
Fish Oil: Evidence-Based Information
Fish Oil: Evidence-Based Information, It is recommended that adults eat 8 or more ounces of seafood per week and naturally, smaller amounts are recommended for children.
Food and Drug Administration(FDA) claims that you should not exceed 3,000mg per day. In the end, you should consult your physician on the appropriate consumption or if a supplement is necessary.
Can you take too many Omega-3 Supplements?
Caution should be taken to not exceed the recommended amounts. Omega-3 can cause blood to thin and too much vitamin A can be toxic as some sources of omega-3 supplements are high in vitamin A.
Of the biggest concerns are those people who are taking the supplements and eating several servings of omega-3 rich foods per day. Too much omega-3 could alter immune function.
Is Fish Oil Safe?
For omega-3 supplementation in general, there are only mild side effects:
- bad breath
- loose stools
- indigestion
- nausea
-
fish aftertaste
Fish oil supplements may be a great way to increase your health if you are not eating fatty fish on a regular basis but there is research that may say otherwise.
There’s conflicting evidence omega-3 may Influence the Risk of prostate Cancer
In November of 2018, a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did not prove to lower cardiovascular complications.
More research reported in this same journal in 2013, reported no benefits in people with risk factors for heart disease[3].
Some research analysis even suggests looking for other ways to prevent vascular events and to stop depending so much on omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil supplementation.
What is the Best Fish Oil Supplement?
Fish oil supplements contain EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).EPA and DHA are fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids have been shown to have been associated with fetal development, cardiovascular function, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Be cautious because fish oil may turn rancid. Be sure you are familiar with the company you are purchasing your supplements from. Always consult with your doctor if you are using fish oil supplements especially if you are taking medications for blood clotting.
How Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Although EPA and DHA can be produced by some water plants, it is still a challenge to get enough through diet alone.
Other plant oils such as flax, soybean are more abundant in ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), a different type of omega-3. This is why supplementation may be necessary.
Dietary Supplementation
- Fish oil
- Fish liver oil
- Krill oil
- Algal oils
- Flaxseed oil
- Krill Oil Plus is one of the most commonly consumed dietary supplements in the market. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important for your joint and brain health.
Is whole food better than supplements?
Flaxseed, soybean, canola oils have alpha-linoleic acid which is a plant source of omega-3 fatty acids
Chia seeds and black walnuts also have alpha-linolenic acids
Conclusion
Proper nutrition is important for growth and development, strong immunity, disease prevention, hormonal balance and more (source). Overall well-being and nutrition go hand-in-hand.
Whole food nutrition should always be your first choice over-supplementation but there are those essential nutrients that your body will not provide naturally.
Sometimes the foods that could fill this gap may not be as abundant in those essential nutrients.
This is where supplementation could play an important role.
Consulting your physician and researching your concerns are important when choosing if you will supplement, as well as choosing the proper supplementation.
Always remember, whether it’s fish oil or salmon, find what’s going to work best for YOU!