Benefits Of Fish Oil: Fish oil is an excellent source of omega-3s, which is good for the heart and the brain. However, getting your omega-3s from fish is healthier. If you don’t eat fish, fish oil supplements are a good alternative.
Fish oil is one of the most commonly consumed dietary supplements.
It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important for your health.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, If you don’t eat a lot of oily fish, taking a fish oil supplement could help you get enough omega-3 fatty acids.
Benefits Of Fish Oil: What is fish oil?
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Fish oil is the fat or oil that’s extracted from fish tissue. It usually comes from oily fish such as herring, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel. However. It’s also sometimes produced from the livers of other fish, as is the case with cod liver oil.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends eating 1–2 portions of fish per week. This is because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish provide many health benefits, including protection against a number of diseases.
However, if you don’t eat 1–2 servings of fish per week, fish oil supplements can help you get enough omega-3s.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Around 30% of fish oil is made up of omega-3s, while the remaining 70% is made up of other fats. What’s more, fish oil usually contains some vitamin A and D.
It’s important to note that the types of omega-3s found in fish oil have greater health benefits than the omega-3s found in some plant sources.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, The main types of omega-3s in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the type found in plant sources is mainly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Although ALA is an essential fatty acid, EPA and DHA have many more health benefits.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, It’s also important to get enough omega-3s because the Western diet has replaced a lot of omega-3s with other fats, such as omega-6s. This distorted ratio of fatty acids may contribute to numerous diseases.
1. May support heart health
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Studies show that people who eat a lot of fish have much lower rates of heart disease.
Multiple risk factors for heart disease appear to be reduced by the consumption of fish or fish oil. The benefits of fish oil for heart health include:
Improved cholesterol levels. It can increase levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and may also lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Decreased triglycerides. It can lower triglycerides by 15–30%.
Reduced blood pressure. Even in small doses, it helps reduce blood pressure in people with elevated levels.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Plaque prevention. It may prevent the plaques that can cause arteries to harden, as well as make arterial plaques more stable and safer in those who already have them.
Although fish oil supplements can improve many of the risk factors for heart disease, there is no clear evidence that they can prevent heart attacks or strokes.
SUMMARY
Fish oil supplements may reduce some of the risk factors associated with heart disease. However, there is no clear evidence that they can prevent heart attacks or strokes.
2. May help treat certain mental health conditions
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Your brain is made up of nearly 60% fat, and much of this fat is omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, omega-3s are essential for typical brain function.
In fact, some studies suggest that people with certain mental health conditions have lower omega-3 blood levels.
Interestingly, research suggests that omega-3s can prevent the onset or improve the symptoms of some mental health conditions. For example, it can reduce the chances of psychotic disorders in those who are at risk.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, In addition, supplementing with fish oil in high doses may reduce some symptoms of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, though there is a lack of consistent data available. More study is needed in this area.
SUMMARY
Fish oil supplements may improve the symptoms of certain mental health conditions. This effect may be a result of increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake.
3. May support eye health
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Like your brain, your eyes rely on omega-3 fats. Evidence shows that people who don’t get enough omega-3s have a greater risk of eye diseases. However, this positive effect was not found for dry eye disease in particular.
Furthermore, eye health begins to decline in old age, which can lead to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Eating fish is linked to a reduced risk of AMD, but the results from fish oil supplements are less convincing.
One older study found that consuming a high dose of fish oil for 19 weeks improved vision in people with AMD. However, this was a very small study.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Two larger studies in 2013 examined the combined effect of omega-3s and other nutrients on AMD. One study showed a positive effect, while the other found no effect. Therefore, the results are unclear.
SUMMARY
Eating fish may help prevent eye diseases. However, it’s unclear whether fish oil supplements have this same effect.
4. May reduce inflammation
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Inflammation is your immune system’s way of fighting infection and treating injuries.
However, chronic inflammation is associated with health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, depression, and heart disease.
Reducing inflammation can help treat symptoms of these diseases.
Because fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties, it may help treat conditions involving chronic inflammation.
For example, increased weight or stress can sometimes contribute to higher levels of inflammation.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, In two older studies — one in people with obesity and one in people experiencing stress — fish oil was found to reduce the production and gene expression of inflammatory molecules called cytokines.
Moreover, fish oil supplements can significantly reduce joint pain, stiffness, and medication needs in people with rheumatoid arthritis, which causes pain in the joints.
While inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is also triggered by inflammation, there is no clear evidence to suggest that fish oil improves its symptoms.
SUMMARY
Fish oil has strong anti-inflammatory effects and can help reduce symptoms of inflammatory diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis.
5. May support healthy skin
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it contains a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. Skin health can decline throughout your life, especially during old age or after too much sun exposure.
That said, fish oil supplements may be beneficial in a number of skin disorders, including psoriasis and dermatitis.
SUMMARY
Your skin can become damaged by aging or too much sun exposure. Fish oil supplements may help maintain healthy skin.
6. May support pregnancy and early life
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Omega-3s are essential for early growth and development. Therefore, it’s important to get enough omega-3s during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Taking fish oil supplements during these times may improve fetal brain development. However, it’s unclear whether learning or IQ will also be improved.
Taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy and breastfeeding may also improve infant visual development and help reduce the risk of allergies.
SUMMARY
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for an infant’s early growth and development. Fish oil supplements in pregnant people or infants may improve hand-eye coordination, although their effect on learning and IQ is unclear.
7. May reduce liver fat
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Your liver processes most of the fat in your body and can play a role in weight gain. Liver disease is increasingly common — particularly nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), in which fat accumulates in your liver.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Fish oil supplements can improve liver function and inflammation, which may help reduce symptoms of NAFLD and the amount of fat in your liver.
SUMMARY
Liver disease is common in people with obesity. Fish oil supplements may help reduce fat in the liver and symptoms of NAFLD.
8. May improve symptoms of depression
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Depression is expected to become the second-largest cause of illness by 2030.
Interestingly, older studies have shown that people with major depression appear to have lower blood levels of omega-3s. However, the results have been inconsistent so far.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Moreover, some studies have shown that oils rich in EPA help reduce depressive symptoms more than DHA. Again, more research is needed.
SUMMARY
Fish oil supplements — especially those rich in EPA — may help improve symptoms of depression.
9. May improve attention and hyperactivity in children
Benefits Of Fish Oil, A number of neurodevelopmental conditions in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), involve hyperactivity and inattention.
Given that omega-3s make up a significant proportion of the brain, getting enough of them may be important for preventing these conditions in early life.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Fish oil supplements may improve perceived hyperactivity, inattention, impulsiveness, and aggression in children. This may benefit early life learning. But more research is needed.
SUMMARY
Neurodevelopmental conditions in children can affect their learning and development. Fish oil supplements have been shown to help reduce hyperactivity, inattention, and other related behaviors.
10. May help prevent symptoms of mental decline
Benefits Of Fish Oil, As you age, your brain function slows down and your risk of Alzheimer’s disease increases.
People who eat more fish tend to experience a slower decline in brain function in old age.
However, studies on fish oil supplements in older adults haven’t provided clear evidence that they can slow the decline of brain function.
Nevertheless, some very small studies have shown that fish oil may improve memory in healthy older adults.
SUMMARY
People who eat more fish have slower age-related mental decline. However, it’s unclear whether fish oil supplements can prevent or improve mental decline in older adults.
11. May improve asthma symptoms and allergy risk
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Asthma, which can cause swelling in the lungs and shortness of breath, is becoming much more common in infants.
A number of studies show that fish oil may reduce asthma symptoms, especially in early life. However, not all studies have found similar results.
In an older review in nearly 100,000 people, a mother’s fish or omega-3 intake was found to reduce the risk of asthma in children by 24–29%.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Furthermore, fish oil supplements in pregnant people may reduce the risk of allergies in infants.
SUMMARY
A higher intake of fish and fish oil during pregnancy may reduce the risk of asthma and allergies in children.
12. May improve bone health
Benefits Of Fish Oil, During old age, bones can begin to lose their essential minerals, becoming more likely to break. This can lead to conditions such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Calcium and vitamin D are very important for bone health, but some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can also be beneficial.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, People with higher omega-3 intakes and blood levels may have better bone mineral density (BMD).
However, it’s unclear whether fish oil supplements improve BMD.
In one study, researchers found that omega-3 supplementation increased BMD in women with no symptoms or bone pain, but it did not appear to do so in women with osteoporosis. More research is needed.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, A number of small, older studies suggest that fish oil supplements reduce markers of bone breakdown, which may prevent bone disease.
SUMMARY
Higher omega-3 intake is associated with higher bone density, which could help prevent bone disease. However, it’s unclear whether fish oil supplements are beneficial.
How to supplement
Benefits Of Fish Oil, If you do not eat 1–2 portions of oily fish per week, you may want to consider taking a fish oil supplement. When reading fish oil labels, be sure to choose a supplement that has a high concentration of EPA and DHA and has purity and sustainability certifications.
Conclusion
Benefits Of Fish Oil, Omega-3s contribute to typical brain and eye development. They fight inflammation and may help prevent heart disease and a decline in brain function. Because fish oil contains a lot of omega-3s, people who are at risk of these health conditions can benefit from taking it.
However, eating whole foods is almost always better than taking supplements, and eating two portions of oily fish per week can provide you with enough omega-3s.
Benefits Of Fish Oil, In fact, fish is as effective as fish oil at preventing many diseases — if not more so. That said, fish oil supplements are a good alternative if you don’t eat fish.
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