Omega-3 (EPA & DHA)

As one of the four major categories of recognized nootropics, this family of fatty acids is essential to those seeking a Limitless mind and body

Supplementing DHA and EPA are two primary building blocks of the brain and are needed daily to maintain a balanced psyche while keeping inflamaging at bay...

__

Scientific Research

Omega-3 has been a massive subject of worldwide clinical research, with over 5000 scientific articles published on Pubmed since the turn of the millennia, including over 1200 human clinical trials.

Cognitive Enhancer

In fact, Omega-3 is the most abundant fatty acid in the brain, approximately half of the weight of any given neuron's plasma membrane is comprised of DHA. Those seeking a Limitless mind and body should make fish a regular part of their diet in addition to supplementing DHA.

These two fatty acids have a variety of neurological benefits, a 2005 study (European Journal of Clinical Investigation) showed omega-3 had cognitive performance-boosting effects in healthy individuals. A very extensive study, conducted in the Netherlands by University Medical Center Utrecht lasted from 1995 to 2000 and involved over 1600 middle-aged adults.

Memory Enhancer

It involved testing memory, cognitive flexibility, psychomotor speed, and overall cognition. The result of this mammoth study was that diets high in EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) were inversely related to the risk of generally impaired cognitive ability. These fatty acids are also essential to membrane fluidity in the brain which is a major factor of mood.

One study observed the effects of DHA supplementation on the memory and reaction times of young adults who had a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids and found that it improved both, particularly the episodic memory of the women and the working memory of the men. Another study revealed that DHA prevented aggression toward others from increasing in young students during times of mental stress. (p.136)

DHA vs EPA

__

The difference between these two is pretty easy to understand...

• DHA is a true Nootropic fatty acid with a wide range of brain benefits.
• EPA reduces inflammation systemically.

 Ben Greenfield, in his exhaustive biohacker manifesto, compares the two...

Like DHA, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid that’s highly available in algae and oily fish, as well as in fish oil. EPA levels in the brain are typically 250 to 300 times lower than DHA levels, so it is not as critical for neuronal health, but it still plays a role in protecting your cells in general and your neurons in particular. EPA helps improve the strength of cell membranes and influences behavior and mood. (p.138)

Why Biohackers Need DHA

Low levels of DHA are generally disastrous and are associated with Alzheimer's disease, depression, neural cell death, and general cognitive decline. Increasing DHA also has a statistically significant benefit for those dealing with bipolar disorder.

Ben Greenfield, the author of Boundless, articulates its importance to nervous system function...

it doesn’t matter how many neurotransmitters you make if the action potentials they propagate can’t be adequately transmitted because you have broken-down, degraded myelin sheaths. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are important for the formation of myelin sheaths, so a neurotransmitter-supporting diet should include a high intake of omega-3s. (p.41)

Also, DHA is also a primary structural component of the human testicles, sperm, and retina.

Mechanism of Action

__EPA reduces cellular and neuro-inflammation

Vs Inflammation

This attribute makes them appealing for all the decline downstream from inflammaging

the anti-inflammatory properties of these omega-3 fatty acids make them important for physical recovery, too. Omega-3s—found in cold-water fish, algae, and fish oil—can increase muscle protein synthesis (p.456)

For Heart Health

DHA is also good for your heart health as it reduces the level of blood triglycerides.

Vs cancer

DHA is also an essential cancer combatant in your body, as it inhibits the growth of colon carcinoma cells. It was also shown that DHA would increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy done for prostate cancer.

Expecting?

Infants get the majority of their DHA from breastfeeding, so pregnant or nursing mothers should be extra vigilant about keeping their DHA levels high.

For Recovery

When I am injured or in need of more recovery, I treat myself to 20 to 30 g per day, a “megadose” of fish oil (which many folks in the biohacking community also swear by for cognitive clarity). (p.457)

Vs Alzheimer's

 Got APEO4?

In regards to preventing neurodegeneration, Dr. Peter Attia aserverates, "APOE4 carriers need a higher level of EPA and DHA to get the same benefit. This appears to be empirically correct."

2012 Harvard study (link__?) found that low intake of marine Omega-3 is within the top six preventable causes of premature death, potentially causing 84,000 deaths a year. 

Vs Schizophrenia

Those suffering from Schizophrenia have low omega-3 and omega-3 levels. EPA has been demonstrated to help those suffering from Alzheimer's and statistically significant improvement for those who are depressed. In fact, a Chinese study of 100 suicide attempt patients showed that their EPA levels were significantly lower than the individuals in the non-suicidal control group. Supplementation of EPA has also been shown to be modestly effective in helping those with ADHD, according to science published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Pages.

Vs ADHD 

Research on the effect of ADHD and DHA supplementation had produced inconclusive results. However, a number of studies have suggested that children with ADHD have low levels of omega-3s, and some top Nutritionists advise supplementing fish oils for those diagnosed with ADHD.

Sources

Omega-3 fatty acids come in these forms: fish oils, squid oil, algae oil along with some plant oils, echium oil, and flaxseed oil.

Krill Oil by Pure Nootropics

 

0.0

Category: Nootropics & Anti-Aging

The diet of the Western world is notoriously biased towards Omega-6 and Omega-9 oils, so those seeking to reach their greatest mental potential should either eat fish daily or have a daily regimen of fish oil supplements. It's even more important for vegans and vegetarians to supplement EPA and DHA, both are produced synthetically in a lab along with occurring in nature.

Ben Greenfield adds some more tips for choosing the best supplement...

I am often asked what the healthiest fish oil is. A good general rule is to first look for a fish oil supplement that contains a 1:1 ratio of DHA to EPA since the additional DHA results in a ratio closer to what you find in many cold-water fish. (p.457)

it’s important to take into consideration whether the fish oil is in ethyl ester (EE) or triglyceride (TG) form. The TG form is best, hands down. This is the form found in nature; in fact, over 98 percent of all fats ingested from any natural food are in TG form. When you take fish oil in EE form, the free fatty acids must be reconverted into TGs before they can enter your bloodstream. This leads to far less absorption (p.457)

Cod Liver Oil __

Supplementing omega-3 couldn't be more cost-effective with one-month supplies of the highest quality fish oil supplements costing $15-$25.

If you find yourself in a vitamin shop, confused by all the fish oil supplements on display; questioning which are actually the pure, non-rancid stuff you want, reach for a bag of Spirulina or Chlorella instead...

While they are slightly pricier than fish oil and most plants, consuming spirulina or chlorella, or both, may be the most effective tactic. (p.139)

Health Ranger Select Spirulina

Category: Nootropics & Anti-Aging

Krill Oil

Head Strong by Dave Asprey makes the case that optimizing your Mitochondria is the ultimate performance-enhancing Biohack because your Mitochondria are the fundamental energy generation mechanism that underlies everything else. From the book:

EPA is a powerful anti-inflammatory, while DHA is the primary structural fatty acid in your brain, your retina, and your central nervous system and is essential for brain development. (p. 93)
I recommend krill oil over fish oil. Krill oil is more stable and is phosphorylated, meaning it’s easier for your brain to use. It also contains astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant shown to improve mitochondria. (p. 97)

And in his follow-up book, Fast This Way, Asprey writes about fish and Krill oil...

This is a tricky one. Small doses of high-quality fish oil reduce inflammation, improve brain function, boost mood, suppress anxiety and depression, enhance muscle growth, and even work as a sleep aid. But poor-quality fish oil or long-term high doses can cause more problems than they solve. You also need to be choosy, because not all fish oil is created equal. Most of the brands you are likely to find at your local supermarket or your corner drugstore are contaminated, oxidized, and generally not very potent. If you cannot find a high-quality fish oil, you are better off avoiding it altogether. (p. 192)

More good news: Krill oil is the most bioavailable form of fish oil.

Downloadable Krill Oil?

You may be interested in taking it as an infoceutical - a non-pharmacological, side-effect-free version of the supplement that takes advantage of the phenomenon of water memory - which is imprinted on water via quantum collocation and electromagnetism using this device...

IC Pad by Infopathy

 

4.3

Category: Mind Hardware

Infocueticals typically have 1/3 or half the effect of the actual medicine being imprinted. If you're skeptical of Infopathy that's understandable, it's a game-changing application of a little-known scientific phenomenon. But I'd urge you to evaluate the scientific evidence (presented in my biohacker review) that downloadable medicine is no longer science fiction...

The Inuits' Nootropic?

The health benefits of omega-3 were first highlighted by researchers in the 1970s who were studying the Greenland Inuits. This group of indigenous peoples had virtually no occurrences of heart diseases; they consumed massive amounts of fish and corresponding fish oil fats. High levels of omega-3 reduce triglycerides, blood pressure, heart rate, and atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular health is directly proportional to our brain health because our brain is so dependent on the cardiovascular system for delivering oxygen.

Natural Sources

Mammals are unable to synthesize omega-3 acids in our bodies; it's an ability unique to cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, swordfish, herring, bluefish, caviar, and sardines. Salmon cooked ordinarily contains about 500-1500 milligrams per 100 grams. DHA is found in most cold-water organisms but it is increasingly concentrated in animals that are higher up the food chain (How do you prefer your great white shark cooked, sir?) It is recommended that healthy adults get at least 500 milligrams of DHA+EPA daily. According to the DHA-EPA-Omega3 Institute, cooking fish does NOT create a measurable drop in DHA levels, actually, it increases the concentration of DHA since raw fish has a lot more water in it. Don't like fish? DHA is also found in eggs (in much lower quantities) and can be taken as an odorless, tasteless supplement.

Omega-3: Are you getting enough of these essential fatty acids? - Limitless Mindset

If you ate one serving of salmon every day, that would generally provide the standard daily DHA, but those seeking a Limitless mind are recommended to eat fish daily in addition to supplementing DHA.

The most common dietary source of DHA and EPA is slimy, cold-water fish. These fish don't synthesize the fatty acids; they obtain them from algae or plankton. Here are the approximate gram amounts of n-3 per standard serving 3oz (85gram) of the healthiest fish:

• Herring, Sardine 1.3 - 2 Grams Per Serving
•  Spanish Mackerel 1.1 - 1.7 Grams Per Serving
•  Wild-Caught Salmon 1.1 - 1.9 Grams Per Serving
•  Tuna 0.21 – 1.1 Grams
• Canned Tuna 0.17 – 0.24 Grams Per Serving
•  Halibut 0.60 – 1.12 Grams Per Serving
•  Swordfish 0.97 Grams Per Serving
•  Greenshell/lipped mussels 0.95 Grams Per Serving
•  Tilefish 0.9 Grams Per Serving

What about metal poisoning from eating seafood?

Many people may have heard that fish can contain high amounts of metals that may not be healthy. There is some truth to this, however in 2006 researchers from Harvard's School of Public Health did an extensive review of this, they reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that the long-term health benefits of eating fish frequently far outweigh the potential risks.

Not a meat eater?

Not all DHA comes from fish though, it can also be synthetically manufactured in a lab using alpha-linolenic acid and microalgae called Crypthecodinium cohnii. This was a discovery made by NASA in the 1980s. So DHA can be consumed by those who adhere to the strictest guidelines of the vegan lifestyle (vegans are allowed to eat microalgae right?). The vegetarian and vegan diets contain little to no DHA normally so vegetarians and vegans must supplement DHA even more than normal.

Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effect is "fishy burps," which you might not love, but it's often a tell-tale sign that you're not taking pure Omega-3. Try a different brand if you get these.

DHA for practical purposes has almost no negative side effects. Since DHA is fat some diabetics should consult their physician about their fish oil intake. Extremely high amounts of fish oil can decrease blood platelet ability to clot and scab but this is quite rare. Some Eskimos have diets extremely high in DHA which can cause blood in the urine or frequent nose bleeds.

Risk Grade: __

Dr. Rhonda Patrick emphasizes its excellent risk profile: "It has the safety of a nutrient but can act like a pharmaceutical drug at higher dosages."

Can you have too much DHA?

The general sentiment is that the more DHA the better. The FDA has indicated that up to 3000 milligrams of DHA daily from all sources safely. In Japan, a daily DHA intake of up to 1200 milligrams is quite normal.

Experiential

There's not much to report in the experiential department

Usage and Dosage

Look for EPA + DHA above 2000

Adults 4000 - 5000 

A 900-milligram dose of DHA supplement is shown to absorb better in your system if taken with a meal.

Does it need to be stored cold?

__

Cofactors

__

Conclusion

__