Fish oil is a dietary supplement that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are very important for your health.
If you don’t eat a lot of oily fish, taking a fish oil supplement could help you get enough omega-3 fatty acids.
What is 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. Yet it’s 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 protect the body against diseases.
However, if you don’t eat 1–2 servings of fish per week, fish oil supplements can help you get enough omega-3s.
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.
You should know that the types of omega-3s found in fish oil have greater health benefits than the omega-3s found in some plant sources.
The main omega-3s in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the omega-3 in plant sources is mainly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Below are 10 health benefits women can enjoy if they take fish oil supplements regularly:
1. Fish oil supplements may reduce some of the risks associated with heart disease. However, there is no clear evidence that it can prevent heart attacks or strokes.
2. Fish oil supplements may improve body composition and risk factors for heart disease in obese people. They help reduce waist circumference, as well as aid weight loss when combined with diet or exercise.
3. Like your brain, your eyes rely on omega-3 fats. People who don’t get enough omega-3s have a greater risk of eye diseases. Taking fish oil supplements helps ward off eye diseases.
4. Fish oil has strong anti-inflammatory effects and can help reduce symptoms of inflammatory diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis.
5. Fish oil supplements can improve liver function and inflammation, which may help reduce symptoms of Non Acholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and the amount of fat in your liver.
6. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it contains a lot of omega-3 fatty acids but it can become damaged by aging or too much sun exposure. Fish oil supplements can help maintain healthy skin.
7. 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.
8. 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 normal brain function. Fish oil supplements may improve the symptoms of certain psychiatric disorders.
9. As you age, your bones can begin to lose their essential minerals, making them more likely to break. This can lead to conditions like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Higher omega-3 intake is associated with higher bone density, which could help prevent bone disease.
10. Depression is expected to become the second-largest cause of illness by 2030. Studies show that fish oil and omega-3 supplements may improve symptoms of depression.
How to supplement
If you do not eat 1–2 portions of oily fish per week, you may want to consider taking a fish oil supplement.
Dosage
WHO recommends a daily intake of 0.2–0.5 grams (200–500 mg) of combined EPA and DHA. However, it may be necessary to increase the dosage if you are pregnant, nursing, or at risk of heart disease.
Choose a fish oil supplement that provides at least 0.3 grams (300 mg) of EPA and DHA per serving.
Timing
Other dietary fats help your absorption of omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, it’s best to take your fish oil supplement with a meal that contains fat.
Freshness
Omega-3 fatty acids are prone to oxidation, which makes them go rancid.
To avoid this, you can choose a supplement that contains an antioxidant, such as vitamin E.
Also, keep your supplements away from light. Keep them in the refrigerator.
Don’t use a fish oil supplement that has a rancid smell or is out of date.
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.
As you already know, fish oil is rich in fat and is also high in calories, therefore, too much of it can increase your metabolic weight.
Fish oil supplements are a popular alternative for those looking to relieve joint pain. It is made up of omega-3 fatty acids which contain anti-inflammatory properties. These fatty acids play a role in providing pain relief to your body’s joints.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also known as “fish oil.” Studies have shown that these polyunsaturated fatty acids benefit the hearts of healthy people, those at high risk of cardiovascular disease, or those who already have cardiovascular disease.
