WHAT IS FISH OIL & WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS?
Fish oil means the oil or fat extracted from the tissue of fishes. Fish oil is a product of oily fish and has several great health benefits. Good examples of oily fish include anchovies, tuna, herring, and mackerel. In some cases, fish oil can be sourced from fish liver. Cod live oil makes a good example.
Fish oil is healthy and recommended by the World Health Organization. They recommend taking one or two servings of fish weekly. Why? Because fish is beneficial to your health. But, if you can’t take up to two fish servings each week, you can supplement fish oil supplements. From these supplements, you can get enough omega-3s.
WHAT ARE OMEGA-3’s?
Over 30 percent of fish oil contains omega-3s. The other 70% has different kinds of fats. Plus, fish oil is fortified with vitamin A and vitamin D. It is also worth knowing that the omega-3s in fish oil is more beneficial to your health than those found in plants.
The omega-3s in fish oil include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The omega-3 in a plant is mainly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). While ALA may be an essential fatty acid, DHA, and EPA are more beneficial to your health (1, 2).
Supplementing with omega-3s is also important because the modern diet has replaced omega-3s with omega-6s and other fats. And because the fatty acids occur in distorted ratios, they play a role in the occurrence of many diseases (3, 4, 5, 6).
This article will examine some of the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, focusing on the nerve system and brain health.
GENERAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF FISH OIL OMEGA-3
1. Fish Oil supports heart health
Heart disease is one of the primary causes of death globally (7).
Research shows that people who eat plenty of fish have a low risk of heart disease (8, 9, 10).
Fish oil or fish itself tends to reduce multiple heart disease risk factors. It can benefit heart health in the following ways:
- Cholesterol level: Fish oil helps to boost your HDL cholesterol level. However, research shows that it has no effects on LDL cholesterol (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16).
- Triglycerides: Fish oil causes a 15-30 percent reduction in triglyceride levels (16, 17, 18).
- Blood pressure: Fish oil is beneficial to blood pressure. Research has shown that fish oil reduces blood pressure in people experiencing high blood pressure (19, 20, 21).
- Plaque: It prevents the formation of plaques that causes hardening of the arteries. It also stabilizes arterial plaques in those who have them already (22, 23, 24).
- Fatal arrhythmias: People who are at risk of arrhythmias can benefit from fish oil. Sometimes, arrhythmias may be a risk factor for heart attacks (25).
Fish oil supplements have an improving effect on heart disease risk factors, no doubt. However, there is no real evidence that it can prevent strokes or heart attacks (26).
2. Fish Oil enhances weight loss
A person is said to be obese when he or she has a body mass index above 30. Over 39% of adults all over the world are overweight. 13% of adults globally are obese. The figures are higher in the United States and other countries with a high standard of living (27).
When you are obese, your risk of other diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer (28, 29, 30), increase. Studies have shown that fish oil improves heart disease risk factors and body composition in obese people (31, 32, 33).
Certain studies have shown that combining fish oil supplements with exercise or diet can enhance weight loss (34, 35).
3. Fish Oil has tremendous anti-inflammatory effects
Your immune system treats injuries and fights infections through inflammation.
However, it is essential to note that chronic inflammation contributes to serious illnesses, like heart disease, depression, diabetes, and obesity (36, 37, 38).
Reducing inflammation can reduce the symptoms of these diseases.
Fish oil is fortified with anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it can treat inflammatory conditions (39).
For instance, fish oil can suppress cytokines’ gene expression, or the actual production of cytokines in obese and stressed individuals (40, 41).
Also, fish oil supplements reduce stiffness, joint pain, and the need for medications in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (42, 43).
HOW DOES FISH OIL AFFECT YOUR NERVE SYSTEM AND MENTAL HEALTH?
EPA and DHA, the two omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, play crucial roles in the brain’s development and everyday functioning in all stages of life.
The role of EPA and DHA in brain development is more pronounced in the developing baby’s brain. Research has shown that intake of fish or fish oil by pregnant women correlates with high scores on intelligence tests and brain function in their children’s early childhood (44, 45).
These fatty acids also contribute to the maintenance of brain function. They are available in large amounts in brain cells’ membranes, keeping the membrane in health and enhancing communication between brain cells (46).
Animal studies have shown that feeding on an omega-3 deficient diet decreases the amount of DHA in the brain, leading to deficits in memory in learning (47, 48).
In adults who are advanced in age, low DHA levels in the blood are associated with small brain size. This is a sign that the brain is aging fast (49).
One must endeavor to get an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids to avoid this and other detrimental effects.
FISH OIL IMPROVES MEMORY LOSS
It is a fact that the omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil are involved in brain development and brain function. Some studies have also shown that fish oil can improve brain function in people with cognitive impairments like Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems.
Alzheimer’s disease is a prevalent type of dementia. It affects brain function. It also impacts negatively on the quality of life in millions of adults. There would be no better news than discovering a supplement that could enhance Alzheimer’s patients’ brain function.
However, there is no substantial evidence that omega-3 supplements can improve brain function in Alzheimer’s patients (50).
Many studies have shown that fish oil supplements can optimize brain function in people with conditions such as age-related cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment (51, 52).
These conditions are severe but not as severe as Alzheimer’s disease. They still have the potential to cause memory loss and impairment of brain function.
In one study, 485 adults with age-related cognitive decline were given 900mg of DHA daily. A group of these same subjects was given a placebo. After treatment for 24 weeks, the group taking DHA had better performance on learning tests and memory tests (53).
In another study, 1.8g of fish oil omega-3 was administered to people with mild cognitive impairment for 24 weeks. Results from this research showed improvements in their brain function. However, there were no improvements in people with Alzheimer’s disease (52).
From these results, it seems that fish oil supplements have the best effects when administered in the early stages of brain function decline. If you leave the disease to progress for too long, then the fish oil would be of no benefit to the brain.
It is important to note that fish oil has no beneficial effects on brain function in healthy people. This has been proven by several clinical studies (53, 54, 55).
FISH OILS MAY HELP BRAIN FUNCTION & DEPRESSION
Evidence from the latest research suggests that fish oil is beneficial in those with a mild decline in brain function or a history of depression. One may also have other health reasons to take it, but more benefits will be enjoyed by those with a mild decline in brain function and depressed persons.
There are no specific doses on how much fish oil omega-3’s you may need to see mental and brain function improvements. The amount used in studies varies widely.
However, the United States Food and Drug Administration has advised that individuals take no more than 3000mg daily. On their part, The European Food Safety Authority has set the daily limit to 5000mg (56, 57).
You can start with 1,000-2,000 mg of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids per day. They are great to stack with your Vitamin D3 & K2 supplement as they help absorption since they are fat-soluble vitamins.
FISH OILS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR OPTIMAL FUNCTION
Be sure to read the labels of the supplements before taking them. You see, a 1000mg capsule may not contain up to 500mg of the actual supplements (omega-3 fatty acids) and the other half is just soybean oil or other unhealthy fillers. This, however, varies from brand to brand.
You must consult your doctor before taking any supplement, including fish oil omega-3 supplements. These supplements affect blood clotting, which is very important for those who may be taking blood-thinning meds.
At our office, we only provide our patients with the highest quality omega-3 supplements. All of our fish oils are produced in the USA, 3rd party tested, derived from cold-water wild-caught fish, and have all the impurities and toxins removed. To order your fish oils call us at 813-578-5889 or visit the online shop to easily place your order. Start taking high-quality omega-3’s and improve your health and function.
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