Fish Oil Supplements

Lately, you may have been hearing a great deal about taking fish oil supplements.  If you have never taken fish oil or any other Essential Fatty Acid before, you may be wondering what the big deal is and why so many people are talking about why it is so important.  Today I thought we would take a look at why taking fish oil supplements are so important to your health and why I am taking them.

Plain and simple, fish oil supplements are the best source of Omega – 3 Essential Fatty Acids that you can find.  I don’t personally eat meat for health reasons, but when it comes to getting my EFAs, I make the exception and take fish oils.  EFAs are believed to be almost as effective as prescription medication in fighting internal inflammation, without all of the nasty side effects.  (Like gastrointestinal bleeding – sound like fun?)  Let’s take a look at why combating inflammation, one of the key fish oil benefits, is so important to your health.

My Pick for Fish Oil:

Understanding the Consequences of Inflammation

When someone talks about inflammation, chances are chronic internal inflammation is not what comes to your mind.  Most of us think of localized inflammation that we see – like what happens with a pimple or when you smash your finger in the door.  While this type of inflammation is normal and even necessary, chronic internal inflammation is another matter all together.  The fact is that when it goes unchecked for an extended period of time, chronic and long term inflammation causes pain, depression, eczema breakdown of cartilage and arthritis.  Over time genetic chances that lead to cancer may occur.  In addition, inflammation is one of the key culprits in heart disease.  There are numerous clinical studies that have shown that when you control inflammation through taking EFAs like fish oil supplements, you greatly reduce your chances of cardiovascular illness.

People in the Western world are particularly prone to developing chronic internal inflammation.  This is largely due to our lifestyle.  Here are common causes:

Excess Weight

Poor Diet

Excessive Stress

Pollution

As I previously stated, one of the biggest benefits of fish oil supplements is that it can effectively combat inflammation caused by our lifestyle and in doing so help prevent disease.

Fish Oil Dosage

You should talk with your doctor about the correct dosage of fish oil supplements for you, however most experts agree that a does of 2 grams of Omega-3s a day is recommended.  If you have greater needs a dose of 5-10 grams may be recommended.  One thing to keep in mind when taking fish oil supplements is that you want to focus on how much Omega-3s that are getting NOT the total amount of fish oil per capsule.

You may be asking yourself, can’t I just get fish oil naturally?  While eating fish can be a great part of a healthy diet, most experts believe that it would be too much of a good thing to get enough EFAs on a daily basis simply by eating fish.  The reason that fish oil pills are recommended is that the seas are highly polluted.  Consuming fish in high quantities on a daily basis would place you at risk of other health issues.  The ability to reap the benefits without the risk is key to fish oil pills benefits.

Find Out More about Fish Oil Supplements:

Fish Oil Side Effects

Fish Oil Benefits

More on the Benefits of Fish Oil

Fish Oil Pills

Flaxseed vs Fish Oil

Tagged as: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Essential Fatty Acid, Fatty acid, fish oil benefits, fish oil dosage, fish oil naturally, fish oil pills, fish oil supplements, FishOil, health, Inflammation, Omega-3 fatty acid, Weight Loss