Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.·Published 18 February 2012·13 min read
Key points
The secret of fish oil benefits lies in the properties of omega 3, one of the most important bioregulation component of the human body.
The benefits of fish oil are not only for babies when a pregnant or nursing mom takes the supplements.
Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been proven by research to slow cancer growth, as stated by the American Association for Cancer Research at its 2009 annual meeting.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two digestive diseases that cause much suffering for those they afflict.
The secret of fish oil benefits lies in the properties of omega 3, one of the most important bioregulation component of the human body. They work like allied member of our immune system. Omega 3 have a tonic, antioxidant, corrective immunity action. It helps to normalize blood lipid levels, have a positive effect on the brain cells, decrease menace of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disorders (heart illness, hypertension, stroke).
Those who are going to become parents, should know about omega 3 fish oil benefits for their kids. Numerous exploring demonstrate the importance of Omega-3 for the development of a child's brain. Different testing show, that children whose mothers took fish oil supplements during pregnancy have a higher intelligence and lower risk of mental deficiency or cognitive delay. These children also differ in the tranquility and balance. US National Institutes of Health research among boys aged from 6 to 12, has found in approximately half of them a lack of omega 3 fats. As a consequence of this, these children often observed hyperactivity, impulsivity, restlessness, tantrums and sleep disturbances.
It is difficult to overestimate omega 3 benefits – this fatty acids are the strategic reserve of our body. The most important docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (that make up the fish oil) are for brain functions. It provides a quick energy that helps the transmission of impulses that carry signals from one cell to another. This helps us easier to think, to store information in memory and retrieve it from there as needed. Fish oil reduces brain damage caused by alcohol consumption. Scientists believe that excessive consumption of alcohol reduces the amount of omega 3 fats, particularly in the brain, which leads to nervous disorders and visual impairment.
It is proved, that dietary supplements containing omega 3 improve eyesight, prevent dry-eye syndrome and macular degeneration.
But useful properties of fatty acids are not limited to the region of the brain. Despite its name it can help plenty eating fans to normalize their weight. Fish oil benefits are in two affinities. On the one hand, it mutes the brain signals that you are hungry, on the other hand, it increases the effectiveness of exercises aimed at weight loss.
But that's not all again! A recent research in Australia has confirmed that fish oil regulates the concentration of serotonin, a chemical transmitter of impulses between nerve cells, which affects the "good mood". Omega 3 benefits are effective against low mood, shattered nerves, postpartum depression, symptoms of menopause, personal crises and other factors that lead to depression.
Function of fish oil in human body is very similar to action of the main chemical drugs prescribed for cardiovascular system diseases. But unlike drugs, fish oil has no side effects. It is much safer and nontoxic. Fish oil is the same good as anticoagulant medication "warfarin".There are facts, awarded the Nobel Prize, that the Eskimos rank among the lowest in the world on the frequency of cardiovascular diseases. Their diet is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids contained in large amounts in fish and whale meat and fat of seals.
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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Fatty acids, such as Omega 3 and Omega 6 are not synthesized by the human body, therefore they are indispensable. Recently, most of people have nutritional deficiency of acids, especially omega 3, which is associated with lack of fat varieties of saltwater fish consumption.
Many competent medical organizations, such as American Heart Association recommend using food supplements, based on fish oil. Supplementation dose is calculated individually depending on the condition of health, but the main thing is that it’s equally useful for people with any heart health situation.
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The daily taking of fish oil and fish oil supplements has exploded in recent years. This is because the extreme health benefits which taking your daily dosage of fish oil brings is no longer a myth of the past or the "grandmother's recipe" that mysteriously cures a million sicknesses. It's now a well studied, scientifically researched and medically proven dietary supplement that is commonly used and recommended by doctors and medical practicioners all around the world to help treat and prevent a wide range of medical conditions. The reason is that fish oil contains a high proportion of "omega 3 fatty acids" (most importantly EPA & DHA), something which we as humans need to grow, develop and function normally. These days, fish oil and fish supplements are so essential in our diets that they are as commonly found on store shelves as headache relief pills and are available for purchase anywhere in the world from supermarkets and deli's to chemists, pharmacies and health food stores.
Reduces Post-Partum Depression
The benefits of fish oil are not only for babies when a pregnant or nursing mom takes the supplements.
While noted above that fish oil eases the symptoms of depression, post-partum depression deserves a category all its own because past treatments have either been ineffective, complicated or have required moms to stop nursing their newborns.
Fish oil is in a class of its own, since it not only reduces and helps prevent post-partum depression (if taken throughout pregnancy), but it allows moms to continue nursing, which is discouraged because antidepressants are not healthy for babies to ingest (via breast milk).
The Associated Press reports that this may open a new door for physicians struggling to help mothers eliminate post-partum depression and still breastfeed and bond with their babies.
It’s now well understood and accepted by most doctors and clinicians that omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil are highly beneficial. Many experiments and scientific research has been conducted over the last few years to determine how useful fish oil is in our diets when taken regularly and consistently and the results of these tests are astonishing. You only need to scour the millions of medical journals of scientific research and conclusions that have been drawn as a result of this research, to realise that there is a consistently positive chain of conclusions that resonates from fish oil research organisations, hospitals and clinics.
So, what exactly are the scientifically proven fish oil benefits and fish oil supplement benefits? We'll begin by explaining the significant health advantages you can gain by taking the recommended daily intake of fish oil or fish oil supplements and then elaborate on how fish oil is being used to help prevent and treat specific conditions.
Firstly, EPA & DHA, the two fundamental components of fish oil and fish oil supplements, are extremely important omega 3 fatty acids which are now being used to help prevent and treat the following diseases and symptoms:
- Arthritis - Migraine headaches - High blood pressure - Diabetes - Breast Cancer - Gastric ulcers - Cardiac arrhythmia - Polymyalgia rheumatica - Inflammatory bowel diseases - Bronchial Asthma - Rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis - Skin conditions (such as Psoriasis & Eczema) - High cholesterol and triglyceride levels - Depression - Stress - Poor memory or brain disfunction - Poor concentration - Bipolar - Schizophrenia as well as a wide variety of mental ilnesses - General maintenance and enhancement of bodily functions
May Slow Breast Tumor Growth
Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been proven by research to slow cancer growth, as stated by the American Association for Cancer Research at its 2009 annual meeting.
Further studies have been conducted specifically regarding breast cancer and fish oil, and while the results have varied, there are positive indicators that the benefits of fish oil include slowing of cancerous cell growth, particularly in breast cancer.
Scientific research shows that women who have a high risk of breast cancer may largely benefit from taking fish oil or fish oil supplements because the DHA contained within the fish oil or fish supplement actually causes the death of MCF-7 breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Such promising research has called for further studies and very soon we will know the extent to which fish oil and fish oil supplements will play a role in preventing and/or treating breast cancer in the near future.
Provides Relief From Crohn’s Disease And Colitis
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two digestive diseases that cause much suffering for those they afflict.
Often, the treatments are extremely expensive and can include surgery to remove sections of the intestines and colon, which is painful and life-altering.
Benefits of fish oil when taken to treat Crohn’s disease and colitis have been found in that the fish oil actually heals the ulcers in the colon and intestines. This is a huge leap in the search for a cure for these terrible diseases.
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Eases The Effects Of Alzheimer’s Disease
The brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease benefits from fish oil supplementation in that the EFAs in fish oil help fight the plaque in the brain that causes Alzheimer’s disease in the first place.
UCLA researchers also discovered that not only do the benefits of fish oil include prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, they may include helping to manage and reduce symptoms in those already afflicted with the memory disease.
Helps Treat Ulcers
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends the benefits of fish oil to individuals suffering from peptic ulcers, as the fish oil reduces inflammation and boosts immunity to prevent recurrence of the ulcers.
Fish oil may also reduce depression, anxiety and stress, which are sometimes contributing factors for peptic ulcer development.
Stabilizes Mood
The benefits of fish oil regarding bipolar disorder are significant in that those with milder forms of bipolar disorder are often misdiagnosed with depression, and prescribed antidepressants, which not only have unpleasant side effects but can actually worsen the symptoms of bipolar disorder.
Additionally, those with milder forms of bipolar disorder that are properly diagnosed have limited treatment options available, and many have different yet still unpleasant side effects.
Jim Phelps, M.D., a leading mental illness researcher and respected psychiatrist, observed these benefits of fish oil in his bipolar patients and noted that their manic and depressive symptoms were greatly improved.
Reduces Soreness From Weight Training
Bodybuilders have recently discovered that due to the benefits of fish oil concerning inflammation, fish oil can dramatically reduce soreness from strength training.
Not only is this beneficial for bodybuilders, but to anyone incorporating strength training in their lives.
The reduced soreness will allow more enjoyable exercise, and more frequent exercise due to less recovery time.
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Fish Oil Dangers
But fish oil has also some side effects and dangers. American doctors from the University of Michigan have established, that it may promote the development of severe colitis and even colon cancer!
Doctors believe that people, especially those with chronic bowel disease, should limit their intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), one of the main components of the fatty acid Omega-3, which is present in fish oil, says AMI-TASS scientific agency.
Laboratory experiments have shown that mice that received high doses of fish oil, got the deadly form of colon cancer at later stages. Moreover, the increase of internal inflammation of the disease took only four weeks to form a tumor.
The severity and progression of aggressive forms of cancer was seen not only in mice consuming high-dose of DHA acid, but also in rodents with low doses, if they were prone to inflammation of the intestine. Results were surprising for oncologists. They were sure previously that DHA acid in fish oil has opposite anti-inflammatory properties. Clinicians do not recommend to ruke out fish oil from diet, but we need to reduce the dose if the person receives sufficient amount of DHA from the usual products.
Fish oil side effects
The quality of the fish oil consumed is extremely important, and now it shouldn't be quite so confusing or difficult to ensure that the highest quality is obtained. Even if the highest quality fish oil supplement is ensured, however, there are still possible side effects to consuming these supplements that one should be aware of. Generally, doses of 3 mg or fewer of fish oil supplements per day produce little to no side effects. However, fish oil does have a slight blood thinning effect - an effect that helps to explain why it is so beneficial for heart health, and an effect that is not necessarily bad in and of itself. This blood thinning effect can increase the risks of bleeding, easy bruising and nose bleeds though. This is especially important to consider if you are taking other blood thinning herbs or medication, because concurrent use of blood thinning medications or herbs may increase the risks of bleeding. The fact that fish oil causes blood thinning and thus increases the risk of bleeding, the use of fish oil supplements should be stopped prior to surgery and it is extremely important that you tell your doctor if you are taking fish oil supplements so your doctor can advise you as to the proper procedure that should be taken in preparation for surgery.
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Fish oil dosage
High dosages of fish oil supplements increase the risk of side effects, such as bleeding, easy bruising and nose bleeds, whereas low dosages generally have little to no associated side effects. The amount of fish oil one should take depends heavily on the reasoning behind their consumption of fish oil. Dosage should always be discussed with your medical doctor, and should be discusses especially if taking fish oil for a specific medical condition. However, here are some general guidelines for specific fish oil dosages:
- Aging 1,000 mg twice a day - Angina 2,000 mg fish oils 3 times a day - Arrhythmia 1,000 mg 3 times a day - Asthma 1,000 mg 3 times a day - Cancer 3 capsules twice a day - Crohn's Disease 2,000 mg twice a day - Diabetes 2,000 mg 3 times a day - Eczema 1,000 mg 3 times a day - Gout 1,000 mg 3 times a day - Heart Disease Prevention 1,000 mg 3 times a day - High Blood Pressure 1,000 mg 3 times a day - Lupus 2,000 mg 3 times a day - Psoriasis 2,000 mg 3 times a day - Raynaud's disease 1,000 mg 4 times a day - Rheumatoid Arthritis 1000 mg (2 capsules) containing 600 mg EPA/DHA, twice a day - Skin Health 1,000 mg a day with food - Stroke 1,000 mg 3 times a day
The FDA does not have a specific recommended dosage for fish oil. However, the FDA does recommend that an average healthy person (above the age of 5) should not take more than 3,000 mg of fish oil per day. The list above exceeds that recommendation in some cases, and is why the advice of a medical doctor should be followed before determining the proper dosage of fish oil when used for specific medical conditions.
The World Health Organization recommends starting dosages of fish oil at 300 - 500 mg per day, as it is a good idea to start slowly in order to see how your body feels and to ensure there are no adverse side effects or allergies. While starting out slow is a good idea, it is important to note that most of the research praising the benefit of Omega-3 fatty acids is done using dosages of 1,000 mg and up. For example, the American Heart Association recommends a daily dosage of 2,000 - 4,000 mg for high triglycerides, and a daily dosage of 1,000 mg for coronary artery disease. Additionally, some people believe extremely high dosages are effective in treating major issues like depression (4,000 mg), and lupus and arthritis (6,000 mg). If fish oil is being taken for a specific medical condition that suggests a higher dosage than the recommended 3,000 mg per day, it is important to start out slow and work up to the higher dosage. When discussing fish oil dosage with your doctor be sure to bring up starting up slow and seek medical advice on the best way to slowly increase dosage until the desired amount is reached.
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by Alexander Menasaka
References Aben A, Danckaerts M. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD. Tijdschr Psychiatr. 2010; 52(2):89-97. Bahadori B, Uitz E, Thonhofer R, et al. omega-3 Fatty acids infusions as adjuvant therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2010; 34(2):151-5. Belluzzi A, Boschi S, Brignola C, Munarini A, Cariani C, Miglio F. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory bowel disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71(suppl):339S-342S. Berbert AA, Kondo CR, Almendra CL et al. Supplementation of fish oil and olive oil in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Nutrition. 2005;21:131-6. National Medicines Comprehensive Database: "Fish Oil." American Heart Association: "Fish and Omega 3 Fatty Acids." Geleijnse J.M. J Hypertens, 2002; vol 20: p 1493. Oh R. The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 2005; vol 18: pp 28-36.
### Reviewed by James Beckerman, MD, FACC on February 04, 2012
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