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Fish Oil or Flax Seed Oil?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/21/2010 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
I've been taking Fish oil supplements, but have read that Flax Seed oil is just as good.
Anyone with any preference or does one seem to work better than the other?
Posted 6/21/2010 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Fish oil has clinical evidence that it works. Flax oil is speculated to have similar positive effects but so far no strong clinical evidence.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid

too complicated did not read. LOL
Posted 6/21/2010 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
Fish oil is better.
Posted 6/21/2010 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
Here's one assessment from a medical school website: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/flaxseed-oil-000304.htm

I read a while back that the omega-3s are bound up tighter in flax seed oil than they are in fish oil, so for someone with an inflamed gut and probably poor digestive processes, fish oil would be better.

For me personally, I take flax seed oil.  There is less of a concern with mercury content, and I don't feel guilty about over fishing the menhadrin.  Plus no fishy burps, LOL.

Posted 6/21/2010 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I also take flaxseed oil instead of fish oil ... one, because of the nasty tasting burps and two, it is supposed to help the hair and nails ... so far so good. I have noticed my hair not being as "rough" feeling ...
Posted 6/21/2010 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
I avoid flax oil altogether because for me it is an extreme laxative... one of those individual tolerance things perhaps, since I tolerate fish oil fairly well.
Posted 6/21/2010 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
Krill oil is supposedly the best instead of fish, but it is more expensive.
Posted 6/21/2010 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
Men: Flax seed oil can contribute to prostate cancer according to studies so fish oil is the way to go for you.

also: "Avoid flaxseed oil because it contains more inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids than essential omega-3 fatty acids. Flax is a poor source of omega-3 fatty acids. The body must convert the shorter ALA fatty acid found in flaxseed oil into EPA and DHA fatty acids before you will receive major benefits, something most of us don't do well."

I'm currently taking flax oil (female) but wont repurchase when out.
Posted 6/21/2010 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
The wikipedia link I posted gets into the omega-6/omega-3 ratio. If ratio is higher in flax seed oil, that is a good reason to avoid it. A high ratio is blamed for cardiac inflammation in western countries.

I saw a report the other day on fish oil and you should check for the USP certification and that the species used are short lived fish from clean waters. This is to avoid heavy metal and PCB contamination.
Posted 6/21/2010 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
The extra oils can definitely give one SBS....slippery butt syndrome. lol.

I don't take it, even though it might help with my cholesterol....it wasn't worth the greasy stool butt weirdness. Never ever had that before using it...so it's definitely off my list.

I was told that if one is taking it....use lipase or have it in the capsules to allow better absorption and less burpies. It still gave me SBS.

I took flax oil a very long time ago. I don't think I felt good while on it, so I quit taking it. I do have a problem with some oils...Maybe that's because of having PSC? whatever it is...I don't take any.

q
Posted 6/21/2010 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
     I have a friend who swears flaxseed oil "cured" her UC....but, we all know better here, don't we.
Posted 6/21/2010 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
yeah...bigtime..lol.
q
Posted 6/21/2010 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Great feedback! Thanks.
Not sure if I'll try Flax seed, but it was worth it to ask others. :)
Posted 6/22/2010 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
I take fish oil, which helps a ton with my joint pain. Sometimes my parents mix ground up flax seed in my food, but I think that fish oil is still more benficial.
Posted 6/22/2010 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
I recently started taking the lemon flavored fish oil from Carlson's. I don't know yet if it's doing anything, but I wanted to say I don't have any fish burps or unpleasantness from taking it. I was really hesitant to try fish oil because of hearing about the burps, but this stuff has been fine. I even use it to make a salad dressing most days to take my daily dose and it gives it a good lemon flavor (use fish oil, olive oil, a squirt each of honey and dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and pepper and shake it all up).
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