Customer Reviews

Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-inflammatory

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I have never been motivated to write a review before on Amazon.com, but I feel compelled to for this book. I have suffered for many years with chronic neck and joint pain and recently had my second surgery in ten years. After the surgery, I received a copy of this book. It offers a new way to examine the causes of chronic arthritic pain and logically and scientifically lays out the case for adding certain types of omega 3's to one's diet to help lessen pain. I am not a believer generally in "alternative medicines", but I also do not want to risk a lifetime on aspirins/ibuprofins or other "real medicines" which can have serious long term side effects as well. This book carefully details how the absence of fish from our modern diet has increased the natural inflamatory response of our bodies to the point where it is now hurting us rather than protecting us. Though thoroughly researched and well documented, this book is an easy read for the nonexpert. It also discusses omega 3 effects on other ailments such as alzheimers, cancer, depression, attention deficit disorder and others.I recommend this book specifically to anyone who has chronic arthritic or other spinal or joint related pains as well as to others who are seeking new ways of approaching other illnesses.

I started reading this from the back for the practical information on dosage and purity, but I'm already impressed. It's a pleasure to find a very recent book that lays out the science and data in a readable form. And once you're past the rah-rah cover (which the publisher probably insisted on), the tone is very objective. I'll be able to pass this on to a skeptical relative without it seeming like it's selling snake oil!

This book is exactly what I was looking for. It occurs to me, though, that it may not be an easy read for someone without science or research background. It's well written, but there's definitely a lot of terminology to process and absorb. For someone looking for a lightweight read, maybe one of the other books on the subject would be better.

I learned of the anti-inflammatory effect of fish oil when I happened to hear Dr. Maroon on the People's Pharmacy on the radio. At that time I took a lot of Advil for general aches and pains, pretty much on a daily basis. I decided to try taking fish oil and see what happens. Within a week I noticed I hadn't taken any Advil for several days. I've taken fish oil ever since and I still don't take Advil.
The book is well written and the data he quotes is very interesting. Most of the positive reports on fish oil's positive vascular and anti-inflammatory effects are from Europe. Cardiologists in the US are less impressed.
One of the problems with the book and the use of fish oil in general is that the DOSE of fish oil is completely arbitrary. Even in major medical centers around the world quoted in his research and in research I've read since, there is minimal to no discussion about how researchers arrived at the doses they've tried. Higher doses are often referred to as "Eskimo doses", but a definition of just how much this is does not exist. I therefore think the research done on fish oil is incomplete.
I've taken 6000 mg. daily for five years with no known ill effect aside from avoiding Advil. Also, fish oil is fish oil and the expensive stuff is a rip off. See Consumer Reports data.
I think the book is very revealing and well written except for the lack of information and discussion regarding dosage.

This book has been very helpful to me. I am now using the information to help in purchasing quality fish oils.