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Food sensitivity and an odd reaction to omega-3s

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Fish oil reduces hormones like cortisol, aldosterone and angiotensin.

Are you sure? Examine.com say that it can increase cortisol here. Lots of research info there.

EDIT - although it does cite a study where it blunted the increase in cortisol caused by LPS.

I wish people would stop calling it fish oil, when what they mean is long-chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These can also be obtained from certain algae, as Examine.com points out, and that is the source of my own supplements. The trouble with referring to these as 'fish oil' is that it gives the impression that vegans and vegetarians have no source of these, and that the only option for them is a shorter-chain one from flax oil: alpha linolenic acid.

EDIT - what I meant was I wish that people didn't use the term 'fish oil' to include all (sources of) DHA and EPA, and use it generally when not specifically talking about fish oil. For example, a supplement website I sometimes use even has algal DHA and EPA - and flax oil - listed under 'fish oil'!

Obviously it's fine to talk about fish oil if that is what you are actually talking about!
 
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MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
As far as I can see it doesn't cite anything where cortisol was increased. Only decrease, or no effect.

Fair enough. They do get things wrong sometimes.

I wonder if omega-3s, along with other things, may have different effects on us from those they have on healthy people. Sorry if this has already been said - haven't read the rest of the thread yet.
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
I wonder if omega-3s, along with other things, may have different effects on us from those they have on healthy people.
I'm sure they have. I believe Hornig/Lipkin found low cytokines, such as IL-6, in long term ME. Lowering them even more might make things worse.
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
I'm sure they have. I believe Hornig/Lipkin found low cytokines, such as IL-6, in long term ME. Lowering them even more might make things worse.

Yes, but maybe they can even have different specific biochemical effects in pwME from those in healthy people. For example, some things can have different - even opposite - biochemical effects, depending on how much is taken. Maybe because we are so sensitive to things, a small dose in us have have a similar effect to a large dose in a healthy person.