already have everything you need, right?

00:52:58: And then you're definitely safe.

00:52:59: And with all other oils just be careful.

00:53:01: like I said flaxseed oil is often discussed but it's also very rich in alpha-linolenic acid which can't even be converted that well by the body anyway.

00:53:09: plus It goes rancid extremely quickly Is also not that cheap.

00:53:13: so it's actually only moderately suitable for salads Right i mean unless You need this small...it's Also usually sold In small bottles because it Goes rancide and bad So rapidly.

00:53:23: You just have to keep that in mind a bit, right?

00:53:25: So if it says Omega three.

00:53:26: Just check which omega-three fatty acids are actually in there.

00:53:29: then There's one more point you should keep in mind and That's the form because there Are A lot of Omega Three supplements.

00:53:38: some Of them Are Really Cheap And They Work With Concentrates Right and In with Those.

00:53:46: Yeah With These With these Rather Cheap Highly Concentrated Omega Three Capsules Ethyl ester is usually used.

00:53:53: So that's usually an ethyl ester form, but they are so.

00:53:58: the oil Is then always broken down by lipases in the digestive tract.

00:54:03: those mostly come from the pancreas and This ethyls ester for me can't be broken down.

00:54:08: That well?

00:54:09: That means it takes much longer for it to be broken Downed.

00:54:11: that means the bioavailability is a bit worse there right And you're very dependent on eating a lot of fat at the same time so that enough of this lipase is stimulated by the pancreas, right?

00:54:23: If... if you just swallow them like that these highly concentrated concentrate ethyl ester capsules then probably relatively little will get absorbed because you need a lot Of fats.

00:54:33: So the pancreates also knows oh now comes A lot of Fat.

00:54:35: Now we need a Lot of these lipases That break down The fatty acids so the body can absorb Them.

00:54:40: and They've also done a lot of studies, they found out that this triglyceride form or phospholipid form.

00:54:46: That is much better and in the vast majority of high quality omega-three supplements it's also the triglycerides form which naturally occurs in fish right?

00:54:57: We already said anyway its a triglycide form for example.

00:55:08: bioavailability and therefore also great for absorption in the body.

00:55:14: And it's best to stay away from ethyl ester, its cheap.

00:55:18: that way can be concentrated very highly.

00:55:20: so you get a high percentage of omega-three fatty acids but then comes at the expense of bio availability right?

00:55:29: So if only half gets absorbed You might as well have taken a triglyceride capsule and invested the money there instead.

00:55:37: And, The last point is the much-and-hotly debated TOTOX value.

00:55:43: What's there to say about that?

00:55:45: Yeah, TOTox just comes from total oxidation.

00:55:49: That means you look at how much of the oil is actually oxidized An oxidation...you know for example from flaxseed oil.

00:55:59: We've talked about that a few times.

00:56:00: When it gets rancid, let's just oxidize flaxseed oil then and you don't want to because first of all its gross It also smells kind of stronger.

00:56:09: And

00:56:10: they say theoretically it can be the case with fish oil that oxidized fish oil or omega-three fatty acids in general That they act more pro-inflammatory Or dont do what their actually supposed to Do

00:56:25: Because of the peroxides that form too, right?

00:56:27: So peroxide is bad for the body aldehydes two in some cases and if That's the case to a very-very high degree then you're not doing yourself any favors

00:56:35: exactly.

00:56:36: so it makes total sense I think Right.

00:56:38: And and that's actually something You should definitely look out For when you when you buy these kinds Of products that means ideally The manufacturer just provides A certificate showing this totox value and If It's really good Then its under ten and then your Really totally fine.

00:56:55: Um, it is definitely I would say under fifteen.

00:56:59: Is okay and above that you'd better look for another product

00:57:05: And you have to have to see that in relation?

00:57:08: i looked this up.

00:57:09: international standards Say a value of under twenty six is fine.

00:57:14: Yeah It's probably not the end-of-the-world either right.

00:57:17: so II mean.

00:57:18: but In The End You Buy A Product Like That And The Price Probably Won't Be Much Cheaper Right.

00:57:22: In the end you buy a product like that to do something for your health, right?

00:57:24: And then of course you want to have the best possible quality and whether there's maybe two or three euro difference it probably won't be more than that.

00:57:32: Um...and you have a totox value of under ten.

00:57:34: Then I would definitely choose that product!

00:57:37: Maybe one more thing that a lot people do.

00:57:39: they upload the certificate from the manufacturer and it was measured in the oil before is even bottled

00:57:46: so in the barrel then.

00:57:47: so in a very large barrel.

00:57:49: that's a barrel with several liters of omega-three.

00:57:55: The contact with oxygen, heat or light was much lower because inevitably while the oil is being processed into capsules That still happens, right?

00:58:06: It comes into contact with a little oxygen.

00:58:08: it comes in to contact with light maybe heat and actually you want know what kind of product your getting at the end.

00:58:14: sometimes there's bit trickery involved.

00:58:18: I'll say that deliberately.

00:58:19: thats why any case You can question if totox values are incredibly low so its says two or three.

00:58:27: Thats almost like very difficult to achieve.

00:58:33: And in a lot of cases, I'm not saying all cases but In A LOT OF CASES it's because It was measured in the barrel and NOT IN THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

00:58:42: That still something you should keep in mind.

00:58:45: So now we've talked so much about omega-three i'll just do a very quick wrap up.

00:58:49: What's important with omega-three?

00:58:51: In the end, it is a biomarker that you can measure.

00:58:53: You could look at a few different parameters and an omega three index or the omega six to omega three ratio.

00:59:02: then another important ratio is arachidonic acid to EPA which is also very relevant should be under one percent.

00:59:17: Just rewind a bit if you want the exact values.

00:59:20: And, You can measure that.

00:59:22: it makes sense to look at that in the beginning just to estimate how big the need is right?

00:59:26: I don't think everyone needs to do genetic analysis and see what their FADS genes looks like right?

00:59:31: FADs one, FAD s two... That's nice too know but in end we manage very well through diet and supplementation.

00:59:41: In a lot of cases, supplementation is necessary simply because this large omega-six excess as well so that you can establish the balance at all.

00:59:50: Otherwise... You could also do it through diet.

00:59:53: just be careful.

00:59:54: where does the omega three come from?

00:59:56: If the package says rich in Omega Three check Is it EPAD HA or alpha linolenic acid?

01:00:03: Because we have conversion problem nowadays.

01:00:06: And with the supplement, um whether fish oil or algae oil it doesn't really matter.

01:00:11: Algae oil is usually more expensive.

01:00:13: so fish oil actually does the job too.

01:00:16: if you're not vegetarian or vegan uh and pay attention to the quality right?

01:00:20: It should be in triglyceride form Should have a low totox value ideally under ten-under fifteen Is also okay If its very low.

01:00:29: Be a little skeptical Um about where was measured.

01:00:32: Was it The barrel Or was it finished product?

01:00:35: Just Keep that in mind.

01:00:37: Do you have any final words?

01:00:39: Yeah, um the only thing I can say is uh get tested.

01:00:44: i think That's a very good idea.

01:00:46: Um You can get these at-home tests pretty much anywhere of course also for molecular.

01:00:51: Feel free to check out The test there.

01:00:54: It's worth checking that every now and then.

01:00:56: but if you're just starting out And have never taken omega three before Then it probably makes sense To start supplementing first because its gonna be too low.

01:01:03: anyway I mean, the probability is over ninety percent that you're too low.

01:01:09: That's right!

01:01:10: Alright if you have any questions on your end just let us know.

01:01:13: podcast at beyondlifespan.de Is our email address and otherwise?

01:01:17: Just comment on YouTube or Spotify.

01:01:19: We look at all of them reply to the comments when we can And Otherwise there'll be another Q&A episode.

01:01:25: Thanks so much for listening.

01:01:26: thanks So much for watching.

01:01:28: Thank You max and we are already looking forward To The next Episode.

01:01:32: until then bye

01:01:35: Thanks and bye.