Drew,

 

I'll try to give you the answer I think you're looking for. In Experiment 2, the total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides, and phospholipids were all low. While total cholesterol and triglycerides need to be kept within a normal range, the HDL cholesterol should be kept on the high side, and LDL cholesterol should be low. HDL is considered "good" cholesterol, and LDL is considered "bad" cholesterol. Here is an explanation of cholesterol:

 

 

So what this experiment is showing is that the omega 3 group had low HDL, as well as low apolipoprotein A-11. The HDL and apolipoprotein A-11 cholesterol fractions are thought to confer protection from atherosclerosis and heart disease. Therefore it is desirable to keep them on the high side, and LDL and apolipoprotein A-11 fractions at low levels, as they are believed to be responsible for the build up of plaque. For an explanation of the lipoproteins, see this page:

 

 

Therefore this study would seem to prove that omega 3 fatty acids are delererious to ones coronary health, which is in opposition to all the proponents of omega 3 supplementation. Combine that with the greatly shortened life span, 69 days shorter than the 426 days for the omega 6 group in experiment 1.

 

My comments:

 

While it says that the "direct" cause of death was undetermined, omega 3 fatty acids are highly unstable and oxidize within the body, causing high amounts of free radicals, which hasten cell death, and therefore could be the cause of early death in that group. Also it is a known fact that eskimo tribes who consume high fish diets, die from a higher percentage of strokes than any other group of people, which is likely due to the blood thinning effects of omega 3 fatty acids.