In general, I really like Life Extension and the products they produce. In comparing the product you mention to WholeMega, for me it comes down to philosophy.

What makes WholeMega different than most other fish oil products is that, as the name implies, it is whole. That is, because it is not being purified in any way, the fish oil is “undisturbed”. This is the closest thing to eating wild Alaskan salmon with all of the EFAs as they naturally exist. Note – New Chapter does test all of their fish oil for contaminants via third-party, and often exceed industry standards for purity.

The Life Extension product is a more standard preparation of fish oil in that it is molecularly distilled. In most cases, this is preferred (except in cases of using the type of fish above). However, when you distill the fish oil, you do ‘disturb’ the natural balance. Essentially, the various EFAs found in the fish are isolated, separated from their natural triglyceride backbone resulting in a less bioavailable form. This is how companies can increase the amount of the isolated omega-3s EPA and DHA per softgel. It’s similar to isolating ascorbic acid and putting 1000mg in a tablet as opposed to getting your Vitamin C from a natural food source.

My philosophy is to use as much whole nutrition as possible for my foundational nutrition and targeted, higher dose isolates where/when appropriate. For example, studies suggest that omega-3s as high as 3000mg per day are effective at treating high triglycerides. In this case, I may be more apt to look for a high dose “isolate” EPA/DHA formula. However, when taking a supplement to supplement my diet (example, not eating enough good fish), I like WholeMega as a “whole” fish oil supplement.

Okay, so with all this said, I think the Life Extension product (like all their products), is a high quality. The added sesame seed and lignans do provide a set of nutrients not found in WholeMega, and for the right need, may offer greater benefit.

At Vital Choice Healthstore, we offer D3 in IUs of 400,1000,2000 and higher.

My favorite product is MegaFood’s D3 because it’s wholefood. Think of it as a food rich in D3 as opposed to an isolated nutrient. I feel whole food vitamins offer the best possible utilization. However, you do pay a higher price for wholefood. As traditional supplements go, our Vital Choice Healthstore D3 is great and I’ve sent more than a few bottles to my family who have opted for traditional over wholefood.

Sincerely,

Nell Starks

By the way, did you find our search-able Podcast Page that lists every podcast we’ve recorded? Be sure to use the Search box just to the upper right of the table and you’re results will be limited to just the podcast.

Thanks again – and welcome to our podcast!

First, it’s important not to cut calories too low as you can actually slow your metabolism even further. How much protein does she consume daily? Studies show diets with less than 70 grams of protein per day can inhibit weight loss. Has your wife worked with someone to help her set up a nutritional plan? Has she ever had a Resting Metabolic Rate test? As the name suggest, this test can help determine an individual’s metabolic rate. This helps better develop an eating plan with effective weight loss in mind.

Second, has your wife had any hormone levels checked beyond her thyroid function? As Nicole indicates, cortisol, estrogen and progesterone all play a role in weight management. Perhaps, there’s something else at play?

Third, what about blood sugar – any reason to suspect insulin resistance?

We really would like to help, but this may require some individual consultation as there are many variables to consider. Nicole Gould, RD, LD (my co-host for the podcast) is currently out on maternity leave but this topic is right up her alley, and she would be more than happy to help. Her email is ngouldrd@gmail.com.

Below is a list of some of the articles/podcasts we’ve done in the past that may help. In fact, I just posted today’s podcast which focuses on some of Nicole’s favorite weight loss supplements. If you have a chance, listen to this one as it may help shed a little more light.

I can’t lose weight
Protein – how to gain, how to lose, and everything in between
Calorie Restriction May Lead to Weight Gain
Supplements for Weight Loss

I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to post additional questions here and I’ll do my best to answer.

I don’t think that there’s any one size fits all approach to hormonal support. The first step is really getting at the route of the imbalance.

Have you ever had a complete hormone panel done? Was it blood or saliva? Some believe a saliva test is actually a better indicator than blood scores. Are you in the Cleveland, Ohio area? If so, I can send along a few practitioners that perform such tests. Here’s a link to our “Find a Practitioner” on vchoice.com. I know several people who have gone to Jeff B. Romig,M.D and Jeffrey A. Potter, R.Ph. and have had positive results.

As for Thyroid Strength, we have had many customers add it to their regimen and see results, but again, it is individualized. Multiple customers have told me that when they added Thyroid Strength it seemed to make their Synthroid more effective.

Do you find stress is an issue? If so, MegaFood also makes a great product called Adrenal Strength. Because the Adrenals and Thyroid are so inter-related, an imbalance in one can often mean an imbalance in the other. Again, I’ve had multiple people use both with great success. In case you missed it, here are the links to the podcasts I did a while back with Ann Allworth PhD on Thyroid and Adrenal Health.

Hopefully this helps a little, but we would like to help more. Please email or call (440-885-9505) if you have more questions. Also, you many also be interested in next week’s podcast. Nicole is back talking about weight loss supplements. One final note – Nicole offers a weight management program that may be of interest to you. She is currently out on maternity leave but once she returns would be more than happy to sit down with you.

Best of health,
Mike

Now, you’ll find most of these in the refrigeration section, but it was explained to me that this is really about long-term shelf life. For example, it was explained to me that on average a probiotic will lose 1% of its bacteria per month in the refrigerator and 2% per month on the shelf. Now, the “shelf” is very different than 100-degree weather, but in general, any probiotic should provide benefit as long as you use it up in a reasonable amount of time.

As for ‘stomach’ issues, do you mean IBS diarrhea, constipation or some other digestive concern? There are numerous studies showing the benefits of many different strains of bacteria so I’m not sure that I’m aware of any single strain that has been proven best for a given condition. I have several friends, family and co-workers who have all experienced different benefits from different products. Two formulas I’ve heard good things about regarding stomach issues are New Chapter’s Probiotic Colon and Renew Life’s Ultimate Flora Critical Colon 80 Billion. But again, with that said, it may be about just finding the right fit for your body. The important thing is to make sure you’re getting both ‘lacto’ and ‘bifido’ bacteria.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Second, what kind of probiotic should you use for certain conditions? Broad spectrum is good, but if you wanted to use it for stomach issues … what probiotic would you want to be sure your supplement contains? I know each one has a special job.