Fish Oils and EPA and DHA, their active compounds, are here to stay. They not only help decrease blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but also help to fight inflammation and pain, which makes them perfect warriors in a battle against all forms of arthritis and sports injury.
Having said all this, it is true that patients often express initial concerns about fish oil pills being tainted with toxic chemicals. Their concern is understandable: the government does not regulate supplements as tightly as they do with pharmaceuticals. As a result, there are many manufacturers out there who do not live up to the quality standards, especially multiple distillation processes that effectively remove toxic heavy metals and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)- a family of industrial chemicals, which can be carcinogenic in high doses.
What constitutes a safe level of PCB exposure is still a matter of a debate and there are no federal safety standards to my knowledge. My advice is to discuss these issues with your primary care physician who can then recommend a brand of fish oil shown in independent tests to contain no detectable levels of PCBs.
In choosing a high quality Omega-3 supplement, do not forget to also consider the fishy smell that can haunt some products. Many manufacturers have switched to lemon or other fresh taste options in order to make the fish oil more palatable. And last but not least, opt for the enterically coated gel caps, which will not dissolve in the stomach. They will withstand the acidic pH of the stomach and will travel all the way down to small intestine to release the oil, thereby preventing burping.
Patient Asks..."Recently, I hear noises at night and loud bangs. Am I going crazy?"
You should definitely discuss this with your primary care doctor. It does not sound like a psychiatric issue to me. Rather, it sounds like a harmless sleep phenomenon with the scary-sounding name of exploding head syndrome (EHS).
Sufferers of this syndrome experience a loud abrupt noise, which originates internally during sleep. I have heard it being compared everything from a shotgun blast to cymbals. The mechanism behind this ailment is unknown but one suspected culprit is an acute shift in the middle ear component. Another theory points to the overfiring of the neurons in the temporal lobe of the brain. We do know that attacks are more common among people who are stressed out.
Once again, get evaluated by your physician. If what you have is EHS, there is a good chance you will experience relief once you are reassured that your symptoms are not life-threatening. It may also help to try relaxation techniques, like listening to soft music before bedtime. Some neurologists prescribe an antidepressant chlomipramine to combat this disorder. Another very promising alternative treatment is electromagnetic pulsation devices, which emit low frequency electromagnetic fields and can help in as few as 10 non-invasive sessions. In any event, your symptoms merit a complete neurologic work up and EHS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that other things have to be ruled out first.
For more information, please contact Dr. Kogan, Founder of the Doctors at Trump Place MedSpa at 212-580-0900 or visit
www.DTPdoctors.com.
