Marine Oils - Fish and Seal

Seal oil is a superior source of Omega 3 compared to fish. Original findings prompting such research, as noted, were based on observations of Greenland Eskimos whose diet included predominantly seal meat and oil. Seal oil is a superior source of Omega 3 to fish and / or fish oils in many ways. 

Seal Oil is Superior to Fish Oil

Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is present at very low levels in fish oils relative to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docohexaenoic acid (DHA), but is almost as important as either the EPA or the DHA in seal oils. Seal oil can supply up to ten times as much DPA as would fish oils. About a third of the long chain Omega 3 fatty acids circulating in human blood is attributable to DPA. 

Because of this, DPA has become of interest to medical researchers in both France and Japan. It seems that in the blood vessel walls, EPA may actually be converted to DPA as the effective agent. 

Japanese researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Tokyo have shown that the one stimulative effect of EPA on endothelial cell migration occurs via DPA, and that DPA may act as a powering antiatherogenic factor. Although it has been believed that EPA is the key in producing prostaglandin that keeps the artery wall soft and free of plaque, this study indicated that DPA may be 10-20 times more powerful than EPA in this effect. 

Also, with the exception of seal oil, the highest incidence of DPA is in mother’s breast milk. This is important for early childhood development, including visual acuity and mental development. Deficiencies in Omega 3 PUFA’s such as DPA may result in impaired development of visual acuity and motor skills, according to several studies. The relative proportions of Omega 3 PUFA’s in most fish oils does not correspond well with that of human breast milk, but seal oil has a more similar compositional structure. 

Fish oil is susceptible to oxidization whereas seal oil is more resistant to natural oxidative processes. Preliminary experiments by Drs. Nakhla and David have shown that the extent of oxidization of Omega 3 PUFA’s in seal in vitro was less than half that observed in fish oils. This can have major implications since there is significant research linking anti-oxidants to a reduction in free radical acids - and thus helping to reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. 

The absorption of seal oil into the human body is easier and more thorough than fish and fish oils. In seal oil, the Omega 3 fatty acids are in the -1 and -3 positions of the triglyceride molecule (same as humans) while in fish oil they are in the -2 position. 

The Omega 3 content of seal oil is 20%-25%, which is higher than most fish oils, making seal oil capsules a much more effective source of Omega 3 than fish itself. 

Seal oil is virtually free of cholesterol, while many fish and fish oils are relatively high in cholesterol. 

Reviews by the US Department of Health and Nutrition Services, National Institutes of Health, the Life Sciences Research Office of the Federation of Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), and the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) indicate that there is consensus, that benefits would accrue to the population should dietary intake increase to around 1-2 gram long chain Omega 3 n-3 PUFA per day. Current average consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids in North America and Europe is about 200 grams / year or less than 20% of recommended intake. Health Canada recommends 1.8g of Omega 3 fatty acids in a daily diet. Two seal oil capsules per day can make up for this deficiency.