Swears by fish oil as preventive health measure

Arthritis educator Dave Cox says research casting doubt on fish oil capsules' efficacy has not...
Arthritis educator Dave Cox says research casting doubt on fish oil capsules' efficacy has not put him off the supplement. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
The finding that most fish oil sold in New Zealand provides less benefit than promised is concerning, but will not put him off the ''rock star'' supplement, Arthritis New Zealand southern region educator Dave Cox says.

The Dunedin-based registered nurse estimates about half of the arthritis sufferers he liaises with take fish oil.

Mr Cox (56) does not have arthritis, but takes fish oil, costing nearly $40 for three months' supply, as a preventive health measure.

Clinical evidence backed fish oil as an anti-inflammatory, and for improving cardiovascular and cognitive health, he said.

It seemed to help sufferers of inflammatory types of arthritis more than those with degenerative types.

It was particularly popular with sufferers of osteoarthritis as, unlike some other types of arthritis, there was a lack of effective conventional treatments for it.

People should use what works for them, he said, as long as it was safe and affordable.

Part of the benefit might be placebo, he acknowledged.

Mr Cox recommends people eat oily fish two or three times a week to obtain omega-3, instead of taking supplements, but for some people it was not possible.

The problem was preserving the quality of the product, and Mr Cox believed manufacturers needed to improve packaging to reduce the effects of light and oxygen.

After the Liggins Institute study was released last week, Arthritis New Zealand issued a statement saying arthritis sufferers who were helped by fish oil should continue taking it.

''If people are concerned about the risk of degradation of their supplements, they should consider buying smaller quantities, and keeping them in a light-proof container, in the fridge, to help maintain their potency,'' chief executive Sandra Kirby said.

Arthritis New Zealand is sponsored by a well-known natural health company that markets a fish oil product.

Ms Kirby said corporate sponsorship was a ''tricky issue'' in the health field, and had to be considered carefully.

The company was one of many sponsors, and sponsorship accounted for less than 12% of the organisation's income.

Researchers at the University of Auckland's Liggins Institute tested 32 products, and only three contained the claimed concentration of omega-3.

Most contained less than 67% of the claimed amount. More than half exceeded recommended levels of oxidation.

Published in the journal Nature, results were unrelated to best-before date, price or country of origin.

The institute did not release the names of the products with the results.

eileen.goodwin@odt.co.nz

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement