Fish Oil Supplements

If you were able to take only one supplement for the rest of your life and no other, that supplement would have to be fish oil supplement. Grandmothers considered fish oil to be the ultimate source of health, and a whole generation was raised on fish oil or capsules. Now, fish oil has made a comeback, as many people have begun to realize the health benefit that fish oil can have, from heart problems to depression and tiredness, fish oil has been known to help.

The magic ingredient in fish oil is omega-3, which is one of the building blocks of life. It is an essential fatty acid that has been shown to help with a wide range of diseases, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.

It has also been proven to help with problems like fatigue, depression, blood circulation, mood swings, and even dry skin. Unfortunately, unlike the old days, not all fish oil supplements are equally beneficial. Some contain larger quantities of omega-3, while some also contain impurities and pollution from the sea.

How to choose the best fish oil supplements?

Since there are a large number of fish oil supplements available in the market, it is hard to recommend one over the other, and fish oil supplement reviews cannot cover them all. However, there are a few things you should look out for when going in for fish oils. First of all, you should look for the fatty acids that the oil in question contains. Omega-3 fatty acids are of three different types, and each of these has different benefits. They are DHA, DPA, and EPA, so look on the container to see that all of these are present. Secondly, the source of the fish itself is important. Fish today live in polluted waters, unfortunately, and often ingest many of the pollutants that are in the water, especially mercury. For this reason, buy your fish oil from a reputed source, which makes use of fish from clean, unpolluted waters. Fish caught in deep sea are likely to be safer, but they are also more expensive.

Finally, the extraction and purification of the oil itself is important. One cannot say that water is completely toxin free. One of the processes used is distillation and purification, and it is quite efficient. Another method is molecular distillation, which is a relatively new distillation process. . This process, uses a vacuum, strips the oil down to its molecular constituents, thus making it completely free of all supplements. The tedious nature of this process also makes it very expensive, so if you desire this quality, you’re going to have to pay for it. Try to stay away from other, cheaper fish oil dietary supplements that use purification processes like hexane, because this is dodgy in terms of safety. Fish oil is available as capsules or liquid fish oil supplements.

Benefits of fish oil supplements.

Fish oil has been known for its positive health benefits for a long time, and that is probably why fish oil was a fixture in many homes till some years ago. First of all, it has been shown to lower triglyceride levels in the heart, bringing down the rate of heart diseases and improving circulation. It lowers blood pressure and helps with hypertension. Fish oil helps with weight loss, but this needs to be accompanied with serious exercise. Also, as the grandmother’s tale goes, fish oil does indeed help with memory and brain performance. This is one reason why fish oil supplements for children are probably a good idea. It has also been shown to alleviate allergies, skin problems, and sinus problems. Fish oil seems to be beneficial for pregnant women and their unborn children . It also greatly helps the immune system, and has been shown to be beneficial for arthritis.

Unfortunately, fish oil supplements do have side effects. These include problems like diarrhea, gas, discomfort, and possible nose bleed, but these tend to subside with time. A rather serious problem/side effect is the possibility of poisoning because of the accumulated toxins. Fish oil supplements dosage will differ from individual to individual and so it is important to discuss this with your doctor or nutritionist.

Submitted on January 16, 2014