Having heard a lot about omega 7 lately, I decided to do some serious research on this new, seemingly miraculous supplement, for myself, as I am especially interested in the benefits of omega 7 for weight loss.
The results of my research of which I have decided to share with you here… but first, I’m sure you will want to know…
What is Omega 7?
Omega 7 is a type of monounsaturated fat or trans-fat, and is sometimes referred to as palmitoleic acid. Though, this fat was not known as Omega 7 back in 1994, it seems the positive effects of palmitoleic acid have been known of for quite some time, according to a study done back on this acid that was conducted at that time.
Some of you may be wondering if palmitic and palmitoleic acids are the same thing. They are not.
In fact, palmitic acid is a very dangerous saturated fat (like that found mainly in palm oil, though also present in dairy products, and meats) according to the World Health Organizations (WHO). The WHO summary on palmitic acid shows a convincing increase in risk of heart (cardiovascular) disease. As the partial screen print below, of their shared results shows.
Image Source: World Health Organization
Omega 7 for Weight Loss
It has been believed that a common reason for humans developing enlarged waist lines is caused from metabolic syndrome, which is being associated with a risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
During my course of searching for information about this recently discovered omega, I noticed several articles claiming studies have been conducted on animals proving weight loss.
Any study I was able to find reporting on weight loss of any lab animals, was a study with results published online in 2011. And, though the focus was on whether palmitoleic acid reduces insulin resistance in mice with type 2 diabetes, the results they found were that “palmitoleic acid reduced body weight increase,…” and that the weight of the liver was lower.
Then, there were many online claims that “in 2008, scientists at Harvard University learned that palmitoleic acid regulates metabolism…” with no online proof of those claims made available or offline references having been listed as sources.
The only claim of any Harvard study that I could discover took a lot of digging to find even a hint of online proof, and what I was able to find was conducted in 2011, not 2008 … and yes, was done on mice.
What proof of any study actually done on omega 7 that I could locate (and that was made available online) is one offer by tersuslifesciences.com, in which a double-blind controlled study on purified palmitoleric acid (remember, that’s omega 7) for reduction of high-sensitivity c-reactive protein and serum lipids was conducted.
The results for this study were published in 2014, and their objective was to perform the first randomized controlled trial of purified palamitoleric acid supplement in humans. No results on weight loss were reported … and … more importantly, it was clearly stated that “further study is needed to elucidate mechanism and establish appropriate human doses.
Benefits of Omega 7
According to another study, palmitic acid (the bad stuff said to be found in palm oil!) or a high fat diet increases the potential for cancer cells to initiate metastasis.
Apparently, omega 7 can even help underlying problems involved in the development of heart disease by preventing the build up of plaque that can build up in our arteries, increase beneficial HDL (good cholesterol) and lower C-reactive protein (associated with increased risk of heart attacks and strokes).
According to LifeExtension.com, omega 7 is able to powerfully and affordably reduce the risk of the negative consequences of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other life-threatening disorders.
Dr. Michael Roizen Explains the Benefits of Omega-7
Side Effects of Omega 7
Though I could find no conclusive side effects listed for omega 7, several websites claimed that there COULD be issues such as:
- laxative effects,
- urine discolouration (reported as dark yellow or even reddish),
- urine stink like old, musty books,
- can also deplete potassium which would then cause muscle weakness and
- could cause dizziness due to an irregular heartbeat,
- and in some cases, readers were warned of potentially lower blood pressure and that
- omega 7 MIGHT slow down blood clotting.
Omega 7 Foods
Omega 7 exists naturally in many of the foods we eat, such as:
- salmon,
- anchovy,
- macadamia oil and nuts (though keep macadamia ANYTHING away from dogs!),
- olive oil,
- as well as sea buckthorn and sea buckthorn oil.
- And, though claims are that omega 7 is very sparsely found in whole milk, 2% milk, some cheese and yogurt, it is present enough to mention here.
However, Dr. M. Roizen warns against using sea buckthorn oil as a source of omega 7 because the plant’s oil is high in palmitic acid which is a saturated fat that can offset any health benefits you might gain from the omega 7 in this fruit.
There was another nasty side effect mentioned from eating sea buckthorn that I found shared online, and that is as follows; “this plant can cause spasmodic movements of the muscles inside your colon and promote faster bowel movements.”
In Conclusion
My researching leaves me to conclude that omega 7 supplements are not for me.
Personally, I am not worried about the naturally occurring saturated fats. I grew up on eating such things as; fat that was off of quality steaks (cattle were all range-feed and never given shots of any sort… unless they became sick), bread soaked in bacon drippings (from quality bacon. Pigs that were NEVER confined to a barn!), fried and served with maple syrup, as well as lard used in my mother’s baked goods.
Today, I am far more worried about Monsanto’s wheat and oats entering into my food-chain than my need for consuming omega 7 supplements. Should future studies prove me wrong then I will revisit and reconsider at that point in time.
However, should YOU ever decide to start taking omega 7, only do so AFTER you have checked with your medical professional in order to determine if this supplement is right for you.
Credit for Header: image by Benson Kua from Toronto, Canada (Shocked Uploaded by tm) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
