Fish Oil: What You
Need to Know

The benefit of fish oil in your diet is clear. Whether you eat oily fish such as herring, sardines, mackerel, lake trout, flounder, albacore tuna and salmon or take supplements, it is the abundant omega-3 fatty acids which do the most good. Fish is also high in protein and lower in saturated fat than most meats.

For vegans or those who avoid fish, plant-derived flax seed oil is an excellent substitute.

What’s in It?

Fish oil has high levels of two omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The American Heart Association also recommends that you eat ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which can become omega-3 fatty acid in the body. ALA sources include tofu and other forms of soybeans, canola, walnut, flaxseed and their oils.

While there is an indication that ALA is helpful, more research is needed to confirm the amount of ALA-to-omega-3 conversion in the body.

How Does It Work?

Both omega-3 ad omega-6 fatty acids are macronutrients, meaning we need to ingest them in grams/day. Compare this to micronutrients such as vitamins, which we need in amounts 1,000 times less per day. Our bodies cannot manufacture or store these fatty acids, so we must get them from food or supplement sources.

There are a variety of scientifically confirmed health benefits to fish oils and the omega-3 fatty acids in them. Before you decide how much to ingest, consider the relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 acids.

High levels of omega-6 fatty acids (polyunsaturated fatty acids) are found in most types of processed (or trans) vegetable oil, and as a component to many processed foods. The conversion to a trans type vegetable oil is done to improve shelf life, typically through heating.

The ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is about 4:1. Unfortunately, the typical Western diet places this ratio at 10:1 or higher.

It is important to bring this ratio into balance for two reasons. First, these two acids compete for the same enzymes. An excess level of omega-6 will ensure that the omega-3 acids cannot fully provide you their optimal benefits.

Second, a chronic excess of omega-6 fatty acids has been associated with increased risk for heart attack, thrombotic stroke, cardiac arrythmia, arthritis, osteoporosis, inflammation, mood disorders and cancer, particularly breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

You can improve the ratio by:

1. Reducing intake of processed foods, butter and processed vegetable oils
2. Eating oily fish 2x/wk
3. Using olive and canola oil
4. Using margarine made from canola oil, or at least cut down on butter (cook with canola/olive oil, spread garlic olive oil rather than butter on bread, etc.)

Fish Oil Benefits

According to the world renowned Mayo Clinc, the following benefits are supported by strong scientific evidence:

The following fish oil benefits have good scientific support:

There are many other possible benefits to consuming fish oil, including the treatment or prevention of eczema, epilepsy, depression and osteoporosis. However, further research is needed to confirm this.

How Much Should You Consume?

According to the American Heart Association, the recommended intake of omega-3 fatty acid is as follows:

Safety

Allergies: Anyone with a hypersensitivity or allergy to fish should avoid fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish.

Heavy metal contamination: Fish are known to accumulate mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic and cadmium as well as other contaminants such as PCBs, furans or dioxins. However, these substances selectively bind to proteins in the meat, not the oil, so contamination is a greater risk when eating fish itself and not the oils from fish. Learn which fish to eat here.

There is also a difference in fish oil supplement quality. Choose the safest brands here.

Side Effects: Gastrointestinal upset is common if supplements are taken, though this can be minimized if taken with meals. Nearly identical alpha omega fatty acids area also present in flaxseed oil, a vegetable product without evidence of this effect. Diarrhea or an increased risk of bleeding may also occur, but these have been noted at high doses.

Before beginning any supplement regimen, consult your health care professional.

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