Fish Oil , livre ebook

FISH OIL
T he N atural
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
JOSEPH C. MAROON, M.D., and JEFFREY BOST, P.A.C.
The information contained in this book is based upon the research and personal and professional experiences of the authors. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a healthcare professional.
The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in this book should be available to the public. The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any procedures or preparation mentioned, the authors and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.
Basic Health Publications, Inc .
28812 Top of the World Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-715-7327 • www.basichealthpub.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Maroon, Joseph C.
Fish oil : the natural anti-inflammatory / Joseph C. Maroon and Jeff Bost.
  p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59120-559-3
ISBN-10: 1-59120-182-9
1. Inflammation—Alternative treatment. 2. Fish oils—Therapeutic use.
I. Bost, Jeff. II. Title.
RB131.M37 2006
616’.0473—dc22
2006005353
Copyright © 2006 by Joseph C. Maroon, M.D., and Jeffrey Bost, P.A.C.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
In-house Editor: Nancy Ringer
Typesetting and Book design: Gary A. Rosenberg
Cover Design: Mike Stromberg
Printed in the United States of America
10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
Contents   Introduction 1. Understanding Inflammation and Chronic Disease 2. Drugs: Helpful or Harmful? 3. Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids: The Natural Anti-Inflammatories 4. Fish Oil: An Omega-3 Powerhouse 5. Fish Oil at Work: Clinical Trials     Vascular Disease     Stroke     Diabetes     Rheumatoid Arthritis     Spine Pain     Osteoarthritis     Inflammatory Bowel Disease     Systemic Lupus Erythematosus     Multiple Sclerosis     Asthma     Dry Eye Syndrome     Macular Degeneration     Eczema     Psoriasis     Pregnancy and Infancy     Postpartum Depression     Menstrual Pain     Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder     Developmental Coordination Disorder     Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome     Alzheimer’s Disease     Parkinson’s Disease     Depression     Bipolar Disorder     Schizophrenia     Cancer Protection 6. Fish Oil Supplements: Finding a Good-Quality Product and the Appropriate Dosage Glossary References About the Authors
Introduction
A nyone who’s ever sprained an ankle, slammed a finger in a door, had an ear infection, or met any other kind of physical misfortune—in other words, just about every member of the human race—has seen firsthand the effects of inflammation: heat, swelling, redness, pain, and/or loss of function. Inflammation in these circumstances is a normal physiological reaction, and it is just one of many of the body’s self-protective mechanisms.
But the news on inflammation is not all good. Although it helps the body protect and heal itself, over the long term inflammation can produce chronic pain, breakdown of cartilage and muscle, and increased blood clotting, and it may cause genetic changes leading to various cancers. In fact, recent medical research now confirms that the root cause of many chronic diseases, ranging from arthritis, heart disease, and cancer to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, asthma, eczema, and depression, is inflammation.
Should we draw a link between the prevalence of these diseases in Western society and the state of inflammation in the general population? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” For years health experts have fingered poor diet and sedentary lifestyle as the culprits behind the growing state of poor health in the American public. In this book we unveil a third and most dangerous villain: chronic inflammation, a silent and insidious condition that is the root cause and common factor with poor diet and inactivity leading to most of the chronic diseases that rob us of our health and lives.
Pharmaceutical companies have spent billions of dollars in an attempt to understand the biochemistry of inflammation. They have found that interfering with one specific chemical enzyme, known as cyclooxygenase (COX), can greatly reduce inflammation from many causes. In fact, in 2003 the amount of money spent in the United States for COX inhibitors, more commonly called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, aspirin, steroids, Aleve, Bextra, Vioxx, and Celebrex, added up to approximately $20 billion. Unfortunately, studies showed that many of these pharmaceutical COX inhibitors can greatly increase the risk of stomach irritation, ulcer, and potentially lethal gastric hemorrhage—not the sort of side effects most people are comfortable risking! A class of selective COX-2 inhibitors developed in the late 1990s was designed to prevent these stomach problems. By 2002 these selective COX-2 inhibitors accounted for 51 percent of all COX inhibitors used in the United States. The drugs’ developers believed that these COX-2 inhibitors would allow users to either stop or dramatically reduce their concomitant use of drugs to protect their stomachs. But a 2004 study found that patients taking these COX-2 drugs were actually even more likely to be taking stomach-protective drugs. Finally, in September 2004, due to several studies showing an increased risk of heart attack and stroke in those who used it, the COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx, one of the most popular prescription drugs ever, was pulled from the market. Bextra followed, and now Celebrex, another selective COX-2 inhibitor, is under rigorous review.
What does all this have to do with fish oil? We see the ravages of inflammation on a daily basis in our patients with spinal arthritis, disc herniation, and brain and spinal cord trauma. We have witnessed catastrophic complications and even deaths that were caused by commonly used pharmacological agents to reduce pain and inflammation, so we began to search for alternatives. Based on epidemiological and clinical research, and backed up by our own experiences, we have come to believe that the omega-3 essential fatty acids found in fish oil are the most under-recognized and also the most potent natural anti-inflammatories available—and they do not have the potentially lethal side effects of pharmacological agents.
We initially began recommending therapeutic doses of fish oil to patients with spinal pain from herniated discs or degenerative arthritis. We found that over 60 percent of them, in a few weeks, could stop taking their prescribed pharmacological anti-inflammatory while maintaining a steady pain-reduction and anti-inflammatory response. As team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dr. Maroon recommended fish oil to elite athletes for inflammatory conditions such as joint pain, overuse injuries, and exercise-induced asthma. The response was also positive. Indeed, we have had indisputable and overwhelming positive response to the use of fish oil as an anti-inflammatory for quite some time now. And because most people—including physicians—are unaware of the prevalence of chronic inflammation and the potency of fish oil as an anti-inflammatory, we feel that it is imperative to spread the good word.
The remainder of this book delves into the biochemistry of inflammation. We have done our best to render the discussion suitable for all readers—no advanced degrees required! At the same time, we have strived to make the discussion comprehensive, so that our readers will come away with a good understanding of the ways in which chronic inflammation plagues our society and an appreciation for the finer virtues of fish oil’s omega-3 fatty acids. In short, the discussion could be summarized, chapter by chapter, as follows:
1. Inflammation is normally a protective physiological mechanism, but many factors common in Western society can cause it to become a long-term condition, with dire consequences.
2. Pharmacological anti-inflammatory drugs are effective in reducing inflammation but have potentially lethal side effects, rendering them impractical for use on a long-term basis.
3. Omega-3 essential fatty acids may be at least as effective as pharmacological anti-inflammatories, and they are much safer.
4. Fish oil is the best source of these omega-3 essential fatty acids.
5. Hundreds of clinical trials support the efficacy of fish oil’s omega-3 essential fatty acids in preventing, mitigating, and remedying an incredible range of health conditions.
6. All fish oil is not the same. Finding a high-quality pure and potent product is imperative, as is taking the appropriate amount.
If the content of the book can be summarized in these six points, why bother reading on? Because the exploration of fish oil’s uses and mechanisms of action is a truly fascinating one, offering intriguing insights into the biochemistry of health and exciting prospects for the treatment and prevention of some of our most feared ailments, from cancer and stroke to Alzheimer’s, autism, and depression. Best of all, it offers a glimpse of the bright future Western medicine can hope to have as it learns to welcome and work with the great array of powerful, potent healing remedies the natural world has to offer. With over 14 percent of the United States’ annual gross national product being spent on health care, we must understand what that healthcare system has to offer us, and what it lacks. By conti