Do you eat much oily fish? And even if you do, how many children today enjoy mackerel, trout, halibut, tuna, or sardines? I know that mine don’t.
Did you know that it is advised that we all eat at least 2 portions of fatty fish each week?
You may have heard of Omega 3 fatty acids in the news lately, or on “This Morning”, but do you know the real benefits of taking it, or the detriment to your health of not having enough?
***The Facts***
There are 2 main types of Omega 3 fish oils which have been found to have significant health benefits. The 2 main omega 3 fatty acids identified are DHA (docosahexanoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentanoic acid). There is also an Omega 6 fish oil called GLA (gamma linolenic acid) which assists in normal nerve function.
***DHA & EPA***
• Reduces the chances of heart disease, strokes and mental decline • Improves the brain’s function • Important for vision – improves visual acuity, and colour perception. • Reduce the symptoms of arthritis and autoimmune conditions • A study undertaken in Sheffield also showed benefits of decrease symptoms of depression • Found in sperm, and is thought (although not proven) to increase sexual enjoyment
The body manufactures the fatty acids from fats that can only be gained from diet. Therefore, if you don’t eat enough food rich in these fatty acids, you won’t be able to create the specific fatty acids for eye and brain function
***My Experience***
Although I can’t find any research on it, I had seen a programme about twins who had behavioural problems. One of the children
had taken Omega 3 fish oils, but the doctor was unaware which child it was. After a period of time, the doctor re-evaluated the children, and was able to pick out one child (the one on the fish oils) as being calmer, and having better concentration.
With my son’s behavioural problems, I decided to give it a try. I decided not to tell the nursery in an attempt to get a balanced opinion on whether it makes a difference.
The dose recommended is the same for adults as children. I gave James 6 capsules a day – 3 in the morning, and 3 in the evening. The capsules can be burst using a pin. They were quite tough to squeeze, but warming them up in your hand for a few minutes helps. I usually give James a chewable vitamin C tablet afterwards which helps take away the taste. This is recommended for the first 12 weeks.
After about 4 weeks, the nursery mentioned that James’ attention span seemed to be improving. Could it be the fish oil? I mentioned at this point that James was on the Eye Q.
I decided to try Amy on it. She was good at reading, but was struggling in Maths at school. I put her on the same dose.
Again, the same thing happened. It took about 6 weeks, but her teacher mentioned that she was concentrating better, and her Maths had improved. It could be a coincidence, couldn’t it?
After the 12 weeks was up, I reduced James’ levels down to 2 in the morning as it recommends, and noticed a backwards slide with him after about a week, so I put him back up to 6.
After several trial and error attempts to reduce the dosage, I decided that he is better off on the full dose all the time.
Amy, however, has a maintenance dose of 3 capsules each morning.
The children have now been taking Eye Q for 3 years. Amy has caught up with the rest of her class. Her reading ability is way above average.
James’ behaviour hasn’t improved through the Eye Q, but his concentration has. He is in his second term of Reception class at school. He is the youngest child in the class. He reads fluently (about age 6 reading ability – he is 4) , is good at Maths, and took a year 2 science class, where he kept shouting out the answers. This, I wouldn’t think is “normal” for a child with behavioural problems, so his abilities must have had a boost somewhere.
I believe that Eye Q has made a dramatic difference for both my children. They are both more able to concentrate, and at home, James’ behaviour seems to improve when he’s sat down doing his homework, or concentrating on a computer game. For those who have read my review on Gluten (James’ Story) may be thinking, well it’s probably down to the Gluten free diet. James has only been on his gluten free diet for 1 ½ years. Despite his problems, he knew his alphabet at 2 ½ years, and learned to read at 3 years old. Most children don’t learn to read until they reach school.
Since the improvement in my children, my mum has put my brother on this. He suffers from Aspergers Sysndrome. We have seen an improvement in his communication abilities.
***Why I Chose Eye Q over another brand***
I chose Eye Q, because, after reading up on lots of different brands, I decided that this had the better balance of oils. It would appear that the latest research suggests that the EPA plays a bigger part than DHA, and that DHA can even interfere with the EPA, so Eye Q has a the highest ratio of EPA to DHA I could find. They also include GLA (an omega 6 oil) by using Evening Primrose Oil. This is because it is believed that it enhances the effect of the Omega 3 oils. They also add Vitamin E, which is an anti-oxidant, to prevent any damage to the Omega 3 oils as they work.
***What about Mercury scares in Oily Fish?***
After the Mercury scare, I did a search on the internet. I found a study where 20 brands of fish oils had been tested, and none were found to contain detectable levels of mercury.
***Would I recommend it?***
I would recommend this product to anyone and everyone no matter what age, unless you are allergic to fish, in which case, you would need to seek your doctors advice. Also, children on powerful medication such as methylphenidate should also seek medical advice.
They recommend that a child under the age of 5 should start on just two capsules a day for the first week., and then increase it gradually during the initial 12 week course. This is recommended as the taste is not very pleasant. Having said that, James is 4 now, and has been taking the capsules without a problem.
Eye Q also make a syrup, which is supposed to have a citrus or vanilla flavour.
I believe it has made a huge difference to our family. We all now take Eye Q, including my husband. My husband doen’t particularly like taking tablets, but this is not a drug. It is a natural food substance which has been concentrated.
Well, it’s not cheap. A bottle of 180 capsules will cost about £22. Divide this by the 6 capsules a day initially, and it will last 30 days. I buy mine in Boots, where quite often they have a 3 for 2 offer on them. A bottle of 60 can also be purchased for about £8, but since you need to take it for 12 weeks to see the full benefits, I’d recommend the bigger bottle.
The bottles of liquid cost about £10, and will last about 13 days for the initial dosage.
I told you they weren’t cheap.
***Other facts you may find interesting***
Equazen, who make these capsules claim that “Each capsule contains about six calories, so there is no danger of putting on weight through taking this supplement. The reverse may be true: GLA helps maintain a body’s metabolism, so our supplements can assist people who are on a proper weight loss programme.”
They also claim that their products are allergen free, and contain none of the following: glutens, sugar, salt, yeast, corn, dairy, artificial colouring, artificial flavouring or preservatives.
The gelatin in Eye Q is specially approved as being halal and kosher.
Babies can be given small doses of the liquid, but they would obviously choke on the capsules, unless you split them, as I do.
The capsules are safe to be taken during pregnancy, and is recommended as the benefits are passed to the unborn child. They also recommend it during breast feeding. It is also believed that it may reduce the possibility of developing post natal depression.
One thing I will mention, is that there are several brands of fish oils on the market. From time to time, I have tried other brands, but have found them to be less effective. They all have different combinations of DHA to EPA, and some do not have the GLA.
***Can you take too much?***
Equazen claim that if you swallowed an entire bottle of 60 capsules, your body gets rid of it in the same way as too much fat, and will cause nausea and loose stools.
I don’t really know what else to tell you, so I hope you have found this useful and informative. For further information, there is a good web site at http://www.1stvitality.co.uk/index.html
Sam xxx
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I take flax seed oil and Udo's oil for my Omega's however I had read about these in a magazine some where, and may give them a try some time
Zaphoid 31.05.2004 17:00
Fish as brain food, just what my mum used to say. As someone who dislikes all but cod this review has brought what could be a life saving product to my attention, since as I get older my brains agility is rapidly declining. Some would say that is not a decline but merely a late realisation of my abilities. Dave
Moonrising 22.05.2004 12:54
Nice to hear a personal account of the benifits! I've been thinking about trying one of these, but the price is off-putting.
eye qTM liquid vanilla uses natural vanilla essence to mask any fishy flavour of our ... more
hi-EPA marine oil within the natural source eye qTM formula. This sweet but sugar-free child-friendly variant is suited for those who prefer not to swallow capsules.
Postage & Packaging: £2.13 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
eye qTM liquid citrus uses lime and lemon natural flavours from essential oils to mask any ... more
fishy flavour of our hi-EPA marine oil within the natural source eye qTM formula. This child-friendly variant is suited for those who prefer not to swallow capsu...
Postage & Packaging: £3.24 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
eye qTM liquid vanilla uses natural vanilla essence to mask any fishy flavour of our ... more
hi-EPA marine oil within the natural source eye qTM formula. This sweet but sugar-free child-friendly variant is suited for those who prefer not to swallow capsules.
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
eye qTM liquid citrus uses lime and lemon natural flavours from essential oils to mask any ... more
fishy flavour of our hi-EPA marine oil within the natural source eye qTM formula. This child-friendly variant is suited for those who prefer not to swallow capsu...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
May 12th, 2004
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very helpful by (90%):
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