What does fish oil do for the body?

Nutrition article posted on Jan 09, 2010 by Joséphine Beck, Digestive Care Advisor & Optiderma Founder

Fish oil is often recommended for a healthy diet because it contains the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that are said to have many health benefits. Let’s see what the recent studies reveal...

What good does fish oil do for the body?
What does fish oil do for your skin?
Can fish oil harm your body and how to prevent the side effects?
Another interesting study about fish oil
Useful links

What good does fish oil do for the body?

According to Medline Plus a service of the US National Library of Medicine, the intake of recommended amounts of DHA and EPA in the form of dietary fish or fish oil supplements:

lowers blood triglyceride levels
reduces the risk of heart attack
reduces the risk of dangerous abnormal heart rhythms
reduces the risk of strokes
slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques
lowers blood pressure slightly

An omega 3 fish oil supplement may also help with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, depression, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, hyperactivity, ADHD.

Study reveals mounting evidence of fish oil's heart health benefits - published in the the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (August 11, 2009)
Fish Oil Protects Against Diseases Like Parkinson's - ScienceDaily (April 20, 2009)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prevent Medical Complications Of Obesity, Study Suggests - ScienceDaily (February 13, 2009)

What does fish oil do for your skin?

Fish oil & skin cancer

A recent study by dermatology researchers at Hope Hospital in Manchester, England, revealed that oily fish in our diets helps prevent skin cancer because essential fatty acids protect the skin against the DNA damage that can cause skin cancer. The study was published in an article called, “Fish oil to boost skin health,” published by the University of Manchester on January 20, 2009. The study was published in Insciences, a non-profit organization based in Switzerland. See: New Studies Reveal Oily Fish Helps Fight Skin Cancer

Fish oil & chronic skin conditions

Although skin benefits are proposed for alpha-linolenic acid, scientific evidence is less compelling, and beneficial effects may be less pronounced. Multiple studies have been conducted in humans, with mixed results. Max-EPA fish oil supplement has been used in studies and has shown mild to moderate improvement in people's psoriasis. But most studies of EPA for eczema and psoriasis do not provide enough reliable evidence to form a clear conclusion.

Can fish oil harm your body and how to prevent the side effects?

Fish & food chain

Such fatty predatory fish like mackerel, lake trout, flounder, albacore tuna and salmon may be high in omega-3 fatty acids, but due to their position at the top of the food chain, these species can accumulate toxic substances.

Try to limit your consumption of fish species that are at the top of the food chain.

Fish oil supplements

Instead of consuming fish every day, taking a fish oil supplement on a regular basis appears to be a safer choice nowadays.

A report by ConsumerLab.com, which conducts independent tests of supplements, examined 41 common fish oil products and found none contaminated with mercury or PCBs.
Another report, by researchers at Harvard Medical School and at Massachusetts General Hospital, studied five popular brands of fish oil, including Nordic Ultimate, Kirkland and CVS. They found that the brands had “negligible amounts of mercury, suggesting either that mercury is removed during the manufacturing of purified fish oil or that the fish sources used in these commercial preparations are relatively mercury-free.” See: The Claim: Fish Oil Supplements Can Contain Mercury

However, take care when choosing and don't be guided simply by price as things like dosage, purity and freshness all play their part.

Fish oil is primarily EPA and DHA, both of which are extremely unsaturated. The greater the degree of unsaturation, the greater the propensity to go rancid. When these oils go rancid, they convert to harmful oxidized fats called lipid peroxides which can damage fatty cellular membranes.

How to avoid fish oil to go rancid?
Keep your capsules in glass bottles because they are impervious to air, and put the glass bottle in the refrigerator. The cold will markedly slow down the oxidation process even if a little air gets in the bottle.

Risk of high doses

High doses may have harmful effects, such as an increased risk of bleeding. "Intake of 3 grams per day or greater of omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of bleeding, although there is little evidence of significant bleeding risk at lower doses. Very large intakes of fish oil/omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke." (NIH Medline Plus. "MedlinePlus Herbs and Supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid")

Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid, which means is cannot be manufactured by our own body and therefore must be obtained through our diet alone. Most people's diet's contain an insufficient amount of omega 3 and a very high amount of the omega 6 fatty acid. The ideal ratio of the two is something near 2:1. But in reality for the average person, it's more like 20:1 or even more.

Most people lack omega 3, which is why a fish oil supplement is usually beneficial. However, it is best to ask your practitioner for safe dosage.

Another interesting study about fish oil

Fish Oils Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Flatulent Cows - ScienceDaily (March 30, 2009)
The benefits to animals of omega 3 fatty acids in fish oils have been well documented – helping the heart and circulatory system, improving meat quality and reducing methane emissions!

Useful links

International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS)
Fish oil (Wikipedia)

Comments from the community (3)

"RickyJ" on 2012-10-30 at 13:07:59

Fish oil is actually very good for a smooth body. It gives glazing to the body. In my child hood we used to eat fish tablets, something like that with the vitamins in fish oil to get glow for the body. It really works. You can try it. click here for details

"CrezVenice R." on 2011-03-16 at 07:31:47

Essential source of vitamins. The effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease was ruled out in a research published Tues. Results of clinical trials were released showing that omega-3 fatty acid supplements did not impede the mental deterioration of Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's rates among individuals with a diet heavy on the fish have shown a reduced occurrence of Alzheimer's, which prompted the research.

"Musher" on 2010-01-10 at 00:00:00

Very nice article, thanks! But can anyone explain to me what's the point of killing fish to feed cattle? Isn't it a bit illogical? :)

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