Dr. Daina Parent, Naturopathic Physician and Clinical Educator at Standard Process, interviews Dr. Michelle Simon, Naturopathic Physician, PhD in Biomedical Engineering, and President and CEO of the Institute for Natural Medicine. Use the audio player above to listen now! And don’t forget to follow and like our podcast channel to stay up-to-date on upcoming podcast episodes.

In this episode Dr. Daina Parent, Clinical Educator at Standard Process, interviews Dr. Jaqueline Smeaton, Naturopathic Physician and founder of Hello Fertility.

Targeted nutrient supplementation plays a crucial role in addressing the common nutrient gaps seen with both the Standard American Diet and certain malabsorption conditions. With modern diets often lacking essential vitamins, minerals, and other key nutrients, supplementation provides an effective means to support overall health and well-being. Providing these key nutrients within a matrix of whole foods can help bridge this ever-growing nutrition gap and reduce the risk of deficiencies that contribute to chronic diseases.  

Like humans, animals (including dogs, cats, and horses) commonly experience situations that result in elevated stress-related behaviors and changes in physiological biomarkers. In these situations, behavior responses may be attenuated by the oral administration of compounds that modulate neurotransmitters, support healthy cortisol levels, and fill nutritional gaps.

Investigating the role of EPA and DHA in human health can be beneficial in picking the proper Omega-3 dietary supplement necessary for an individual.  The quality, manufacturing, and processing of an Omega-3 supplement influences the efficacy of the supplement to which it provides benefit for wellness.

The immune system is a complex entity that functions like a fortress to keep the host safe. Building resiliency through diet, lifestyle, and herbs strengthens both the innate and adaptive immune response to infection, helping the individual avoid infection or recover more efficiently.

Neuroplasticity, or the ability of the brain to respond to stimuli through adaptive and functional changes, is a central focus of research into therapies for addressing neurodegenerative disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and cognitive decline.

If you’re interested in health and wellness, chances are, you’ve heard of the term “methylation”.

Children are exposed to new biological insults as they interact with their environment. Because of this, their bodies quickly learn to respond and adapt to the external world. A healthy immune system is critical to this response, protecting the body from infection and, in some cases, developing a memory that will stay with them throughout adulthood. Gut Microbiome Maintaining a healthy digestive tract is essential for children’s overall and immune health. As they grow, children develop their gut microbiome, a collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The gut microbiome in both kids and adults affects other areas of the body, including the brain and immune system. Certain dietary compounds can change the composition of the gut microbiome, including prebiotics, which act as food for the bacteria in the gut. 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) is a compound found in breast milk that functions as a prebiotic. It can avoid digestive enzymes, allowing it to reach the lower GI tract. There, it can act as food for bacteria in the gut. However, not just any bacteria can use it for nutrition and energy; a specific group of good bacteria (called Bifidobacteria) are uniquely able to utilize 2’-FL. These bacteria are health-promoting bacteria, and feeding them 2’-FL can help their population flourish while limiting the growth of potentially harmful bacteria through competition for food and resources.1,2 Decreased levels of Bifidobacteria are commonly seen in GI conditions and metabolic diseases.1,3,4  In addition to feeding good bacteria in the gut, 2’-FL can act as a binding decoy, tricking toxins and pathogens into binding to it, which can prevent invasion into the body.1 2’-FL has a similar structure to certain binding sites on cells in the GI tract. Because of this similarity, biological toxins and external bacteria will bind to 2’-FL instead of to cells in the GI tract, which prevents them from launching infections.1 Supporting the gut microbiome is especially important in babies because it is underdeveloped at birth. As babies grow into healthy children, 2’-FL can continue to support health, even into adulthood. After breastfeeding, supplementation with 2’-FL can help promote a healthy gut microbiome composition, support the development of the intestinal immune system, and help improve symptoms of chronic GI conditions.2,3 Micronutrients In addition to dietary compounds like 2’-FL, micronutrients are essential for children’s immune health. The same vitamins and minerals that keep the adult immune system firing on all cylinders also support immune health in kids. Vitamin C stimulates the immune system and mitigates damage that can occur due to an infection, while vitamin D is important for communication among immune cells.5 Zinc is an important mineral for cells that rapidly divide, including those in the immune system.5 It also helps produce antibodies and keeps the skin healthy, a critical first line of defense against potential invaders.5 Medicinal Herbs Medicinal herbs can also support immune health in children and adults. Elderberry is a particularly good option for children’s immune health. It contains high concentrations of compounds only found in plants, including anthocyanins which can be found in red, blue, and purple plants. Anthocyanins work as antioxidants in the body and help support the immune system’s natural response to an infection.6 Children are especially vulnerable to pathogens due to their developing immune systems in a world of new triggers. Providing additional support through vitamins, minerals, herbs, and 2’-FL can enhance the immune response and provide both acute and long-lasting immune support.

Overview of Omega-3’s Omega-3s play an essential role in the body. They help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, have anti-inflammatory properties, offer antiarrhythmic benefits, and provide cardiovascular support.1 In addition, Omega-3s support healthy hair, skin, and nails, and promote cognitive function. Given these benefits, many individuals choose to supplement with Omega-3s to ensure adequate intake, especially when their diet may be lacking. Omega-3 supplements typically contain long-chain fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, which are harder to obtain from food sources alone. Delivery forms of Omega-3’s Omega-3 supplements can come in two forms: triglycerides (TG) and ethyl esters (EE). Triglycerides deliver fatty acids bound to a glycerol backbone, which is how these fatty acids are found in whole foods like fish.2 In fish, triglycerides contain a variety of fatty acids, including omega-6, omega-9, saturated fats, and others. To concentrate the desired EPA and DHA from fish oil, a process called ethylation is used. During ethylation, EPA and DHA are isolated from the triglyceride. The isolated omega-3s can either be re-esterified back into an omega-3-rich triglyceride or remain as an ethyl ester, where the omega-3s are bound to an ethanol backbone. Absorption of Ethyl Esters vs Triglycerides When examining the options of omega-3 supplements, it can be confusing to know which form is best.  Clinical research has shown both the triglyceride and ethyl ester forms incorporate into the cells, which is the intended purpose of omega-3 supplementation.3  Additional studies comparing the two forms have found long-term use of ethyl esters or triglycerides do not differ significantly in their absorption.4 Triglyceride forms tend to be absorbed more rapidly, whereas ethyl esters have around a 24-hour sustained absorption rate, providing longer availability of EPA and DHA.5  Interestingly, triglyceride and ethyl ester forms are both best absorbed when taken with a fatty meal or dietary fat.  This has been shown to enhance the bioavailability of both forms.6,7 Conclusion In summary, naturally occurring fish oil contains multiple types of fatty acids.  Concentrating the beneficial EPA and DHA into re-esterified triglycerides or ethyl esters can provide therapeutic levels of these omega-3s.  Clinical studies do not show a significant difference in their ability to replete or maintain EPA and DHA levels within the body, and either form can be utilized to support bodily systems.