flax seed or fish oil?

**POPS** · 02-05-2009, 07:14 PM

I need to stock up on flax in a few days. Do I stay with flax or switch to fish oil? Whats the differrence for nutrition?

**RATTLEHEAD** · 02-05-2009, 07:23 PM

if possible both. im a fish oil fan. also, just throw extra virgin olive oil on everything.

**jimmyinkedup** · 02-05-2009, 07:31 PM

ok so fish oil contains dha and epa - both are needed - epa is is used to assist in hormone production which helps reduce inflammation and also control blood pressure. Apparently from what ive read the brain is made up of 8% epa and dha ....thus the necessity of dha as well. HOWEVER flax oil's main source of ***** 3 is ala - now ala can be used in the body to produce other ***** 3's if adequate amounts are ingested. It would seem that flax would be just fine since the body can control the conversion of ala to other fatty acids as needed HOWEVER this is not an efficient process. Ala is NOT produced within the body from what i can tell ,and is an essentilal FA avail mainly in nuts. Also some fish oils also contain ***** 3, 6 and 9 fa's - which are only avail by conversion if u take flax ...which again isnt an efficient process. Answer - i dont know - do with this info what you will. Why not both? I take NOW foods super ***** 3/6/9 which is a combo of fish / flax and borage oils...and its inexpensive and i trust their quality...

**RATTLEHEAD** · 02-05-2009, 07:34 PM

I take NOW as well..

**POPS** · 02-05-2009, 08:30 PM

" NOW " I will have to look into. Never heard of it before. As far as the fish/flax, maybe Ill add a very little amount of almonds and take fish oil caps. Id rather do real foods than pills anyways. Plus if fish oil is good for inflamations, Id rather take the fish oil instead of taking nsaids when needed, right?