| Until recently, there was no prescription fish oil in the | | | | of omega-3s and all of the health benefits of the |
| US. Now, Glaxo-Smith Kline has come to the "rescue" | | | | natural food product. |
| with LOVAZA. Perhaps, that sentence should end | | | | Many doctors and researchers believe that all of the |
| with a question mark. Just why did we need to be | | | | compounds present in naturally occurring foods are |
| rescued? | | | | responsible for the health benefits, rather than a |
| According to the marketing material published by the | | | | single element. It has always been the goal of |
| pharmaceutical company, LOVAZA is drug and should | | | | pharmaceutical company researchers to isolate and |
| not be referred to as a dietary supplement. But, the | | | | concentrate the active component, creating "drugs" |
| only active ingredients in it are the ethyl ester forms | | | | like prescription fish oil from naturally occurring |
| of the omega-3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid | | | | compounds. |
| (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are | | | | Another example is red wine. A glass or two of red |
| elements of a healthy diet. In other words, it's a | | | | wine on a daily basis seems to be good for your |
| dietary supplement. To say otherwise is just | | | | health. Researchers initially attributed the health |
| dishonest. | | | | benefits to an antioxidant called resveratrol, which is |
| Also according to the marketing material, LOVAZA | | | | found in the skins of red grapes. |
| goes through a "5-step purification process that helps | | | | One of the major pharmaceutical companies is |
| remove mercury and other environmental toxins". | | | | currently working on a diabetes drug that will contain |
| The company is not specific about which purification | | | | the synthetic form of resveratrol, even though the |
| process is used, but the most effective is molecular | | | | latest research indicates that the health benefits of |
| distillation, which has been used by supplement | | | | red wine could not be due to resveratrol alone. The |
| manufacturers for many years. | | | | amount in a glass is far too small. |
| So, the company goes on to say that their | | | | Instead they attribute the health benefits to all of |
| prescription fish oil is better than a dietary | | | | the compounds found in the wine, include antioxidants |
| supplement because it is "concentrated". Each gram | | | | called proanthocyanidins. All of the different |
| (capsule) contains 840mg of omega-3 fatty acids. | | | | compounds will not be present in the new drug, just |
| There are dietary supplements on the market that | | | | as many of the health-giving compounds found in the |
| provide 850 mg. So, there is really nothing special | | | | dietary supplements have been removed from the |
| about the Glaxo-Smith Kline product. | | | | prescription fish oil. |
| Besides that, there is reason to believe that the | | | | The biggest difference between the supplements on |
| natural triglycerides, rather than the concentrated | | | | the market and prescription fish oil is the cost. A |
| ester form, have more anti-inflammatory activity. | | | | person without drug insurance will pay $3360 per |
| Some supplement manufacturers mix the natural | | | | year for LOVAZA. The supplements cost about 90% |
| triglycerides with the concentrated esters in order to | | | | less. Which one would you choose? |
| provide a large amount (at least 500mg per capsule) | | | | |