CFS & Fish Oils: New Info

[Guest guest]

I just received an email from a man at Equazen. (They make the " Eye

Q " fish oil supplement recommended by Dr. Basant Puri who did the

recent CFS study.)

My questions are in lower case. Equazen's reply is in upper case.

E.B.

____________________

As you may know, in 1990 a study by Behan & Horrobin found essential

fatty acid supplements highly effective in the treatment of post-

viral fatigue syndrome.

In 1999, however, a study by Warren/McKendrick/Peet found zero

benefit.

As best I'm able to determine, the supplement used in both studies

was Efamol Marine. Do you know if that's correct?

THAT WAS THE SUPPLEMENT USED IN THE 1990 STUDY. BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE

INFORMATION ABOUT THE 1999 TRIAL

In the interview at your website, Dr. Besant Puri cites the

successful 1990 study by Behan and Horrobin. Yet Efamol Marine

doesn't fit Dr. Puri's recommendations at all. It has very little

EPA. Also it has too much DHA in relation to EPA.

YOU ARE RIGHT THAT EFAMARINE DOES USE A HI-DHA OIL.

WHAT DR PURI IS SAYING, I BELIEVE, IS THAT EPA IS THE MOST SUITABLE

FATTY ACID FOR CONTROLLING PHOSPHOLIPASE ACTIVITY IN THE BRAIN.

SO EVEN IF THERE WAS A GOOD RESULT IN ONE TRIAL IN WHICH THERE WAS

NEGLIGIBLE EPA, IT DOES GIVE SOME INDICATION OF MECHANISM.

AND MORE EPA SHOULD MEAN A BETTER MECHANISM. YOU ARE CORRECT IN

SAYING THAT THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A RATIONALE FOR DHA BENEFITING

CFS.

.... Have you heard any theories as to why the 1990 study succeeded

where the 1999 study failed?

I AM LOOKING INTO THIS

How did you arrive at the Eye Q ingredients formula?

A LONG STORY!

IN A NUTSHELL, WE NEEDED THE HIGHEST RATIO OF EPA TO DHA IN A PURE

NATURAL FISH OIL, AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE FOUND FOR THE OMEGA-3

COMPONENT, WHICH IS 80% OF EYE Q.

AND WE NEEDED TO ENSURE A QUALITY INPUT OF GLA TO ENSURE CREATION OF

SERIES 1 PROSTAGLANDINS, SO THAT IS WHY WE USE VIRGIN PRESSED EPO.

DOSAGE IS BASED ON A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF 500 MGS OF EPA A DAY FOR MOOD

AND CONCENTRATION, AND YOU GET THIS FROM SIX CAPSULES.

Has Eye Q been used in any successful studies treating CFS/ME?

NOT IN A FORMAL STUDY.

DR PURI HAS BEEN VERY CAREFUL HERE TO NOTE THAT THE LOGICAL

PROGRESSION OF HIS FINDINGS IS TO TAKE A HI-EPA SUPPLEMENT.

HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE SOME CUSTOMERS COMING BACK AND REPORTING

BENEFITS.

FOR INSTANCE, LAST WEEK A MOTHER SAID HER 17-YEAR-OLD SON HAS BEEN ON

EYE Q FOR THREE MONTHS, AND SINCE SUPPLEMENTATION HE HAS BOUNCED BACK

AND IS NOW AT SCHOOL. BY HER ESTIMATE, HE IS RUNNING AT

`65%' OF WHAT HE WAS LIKE PREVIOUS TO BEING HIT BY CFS.

SO WE COULD SAY THAT WE ARE HOPEFULLY SEEING SOME BENEFITS THERE. SHE

HAS NOW INCREASING HIS INPUT TO 12 CAPS (1 GRAM OF EPA) A DAY, AND I

HOPE THAT WE SEE AN ENHANCED RESULT.

HOWEVER, EPA SUPPLEMENTATION SHOULD NOT BE PROMOTED AS A

`CURE' BUT MORE OF A NO-RISK MEANS OF GETTING SOME BENEFITS IN AN

AREA IN WHICH NOT MUCH ELSE SEEMS TO BE WORKING.

I appreciate your help very much. Thank you.