DHA for your heart

Fish oil has achieved medical prominence primarily due to its ability to reduce heart disease in fish eating populations such as Eskimos and Japanese. Even in Japan, fishermen have lower blood pressure and lower incidence of heart disease than do farmers. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are the fish oil components held responsible for these benefits. EPA and DHA are elevated in blood plasma and in the cell membranes at the expense of the omega-6 fat arachidonic acid in Eskimos and Japanese.

There has been controversy over whether the cardiovascular benefits of fish oil are more due to EPA or DHA or whether both are of equal benefit. Some studies have indicated that EPA is more effective for lowering blood triglycerides. But a recent large study has shown that DHA may actually be more effective than EPA in lowering blood triglycerides. Triglycerides are normally obtained from foods but excessive consumption of sugar and alcohol can cause them to be synthesized in the body. Elevated levels of triglycerides in the blood are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

The most dramatic effects of fish oil on the heart, however, are in connection with cardiac arrythmias (irregular heartbeats). In the United States, 250,000 people die annually within an hour of a heart attack as a result of arrhythmia. Tests have shown that DHA is responsible for most of the anti-arrhythmic effect. DHA is more readily incorporated into heart cell membranes than EPA. It is the DHA in the heart cell membranes rather than the DHA in the bloodstream, which is protective.

Pristine DHA is very high in DHA and low in EPA. It is processed from Tuna eye at low temperatures and is a virtually clear liquid unlike the normal omega-3 oils on the market.