Posted by Larry Hoover on February 1, 2003, at 13:37:59
In reply to New trial, fish oil E-EPA VERY good for depression, posted by andys on February 1, 2003, at 13:09:39
> There is a brand new trial done on the effectiveness of fish oil for depression, showing it was VERY effective.
> HOWEVER, they used a different form of fish oil EPA, called E-EPA (short for Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoate). The significance of the E-EPA is that it is effective at only 1 gram, vs. the MASSIVE doses of normal fish oil that Dr. Stoll used in his earlier trial (it is impractical for us to take the massive dose used in Stoll's trial).
> DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN BUY E-EPA? I HAVE CHECKED ONLINE STORES, AND NOBODY CARRIES IT.
>
> P.S.- I am on Omegabrite (a small dose, EPA derivitive), and it gives a moderate benefit.I take a very cynical view of these trials of ethyl eicosapentaenoate.
There is an FDA investigational drug permit open for a product known as LAX-101, ethyl eicosapentaenoate. How does this substance differ from fish oil? Rather than being a triglyceride (three fatty acids bonded via an ester bond to glycerol), E-EPA is an ester derived from ethanol and EPA. Because it is a modified form of the natural substance (but really indistiguishable in effect, IMHO), E-EPA as LAX-101 can be patented, which would allow the pharmaceutical company to block all other similar products from the market. Guess what will also happen to the price.
As an aside, I believe it is a mistake to presume that the other constituents of fish oil have no beneficial effect. Surely DHA also has mood regulatory, gene regulatory, and fatty acid metabolism regulatory effects not conferred by EPA alone. Criticizing the volume of fish oil needed to supply EPA totally overlooks the other health benefits accruing from other constituents. I don't care if they gave E-EPA away. I'd use fish oil.
Lar
P.S. I think you can purchase LAX-101 from the British manufacturer (Laxdale), if you so desire.
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:138737
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030130/msgs/138743.html