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We all know that a good intake of omega 3 is essential for good health. Nevertheless watching this video by one of the Danish doctors who started the studies of the Innuit diet (from which most of the early results on omega 3 came...) back in the 1970s I found out that he says that epa-omega 3 may lower the response to bacterial infection. Since he is still so much supportive of increasing omega 3 consumption, I wanted to share the video with paleohackers, and ask you which evidence (one way or another) have you found on the possible relationship between high (or very high) intake of fish fatty acids-EPA and decreased immune function.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPHHb7FO4mI&feature=relmfu

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6 Answers

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I think a more realistic threat is hemorrhagic stroke. You'll see some of the highest rates of stroke in people who consume the most omega-3s, such as the Japanese. I can't say whether that is causative, but I think it's likely. n-6 fats are maligned everywhere these days, but they're essential and their clotting nature should balance out the hemorrhaging nature of n-3 in the diet.

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Strokes are caused by clots. – BAMBAM Aug 12 2011 at 22:56
Forgot to write "hemorrhagic stroke." – Travis Culp Aug 12 2011 at 22:57
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spot on travis.....one can predict it by an accurate o6/o3 level – The Quilt Aug 13 2011 at 4:46
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I agree that EPA antagonizes the immune response. We need it in small amounts but in larger amounts it becomes detrimental. In fish and brains it is only a very minor part of the fat, with DHA being more abundant. However in fish oil you have a weird ethyl ester of more EPA than DHA. Best to just eat fish and brains and fish brains and brainy fish if those exist. And not as much as the Inuit.

There is going to be an optimal range of EPA intake, too little makes the risk for depression skyrocket, too much and you can get keeled by bacteria.

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algal-DHA being preferable to fish oil, yeah? – No more. Aug 13 2011 at 4:17
Not if you don't get some EPA from somewhere. EPA can be made from DHA but if you only give people DHA they don't get the anti-depressive effect. Curious. – Stabby Aug 13 2011 at 4:41
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related to lipid rifts and ion channels Stabby in the brain. – The Quilt Aug 13 2011 at 4:47
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Omega-3 fats may no be so great if you catch Influenza and you are a mouse.

Fish Oil-Fed Mice Have Impaired Resistance to Influenza Infection

Although fish oil-fed mice had lower lung inflammation compared with controls, fish oil feeding also resulted in a 40% higher mortality rate, a 70% higher lung viral load at d 7 post infection, and a prolonged recovery period following infection.

(The control mice were fed corn oil)

Fish Oil Feeding Delays Influenza Virus Clearance and Impairs Production of Interferon-γ...

The present study demonstrates a delay in virus clearance in mice fed fish oil associated with reduced IFN-γ and antibody production and a greater weight loss and suppression of appetite following influenza virus infection.

Fish oil feeding enhances lymphocyte proliferation but impairs virus-specific T lymphocyte cytotoxicity...

The results showed that, despite improved lymphocyte proliferation, fish oil impairs primary virus-specific T lymphocyte cytotoxicity. This impairment may explain the delayed virus clearance that we have previously reported in infected mice fed the fish oil diet.

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Isn't the proportion of fish oil in those rat studies in excess of anything a human would encounter? 4% of food by weight as fish oil sounds like a heck of a lot. – Travis Culp Aug 12 2011 at 23:28
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I seem to remember that traditional Inuit diets often contained that much, although don't quote me on that. Of course it is the downside of such animal experiments that they need to get an observable result in a two week feeding trail. – Matt Aug 12 2011 at 23:52
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Well one should avoid fish oils anyways and concentrate on real food, like fresh fish, eating it nose to tail if possible. Liver, eggs etc... – Jan Aug 13 2011 at 5:33
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You need omega-3 and 6 in the proper balance. The main reason we pay so much attention to getting more omega-3 is that our diets tend to be so high in omega-6 (thanks to the ubiquity of cheap soy bean oil in absolutely everything). We do need omega-6's though. Both are considered to be essential fatty acids. So, yeah, getting too much omega-3 could potentially be a problem too. These two EFA's balance each other out so that the body's inflammatory response is appropriate to deal with whatever infection or injury that we might have to deal with. If you have too much omega-3 then it's going to overpower what might be an appropriate response to infection or injury. There is also the added risk of bleeding when you consume too much.

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I agree with this, and of course anyone in the SAD should have much more n-3, much less n-6. My question relates to potential problems of going the other way around, in case we had too much n-3. It is not a problem as long as you have enough beef, eggs, etc! – Philosopher Aug 13 2011 at 2:47
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Omega 3 will oxidize. Over consuming Omega 3 makes this worse. I work to reduce omega 6 so I can consume as little omega 3 as possible and still have a decent ratio.

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