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| reversing direction on the fish oil |
First, if you want the basics of fish oil, check out my first post on this topic: The Low Down on Fish Oil. Then read this.
With new data and studies coming out frequently, scientists and experts do the best they can with the information they have at that time. Back in the day, Robb Wolf and similar paleo enthusiasts recommended balancing the n-6:n-3 (omega 6 to omega 3 ratio) by loading up on n-3. That is, if you are inflamed, take a butt-load of fish oil as a catalyst to move your fatty acid profile to a cleaner ratio. Unfortunately this turned out to be an ineffective way to turn things around. In order to truly become healthier (lipid profile, exterior looks, etc) people need to cut down on their n-6 intake. Yes, this means cut down on those almonds you CrossFitting fiends! Fish oil is still fine to go with, but taking massive doses is not going to turn the boat around as nicely as nixing the nuts, nut oils, etc. One of the reasons I respect Robb's work is that he is the first to say when he needs to revise his stance on things. This goes for fish oil now, but also for dairy in the past. The following blog article is lengthy and can get sciency, but worth the read.
Thanks for sharing this Chris, I think that Robb changing his stance on fish oil based on the new research shows that he has integrity, and like you is another reason I follow him and trust what he says.
ReplyDeleteFor those that are wondering, Omega 6's are in most nuts and seeds (like the almonds you refer to) even avacodo. For anyone that eats grains, meaning wheat, barley, oats, rice, corn, etc. most grians are high in omega 6's too - corn especially. So keeping the consumption of all those things down will help reduce your omega 6 levels balanced with a healthy and reasonalble omega 3 supplement should make you good to go!