Are fish oil and niacin effective for blood pressure and cholesterol?

[madcat8000]

Would anyone have recomendations about a supplement that is rigorusly tested and has high QA? Is Niacin Inositol in 2000 mg effective for blood pressure and LDL cholesterol? DHA and EPA, arent these the two that are really effective in most studys? How much is recomended?

TY to anyone who takes time to answer!

 

[Siv]

Most good brands are molecularly distilled and have independent testing done for random batches.
Ascenta Nutrasea for e.g. has a CRN certificate for all its batches.

 

[madcat8000]

Any clue from anyone about the Niacin Inositol? Even though its cheap as hell, its wasted money if its not bioactive.

 

[Siv]

Sorry, I don't know much about niacn, only fish oil.

 

[Proton Soup]

there was this, but they seem to want a signup now: http://www.consumerlab.com/results/omega3.asp

there is a prescription processed fish oil that FDA allows to make claims: http://www.lovaza.com/

you need some EPA/DHA in your diet regardless of whether it helps your cholesterol. you could just eat an oily fish like salmon. i like the convenience and cost of cod liver oil, but most people don't like it. if you're really picky, maybe get a processed product like one of Carlson's oils.

talk to your doc about the niacin inositol. I'm not particularly impressed with it because it inhibits fat loss.

 

[madcat8000]

Yeah id love to buy lovaza, cept its stupendously expensive...it actually made me rethink any support drug companys had in my mind. Think i will call my doctor about the niacin however, and look for the implication that my current formulation could prevent weight loss. Hmmmmmmmmm...

 

[Proton Soup]

a little more on that

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacin_receptor_1

The precise mechanism of action of niacin therapeutic effects has not been fully elucidated but appears to work in part through activation of GPR109A which reduces the levels of intracellular cAMP thereby inhibiting lipolysis in adipocytes.[9] In contrast, the flushing effect is due to GPR109A activation of ERK 1/2 MAP kinase[10] mediated by arrestin beta 1.[8] Activation of MAP kinase in turn causes release of prostaglandin D2 from Langerhans cells in the skin.[11]

 

[madcat8000]

Hmmmm it appears that all formulations can prevent weightloss, and that is its actual method of action. Tyvm for you help btw.

 

[Siv]

Yeah id love to buy lovaza, cept its stupendously expensive...it actually made me rethink any support drug companys had in my mind. Think i will call my doctor about the niacin however, and look for the implication that my current formulation could prevent weight loss. Hmmmmmmmmm...

Here's an informative link from the Heart Scan Blog on Lovaza.
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/fish-oil-for-780-per-bottle.html

At prevailing pharmacy prices, one capsule of prescription Lovaza fish oil costs $4.33 each.

Yes, you heard right: $4.33 per capsule.

What do you get for $4.33 per capsule? By omega-3 fatty acid content, you get 842 mg EPA + DHA per capsule.

I can also go to Sam's Club and buy a bottle of their Triple-Strength fish oil with 900 mg omega-3 fatty acids per capsule at $18.99 per bottle of 180 capsules. That comes to 10.5 cents per capsule. That puts the price of fish oil from Sam's Club at 97.6% less cost compared to Lovaza for an equivalent quantity of omega-3 fatty acids.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/lovaza-rip-off.html

It is FDA-approved for treatment of high triglycerides (>500 mg/dl). In their marketing, they claim "Unlike LOVAZA, dietary supplements are not FDA approved to treat any disease." They also highlight the "patented five-step" purification process that eliminates any concerns over mercury or pesticide residues.

What does Lovaza cost? In Milwaukee, it costs about $70 per capsule per month (PCPM). Most people are taking four capsules per day: $280 per month, or $3360 per year to obtain 3360 mg of EPA + DHA per day. (Funny coincidence with the numbers.)

Did you catch that? $3360 per year, just for one person to take Lovaza.

What if I instead went to Costco and bought their high-potency fish oil. This is also an ethyl ester form. It costs $14.99 for 180 capsules, or $2.50 PCPM; each capsule contains 684 mg EPA + DHA. I would therefore have to take five capsules per day to obtain the same 3360 mg EPA + DHA per day. This would cost me 5 x $2.50 = $12.50 per month, or $150 per year.

$3360 per year vs. $150 per year to obtain the same dose of omega-3 fatty acids, or a 22.4-fold difference.

 

[madcat8000]

Yep that's exactly what makes me angry. I would love to buy a quality product at pharmaceutical grade purity at an apropriate price. However it appears that this simple idea has been perverted into...omg let's make shareholders more monies!1111! For the love of God no one ever needed the FDA's approval, or a half-assed chemical process that makes it patentable. Between the banks, insurance companys, and pharmaceutical companys, I think the actual shareholders are the real root of evin in this world.

 

[Siv]

Absolutely

 

[Proton Soup]

they've got to make their money while they can. before engineered DHA crops arrive in abundance and undermine the need to supplement.

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Produc...ow-AgroSciences-forge-alliance-for-canola-DHA