Dr. Rhonda Patrick

No, no. I mean, so look, I'll tell you, the omega-3 one's critical. So there's studies that have now shown that having a low omega-3 index is like smoking.

It's like smoking. So omega-3 levels as measured by the omega-3 index. So this is like measuring it in your red blood cells. It's a long-term marker of omega-3. It's a beautiful study that was done by Dr. Bill Harris. It was a Framingham cohort published a few years ago. And he looked at people's omega-3 levels, so high or low. High would be 8%, low would be 4%.

It's like smoking. So omega-3 levels as measured by the omega-3 index. So this is like measuring it in your red blood cells. It's a long-term marker of omega-3. It's a beautiful study that was done by Dr. Bill Harris. It was a Framingham cohort published a few years ago. And he looked at people's omega-3 levels, so high or low. High would be 8%, low would be 4%.

He's the pioneer of the omega-3 index. And Basically people that were non-smokers but had a low omega-3 index had the same life expectancy as smokers with a high omega-3 index. I mean, if you look at their life expectancy curve, they're overlaid. I mean, it's like, I wish I could pull up the figure. It's mind blowing.

He's the pioneer of the omega-3 index. And Basically people that were non-smokers but had a low omega-3 index had the same life expectancy as smokers with a high omega-3 index. I mean, if you look at their life expectancy curve, they're overlaid. I mean, it's like, I wish I could pull up the figure. It's mind blowing.

So no, yes. Seafood is the major. That's what's going to drive your omega-3 index. It needs to be EPA, DHA. That's from the marine sources. ALA, the plant source of omega-3, can be converted into those two other omega-3 fatty acids very, very inefficiently. And so really you need to get the marine source. For people that are vegetarians or vegans, microalgae is the source of microalgae oil.

So no, yes. Seafood is the major. That's what's going to drive your omega-3 index. It needs to be EPA, DHA. That's from the marine sources. ALA, the plant source of omega-3, can be converted into those two other omega-3 fatty acids very, very inefficiently. And so really you need to get the marine source. For people that are vegetarians or vegans, microalgae is the source of microalgae oil.

You have to take a lot of it. But studies have found that people with 4% omega-3 index, that's low. Actually, people in the US, the average omega-3 index is like 5%. If you take two grams of omega-3, so supplemental omega-3 per day for, was it like three months or so, then, or three or four months, then you can go from a 4% low omega-3 index to a 8% high omega-3 index.

You have to take a lot of it. But studies have found that people with 4% omega-3 index, that's low. Actually, people in the US, the average omega-3 index is like 5%. If you take two grams of omega-3, so supplemental omega-3 per day for, was it like three months or so, then, or three or four months, then you can go from a 4% low omega-3 index to a 8% high omega-3 index.

And people that have an 8% omega-3 index have a five-year increased life expectancy compared to the people with low. Come on, really? If you think about Japan, Japan, they have a five-year increased life expectancy compared to the U.S. on average.

And people that have an 8% omega-3 index have a five-year increased life expectancy compared to the people with low. Come on, really? If you think about Japan, Japan, they have a five-year increased life expectancy compared to the U.S. on average.

Their omega-3 index is 10%. Ours is 5%. So their average omega-3 index is 10%. Our average here in the U.S. is 5%.

Their omega-3 index is 10%. Ours is 5%. So their average omega-3 index is 10%. Our average here in the U.S. is 5%.

It's connected to fish intake, right.

It's connected to fish intake, right.

Yeah, I mean, it depends on the type of fish you're eating too, right? So the best types of fish to eat would be salmon, mackerel, sardines. These are high omega-3 but low mercury fish. Wow. And there's actually even studies showing that the omega-3 fatty acids protect against the mercury to some degree. You don't want to eat swordfish every day. Swordfish is very high.

Yeah, I mean, it depends on the type of fish you're eating too, right? So the best types of fish to eat would be salmon, mackerel, sardines. These are high omega-3 but low mercury fish. Wow. And there's actually even studies showing that the omega-3 fatty acids protect against the mercury to some degree. You don't want to eat swordfish every day. Swordfish is very high.

Like, that's a very real thing. If you can get, like, really high mercury levels, then it can be bad. But if you're eating, like, I eat salmon, like, three times a week. You know, I'm maybe four sometimes. I eat salmon a lot. But I also take my omega-3 supplements. So, it came back to that question is, do you think you could get away from all the supplements?

Like, that's a very real thing. If you can get, like, really high mercury levels, then it can be bad. But if you're eating, like, I eat salmon, like, three times a week. You know, I'm maybe four sometimes. I eat salmon a lot. But I also take my omega-3 supplements. So, it came back to that question is, do you think you could get away from all the supplements?

I mean, I do think that there's a few that are really important. Omega-3 and vitamin D, you know, you can make it from the sun. It gets converted into a steroid hormone, very, very important, very important. It's a steroid hormone regulating, you know, 5% of the human genome. So, without it, lots of stuff's going wrong.