Tag: 3 Fatty Acids

Why Having Fish Oil in Ones Diet is Important

Why we need fish oil in our diet? Why is it important? The short version of the answer to those questions would be: were not healthy if we dont. Allow me to read some of your thoughts. You are probably thinking at the back of your mind that fish oil are just fatty oils and you know you have been told for so long that fats are not good for ones health so what is this writer raving about? Totally excluding fish oil in ones diet is not a healthy practice, is that true? And now kindly prepare yourself for the longer version of the answer to those two questions will follow next.

But before we go into the fish oil benefits lets briefly explain the omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids. These are the two main divisions of the fatty acids. Vegetables oils like soy oil and corn oil fall under the omega-6 group. And most of us are aware, and take note that experts agree on this, that too much intake of vegetable oils could result to blood clothing and inflammation.

This is probably one of the reasons why you are reluctant to believe that not all fatty oils are bad for your health. In fish, the omega-3 fatty acids are produced by marine planktons which are part of the fishs diet. The omega-3 contains eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) which are basically the two important fatty acids that gives the body the most number of benefits.

Among the health benefits of EPA and DHA include preventing heart attacks, the development of cancer and atherosclerosis. In fact, studies have shown that people who eat more fish have lower chances of having their blood vessels inflamed which is definitely good for the heart. By eating a fish diet or taking fish oil supplements, the heart becomes healthier. Moreover, other studies have confirmed that by including fish in ones daily meals could help combat hypertension and obesity. These acids are also known to lower blood pressure.

Some studies have found out that fish oil when used by people with asthma conditions seems to provide relief and a general improvement of health conditions. Aside from those with asthma and other allergies, people who are being treated for depression and mood swings can use fish oil as well to help them control their emotions.

Although, we still maintain that the best way to obtain fish oil is by eating the fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel. However, due to several reports that the fish we eat contained rather high levels of the mercury, a pretty dangerous element. Pregnant women and those with young children should avoid eating fish with high mercury levels.

While having fish oil in ones diet is indeed very important, nowadays it is becoming more of a risk to get your daily allotments of fish oil from the eating salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc. Even though they are still the best ways to get your essential fatty acids, due to some recent reports of high levels of mercury found in fishes, it might actually be better to go with fish oil supplements instead.

These supplement capsules can be bought from health and even drugstores. But make sure you pick the best brand of supplement and read reviews as well as get referrals from friends. Dont think for a minute that youre just being picky.

What youre doing is making sure that you will invest your money on a trusted supplement brand.

Understanding Fish Oil

Fish oil has a long history of being used as a nutritional supplement. It is generally derived from oil coming from the tissues of oily fish. There are many sources of fish that the world gets its fish oil supply from. But about 50 percent of all fish oil production in the world comes from farmed salmon.

Fish Oil Sources
Fish oil is primarily derived from farmed salmon. There are times when fish oil may also be sourced from other fatty fish notably mackerel, lake trout, flounder and tuna. But such types of fish are known to be predatory. And because of this, they run the risk of accumulating certain toxic substances such as mercury, dioxin and PCB’s. In order to avoid this and have fish oil sources known to be as clean as possible, farmed salmon are the best option.

Fish Oil Benefits
One of the things why fish oil has become quite a popular nutritional supplement around the world is because it is very rich in Omega -3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid. These compounds are said to help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. There are also studies that say that these nutrients also have anti-cancer properties as well as may help in certain cases of depression.

Fish Oil Production
Production of fish oil is shared among a number of countries. But it has been seen that there was a substantial decrease in total fish oil supply, mainly because of declines suffered by a lot of the said countries. Countries such as Peru, Chile, Denmark, Iceland and Norway are known as the five major fish oil exporting nations.

Adverse Effects
Despite the various benefits that fish oil is said to offer as a supplement, medical experts still suggest caution in overusing it. There have been studies that indicate certain risks associated with fish oil. In some studies, there are suspected risks that researchers have found in the use of EPA and DHA fatty acids in fish oil.

Over usage of EPA and DHA, which is determined at more than three grams daily, are known to increase the risk of bleeding, especially in people who are also taking aspirin or warfarin. But further research may be needed to determine if EPA and DHA do offer such risks. Extreme dosage intake of fish oil is also associated with a higher risk of experiencing hemorrhagic stroke. In some individuals, fish oil intake may also affect LDL cholesterol levels.

Cardiac Risk
Because fish oil is still considered as fat, people with conditions arising from too much fat in their systems should also be cautious of taking fish oil as a supplement. Recent research seems to provide different results when it comes to how the fatty acids in fish oil affect people who may be suffering from heart disease or stroke.

In absence of definitive research, patients are being cautioned not to take fish oil without the recommendation from their doctor. People with certain heart problems or a history of heart disease should first talk with their doctors about the safety of taking fish oil supplements.

Surprising Benefits Of Using Fish Oil

The known benefits of fish oil are not just limited to the more common conditions. Of course, many people have already known how using fish oil may help improve skin health and reduce the risk of heart disease. But there are also surprising benefits that fish oil seem to offer to those who regularly consume them. Here are just some of them.

Depression And Anxiety
People may not be aware of it, but fish oil seems to help put people in a good mood. In fact, many studies have shown that fish oil may be beneficial in trying to help treat depression and anxiety in people. Thanks to the omega 3 fatty acids contained in fish oil, it seems a good means to relieve anxiety, depression, stress and sadness in people.

Fish oil seems to have good mood stabilizing properties that make them quite interesting as a treatment for depression and other related conditions. Evidence suggests that countries where oily fish such as salmon is regularly eaten also seem to have low incidence of depression. Similar studies involving prisoners have also shown that having them on a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids resulted in a significant drop in homicide rates. Although more studies may be needed in order for such findings to be conclusive, it already shows some good evidences of the other surprising benefits of fish oil.

Cancer Fighter
It may seem quite surprising enough that fish oil may also benefit patients with certain forms of cancer. Preliminary studies have shown that fish oil may be useful in trying to delay the weight loss in people suffering from pancreatic cancer. Still further research may be needed to solidify this claim as well as how fish oil may affect certain types of cancers.

Type II Diabetes
Some studies also have shown positive findings on the effect of fish oil in Type II diabetes. Since people suffering from this form of diabetes are also prone to developing diseases such as coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and stroke, medical experts believe that taking fish oil supplements may also help in trying to reduce such risks in diabetics. Some studies have already shown that fish oil may also be effective in lowering triglyceride levels in people with diabetes.

Pregnancy
Fish oil might also be able to help women bear healthier children. Taking fish oil supplements may help pregnant women ensure the healthy development of their child while still in the womb. The DHA found in fish oil is known to help babies undergo healthy eye and brain development. Pregnant women who are also taking fish oil supplements run fewer risks of having premature births, miscarriage or delivering babies with low birth weights. As an added benefit, pregnant women who regularly take fish oil supplements run lesser risks of getting into depression following the babys delivery.

Fertility
Fish oil supplements may also help in improving fertility. In a study done on male boars, those who were fed with a diet rich in fish oils were able to show better sperm quality. After ejaculation, the sperm from the boars fed with fish oil seem to resist the effects of lipid peroxidative attacks in the female boar genital tract, giving the sperm higher chances of conception.

Is Fish Oil Harmful?

If you ask those fans of mackerel and salmon why they loved those fish so much and what is omega-3, they will probably give you a long lecture on how important or beneficial essential fatty acids are to your health. They will site a number of studies proving the positive effects of fatty acids on our bodies and how these can be used to treat a variety of conditions, ailments or diseases.

Some, and these are the really omega-3 fanatics, can go on and on and on. From the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids to the preparations and cooking of salmon. At the end you find yourself mumbling and probably cursing why you asked in the first place. However, despite the long lecture, you might notice your friend leaving behind an issue that is often disregarded but is equally important with the benefits of fish oils. And that can be addressed by answering the question: is fish oil harmful?

I am all for the various benefits of fish oils. I dont discount it, I dont question the studies nor do I criticize the testimonies from long time users. But personally, I dont believe that fish oils are purely good. We have this saying that too much of anything is bad for you. The same should apply to fish oils. After researching the internet, reading a number of articles, and a couple of cups of coffee, I found out that fish oils do have some side effects, some even quite harmful.

Among the more minor side effects are diarrhea and that fishy after taste. You will experience these side effects if you too much dosage of fish oils. Commonly doctors would prescribe or recommend a 2 gram intake of fish oil daily at the minimum.

Probably the major risk of overdosing on fish oil is the contamination, more specifically mercury contamination. It is a sad fact, but a lot of the worlds fishing grounds are contaminated or polluted. The fish you eat might have a good stock of omega-3 but you might not know it, the fish might only contain a considerable amount of heavy metal contaminants. When it comes to pill or capsule supplements, the process of creating those fish oil capsules might not be safe. The safest would be through a distillation process.

Another major risk is when combined with other blood thinners. Fish oil acts as a blood thinner or anti-coagulant, which basically helps stop platelets or heavy cells from forming blood clots reducing the risks of having a heart attack. However, if you combine fish oil with other medicines such as aspirins, the result might be very harmful to your body and even fatal. Too much blood thinners can cause you to bleed out. And bleeding does not mean just bleeding out externally, but there are cases where patients actually bled to their brains.

So going back to our question, is fish oil harmful? Well, the above scenario is quite a frightening one but things like that could possibly happen to people who are extremely careless. That is why before you take any supplements, fish oil in this case, you should consult your doctors and make sure you provide them with a complete, honest and proper medical history.