"If you cut out soy oil and corn oil, and use olive oil instead, you will double the effect of any fish that you eat," Hibbeln contends. "You get closer to a Mediterranean diet. And that's closer to the diet on which mankind evolved."
Nevertheless, high concentrations of fish oils in supplements are available in health-food stores. But anyone who takes fish oil supplements has to also take antioxidant vitamins to prevent the conversion of omega-3s into substances that actually damage cell membranes. Andrew L. Stoll, M.D, head of psychopharmacology at Harvard's McLean Hospital and a key omega-3 researcher, recommends 500 mg of vitamin C and 400 units of E.
"I don't want patients to stop their medications and start these. It's best to work with your doctor. Educate your doctor," says Stoll.
