Nope. That was not a typo. That was Omega-7 with a SEVEN.
You’ll be hearing more about it.
You’ve obviously heard about Omega-3s. And probably Omega-6s and 9s. Omega-6s are essential but cause inflammation when consumed in excess. Omega-9s are found in olive oil and bacon fat. Omega-9s are not essential because your body can make it as needed.
So what is Omega-7?
The Omega-7 or Palmitoleic Acid (POA) is a mono-unsaturated fat found in nature.
It’s early days for Omega-7. The science has progressed from mouse studies to human studies.
And the results are head-turning. Enough so that I’ve begun taking it every day. More on that below.
POA is found naturally in macadamia nuts and sea buckthorn fruit. It is also found in fish like anchovies.
Is Omega-7 found in regular fish oil?
Sadly, Omega-7 (POA) is not found in most fish oils. Products like New Chapter’s Wholemega have tiny amounts of Omega-7 (POA) listed on the product label.
The reason Omega-7 is absent from most fish oil supplements is that it is removed during the Omega-3 concentration process. The part of the fish oil that contains Omega-7 is discarded or sold as bio-diesel.
This could be one reason why studies find that eating fish is better than taking fish oil supplements.
So what can Omega-7 do for you?
When combined with a healthy diet and daily exercise, Omega-7 can help maintain healthy triglyceride levels and maintain healthy blood sugar metabolism, and maintain already healthy CRP levels.*
Plant sources of Omega-7: risky for some
Both Macadamia nuts and Sea Buckthorn contain Omega-7 Palmitoleic Acid. However, both also contain Palmitic Acid (PA).
Palmitic Acid may be harmful to pancreatic beta cells.
Small amounts of Palmitic Acid is probably fine for young, metabolically healthy individuals. But if you are metabolically-compromised, avoiding excess palmitic acid may be something to consider. *
The pioneers of Omega-7 research at the Cleveland Clinic feel so strongly against Palmitic Acid that they insist that all Omega-7 products should have less than 5% Palmitic Acid.
The World Health Organization issued a notice that said there is ‘convincing evidence’ that PA is harmful for cardiovascular health, grouping it along with risk factor like alcohol, trans fats, obesity and high sodium intake.
Purified Omega-7 – where to buy
The term ‘Purified Omega-7’ was coined by the folks at Cleveland Clinic to indicate Palmitoleic Acid that has been purified of Palmitic Acid.
One way to make sure you get the right Omega-7 is to look for Provinal brand Omega-7.
Purified Omega-7 products are available online, on Amazon.com. Look for Innovix Labs or Cardia7 brands – they are comparable products that contain the same ingredient in equal amounts. (Disclosure: Innovix Labs brand is owned by OmegaVia’s parent company, Innovix Pharma. Inc.)
Should you stop Omega-3 and switch to Omega-7?
No. Omega-7 cannot replace Omega-3. They are different fats that do different things in the body.*
If you’re taking Omega-3, don’t quit. Omega-3 is necessary for several other essential functions.*
Dr. Mike Roizen, co-author, along with Dr. Mehmet Oz, of the popular “YOU” series of health books, on Omega-7 and its benefits:
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
You always produce the most interesting stories Vin! Now I gotta ask – are those macadamia nuts that I munch on practically every day whacking away at my beta cells? Here I thought I was eating a low Omega 6 nut and thus doing the right thing and now I’m wondering. My beta cells are almost toast anyway due to my autoimmune diseases. (C-Peptide score was .57 ng/ml with a lab standard of .8-3.5 ng/ml in March of this year).
Hi Mark – thank you. You’d have to eat an awful lot of macadamia nuts to generate enough palmitic to hurt your beta cells. Macadamias are my go-to nuts because of their low Omega-6 content. I am definitely not planning on changing my snacking habits based on this. Like you, I eat them almost every day. Where I see a problem is if you’re cooking exclusively with macadamia nut OIL or supplementing with lots of sea buckthorn OIL pills. I think if you’re even moderately metabolically fit, you should be fine. There is some evidence that palmitic is converted to palmitoleic but I am not fully informed about the factors and variables that drive this conversion. Your CRP sounds pretty good.
I take Omega 7 each day however I wanted to know what is the highest dose I can take safely? Right now it’s at 420- 450 depending on which one I take that day season buckthorn is 450 and the one from anchovy is 420. I really need to know so I don’t over dose. Thanks!
Hi Andrew – Omega-3, while a fatty acid, it is also a lipokine. That means that it is a fat that acts like a hormone. And, like hormones, you only need relatively small quantities to see the studied effects. For the fish-derived Provinal Omega-7, the studied dose is 210 mg of Omega-7 that comes from 420 mg of oil. In other words, half of the oil is Omega-7. That is all you need. Taking it regularly is more important than taking more of it. We do not have studies on higher doses of Omega-7. Although there is no reason to think that taking twice as much would cause harm, we’d prefer that you stay with the 210 mg of Omega-7 per day.
That was my c-peptide score,not my CRP although my CRP is <.5 which is pretty darn good.
Lot if times docs seem to intermingle CRP with HS-CRP. Should I be asking for one over the other?
Good news on the macadamias
Oops – C-peptide and not CRP. Either way, good numbers. 🙂
You get better precision with hsCRP and since you’re already below 0.5, ask your doctor to specify hsCRP.
Vin, great post! You’ve got tons of great, very important information here.
There is a big need for education surrounding Essential Fatty Acids. Consumers need to understand more about the Omega 3-6 Imbalance…
http://www.cardia7.com/decoding-the-inuit-paradox/
As well as Omega 3 & 7 supplementation. Farmed fish, meat, and dairy have altered the fatty acid profiles of the foods we eat. Omega 3 & 7 helps restore the balance.
Hi Les – thank you. You’re absolutely right on the Omega-3 to 6 imbalance.
Interesting post! I read on the web that Omega 7 can cause “old person smell” and also your urine to turn reddish or dark yellow, as if you haven’t hydrated enough, which I suppose is your body’s excretion of excess Omega 7… have you experienced any issues like this?
Thanks,
Brian
Hi Brian – first, I have been taking this at twice the dosage (2 pills per day) for 6 months without any complaints from anyone. Most of my friends and everyone in my family is also taking it. None of us have experienced this. Second, nonenal (the chemical responsible for old people smell) isn’t found in fish oil in measurable quantities. Finally, Omega-7 and all other fatty acids are easily absorbed in the small intestines, so there is little or no excretion in urine, like you would with B-vitamins.
So for now, I’d have to say this is associated but unrelated side effects.
Hi Vin:
I ordered up some Omega 7. Do you suggest I take it with an Omega 3 for some synergistic effect? Or am I likely to derive a better benefit taking it at a different time of the day? Thanks.
Hi Brian – we don’t have enough evidence to answer that question with certainty. But since both fats are found in fish, taking them together with a large meal seems to make sense to me. There is some ongoing research that’s looking into the synergistic effects of these two fats. We’ll know more in a few months.
Hi Vin,
Can I order this omega 7 from this website as well? Since omegavia and the omega 7 are both under Innovix lab, it makes more sense for me to order them together to save on shipping.
Would also like to know if Omega 7 helps with acne issue.
Hi Ken – the products under Innovix Labs brand are only available from Amazon.com. They are not available on this site. There have not been any studies on Omega-7 and acne. But Omega-7 definitely reduces systemic inflammation. Acne is mostly a diet issue – too much sugar, wheat, dairy and vegetable oil Omega-6.
Just come across this site, and your acne problems can be cleared by not eating wheat, and taking Tissue salts numbers 12 and 3
This is what I was advised to do by my Homeopath and it worked for me, big time
Hey Vin,
My family and I have been taking Minami Morepa Platinum (1100 mg EPA + DHA) for a long time and just recently discovered Omegavia. Is there a legitimate reason why I should switch to Omegavia? I love Morepa due to their supercritical processing but Omegavia seems to have a lot to offer. Should I become an Omegavia convert?
Like you, I also like Minami MorEPA. It is a very good product. The key differences are the supercritical processing, Vitamin D on the plus side. But there lack of enteric coating, IFOS reports and the high cost in the minus column.
The formula for OmegaVia will consistently evolve and get better. We will not add Vitamin D to our formula but we may offer supercritical extracted oil at some point in the future.
Hey Vin: Apparently the Innovix Omega 7 is not enteric coated. Is there something about 7 that survives the stomach better than 3? Thanks.
Hi Brian – we felt the Omega-7 product did not require enteric coating because:
1. No one reported digestive issues
2. The pills contain a very small quantity of oil, so it’s unlikely to upset even sensitive stomachs. The 210 mg of palmitoleic acid used in clinical studies showed impressive results
3. It has no EPA and DHA to give you fishy burps.
Any idea about Sibu sea Buckthorn oil veggie Softgels?.
is it good for vegans?
Hi Prathima – yes, if you’re a vegan, this is a good choice, but check with them about the source of the gelatin in the softgels. If you’re not a vegan, and if you eat fish, you’re better off with the product shown on this page.
Carrageenan is used instead of gelatin.I’ve asked them to specify the amt of Palmitic acid.The answer is ” less than 1% of the recommended daily intake.Higher amounts of palmitic acid is found in foods like olive oil, nuts, dark chocolate, and various types of fish. its Pure unaltered wholefood source”. Not purified.
Thank You.
Hi Vin,
It seems that there’s a growing consensus that out-of-control inflammation might well be the primary culprit in many of our modern illnesses. I think few of us would tolerate vascular inflammation if we could avoid it.
I could find no non-commercial on-line references to L. Martinez’s research. I presume that a “proprietary research report” is not a scientific peer-reviewed venue. What is the scientific standing of this paper? How might I access it?
Hi Jeffrey – you’re right about inflammation.
The Martinez study should be published shortly in a peer-reviewed journal. It will not remain a proprietary report – I am not a fan of ‘proprietary reports,’ as they lack credibility and transparency. You may be able to contact Tersus Pharma to see if you can get a summary of the study. Since the data was being prepared for publication, we had to sign a non-disclosure agreement to review the protocol and raw data. http://www.tersuspharma.com/contact/
Hi Vin,
Thanks for the info on Omega-7 and its effects on inflammation. In regards to chronic inflammation I have heard good things about curcumin. I know its not an Fatty Acid and not your typical subject matter on this website but I think it would be a worthy subject for you to comment on and maybe produce an article on it. Bio availability is a problem with curcumin but I have read some encouraging news about new formulas. I look forward to your response.
Hi Aaron – you read my mind! Yes, curcumin is an incredible natural ingredient. It has a LOT of scientific evidence supporting several areas of health. I take it every day. We like it so much that we are in the process of developing our own curcumin formula. Look for it later in the year under the InnovixLabs brand. Absorption is a problem and I’ll address it in the as-yet-unwritten blog. Sometimes we stray from Omega-3 when the science is compelling – magnesium, probiotics, K2 and D3.
Hi Vin,
In this video clip, Dr. Roizen discussed both EPA and DHA in Omega 3, and he seemed to favor higher levels of DHA over EPA-levels. Can you explain that? I thought that the ration of EPA to DHA was 3:1 – or less, according to what you say. Not so?
Hi Vera – great question. But the answer is really long and complicated. Fortunately, I have explained why some people need different ratios of EPA and DHA in the following articles:
http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-part-1/
http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-mood-benefits/
http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-ldl/
But why you don’t need large amounts of DHA is explained here: http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-dha-and-your-brain/
In some instances, you need both, like the situation described here: http://www.omegavia.com/fish-oil-brain-injury/
But if you’re pregnant, nursing, recovering from stroke etc., you need a LOT of DHA. More here: http://www.omegavia.com/fish-oil-during-pregnancy/
But most people do fine with a blend of both because you really need both. Overall, I don’t think Dr. Roizen is wrong, but I do believe he is partial towards DHA because he is/was on the board of a company that makes algae DHA. If you’re getting 100 to 200 mg of DHA per day, you’re doing fine because DHA gets into your cell membranes, your brain, eyes etc and it STAYS THERE for a long time. The DHA in your brain stays put for a couple of years. EPA on the other hand, washes out in less than a week. You need to keep supplying EPA on a lot more frequent basis. Of course, you could take a lot of DHA and force your body to convert it to EPA…but why?
And juuust in case I have not drowned you with enough links, here’s one more: http://www.omegavia.com/dr-oz-omega3-supplements/
Hi,
My name’s Aga and I am from far Poland.
I have been completely absorbed in the subject of oils for more than a year. I discoved your website by accident looking for information concerning Omega7.
We are using now omega-3s and -6s at home as below:
1 teaspoon of pumpking seed oil + 1 teaspoon of black cumin oil (Nigella sativa) due to asthmatic problems and because of biotin and other ingredients.
Plus 2 spoons of gold linseed seeds (omega-3)
Thanks to this combination I feel better and I look better.
Now, I discovered Omega-7 s 🙂
I bought seabuckthorn oil and I decided to drink it instead of pumking oil: 5 ml/per day.
My question is: should I stop drinking black cumin oil?
And what about influence of palmitoleic acid on pancreas?
Let me have your oppinion.
Thanks.
Hi Aga – none of the seed oils you mention have important long chain Omega-3 acids, EPA and DHA. This is a requirement that you can get only from fish oils. As of now, I suspect you are getting a lot more Omega-6 than Omega-3, which is not good for your inflammation status. And asthma is an inflammatory condition. My suggestion is to stop the seed oils and start with fish oils – what ever is available in Poland. 200-300 mg of Palmitoleic acid has not been shown to hurt or harm the pancreas or any other organ.
Thanks for your answer.
Which fish oil would you suggest?
Thank you.
Regards
Hi Aga – I have no idea what products are available in Poland, but most liquid fish oils and high purity capsules are fine to start with while you research and find what will work for you long term.
Would be great to see this available from omegavia with an autoship program.
Have you considered a combined product with Omega 7 added to the omega 3?
Hi EastCoaster – thank you for your suggestion. We do not currently offer Omega-7 from OmegaVia, but our sister company sells it here: http://www.amazon.com/Purified-InnovixLabs-Macadamia-Palmitoleic-Capsules/dp/B00GRAAMLY/
Combining Omega-3 + 7 is a good idea – we’ve considered it and need to do a lot of development work before understanding the feasibility of such a combo product.
Hi Vin 🙂
Thanks for this post! It’s really nice to know that my macadamia addiction has something good (despite the loss of money ^^)
Can you tell me, how many macadamias are fine to get the benefits of the omega-7 and not having any bad effects of the PA?
I eat more or less like 40-50 grams a day… – is this too much? ^^)
And I’ve another question for you, depending on another article 🙂
How much magnesium should be enough a day?
I am taking 300mg Magnesiumcitrat – should it be more?
Many many thanks again for your help & have a nice day 🙂
Marco
Hi Marco – based on my rough calculations, you are getting about 30 grams of fat from Macadamia. While that alone is not much, 50 grams of nuts may be a bit much. This is a guess, but I think you’re probably getting 1-2 grams of Omega-7.
I’d increase Magnesium to 500 or 600 mg…but watch for stomach distress. Citrate at those levels can cause issues.
Hi Vin,
I just started talking this product in combination with 1000 mg omega three. Do we have any more recent studies on this? I tried looking it up but could only find the study discussed above. With all the benefits mentioned I feel like there would be more talk about this. Is it because the product is relatively new?
Also do you still recommend taking 1-2 pills a day?
Thanks
Hi NG – yes, there is very new study that came out just last week (September 2015) with some very positive news. The study looked at blood concentration of Omega-7 (among other things) and found that those with the highest concentration of Omega-7 had a 37% decrease in risk for sudden cardiac death. Of course, this is an association, and does not definitively prove cause and effect. Regardless, it is an exciting development.
Yes, I still recommend just one pill per day. It acts like a hormone, so more is not better.
http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/09/21/eurheartj.ehv446.long
I just got my bottle of Innovix Labs omega 7s and would like some info regarding taking it with blood thinners, I’m on Xarelto for Protein C & S and Factor 2 deficiency. Can’t find anything saying it acts like omega 3s although it is from anchovies. Does it work differently? Thanks for any info
Hi Barbara – Omega-7 works very differently from regular Omega-3s. If you eat seafood several times a week, you would get enough from the fish itself. As far as blood thinners, there is no known interference, but please check with your doctor about this.
Hi Vin,
Any thoughts on this study? (https://today.duke.edu/2015/09/crohns)
I have a feeling there’s a lot of “jumping to conclusions” going on. For example, nothing in the study seems to suggest that Omega 7 can *cause* Crohn’s, only that people with Crohn’s tend to have higher blood levels. Since I don’t have Crohn’s myself, I’m assuming I shouldn’t worry?
Hi Dave – this is a really interesting technology but it is hard to make firm conclusions with a study like this. It’s one of the many limitations of the study design. Having said that, Omega-7 (Palmitoleic acid) is generally anti-inflammatory in nature. But it ‘runs with’ Palmitic acid, which has been shown to be pro-inflammatory. If you supplement with, say, Seabuckthorn oil, you may get roughly equal parts of both. This is why we have a specification that says no more than 1% palmitic in our oil. We remove the palmitic. So it is conceivable that the people who had high Omega-7 also had high palmitic. And it is also conceivable that they had high Omega-6 levels.
It would be fun (for me at least) to isolate people with low palmitic, low Omega-6, and high Omega-7 (Palmitoleic) and then determine their risk for Crohn’s.
Should you worry based on this study? Oh, heck no!
I bought two bottle Innovix omega7s and two bottle OmegaVia omega3s,
may I take them daily as this way:
Take one omega3 with breakfast
Take one omega3 with lunch
Take one omega7 with dinner
Thank you.
Hi Qing – yes, you may take it the way you have outlined. However, there is no need to take it separately. If it is convenient, you may take all of the pills at once with a meal.
Tried to order to England to no avail. It says on shipping you deliver to Europe but only option on ordering is to America!
Hi Nita – we are working on our website to be able to ship to the UK. We apologize for the inconvenience. In the meantime, please contact our customer service team at service@innovixlabs.com and they will be able to get it sorted out.
i have ordered Provinol omega 7 – 420 mg – as per Dr. Roizen
this is my question – i am already taking a natural blend of plant based omega supplements –
this is what its ingredients say:
Total omega blend 925 mgs
Omega 3 375 mgs
DHA 175 mgs
EPA 100 mgs
ALA 50 mgs
Omega 5 and 7 blend 250 mgs
Omega 6 and 9 blend 300 mgs
“Proprietary blend of algae oil pomegranate seed oil,
sea buckthorn berry oil, raspberry seed oil, safflower
seed oil and tomato seed oil”
My question is – can i add 425 mgs of omega 7 to this?
I have just ordered the Provinol as suggested. I also take
a multivit, ubiqunol, tumeric, extra C and a mitochondrial enhancer. I am also trying to build up my immune system, so i have started oil of oregano.
If you could please advise. It is SO difficult to find people
well versed in this area, I would really appreciate any
suggestions you have!
Thank you so very much!
Marcia Johnston
also – do you have a newsletter, or something similar, that i may subscribe to? (sorry about the poor grammar, but right now more concerned about my health!!! lol)
Hi Marcia – if you’re asking if you can add 425 mg of Omega-7 to your routine, the answer is probably yes, but you don’t need a lot of Omega-7 to get its benefits. About 200 mg is all you need per day. If your existing routine provides you with that much, you do not need another Omega-7 supplement.
Hi Vin.
I read your previous post on olive oil, saying that it has 12% palmitic acid (the one you used or sent for analysis), while macadamia oil has 7-10% Palmitic Acid but approx 14-22% Palmitoleic Acid. Why discourage macadamia oil usage, when its palmitic acid content is lower than olive oil?
Excuse my lack of insight here.
Thank you
Hi AJ – it’d make me feel nicer if both olive and macadamia oils both had a little less Palmitic acid. But that’s neither here nor there because we are talking about Omega-7 oil extract from macadamia (the nuts, btw, I eat quite often and have regrets)…and not the cooking oil itself.
The Omega-7 extract from macadamia can have up to 50% or more palmitic. Sometimes more. That, to me, is counterproductive. The patent owners of Provinal Omega-7 use chromatography to lower the palmitic content to less than 1%. I like that.