I have blogged a little about fish oil, but have not really mentioned why it's so important and the benefits of it. Even if you don't take supplements, you should take fish oil. Yes, you can get most of your needed vitamins and minerals from eating a balanced diet, but it's near impossible to get all the omega 3 fatty acids your body needs unless you're eating fish for almost every meal, even then you may still be lacking. And unfortunately, most of the fish you eat is polluted with pesticides and toxins. Consuming fish oil as a supplement is a much safer way of getting the omega 3s you need. Further, your lifestyle and eating habits have created an imbalance in the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 acids you consume resulting in a much lower level of your required omega 3s. Consuming a fish oil supplement can easily correct this imbalance.
Why are Omega 3s so important?
The three most nutritionally important omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are not made in the body so we must consume it from our food sources. EPA is believed to play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, while DHA is the necessary for proper brain and nerve development.
What are the actual benefits of fish oil?
Prevention and/or treatment of the following health conditions:
- Alzheimer's disease
- Asthma
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Eczema
- High blood pressure
- Huntington's disease
- Lupus
- Migraine headaches
- Multiple sclerosis
- Obesity
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Improves skin texture.
- Enhances hair growth and health.
- Improves memory and concentration.
- Develops stronger immune system.
- Lowers blood cholesterol levels.
- Enhances heart health and reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases which helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and cardiac arrest.
- Maintains chemical balance in your brain which helps those with depression and other mental illnesses.
- Improves brain health and reduces risk of brain diseases such as dementia.
- Developes positive attitude toward life...see above regarding chemical balance in your brain.
- Reduces inflammation; this is great for athletes since your muscles inflame after your workouts as they are rebuilding. This means you can now recover quicker. Also helps those with inflammatory diseases.
- Helps you lose fat
Choosing Fish Oil Supplements
The quality of fish oil depends on three main characteristics:
- The fish used
- Processing techniques for processing the raw oil
- Storage conditions of the oil and the supplements
- How much EPA and DHA is in the fish oil
- Is it pharmaceutical-grade fish oil
My personal opinion based on numerous articles I have read over time, is that pharmaceutical-grade, liquid fish oil is the best. Liquid fish oil is more concentrated in EPA and DHA, therefore you do not have to take as much. Most capsules on the market have very low amounts of EPA and DHA resulting in you having to take many (think 16 capsules) a day to get your required amount of omega 3s. Who wants to take that many capsules? Most capsules on the market are filled with fillers and junk ingredients which results in the lower amounts of DHA and EPA and truly are not worth anything. Since the liquid form is more concentrated, even though it costs more upfront, you get more for your money in the long run. Also, with capsules, you don't always know how long they have been sitting on that shelf. Even though they say they aren't expired, they could still be rancid. There are also worries about the process of creating capsules and using heat to seal the capsule gels together. Heat is ruins fish oil so are those capsules really as effective as they should be? I would rather skip the worry and take the liquid fish oil that is free of fillers only a couple times a day as opposed to numerous capsules throughout the day.
Recommendations:
I recommend pharmaceutical grade liquid fish oils. Here are 3 of the best:
- Carlson's
- Barleans's
- Nordic Naturals
Here is a link to a great calculator to help you determine how much fish oil you should be taking: Whole9
Storing liquid fish oils
Keep fish oil in the fridge to prevent your fish oil from going rancid due to light and heat.
Recap
Fish oil reduces inflammation, resulting in weight loss, improved blood chemistry and better overall health as well as prevents and even helps treats numerous health conditions. Research has shown even when used to supplement a very poor diet, fish oil can help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, MS, bipolar depression, ADHD, chronic pain and Alzheimer’s—all because fish oils reduce inflammation.
Watch the video discussion below by Dr. Barry Sears if you would like even more information than what I've outlined above and still need convincing.
Lastly, as always, I'm not a doctor, so please consult your doctor before beginning any new supplement.
References:
FishOilSupplement.org
The World's Healthiest Foods
Whole9- Fish Oil Facts
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