[EasyEJL]

So here's some skinny on Flax seed oil, and the DHA/EPA. Realistically I think that a significant fraction of the benefit of this megadosing comes from reaching the 2g of DHA mark. Its almost enough for me to buy the biotest flameout instead of loose oil (but not quite)


Flax oil composition

While flax seeds are an excellent source of omega 3 fat, they only contain one basic member of the omega 3 fat family. In the case of flax, virtually all of the omega 3 fat is found in the form of alpha linolenic acid (also just called linolenic acid). This specific kind of omega 3 fat makes up about 50% of the oil in flax seeds. In a 1-gram capsule of flax oil, there are about 500 milligrams of linolenic acid.

The omega 3 assembly line starts with linolenic acid

So that you can better understand how the fact that flax seeds feature a concentration of linolenic acid impacts their potential ability to be an overall good source of omega 3s, let's start with a basic chemistry review of the omega 3 family of fats.

Omega 3s are a very diverse group of fats. Yet, all of the members fall into a basic pattern that can be imagined as a kind of metabolic assembly line.

Fats can be measured in length according to the number of carbon atoms that they contain. Linolenic acid, that which is concentrated in flax seeds, has 18 carbons, making it the shortest of the omega 3 fats, and hence the simplest. It retains a position at the beginning of the assembly line with our omega 3 metabolism starting with this compound as a building block.

Linolenic acid gets elongated into other omega 3 fatty acids

If another pair of carbon atoms gets added on to linolenic acid (a process called "elongation" in biochemistry, and a process that is carried out by enzymes called "elongases"), it gets ready to become EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), another important member of the omega 3 family. If yet another pair of carbons are added to EPA, it in turn gets ready to become DHA, (docosahexaenoic acid), a third important member of the omega 3s.

Linolenic acids gets desaturated into other omega 3 fatty acids

The reason we say that these omega 3 fats "get ready" to turn into other forms is because getting longer is not the only requirement for conversion of one omega 3 to another. A second requirement is what's called "increased desaturation." During this process, the omega 3 fat gets altered chemically so that its carbon atoms are connected together in a new way that provides more flexibility to the fat. This new kind of connection is called double-bonding. For linolenic acid (our starting point for the omega 3 assembly line) to become EPA, two new double bonds must be added in addition to the 2-carbon atom increase in length.

The role of other nutrients in omega 3 metabolism

The process of lengthening and changing, of elongating and desaturating, the chemical bonds in omega 3 fat is complex, and many nutrients are required to bring it about. To get from linolenic acid, the start of the omega 3 assembly line, to EPA, for example, the required nutrients are: vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium.

[Distilled Water]

O i know but it just seems way to tough for me even with bulking and eating everything is site.

I'm going to be cutting on the CKD and it would def. kill me then.

[T-Bone]

All that fish oil would mean too much vitamin E...

[thewilman]

BTW, Distilled...when I write Flax Oil...I mean Flax Oil...not what Barry thinks is Flax Oil! Da Clear Baby!

[EasyEJL]

Originally Posted by Distilled Water

O i know but it just seems way to tough for me even with bulking and eating everything is site.

I'm going to be cutting on the CKD and it would def. kill me then.

legs day completely kills me (that was today). I'm half asleep the rest of the day

[Distilled Water]

Originally Posted by thewilman

BTW, Distilled...when I write Flax Oil...I mean Flax Oil...not what Barry thinks is Flax Oil! Da Clear Baby!

man there go's that fun......I was wondering if anyone would say somthing about the "flax oil" and my bonds avy. Well done

[beallio]

Originally Posted by Zombie

i was going to ask you about this. im not taking big doses of Fish oil , but since i runned out of cycle support i increased my dose from 6 gr ED to 9.6-12 gr and i have noticed that my blood got a nice bright red color and it takes longer to coagulate and to form scabs and once the scabs are formed they can be easyly removed. i got a nose bleed 3 days ago and it hasnt healed completely. it starts healing and eveything but if i sneeze i start with the nose bleed and it takes time to heal again. i think im going to drop the fish oil a few days till my nose bleeds stop.

I can't imagine this would any worse than the nose bleeds I had while on superdrol...those damn things would come at the worst times, usually when I was doing heavy bench or squat.

Originally Posted by EasyEJL

I can't think of any reason why, other than possibly from its anti inflammatory effects, but that seems to not effect muscle growth negatively. I think it could be a big plus really in that it would help to keep lipid profiles straighter.

Really I'm not sure whether I personally would take it on a cycle tho, moreso use it during post cycle therapy + time off. that way its a bridge kind of, can keep gains going potentially and help fix any cholesterol damage. I'm not sure tho really. It just would seem to be something of a waste to take it with a ph/ps, at least from what results i've gotten so far from fish oil alone.

I'm currently mega-dosing fish oils while on a pulse cycle of epi/e-form. For those of us with joint problems, this could be a god send if the anecdotal evidence is true....

[thewilman]

Originally Posted by beallio

I can't imagine this would any worse than the nose bleeds I had while on superdrol...those damn things would come at the worst times, usually when I was doing heavy bench or squat.

That's when your BP is highest...pretty scary the 1st time it happens...your like oh crap...I think I just had a stroke!

[thewilman]

Originally Posted by Distilled Water

man there go's that fun......I was wondering if anyone would say somthing about the "flax oil" and my bonds avy. Well done

Couldn't let that pass

Barry Bonds was taking Flax Oil and David Boston was taking Fish Oil...combined they put on 50+ lbs of muscle...could happen

[dadream]

Has anyone read the October issue of Muscular Development?? It has a very interesting article in it about NSAIDs and fish oil, basically stating that they can PREVENT muscle growth due to it's anti-inflammatory effects it has on muscle. It states that diets high in omega 3 fatty acids decrease prostaglandin production and diets high in omega-6 fatty acids increase prostaglandin production(think Arachidonic Acid the active found in X-Factor). They went on to say that it decreases COX-2 production, which is essential for muscle growth.
So on the one hand you have all the positive effects such as pain reduction, cardiovascular benefits, better glucose uptake, and improved insulin sensitivity. And on the downside by increasing omega 3's you lower your levels on PGF2A and PGE2 via reducing muscle inflammation and lower arachidonic acid production.......just some food for though guys.

[beallio]

Originally Posted by thewilman

That's when your BP is highest...pretty scary the 1st time it happens...your like oh crap...I think I just had a stroke!

haha, at first I thought it was due to the weather (dry weather has an adverse effect on the membranes in my nose. Lovely, I know). Luckily, I had those little nose tampons on hand. Cram one up, hock out the blood, continue to lift.

[thewilman]

Originally Posted by beallio

haha, at first I thought it was due to the weather (dry weather has an adverse effect on the membranes in my nose. Lovely, I know). Luckily, I had those little nose tampons on hand. Cram one up, hock out the blood, continue to lift.

I like your style B!

[EasyEJL]

Originally Posted by dadream

Has anyone read the October issue of Muscular Development?? It has a very interesting article in it about NSAIDs and fish oil, basically stating that they can PREVENT muscle growth due to it's anti-inflammatory effects it has on muscle. It states that diets high in omega 3 fatty acids decrease prostaglandin production and diets high in omega-6 fatty acids increase prostaglandin production(think Arachidonic Acid the active found in X-Factor). They went on to say that it decreases COX-2 production, which is essential for muscle growth.
So on the one hand you have all the positive effects such as pain reduction, cardiovascular benefits, better glucose uptake, and improved insulin sensitivity. And on the downside by increasing omega 3's you lower your levels on PGF2A and PGE2 via reducing muscle inflammation and lower arachidonic acid production.......just some food for though guys.

Interesting. I don't think tho that fish oil acts as a cox 2 inhibitor, but maybe. I'll look for that issue at the grocery store later