Recommended dose:

Adults: Take 2 capsules daily with meals, or as directed by a health care practitioner.

Recommended use or purpose:

• Helps to maintain eyesight, skin membranes and immune function
• Helps in the development and maintenance of night vision
• Helps in the absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus.
• Source of eicospentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for the
• maintenance of good health.
• Source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a non-essential fatty acid.

Cautions and warnings:

• Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Store in airtight container, protect from light
• If seal around cap is broken or missing, do not use.

SOURCE Omega 3-6-9 capsules provide an unique blend of essential fatty acids (EFA) from non-GMO evening primrose and borage seed oils containing gamma linolenic acid (GLA), and wild fish body oils containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA).

Wild fish body oils (sardine, anchovy) are processed by a special molecular distillation processing technology which guarantees that this product meets or exceeds international pharmaceutical standards for quality and purity.

This special blend provides the ideal 1:1 ratio of GLA/EPA/DHA as found in human cells.

Like vitamins, essential fatty acids (EFA) are required for life. They must come from foods or supplements, because the human body cannot make them. Linoleic Acid (LA) is an EFA. The production of GLA from dietary LA occurs only slowly, or may be blocked entirely in many people. Yet GLA is a necessary precursor in the production of prostaglandins which, like hormones, regulate vital cell activities and determine the state of health of all cells, tissues and organs.

Clinical studies in North America and Europe have demonstrated the value of GLA in managing a wide variety of disorders including:

• Eczema,
• Multiple Sclerosis,
• Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)
• ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

EPA and DHA are precursors to the essential series 3 prostaglandins which are involved in a myriad of physiological functions including regulating blood pressure and blood platelets, water retention and immune function. DHA is important for the normal functions of brain and nerves, vision and hearing, adrenal function, sperm formation and thromboses, and lower blood triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

Vitamins A, D and E are included in the formula as they are synergists to EFAs.

• Vitamin A is necessary for the health of all cells and is involved in vision, smell, hearing, taste, growth, bone development, cell differentiation & reproduction.
• Vitamin D functions as a hormone which regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism and helps maintain stable nervous system & heart action.
• Vitamin E is vital to digestion & metabolism of unsaturated fats, and protects membrane integrity of cells in circulatory, digestive, respiratory, excretory & nervous systems. Vitamin E also functions as an antioxidant protecting vitamin A and EFA from oxidative damage.

RATIO BETWEEN OMEGA 3 AND OMEGA 6:

In our dietary goal to provide these essential fatty acids during growth, pregnancy, lactation, or for therapeutic approach in the management of specific disease conditions, a balance of the omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids should be ensured. The correct balance is necessary to maintain normal cellular and other functions. The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in all cellular lipids is approximately 4:1 except in the central nervous system, where the ratio is nearer 1:1. Human milk samples from nine different countries showed a remarkable uniformity in the ratio of 5:1 in favor of the omega 6 fatty acids in the milk lipids in spite of the wide variations in the mother's diet in the different countries. Human red blood cell membranes also show much the same ratio.

While there is yet no clear-cut answer to what the correct balance should be, we can look at Nature to obtain guidelines on this important question. All the comparative data from numerous studies show a predominance of the omega 6 fatty acids over the omega 3. Since the omega 3 fatty acids are preferentially metabolized in the body, a ratio of 4:1 in favor of the omega 6 acids will ensure a balanced composition at the cellular level. Such a ratio would be applicable when the parent acids, linoleic and alpha-linolenic are the predominant constituents in the diet.

On the other hand, the longer chain derivatives such as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DHA) are biologically more active and are incorporated into cell structures more efficiently. Also, EPA is preferentially incorporated into cell membranes at the expense of arachidonic acid.

In situations where these longer chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are provided in the diet, a ratio of 1:1 between GLA & EPA/DHA would be desirable to ensure a correct balance at the cellular level.

In many people, the ability to convert essential fatty acids into their biologically derivatives is deficient. Saturated fats, cholesterol, trans (twisted) fatty acids and sugar interfere with essential fatty acid conversion to derivatives. Lack of certain vitamins such as niacin (B3) and pyridoxine (B6), as well as a deficiency of the minerals magnesium, zinc and copper make conversion slow down or stop.

• Diabetics are poor converters
• Virus infections interfere with conversion.
• Ageing slows down the rate of conversion.

Everyone could benefit from supplementing their diet with GLA and EPA/DHA, from which the hormone-like prostaglandins are made.

SOURCE Omega 3-6-9 capsules provide a balanced dietary source of these important essential fatty acid derivatives required to make prostaglandins, useful for conditions in which conversion is decreased or blocked.

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) is the precursor of the Series 3 Prostaglandins, hormone-like regulating substances which protect the body from deleterious effects (sticky platelets, high blood pressure, inflammation, water retention, lowered immune function) brought about by Series 2 Prostaglandins, which are made from arachidonic acid (AA) an omega 6 fatty acid derived from consumption of animal products. EPA minimizes formation of Series 2 Prostaglandins.

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is important for the normal functions of brain and nerves, vision and hearing, adrenal function, sperm formation and thromboses and lower blood triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

There is growing evidence that increased consumption of fish may be beneficial to health. Recent studies have found an association between consumption of fish body oil and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as improvements in other health conditions, such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Most research on the benefits of consuming more fish is directed at the effects derived from omega 3 fatty acids in many fish species. However, studies of human dietary preferences reveal up to one-half of the population may not like to eat fish. Of those people who do eat enough fish, many prefer fish only when it is deep-fried, or consume non-fatty fish species, which are poor sources of fish body oils. This is why fish body oil capsules have become an alternative source of EPA & DHA.

SOURCE Omega 3-6-9 provides balanced concentrations of GLA and EPA/DHA and is presented in Vegan Soft Capsules. These starch capsules provide an oxygen barrier which prevents the development of toxic lipid peroxides (e.g. malon-dialdehyde). The starch capsules also provide superior thermal stability over the gelatin capsules used in most other products; this dramatically reduces the incidence of leaking capsules. The fish body oils come from wild cold-water ocean species (sardine, anchovy). The formula contains molecular distilled fish body oil, not fish liver oil. This distinction is important since fish liver oil contains very little EPA/DHA but high concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which if taken excessively could potentially be toxic.

Fish body oils depress the synthesis of hepatic fatty acids and triglycerides and the secretion of very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VIDL). A further benefit is EPA displaces arachidonic acid from tissue phospholipids, resulting in omega-3 essential fatty acid levels inhibiting thromboxane synthesis.

The effect of fish body oils is very selective. EPA and DHA not only displace arachidonic acid and inhibit cyclo-oxygenase, but EPA becomes a substrate for cyclo-oxygenase when the peroxide tone is high and is converted to the potent anti-aggregators Pgl-3. It has been suggested these findings may explain the increased bleeding time and the decreased incidence of coronary artery disease, which has been reported in Japanese with high fish consumption and in some Inuit.

EPA/DHA-rich fish body oil suppresses production of inflammatory agents found in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. The anti-inflammatory effect of the omega-3 fatty acids might be mediated in part by their inhibitory effect on production of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor, both principal mediators of inflammation. In cases of psoriasis vulgaris, fish body oils produce symptomatic improvement by effecting changes in levels of the inflammatory leukotriene compounds, especially leukotriene B4. This leukotriene is a lipo-oxygenation product of arachidonic acid. The EPA in fish oil "replaces" the arachidonic acid in phospholipids, leading to the formation of leukotriene B5, rather than B4. Leukotriene B5 causes a much weaker inflammatory response. Neutrophils were isolated from the peripheral blood of patients given fish body oil to treat their psoriasis. Patients whose symptoms improved with fish oil therapy had higher levels of leukotriene B5 than did those patients who showed no improvement.

FISH OIL VERSUS FLAX OIL:

There is considerable evidence that fish and fish oils are beneficial to heart health, reduce the risk of cancer and benefit mental health. The "active" components of fish oils are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid with 20 carbon atoms in its backbone, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid with 22 carbon atoms. Both are members of the omega-3 group of essential fatty acids. EPA and DHA are found almost exclusively in marine animals; fatty fish such as herring, sardines, salmon and tuna are the best sources. Some phytoplankton and some algae also contain varying amounts of EPA & DHA.

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is another omega-3 fatty acid found in vegetable oils like flaxseed oil. ALA has 18 carbon atoms in its backbone and can be converted to EPA in the body (in the liver) by the addition of two carbon atoms. EPA, in turn, can be converted to DHA. The typical American diet is relatively low in fish intake, therefore EPA and DHA, required for optimum health, is often deficient.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have completed a study designed to determine just how much ALA is converted to EPA in the body ⁽¹⁾. Their study included eight healthy subjects who were fed a standard diet for three weeks and then given one gram of ALA labelled with an isotope tracer. The diet was beef-based to avoid extraneous sources of EPA and DHA. The researchers measured blood plasma concentrations of ALA, EPA and DHA after 8, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 168 hours after ingestion of the labelled ALA.

The results show that only 0.2 % of the ALA (2 mg) was converted to EPA. In contrast, about 23 % of the EPA was available for conversion to DHA. The researchers also noted that the half-life (the time it takes to reduce initial concentration by 50 %) of ALA in blood plasma was quite low at about one hour. In comparison, the half-life of EPA was 67 hours and that of DHA 20 hours.

The researchers conclude that:

ALA is not a viable source of EPA and DHA and cannot replace fish and fish oils in the diet.

Note: According to this data a 1,000 mg capsule of flax oil would only result in the synthesis of about 2 mg of EPA - far less than the recommended daily intake of 220 mg. This study was based on healthy subjects: the ability to convert ALA to EPA is usually impaired in elderly people or in those with metabolic disorders or disease states, so in these cases, less than 2 mg will be converted.

A University of Copenhagen study ⁽²⁾ confirms that:

“Long chain omega-3s from marine sources may reduce the risk of heart disease, but alpha linolenic acid (ALA) from plant sources offered no such benefit”.

NOTE: Omega-9 is oleic acid (OA) and is non-essential in humans. Virtually all animal and vegetable oils, including Primrose and Borage oil, contain oleic acid in varying degrees and there is no known deficiency in humans.

It is highly recommended to take the SOURCE Optimum, SONA-based multiple vitamin, mineral and enzyme formula daily along with SOURCE Optimum to provide the ultimate in nutritional supplementation for long-term health.

Reference:

1. Pawlosky, Robert J. Physiological compartmental analysis of alpha-linolenic acid metabolism in adult humans. Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 42, August 2001.
2. Mia Sadowa Vedtofte, Marianne U Jakobsen, Lotte Lauritzen, and Berit L Heitmann. Dietary α-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and n–3 long-chain PUFA and risk of ischemic heart disease 1,2,3 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 24, 2011.

Packaging: Packed in light & oxygen resistant recyclable PETE (Bisphenol A free) bottles.
Gluten Free: Contains no artificial preservatives, colours, flavours, starch, sugar, lactose, dairy, salt, yeast or wheat.
Vegan Capsule shell: Non-GMO cassava starch (tapioca), modified starch, purified water, vegetable glycerine. Ingredient details can be read here.
Excipients: None.