How to get the highest possible EPA/DHA amounts possible?

[bluegrrrl79]

I know there have been plenty of omega-3 fatty acid threads, however I need to take a high dose of EPA/DHA. Right now, and I feel really bad about this, but I'm taking high strength fish oil pills with a ratio of 1440/960. I'd love to switch to a veg*n alternative, as I do NOT eat fish besides this, and only take it because I need to. I don't want to end up getting over 30% of my diet in fat though. Any suggestions? The best option so far seems V-Pure, but that's pretty expensive, I'd have to spend like over $60 a month Please any suggestions?? I need it to be something near 1000/1000 ratio, but doesn't have to be quite that much.

[MrFalafel]

Why do you need to take a high dose of EPA/DHA?

[giselle]

Who told you that you "needed" high doses? Cut back on omega6, which is most vegetable oils and processed foods and get most of your fat from olive oil. Eat lots of greens and 1 tbsp of ground flax and a handful of walnuts. There isn't any need for fish oil. There is no evidence of adverse effects on health or cognitive function with lower DHA intake in vegetarians.(Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2009 Aug-Sep;81(2-3):137-41). Several recent meta-analyses have suggested that dietary supplementation with EPA and DHA does not provide additive cardiovascular protection beyond standard care, but the heterogeneity of included studies may reduce the validity of their conclusions. No data exist on the potential therapeutic benefit of EPA, DHA, or ALA supplementation on those individuals who already consume a vegetarian diet. Overall, there is insufficient evidence to recommend n-3 fatty acid supplementation for the purposes of cardiovascular protection. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1597S-1601S).

[Indian Summer]

giselle, did you copy that from somewhere? If so, please provide a link or reference.

bluegrrrl79, I'm also really curious why you think you need all that EPA and DHA.

[adam antichrist]

Udo's Choice does a vegan DHA/EPA oil sourced from algae.
http://udoerasmus.com/products/oil_blend_DHA_en.htm

It's in a 2:1:1 ratio of 3:6:9

by 1000 do you mean 1000mg? That's a ridiculously large amount, i think about 3 or 5 times the RDI.

[bluegrrrl79]

I'm taking a high amount to relieve my depression, it's the only thing so far that has actually made me feel not depressed. Amounts at this level can increase your dopamine levels (they've actually done several studies on unipolar and bipolar depression with it). It works great however like I said, I'd love to find a vegetarian alternative. I know there are sources of ALA in foods and various algae supplements, but haven't quite yet found something/combination of things that will give me high amounts like that. Especially with the EPA.

[adam antichrist]

if you are looking for 1000mg of both DHA and EPA per day then at this point in time I don't think there are any vego sources, since they are targeted at people concerned with proper nutrition and that quantity is far in excess of what's needed. And you know EPA is converted to DHA anyway, right? ALA is converted to EPA before it is converted to DHA. You'd probably need to eat about a kilo of flax seeds per day to get 1000mg of DHA.

I ate fish for a year to improve my mental health back in 2002. It didn't work, so I stopped. But if it's working for you, what's the harm? Otherwise you'd be on a med that was tested on animals anyway. If it works then it works and if there isn't a vegan alternative, it stops being a vegan issue. Hopefully down the track enough demand for algal DHA will drive them to produce it at the levels you require.

[MrFalafel]

I'm taking a high amount to relieve my depression, it's the only thing so far that has actually made me feel not depressed. Amounts at this level can increase your dopamine levels (they've actually done several studies on unipolar and bipolar depression with it). It works great however like I said, I'd love to find a vegetarian alternative. I know there are sources of ALA in foods and various algae supplements, but haven't quite yet found something/combination of things that will give me high amounts like that. Especially with the EPA.

Have you been diagnosed with this condition by a medical professional? Has a medical professional prescribed this treatment? If not, why are you practising medicine without a license?

[happiness1535]

You could try and see if the lower amount in vegetarian DHA supplements will work.

I would also suggest spectrum DHA fortified flax oil (it can help get your omega-6:3 ratio in balance).

If you already drink soymilk, try drinking Silk DHA-fortified soymilk. While it does have omega-6 fatty acids, it also has ALA to provide a decent balance and 32 mg. DHA per 8 oz. serving.

The issues with depression and low DHA levels are not made up. Vegan registered Dietitian Jack Norris talks about this.
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a
I will quote important part

"While many vegetarians have obviously survived just fine without taking DHA supplements, some might have become depressed or had other problems from low DHA levels. We don't know whether all vegetarians or vegans should supplement with DHA for
optimal health, although some do....To be safe, I now take one bottle of Omega-Zen-3 at a rate of 300 or 600 mg/day until the bottle is gone at least once a year.
Because it is not clear that the lower blood levels in vegans is a problem, I only take it once a year to replenish my stores.However, I do not know how long my stores stay replenished...If a vegan is suffering from depression, I, and some other health professionals, recommend a supplementation of 300 mg/day indefinitely."

So, you can ignore the flippant, dismissive replies.

[jikin]

Have you been diagnosed with this condition by a medical professional? Has a medical professional prescribed this treatment? If not, why are you practising medicine without a license?

Why does a person need to run to a doctor any time something is wrong? I mean, a broken arm...sure, going to a doctor is the best thing. But in something like realizing that high amounts of DHA make your depression go away (which is backed by many studies) then why make a fuss over it? Practising medicine without a license does not mean giving yourself a home remedy. She certainly won't be arrested for it.