Flaxseed vs Fishoil

darla499

Hi Everyone,

My goal for this year is to go from vegetarian to vegan. I've always taken a fish oil supplement, but won't be doing that anymore.

My question is this:: Do you get all the same benefits from Flaxseed Omega-3 as you do from Fish Oil?

Thanks!

Acg67

Hi Everyone,

My goal for this year is to go from vegetarian to vegan. I've always taken a fish oil supplement, but won't be doing that anymore.

My question is this:: Do you get all the same benefits from Flaxseed Omega-3 as you do from Fish Oil?

Thanks!

Not really, as the conversion of ALA to EPA/DHA in humans is not very efficient

questionablemethods

Hi Everyone,

My goal for this year is to go from vegetarian to vegan. I've always taken a fish oil supplement, but won't be doing that anymore.

My question is this:: Do you get all the same benefits from Flaxseed Omega-3 as you do from Fish Oil?

Thanks!

Not really, as the conversion of ALA to EPA/DHA in humans is not very efficient

And, I feel like I have heard that doesn't happen at all in some people. I feel like I remember hearing that there is a test that can be done to find out whether you are someone who does not convert it, though.

carrie_eggo

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/research-review-extremely-limited-synthesis-of-long-chain-polyunsaturates-in-adults-implications-for-their-dietary-essentiality-and-use-as-supplements.html

neanderthin

Hi Everyone,

My goal for this year is to go from vegetarian to vegan. I've always taken a fish oil supplement, but won't be doing that anymore.

My question is this:: Do you get all the same benefits from Flaxseed Omega-3 as you do from Fish Oil?

Thanks!

Not really, as the conversion of ALA to EPA/DHA in humans is not very efficient

This. But it's been shown that in vegans that conversion is higher than in other populations. Saying that, it's still only around 20%, at best, which still isn't very good, and the other thing that you have to worry about, which is never really discussed is the convertion to DHA from flax. The body first converts APA to EPA and then that EPA then gets converted to DHA. It's basically a desaturation process where the fatty acids are elongated, and ALA being the shortest in the fatty acid chain of EFA's is then elongated into EPA, then with the very little EPA that is converted it goes through that elongation again and the convertion is around less that a 10th of 1 percent, basically nothing, and it's DHA that is really needed in newbornes and childred, not so much for adult, but regardless, fish oil and krill oil being the best is still the way to go. I know there's a few vegan sources made from algae, you might look at those.

darla499

This. But it's been shown that in vegans that conversion is higher than in other populations. Saying that, it's still only around 20%, at best, which still isn't very good, and the other thing that you have to worry about, which is never really discussed is the convertion to DHA from flax. The body first converts APA to EPA and then that EPA then gets converted to DHA. It's basically a desaturation process where the fatty acids are elongated, and ALA being the shortest in the fatty acid chain of EFA's is then elongated into EPA, then with the very little EPA that is converted it goes through that elongation again and the convertion is around less that a 10th of 1 percent, basically nothing, and it's DHA that is really needed in newbornes and childred, not so much for adult, but regardless, fish oil and krill oil being the best is still the way to go. I know there's a few vegan sources made from algae, you might look at those.

Thank you!

I'll look into it.