Benefits for healthy heart "formidable" with possible influence on cancer and arthritis risk.

Atlantic Canadians of a certain age will remember taking cod liver oil in the winter to ward off colds, reduce arthritic symptoms and generally keep the doctor at bay. But since there was no way to camouflage the fishy taste of the oil (which inevitably turned rancid), the cure was often worse than the ailment.

Fast forward – the last several years have produced vast amounts of research documenting the beneficial effects of fish oil, and ways of rendering it palatable. Fish oil is an essential fatty acid (EFA) that belongs to the omega-3 category. Omega-3, 6 and 9 are needed for good health and normal development. One component of omega-3 (docosahexaenenoic acid, or DHA) functions as a structural element in human cell membranes, while another (eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA) works throughout all life stages to reduce the risk of inflammation and disease.

"The science is formidable," says Dr. Bruce Holub, director of scientific affairs and information at the Omega-3 DHA/EPA Omega-3 Institute in Guelph, Ont. "For example, studies have shown that patients who take 900 mg of EPA/DHA daily after their heart attack reduce the risk of sudden cardiac deaths by 45 per cent."

Most people have the necessary enzymes to manufacture omega-9, the third omega, but that's not the case with omega-3 or 6, so those have to come from dietary sources. The recommended daily amount of omega-3 for adults is 500 mg (900 mg a day if you have coronary heart disease). If you're not eating at least two 4-oz. servings of fish like salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel every week, it's likely you are deficient in EFAs.

"In Japan they don't have a problem eating fish twice a day," says Holub. "Here in Canada, we have a problem eating it twice a month." Although we have to be careful about the source of our fish (some swordfish, shark and tuna have contaminant issues), Holub says that salmon, arctic charr and trout from Atlantic Canada are safe. The omega-3 expert eats fish twice a week.

Holub also takes omega-3 supplements because of an elevated level of blood fat (tryglicerides): research indicates that 3 g of DHA/EPA a day can lower triglycerides by 30 per cent. "This is as good as a patented drug, which we pay $3 a day for," he says. "I like to do it inexpensively and naturally."

At last fall's Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, Melissa Christine-Fougere, clinical research and product development specialist with Ascenta Health, met hundreds of physicians, cardiologists and allied health professionals interested in the benefits of omega-3 supplements for their patients. "Many physicians have begun to prescribe omega-3 for cardiovascular disease, arthritis and obesity, as well as other diseases such as depression," she says.

Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd. (ONC), in Dartmouth, NS, is a global leader in omega-3 research and development. ONC provides omega-3 ingredients (look for a little blue fish and Meg-3 logo) to companies that make supplements or fortify products such as bread, yogurt, orange juice, and cereals. The staff of 40-plus researchers and scientists is headed by Colin Barrow, executive vice-president of R&D. "It's extremely important for consumers to be aware that the only complete source of omega-3 is from fish oil because fish oil is the only natural source of both EPA and DHA," he says. ONC is about to embark on a five-year study in partnership with Harvard University that will involve 40,000 subjects and focus on measuring the preventive benefits with respect to heart disease and cancer.

Meanwhile, with today's science and technology, manufacturers of omega-3 supplements deal with the "burp-back" or fishy taste by removing volatile compounds, adding anti-oxidants, then encapsulating the high quality fish oil. No more need to grin and bear it.