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 baby’s 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.

How Fish Oil Can Benefit Your Health

Fish oils are extracted fats from fish, a concentrated solution of omega-3 EFAs. It is the best source of omega-3 EFAs. You could add more omega-3 EFAs to your diet in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The richest plant sources of ALA are the leaves and seeds of the perilla plants common in North America, Japan, Korea, China and Vietnam.

Green plants and algae also contain ALA as well as linseed oil. However, fats or oil from fish is considered the most important dietary source of omega-3 EFAs because it has concentrated amounts of the ALA derivatives EPA and DHA. These two nutrients are found almost exclusively in seafood.

Eating fish on a regular basis has its own risk as you are can never be sure if the fish you are eating has no toxins on it such as mercury and PCBs. During the manufacture of fish oils, toxins are eliminated. The supplements are meticulously purified to remove heavy metals such as mercury, lead, PCBs and other toxins as well as to reduce the incidence of rancidity and improve the taste and quality of the fish oil.

These makes fish oils as safe and effective food supplement. A 1-gram fish oil capsule contains about 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA. An intake of three 1-gram capsules would provide 0.9 gram (900 mg) of EPA and DHA. This means it comply the daily dosage recommended by the American Heart Association. However, you should always bear in mind that fish oil supplements are basically dietary supplements, not drugs.

Studies shows that many people are getting too much of the wrong kinds of fats found in animals (saturated fats) and vegetables (polyunsaturated fats), and need the fish oil to “balance” the family of fat nutrients. Intake of the wrong kinds of fats should be lowered to total 20 to 30 percent of daily calorie serving while fats found in the oils of certain fish should be appreciably increased.

Fish oil prevents and/or alleviates heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and migraine, headaches, may be protective against cancer, immune deficiency diseases, kidney disease and others. Fish oils also have two special nutrients that protect the heart and arteries, reduce pain, inflammation and swelling, and protect cell membranes. Omega-3 EFAs found in oily fishes are believed to be essential for the healthy development of brain, retina, and nervous tissue among fetus and infant.

During pregnancy these fatty acids are transferred from the mother's tissues to the fetus. However, the FDA has strict guidelines on eating fish during pregnancy because of the possibility of mercury or other toxic substances that may contain in fishes and the best solution is to take fish oil as food supplement

Over the past 30 years more than 7,000 scientific studies have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of fish oil and omega-3 EFAs in the prevention and treatment of our most common diseases. Hundreds of clinical trials support the efficacy of fish oil's omega-3 essential fatty acids in preventing, mitigating, and remedying an incredible range of health conditions. Some scientific and medical communities however are resisting to these facts and still support pharmacological treatment.

As a traditional dietary supplement that encourages good health, fish oil is a preventive medicine but as a natural alternative to NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other pharmacological and medical treatments, it is complementary medicine.

With all the undergoing studies to prove its affectivity, fish oil is on the threshold of crossing over into traditional Western medicine.

Fish Oil Grades

Fish oil production does not just provide one type of end product. In fact, there are also other grades of fish oil being produced. The three types of fish oil produced today depend on their level of quality.

Cod Liver Oil
Cod liver oil, despite its popularity as a nutritional supplement, is considered as a low quality grade of fish oil. It may only be used in small amounts as an ideal supplement since this form of fish oil may contain certain contaminants. Cod liver oil is also known to contain high levels of vitamin A which can be toxic to humans in large doses.

One teaspoon of cod liver oil contains 500 mg of long chain omega 3 fatty acids. Cod liver oil contains the highest levels of contaminants which may include DDT, PCB’s as well as organic mercury. Taking this type of fish oil may not be safe in large quantities.

Health Food Fish Oil
Better quality grade fish oil is one that is sourced from a particular species of fish such as salmon. Most of these health food grade fish oil are usually available in soft gel capsules because they still carry with them a very poor taste profile. There is also a cholesterol free version of this type of fish oil grade.

This type of health food grade fish oil undergoes a slightly more purification process by means of limited molecular distillation in order to remove some of its cholesterol content in order to label it as cholesterol free. An even purified version of this health food grade version of fish oil is known as fish oil concentrate. This is the type of fish oil consisting of ethyl esters of the fish oil that undergoes fractional cooling. This allows a more purified form of fish oil with lesser amounts of contaminants that cod liver oil.

Generally, this type of fish oil contains a better concentration of omega 3 fatty acids. A single one gram capsule contains about 300 mg of omega 3 fatty acids. One capsule of a thermally fractionated health food grade can contain as much as 500 mg of long chain omega 3 fatty acids.

Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil
Pharmaceutical grade fish oils have been ultra refined in order to provide the highest quality of fish oil. This grade of fish oil undergoes through certain specialized processes in order to come up with the most refined fish oil. Certain specialized equipment is usually used in order to detect the minutest amount of contaminants in the fish oil. Because it is ultra refined, it is thousand times purer than the molecular distilled health food grade fish oils.

An ultra refined pharmaceutical grade fish oil contains more omega 3 fatty acids than the previous two fish oil grades. A one gram of this type of fish oil contains around 600 mg of long chain omega 3 fatty acids. And for being the most refined of the three grades of fish oil, it contains the smallest amount of contaminants.

Fish Oil And Your Brain

Fish oil is not only good for the heart and for our overall health, this is also good for our brain. Fish oil comes from fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies.  It contains Omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA.  These kind of Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be produced by the body so it is important to take in food that contain these kinds of nutrients.

Fish oil is said to improve brain development and memory.  DHA plays a major role in the structure and development of the brain.  It is also important in developing vision.  Pregnant women’s diet should constitute fish oil since DHA is important for the baby to develop their brain.

According to the research by the University of Western Australia, expectant mothers who include DHA in their diet are said to give birth to babies with better eye and hand coordination and less risk of giving birth prematurely.  Their children are also better speakers and could understand more at the age of two and a half. Although, if you are pregnant and would like to take fish oil supplement, it is better check with your doctor first.  Fish oil is also said to result into bleeding as a side-effect.

Research and studies showed that adding fish oil to your diet could also reduce possibility and risks of mental and psychological disorders like depressive orders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Actually, according to a study by Aberdeen University they identified that fish oil can actually increase IQ scores and can even slow the ageing process. According to a Swedish study published in the Archives of Neurology, patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer were given 1.7 grams of DHA and .6 grams of EPA.  They showed less cognitive decline in six months.

As mentioned, fish oil is recommended for children who have ADHD.  There are studies showing that the lack polyunsaturated fatty acids can contribute to this disorder.  This can also be the reason behind dyslexia.  There were studies conducted among children, they were given fish oil supplements for the period of three months.  These children showed significant improvements in behaviour, reading and spelling.  They were also able to focus and concentrate more.

There were studies that showed that Omega-3 fatty acids had the same effects as Prozac which is a known anti-depressant.  Studies showed that countries with high fish consumption have lower rates of depression.  Aside from that, pregnant women and those who have just given birth who include fish in their diet regularly have lower risk of experiencing postpartum depression.

If you have decided to take fish oil supplements to address these mental problems for yourself or for your kids or relatives, then it would be best to consult a doctor first.  You would have to know how much you are going to take.  Just like any vitamins or anything, when taken in excess it can have bad effects.

Too much of fish oil supplement can also cause some serious problems like oxidative stress.  Some doctors would recommend taking Vitamin C along with the fish oil supplement.  This would actually balance the nutrients that you are getting.

Fish oil has amazing effects on our health and body, we just have to remember to keep it balanced with a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle.

Benefits of Fish Oil

Fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel have fats that can produce fish oil.  Fish oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids which are recommended by health-care professionals to be included in a individual’s diet. Omega-3 acids are mainly docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA.

Omega- fatty acids are essential in cell building.  It is important to get them from our diet since the body cannot produce this kind of acid.  Research showed that Omega- 3 plays a significant role in brain and fetal development during pregnancy and infancy. Fish oil are believed and proven to provide numerous health benefits.  Aside from this, there are also a lot of advantages by taking fish oil supplements.

Fish oil can:

• Improve brain development and memory.  There are studies showing that DHA actually plays a major role in brain functions.  Low levels of DHA can increase the risk of having Alzheimer’s disease.   Intake f fish oil during pregnancy is also recommended.  According to a research conducted by the University of Western Australia showed that pregnant women who ingest fish oil supplement actually give birth to babies with better hand and eye coordination, better in speech and better cognitive development at the age of two and a half.

Aside from Alzheimer’s disease, fish oil can also help in reducing the risk of other mental illnesses like depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among children, dyspraxia, bipolar disorder and dyslexia.

• Reduce the risk of hear attack.  Even if the DHA and EPA are fatty acids, they can reduce cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.  It helps in preventing blood clots in the heart.  So aside from heart attacks, fish oil is also important in reducing risks of coronary heart disease.

• Reduce the risk of cancer.  Researches have showed that fish oil can help in reducing risks of developing breast, prostate and colon cancer.  They stop the growth of cancerous cells and inhibit its growth.  For postmenopausal women, those who consume more Omega-3 fatty acids from salmon and mackerel or fish oil supplements are less likely to develop breast cancer.

• Reduce the effects or helping patients deal with lupus, arthritis, colitis and asthma.  Its natural anti-inflammatory capabilities can reduce pain brought by inflammatory arthritis and gastritis.

• Help a lot during pregnancy.  Not only does Omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil help in he fetal brain development, it can also reduce the risk of giving early or premature birth, post-partum depression for mothers, allergic reactions among babies an low- birth weight. Not only does it helps in pregnancy, there are preliminary researches showing fish oil to aid in getting pregnant or fertility.

• Help improve the body overall.  Fish oil can help in producing serotonin, the happy hormones.  Happiness can help a lot of people deal with stress and other emotional issues which can totally improve a person’s emotional and mental disposition.  They can also revitalize and rejuvenate skin, reduce wrinkles, weight loss and improve eyesight.  It is even said that fish oil can reduce acne and make your hair a lot better.  

Fish oil is very important in building a better you.  But doctors and experts suggest in taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements.  The problem with eating too much fish can actually lead to mercury contamination.

So, ask yourself, are you getting enough fish oil in your body?  If not, then it is time to start making sure that you do.

Updates On The Benefits Of Fish Oil

Many scientists believe that the discovery of fish oil as brain food 150,000 years ago became is the starting point that separates modern humans from the ragtag band of earlier species. The discovery was actually an accident since fat or oil from fish was a common diet of many early people in the East African Rift Valley.

Fish oil is a brain food that caused their thinking skills to expand with incredible speed, allowing them tremendous advantage over every other species on the planet. Within a short time, they were able to dominate the earth. For these believers’ fat or oil form fish is most likely the candidate for the brain food that initiated their mental development. Fish oil by then was a rare type of fat that would have been in short supply on the plains of Africa but was found in great abundance in the lakes of the East African Rift Valley.

They believe that fish oil is the crucial dietary factor that enabled early generations to evolve into modern humans about 150,000 years ago. For them it is the missing link that will allows us to age with our mental capabilities completely free from many disorders. Dementia and depression are one of these disorders, both a mental health problems.

Dementia is a loss of brain function and usually occurs with other diseases. The causes of dementia are mostly not preventable. There are studies that say that dementia can be controlled by practicing healthy habits like quitting smoking, controlling high blood pressure and diabetes. Dementia has many types and one of them is the vascular dementia, a type that is caused by series of small strokes or changes in the brain’s blood supply. A notable healthy habit that can help reduce vascular dementia is by taking a low-fat diet and exercising regularly.

Depression on the other hand, is a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder with symptoms like severe sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and sleeping time, feelings of hopelessness, and sometimes can lead to a suicide. A recent study revealed that higher blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are associated with a lower risk of these two diseases among elderly persons. EPA is found in certain fish and are believed by some to lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

New medical research also revealed that almost every chronic disease is affected by an imbalance of eicosanoids. It is by constantly controlling insulin levels that a person can gain control of eicosanoids which is the key to prevent diseases and maintain wellness. Eicosanoids affect our body as a whole including the heart, mind and even emotions. Excess in insulin leads to a wide range of disease conditions.

There is also a need for a person to regulate calorie without hunger or deprivation. It is believe that by doing so, aging is reversed. And lastly for a person to gain balance in her well-being, a person most supplement her diet with tolerable amount of fish oil.

Hormones are the key to longevity and optimal health and you have the power to control your hormones through your diet. Once you achieve this, you can have the power to reverse the aging process, prevent heart disease, reverse cancer, reduce pain and inflammation and treat neurological disease.

And since controlling your hormones is the key to a longer and better life, fish oil is the missing link that allows you to achieve it with no side effects.

What is a Healthy Diet with Fish Oil Supplements?

What is really a healthy diet with fish oil supplements, is actually and simply an eating lifestyle that balances the body's weight and getting the correct nourishment.

A healthy diet with fish oil supplements is an important factor in determining your overall health condition, and when coupled with physical activity, a diet regimen is a key factor in establishing your weight level.

One of the major reasons why people go on a diet is due to obesity, which increases the risk for cardio-vascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, kidney and liver problems, among many others.

These are alarming health risks that require one to go on a diet, not just for aesthetic purposes.

But going on a healthy diet with fish oil supplements as a regimen can be a surmountable task for many, and it is important to get expert opinion on how to go about a healthy diet with fish oil supplements.

Common pitfalls that accompany dieting is lack of time for food preparation, random food selections, food starvation or deprivation, skipping meals, diet medication and incorrect diet practices.

People should understand that healthy diet with fish oil supplementing should not be a daunting task, since it will not be very difficult to seek guidance on getting the proper nutritional information for all food items.

Firstly, try to make use of the tons of nutritional information you find on food labels, since this will give you first-hand information about the nutritional values of the foods you would like to include in your diet.

It's a good thing that we now live in an age where technology allows us to break down components found in food and identifying each element and their corresponding values for nutrition.

Secondly, always subscribe to natural means of nutritional sourcing. Prefer fortified nutritional health supplements derived from fruit or vegetable extracts compared to synthetic vitamin or mineral sources. You guarantee yourself with less risk from adverse effects with natural supplements compared to synthetic ones.

Thirdly, condition yourself to follow through on your diet regimen. A hastily crafted diet regimen plus a half-hearted decision to pursue a diet regimen could only last you a couple of weeks, or even just days. Long-term planning and a dogged determination to push through with your diet regimen is a vital key to a successful and healthy diet with fish oil supplements program.

Fourthly, try to establish a diet program partner or a support group to keep you motivated. Indeed, pursuing a diet regimen by oneself is generally a lonesome task that could only lead to your diet program going down the drain. It is best to have someone help you monitor your diet program development, since feedback and motivational support can help you move on and keep you challenged to finish your diet regimen program.

Try to also put some fun into our diet regimen program, this will help you have a more enjoyable program that you could keep on to the end, rather than a diet program that causes you to suffer or have misgivings about what you may have given up to pursue your diet regimen.

Lastly, couple your diet program with a supplementary exercise pattern. Physical activity is still the best way to help you hasten your diet regimen, since you get to burn more calories.

Your best resource is your physician or nutrition expert, they can provide you with vital information on what diet program you could subscribe to that could suit you best.

Always be careful when you want to go pursue a diet regimen, it pays to know what is best and save yourself the trouble of regretting something that you would not expect to happen to you.

So why not try a healthy lifestyle with fish oil supplements?

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.