Many doctors dispute the health benefits of many supplements, mostly for a very good reason – money. A doctor once told me that most doctors won’t recommend most health supplements because if they work and you are healthier, you see the doctor less and therefore won’t need as many prescription drugs. He also said that many medical schools don’t teach them about most supplements, so a lot of doctors don’t know that much about them.

But then, you will run into a doctor who is more open minded and who has done some research and study on supplements and will recommend certain ones to their patients depending on the patient’s health needs.

Then there are supplements that seem controversial in the sense that some doctors say they are good and others say they have no benefit and are a waste of money. One of those controversial supplements is omega-3 fatty acids.

There are several forms of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, DHA and ALA. EPA and DHA are largely found in certain fish, like wild salmon, anchovies, bluefish, herring, mackerel, sardines, sturgeon, lake trout and tuna. ALA is largely found in nuts and seeds such as walnuts, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, canola oil and soybean oil.

If you go to many websites, you will find recommendations for taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements. One of those sites in WebMD, which states:

“When it comes to fat, there’s one type you don’t want to cut back on: omega-3 fatty acids. Two crucial ones — EPA and DHA — are primarily found in certain fish. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), another omega-3 fatty acid, is found in plant sources such as nuts and seeds. Not only does your body need these fatty acids to function, but also they deliver some big health benefits.”

WebMD goes on to list the following health benefits from taking omega-3 supplements:

• Blood fat (triglycerides) – EPA & DHA help lower blood fat resulting in better heart health.
• Rheumatoid arthritis – EPA+DHA reduces stiffness and joint pain.
• Depression – eating high levels of omega-3 rich food helps lower depression.
• Baby development – DHA helps with development of visual and neurological centers.
• Asthma – high omega-3 helps lower inflammation that causes asthma.
• ADHD – some studies suggest fish oil helps lower symptoms of ADHD.
• Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia – some studies suggest eating omega-3 rich food can help reduce risk of Alzheimer’s and helps slow down memory loss.

However, a new analysis of a number of studies reports that taking omega-3 supplements may not have the heart health benefit that many claims it does:

“The new review analyzed data from 10 studies involving a total of nearly 78,000 people. These participants were randomly assigned to take daily doses of omega-3 fatty acid supplements or a placebo for at least one year. All of the participants either had heart disease or had experienced a stroke, or were at high risk for these conditions. Specifically, about two-thirds of the participants had heart disease, 30 percent had experienced a stroke and 37 percent had diabetes, which increases the risk of heart disease.”

“The researchers found that, after about four years, participants who took omega-3 supplements were just as likely to experience a heart attack or stroke, or die from complications of heart disease, as those who didn’t take the supplements.”

“The findings were the same regardless of participants’ sex, history of heart disease, cholesterol levels or use of statin therapy to lower cholesterol levels.”

“The results are in contrast to guidelines from the American Heart Association, which recommends omega-3 fatty acid supplements for people with coronary heart disease or heart failure.”

There is no doubt that natural omega-3 fatty acids DO have health benefits and that it can reduce blood fat (triglycerides) which in turn does help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, but the question that needs to be studied is whether the benefits are greater when eating omega-3 rich fish, nuts and seeds as opposed to taking omega-3 supplements.

Sometimes, supplements are made in such a way that the main ingredient is less effective or harder for the body to assimilate and use than when consumed in natural form.

Personally, I do take omega-3 supplements, but I also try to eat a certain amount of salmon tuna along with walnuts and flaxseed oil. It’s probably best to eat more fish than to take more supplements.