How to Choose the Right EFA Supplement - Part 1

So, ya think ya wanna take an EFA, but ya just don't know which one to take, huh? Why?

No, seriously, why? That is the first question you need to ask yourself. It is the first question I am going to ask you when you come to me for help. Having an answer for “why” may not be as easy as it sounds, so think about it.

What are the health goals you are trying to support? EFA's are used by almost every cell and function in the body. This means that they are incredibly valuable in your supplement plan if you get the correct one for you. Knowing what goal/goals you are trying to support will make a huge difference in the correct EFA for you.

For Example: If you are a man who is having issues with joint function, I would suggest looking to fish oil for the omega 3 inflammation support. Does it matter that you are a man? Yes, duh, that is why I gave you the detail, silly. Flax oil can be supportive to your bodies inflammatory response, but studies have shown that when the Omega 6 fatty acids in flax are combined with the omega 6 acids found all to frequently in the SAD (Standard American Diet, no I did not make that up) Arachidonic acid can be formed. This can be good or bad, depending on, you guessed it, your health goals. Arachidonic acid can support muscle growth by making it easier to break down muscle during exercise. So, if you are trying to build muscle that is a sore but quick way to do it. Arachiconic acid has also been linked unfavorably to prostate cancer, so, um, that's bad.

What if you are a woman making the same decision? Well, now flax oil looks a lot better. There is a fiber compound called lignans in some flax oils. Lignans have been shown to support breast health, making the EFA work for you in multiple ways. Why only some flax oils? Many liquid flax oils and most pills have the lignans filtered out. Be sure to read the label.

Are you looking for the cardiovascular benefits of an EFA supplement? Then fish oil is a clear front runner in the selection process. Flax and other plant based omega 3 fatty acids have to be converted in the body to become the critically important EPA and DHA. This conversion process is not efficient so it requires more of the supplement to be taken. But, if you are a vegan/vegetarian, for any reason, fish oil is off the table. Now you have to compare the various plant based omegas such as chia, flax, saba, EPO, or borage. Each of those have pluses and minuses that I will discuss later.

A word about the krill vs fish source for your EFA. Fish.

OK, more words. The studies to date do not support the claims that in humans krill is better absorbed or utilized by the body. That said the EPA and DHA levels in krill are a fraction of amounts in fish. Your choice, but I am not that eager to take more pills than I already do.

Because EFA's do so much, you need to be sure you understand why you want to take that supplement. Consult with you doctor, making them a partner in your wellness decisions.

VG

From a Fishy Suggestion

I am often asked if there is a difference between fish or flax to supplement omega fatty acids. I try to understand what the querant is trying learn before answering, so I translate this in my head to: Oh, great and all knowing Vita Guru, please guide me in my quest for knowledge, I know I need to take an omega 3 supplement, but I don't like the fishy taste.

(I paraphrase in my head.)

Like everything else, the answer lies in the details. Are you allergic to fish? Is gelatin off limits for dietary reasons? Are you Vegan or Vegetarian? What kind of foods do you eat most often? And those are the simple questions. The EFA supplement you select should take all of your needs into consideration. You will need to weigh those needs versus the benefits the different sources of EFA can provide to make a final decision.

Based on a suggestion of a very dear friend, over the next few entries I will try to compare the various sources essential fatty acids. I hope to provide you with the “gooey” details of why EFA “O” is better for you than EFA “R”. So, when reading the upcoming posts, if you have a specific question you can post it or click the Ask the Vita Guru link at the top of the page and I will try to address it as soon as I can.

Keep in mind the disclaimer on the side. I am a knowledgeable lay person, so before you decide to take any supplement, it is a good idea to discuss it with your doctor.

VG

A Cool Page I Came Across

I am asked for weight management help more than anything else. I can safely expect to give out diet advice on average 6 times in 9 hours. If you have ever suffered from overplay from a song on the radio, you can imagine how that feels. Actually it is more like explaining things to whiny toddlers, who are not going to listen anyways. AARRGH!

So, to review, my standard short answer for this goes as follows:

Imagine your plate. Cup your left hand, that is the amount of good lean protein per meal. Cup your right hand, there go your carbs. The space between is filled with vegetables and fruit. Remember fresh, bright colors are best. Want a snack? Eat your fill of fruit or vegetables.

This gets the autoresponse “But my traaainer saaays No Fruit because it has Fructose and that is a sugar!” This is one of the reasons that we have laws about physical assault in this country, BELIEVE me. Just how many fat monkeys have you seen? MOTHER OF GOD PEOPLE!

FYI – In case it is not clear, carbs are not evil and do not enter the body with the intent of exponential ass expansion. They are the brain's primary source of energy, which kinda explains things. I once worked with a fitness athlete trying to go pro. When he was cutting for a show, his carb intake was so low, I think someone else tied his shoes for him.

Anyways, back to the page I happened across today  What are your 4 pounds made of?  It lays it out for you simply. Gives you some great examples of nutrient density facts. So there go, you can stop weighing monkeys.

VG

What Do You Know

I want to apologize to my frequent readers. I took a break for focus my training for my first full marathon. This was a big item to check off my “bucket” list and had me a just a little Bat-Shit Crazy. I never ran a step before last year and now I can call myself a marathoner. So, go Me!

My supplement use during my training was focused to allow me to recover quickly. I ran the marathon on Sunday, then worked 9+ hours on my feet on Monday. With out the correct training and supplementation that was not going to be happening.

Now I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to hear about my supplement plan, so I guess I will share it. While training I used several pre-workout drinks, and found Pre-Surgefrom Athletic Edge to be the best for me. Its stimulants did not over amp my heart and the Suntheanine greatly aided my mental focus allowing me to better control my stride and strike.

During my longer runs, I would hydrate with a combination of BCAA's, glutamine, carbs, and electrolytes. I found that this combination gave me energy and protected muscle from excessive damage. The product I used is Amino Vital's Endurance. I have used this consistently for many years and have always found it to be the best hydration drink mix on the market.

Post long run is back to the basics: protien, creatine, and a banana. About a half hour later, I would take another serving of glutamine. For muscle recovery and to maximize the post workout response from my body, this is the best combo I have found.

On run day I added coconut water at 12 miles and post race. Drinking coconut water is the best way I have found yet to rehydrate the body. The drink at 12 miles made me feel like I had just started the race again. Well that may be an exaggeration, come on I just ran 12 miles. I chose to add those for the extra boost I knew they would give me. A word of advice: Don't try something new on race day. If you have not used a supplement before then you can do without that day!

As for my time? Well, my friends and support group that day came up with the best response: FUCK YOU, I ran 26.2 miles!

Later

VG

Time For Letters to the Editor

Course, that's the problem. It is time to hear from you, readers of the Guru.

What questions do you have?

What supplements have you tried and would like to know more about?

What would you like to hear more about?

Are you a skeptic? If so, what can I do to bolster your confidence in supplementing your diet for health?

Let me know. askvitaguru@gmail.com

Weighing In on Raspberry Ketones

Before Dr. Oz decided that the single best thing that everybody needs to manage their weight was raspberry ketones, nobody had ever gave a damn about them. Why did the wizard that is Oz choose them, you might ask? Lord knows I did. Well, a couple of studies released in 2005 and 2010 indicated it raised lipolysis  and the secretion of adiponectin. 

Wow, Vita-Guru, that sounds great, you say. Well it might be great, neither study was in humans. They were done in mice given a high fat diet - read here Standard American Diet. While, ultimately, your body is shaped by what you eat and how much you exercise, raspberry ketones could support your goals well. Remembering that you have many variables in your life that prevent you from achieving laboratory results, I would suggest you consider adding a couple of other supplements to your routine if you are trying to better manage your weight.

The first supplement to compliment RK would be L-carnitine. This amino acid like compound shuttles fat for burning throughout the body. Makes sense that with the RK making it easier for your body to break down fat that you would want to get it somewhere to be burned. I would also add Yohimbine. This tree bark extract has be shown to inhibit the receptors on fat cells that prevent them from releasing the stored energy, clearly also very complimentary to RK. Yohimbine can have a stimulating effect so be careful when you first start taking it.

Remember that these supplements are just tools to help you build the body you want. If you buy a hammer and swing it one way you can build a house. Swing it another way and you will tear the house down. If you swing it with your eyes closed you will hit your thumb. At the end of the day, it is still a hammer supplementing your arm to do work. The same applies to RK. Eating right and exercise are still the way you swing that hammer.

VG

Laid Low By Travel

I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I caught one of the various plagues running around now. After a high stress week where my diet was crap, I was lucky enough to spend 6 wonderful hours in an airport waiting for a delayed flight. The airport is particularly busy as it is in a city know for its child oriented tourist attractions. It was a little “Goofy” there.

That, my friends, is a recipe for disaster for your immune system. Stress, poor diet, poor sleep, no activity to speak of, no sun as I was inside from 7:00 am to past 9:00 pm everyday, then exposed to a bazillion noisy plague bombs all happy to be leaving Mouseland. None of those facts alone are very rare or harmful by themselves. It really is the combination of all of them that set me up. Now, ideally your healthy immune system is up to the challenge. But this is really more about playing the odds. This was my seventh trip through Orlando, eventually the odds of rolling craps is against you.

Gosh, oh Vita-Guru, what ever can we do to avoid such a disaster?

I am glad you ask. The first rule, which I broke, is take your Foundation 4 supplements. Yep, multivitamin, omega 3, vitamin D, and probiotic. For numerous bad reasons I chose to not bother with them this time. These are your body's key backups under times of stress. Not taking them was like not using your starting offensive line in football. Ya, the other guys are pros but not your best.

Next, shore up your immune system against the oncoming assault. I like Emergen-C products for that. They are easy to use powders that taste good. They provide a healthy dose of vitamin C plus a complement of B vitamins and electrolyte minerals. This is a nice little gift to immune system that is about to need the extra help.

The third suggestion is for that extra stress you are under. Look to the adaptogens like gingseng, rhodiola rosea, or ashwaganda. All of which help the body deal with stress and maintain healthy energy levels. Under extreme stress? Pull out the big gun, holy basil, which helps with mood as well.

But, Vita-Guru, if you are so smart why didn't you do these things?

You can stop asking questions now. What it comes down to is after 6 years of no issue traveling, I got lazy and let myself go with out prep. Like leaving for work without your phone and wallet. We all do it, but usually when we do we don't get a flat tire on the way.

VG