Fish Oil and Omegas

There are two primary types of omega fats: omega-6s and omega-3s. To complicate things further, there are three types of omega-3s: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
Omega-3s are considered essential because they cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained through food. I’m going to spare you having to read thousands of studies on omega fats (there are currently 11,084 listed on PubMed), and give you some benefit highlights:
Anti-clotting properties
Lower the risk of heart disease, including coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis
Lower blood triglycerides
Lower blood pressure
Help alleviate mood disorders
Help people with ADHD and dyslexia
Improve memory and learning skills, and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Help reduce the affects of inflammatory skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis
Help alleviate rheumatoid arthritis
So the question that remains is, how many omega-3s do we really need? Fortunately, there are some studies for us to reference.

Knapp HR, Fitzgerald GA. The antihypertensive effects of fish oil: a controlled study of polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements in essential hypertension. N Engl J Med. 1989;320:1037-1043. JANA 28.

The study reported that blood pressure dropped significantly in fifteen hypertensive subjects given 15 grams of fish oil per day.

Here's another:

Morris M, Sacks F, Rosner B. Does fish oil lower blood pressure? A meta-analysis of controlled trials. Circulation. 1993;88:523-533.

This study look at the combined results of thirty-one different fish oil studies and concluded that fish oil does reduce blood pressure, and the larger the dose, the better the results:

Less than 4 grams of fish oil daily = no change

Between 4 and 7 grams daily = a drop of 1.6 to 2.9 mm Hg

More than 15 grms per day = a drop of 5.8 to 8.1 mm Hg

What to Look For In A Fish Oil Supplement
The major concern with fish oil is its tendency for rancidity.

The fish oil manufacturer should add vitamin E to prevent oxidative damage to the oil so that it remains stable during transportation and while on the shelf.
Purity should be independently certified
For optimum absorption and bioavailability, omega-3s should be a in a triglyceride form

Breakfast and Weight Loss

I’m sure you’ve heard it numerous times and from different sources that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Even so, people looking to drop a few pounds are quick to skip breakfast. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Your mother was right; breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. Breakfast helps to balance your hormones, which sets the proper balance for the rest of the day. Without breakfast, your first meal of the day will usually occur around lunch time, at which point your blood sugar levels are crashing faster than my Pfizer stock. Big deal you say? Well, low blood sugar levels are what cause you to feel drained and tired and gives you those intense sugar cravings. And whatever few calories you did save by skipping breakfast are going to be made up five fold when you lose all self-control and choke down the super colon buster burger with cheese, fries and diet soda (because after all, you’re trying to lose weight). Good job...your mother would be so proud! When it comes to looking good naked and being healthy, breakfast is one of the most important behaviors you can adopt.

The National weight Control Registry (http://www.nwcr.ws/) has tracked thousands of people who have lost between 30 and 300 pounds, with 66 pounds being the average. The NWCR found that of those people who lost weight and were able to keep it off for at least 1 year, 78% ate breakfast every day. If you want to lose body fat AND keep it off, breakfast is an easy way to get started.
Want more? Here's a study presented at The Endocrine Society's 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco:

Jakubowicz D, et al "Effect of diet with high carbohydrate and protein breakfast on weight loss and appetite in obese women with metabolic syndrome" ENDO meeting 2008; Abstract P3-220.

The study consisted of two groups consuming identical total calories, between 1,085-1,240 daily.

Group 1 consumed 17g of carbs daily

Group 2 consumed 97g of carbs daily

Here's where things get interesting, Group 1 consumed 290 calories for breakfast, while Group 2 consumed a 610 calorie breakfast.

After 4 months, there was no significant difference in weight loss between the 2 groups. However, after an additional 4 months:

Group 1 (290 calorie breakfast) lost a total of 9.4 pounds

Group 2 (610 calorie breakfast) lost a total of 39.8 pounds.

Take home lesson: eat a big breakfast and reduce calories the rest of the day.

Here's another study:

Alexander et al. Association of Breakfast Skipping With Visceral Adiposity in Overweight Latino Youth.Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009 May 7.

The study consisted of 3 groups consuming identical daily total calories. The 3 groups were then split into the following:

Group 1- No breakfast

Group 2- Breakfast occasionally

Group 3- Breakfast every day

The researchers concluded "breakfast omission was associated with increased levels of intra-abdominal fat independent of daily energy intake. Eating breakfast is associated with lower body fat levels in overweight Latino youth. Interventions focused on increasing breakfast consumption are warranted"

Do yourself and your waistline a favor, eat a big breakfast.