Omega 3 Fish Oil Info
As you know, fish oil has grown in popularity, both in American
and abroad, due to their tremendous health benefits, which benefits
undoubtedly have attracted you to this page. They at first gained
notoriety when scientists began noticing the association between
omega 3 fish oils and Eskimos of Greenland who suffered
significantly less
from heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and
psoriasis.
Could there be a connection? There was and is a connection
for your health. Clinical studies realized and validated the
Eskimos were consuming a diet rich in fish oil. Why is this so
important to you? Because fatty acids in omega-3 fish oil, namely
eicosapentaneoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are
reported to reduce cardiovascular disease by reducing levels of
triglycerides (unhealthy blood fats).
EPA and DHA are both found mainly in cold-water fish like
mackerel, tuna, and salmon. Except for seaweed, most plant foods
don't have EPA or DHA.
These are EFAs -- essential fatty acids unlike omega 6
fatty acids. The third omega 3 fish oil of significance is
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Green leafy vegetables, flaxseed oils,
and certain vegetable oils have ALA.
The problem is the
body's enzymes must convert ALA to EPA. So, while you're
undoubtedly curious about Omega 3 fish oil, you may not have known
why it is important to your
health. Now, you do. Let's now explore why omega 3
supplements can help you.
Omega 3 Fish Oil Benefits
Its four key benefits are:
- Improves heart health by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride
levels
- Significantly reduces overall blood pressure levels.
- Improves autoimmune diseases, arthritis, even conditions of
lupus.
- Improves mental health issues including depression
Furthermore, of the key components in omega3's, DHA has been shown
to reduce heart rates and prevent heart arrhythmias and is even
more important than EPA. And that brings up a problem you should be
aware of.
Most Omega 3 supplements on the
market emphasize EPA, not DHA!
When buying fish-oil supplements for you and/or your family,
make sure the dominant essential fatty acid is DHA. This is not to
disparage the importance of EPA for it is highly beneficial, but
studies have shown DHA the primary precursor for improved brain and
heart function. In reality, though, many omega 3 supplements don't
even have both DHA and EPA! Fraud is rampant.
Due to dietary supplement fraud and contaminated fish oil, many
would-be users of these oils have turned to another source of
essential fatty acids -- flaxseed oil, but there are some problems with
that you need to be aware of. It should also be noted
that flaxseed oil is the richest plant source of Omega-3 fats, so
you should eat it if you don't eat a lot of fish.
The problem, however, is that the ALA needs to be chemically
converted by your body to long-chained Omega-3 fats to then be
assimilable by your body.
If you're in ill health and your body can't properly convert ALA
to EPA and DHA, its health benefits are lost for you. Ideally,
consumers like you and me should take omega 3 supplements --
provided the fish oil is molecularly
distilled and of pharmaceutical grade quality , and
manufactured at GMP compliant facilities, which most omega 3 fish
oil supplements are not.
Warnings & Precautions
Clearly, omega 3 fish oil is the best source of DHA for your body
as it's assimilable and carries many potent health benefits, but
there are drawbacks. When you consider an omega 3 fish oil product,
please consider these facts:
- Unless the omega 3 fish oils are molecularly distilled, you're
literally taking toxins into your body. The fish that
are used for fish oils are taken from ocean areas known to have
high contaminates of PCBs, mercury, and dioxin. Molecular
distillation separates the toxins from the raw fish oil thus
preserving the benefits of the fish oil.
- DHA levels are low in most fish oils (mackerel, tuna, char,
etc.). Research shows 12% for DHA and 18% for EPA the norm.
- Omega 3 fish oil can be partially contaminated due to the lag
time between harvesting of the fish to when the ship takes to port.
The fish oil is delicate and grows rancid very quickly.
- The source of the
fish itself is important to getting quality fish oil. Ideally, the
fish should be taken from pristine ocean waters, but this is not
the case.
- Many sellers of omega 3 fish oil supplements say that the
predominance of DHA over EPA is irrelevant as the body converts EPA
to DHA. All things being equal this is true, but all things aren't
equal. Due to the high degree of fat found in the Western diet, the
enzymes needed for the conversion are non-existent due to the high
concentration of omega 6 fat intake. Generally speaking, the less
omega 6 fat you consume, the better your assimilation will be of
essential fatty acids. Please remember: it's not what you eat that's important, it's what your
body actually assimilates that contributes to your
health.
Omega 3 Supplements
If you're looking for an inexpensive, omega 3 fish oil
supplement that is high in DHA, is molecularly distilled and is
made of pharmaceutical grade fish oil, you might want to check out
this New Zealand company's Omega 3/DHA product, a scientifically
formulated containing fish oil esters, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, DHA,
EPA, and Vitamin E.
Please know this New Zealand company offers only GMP compliant,
pharmaceutical grade fish oil. I've added omega 3 fish
oil supplements to our personal supplement regime and can
attest to its benefits.
I hope this Omega 3 Fish Oil review has been useful to
you.
Yours in health, hope, and harmony,
Nutritional Supplement Bible.com
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