Omega 3 Supplements – Best Sources, Health Benefits & Risks?

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Omega 3 supplements are some of the most popular supplements on the market today. The main reason that people are choosing the Omega 3 supplements over other supplements is due to the fact that these supplements can have wonderful benefits for both healthy people and people who are not in perfect health.

Table of Contents

What Are Omega 3 Supplements?

Omega 3 fish oil has some amazing benefits for people with heart disease, and they are the ones that are using the Omega supplements the most. Omega 3 supplements have many healthy properties in them, including DHA and EPA, and the fatty acids in Omega 3 supplements are what helps to prevent heart disease and helps people who already have heart disease to manage their symptoms.

The American Heart Association supports Omega 3 and recommends that everyone either consume fish or the fish oil supplements at least twice a week. Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to help reduce blood pressure, reduce triglycerides, and slow or stop the development of plaque in the arteries, which all helps to reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Research studies have also indicated that they can also help to reduce your risk of an abnormal heart rhythm.

Omega 3 Sources

There are two ways for you to get the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids that you need in your diet. You can either eat fish that is rich in Omega 3 acids or you can take Omega 3 supplements instead. This is certainly your own personal preference and you can choose the one that is right for you and your lifestyle.

If you are going to eat fish that is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, you are looking for fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna. The American Heart Association states that if you want to make sure that you are getting the largest amount of Omega 3 fatty acids that you can, you should try sticking with consuming fish, as they will give you the most amount of fatty acids.

However, not everyone likes fish or eats fish on a regular basis. For those people, taking the Omega 3 supplements would be the best way to go. Depending on your current situation, you may need more fatty acids than someone else.

Recommended Dosage Of Omega 3 Supplements

Patients with heart disease may need more Omega 3 fatty acids than someone who does not have heart disease. Your doctor will need to keep track of your levels to make sure that you are getting the proper amount of Omega 3 that your body needs.

Like with most other supplements, there are dosage limits that are put on them to help keep people safe and prevent them from overdosing. The recommended daily dosage for Omega 3 supplements are no more than 3 grams, and they also suggest that you talk with your medical doctor before you try upping your dosage. Your doctor will be able to tell you if you need to up your dosage or if you are already at a good level where you are.

Omega 3 Supplements Possible Side Effects

There are a few side effects when it comes to Omega 3 supplements that you need to be aware of. Remember these are side effects that other people have reported and they may not happen to you, but it is important to make sure that you are aware that they can happen. They include:

  • Nausea
  • Loose stools
  • Upset Stomach
  • Fishy breath
  • Fishy taste or after taste in your mouth

What is Omega 3 Fish Oil?

Now you may be asking yourself, “Just what is fish oil, and where does it come from?”

Fish oil is made from certain types of fish that naturally contains DHA and EPA. The fish oil comes from the tissues of oily, cold water fish, like salmon. Because our bodies need Omega 3 fatty acids, we have to take them from Omega 3 rich foods or receive them from the supplements.

The nutrients that are found in Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to our overall health. Omega 3 fish oil can help with your energy levels, and they are amazing for pregnant women or women who are trying to conceive. While these supplements should not be a replacement for a healthy diet and exercise, they can help you to lose a little bit of weight.

You can find fish oil in over the counter supplements at your local grocery store or pharmacy, but you can also receive fish oil supplements from your doctor in prescription form. Depending on your levels of Omega 3 fish oil in your body will determine if you need an over the counter supplement or something more from your doctor.

Most people will be able to take the over the counter fish oil, but those with a fish oil deficiency will need something stronger and will also need to be monitored by their doctor while taking it. Having an Omega 3 fatty acid deficiency can be a very serious medical condition if it is not controlled with a proper diet and medication.

It is currently on the top 10 list for cause of death in America, and claims the lives of close to 100,000 people every year. It is certainly something that you do not want to play around with and you want to make sure that you are constantly having your levels checked by a doctor or nurse.

Adding Omega 3 rich fish to your diet is the number one way of making sure that you are getting enough of those fatty acids in your diet. If you are considering taking the supplement as well as consuming those certain fish, you should consult with your medical doctor to make sure that you are not increasing your intake to a dangerous level.

Everything is best in moderation and the same goes with the Omega 3 fatty acids. While you do not want to have a deficiency, you also do not want to have levels that are too high in your body.

Omega 3 Supplements Benefits

Below are 13 commonly achieved benefits of taking or consuming Omega 3 fatty acids on a daily or regular basis. There are plenty more benefits, but these are considered to be the areas in which you can expect the most benefit from Omega 3.

ADHD

ADHD is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which affects millions of people every year. This is a disorder that people live with their entire lives and usually take medications to help control the effects of. Many research studies have been conducted on children who have ADHD to see how Omega 3 fatty acids benefit them in terms of controlling their ADHD symptoms.

In one study, researchers found that the children who took Omega 3 fatty acids in addition to their regular ADHD medications showed significant improvement in not only their overall behavior, but also in the areas of aggressiveness, restlessness, and performance at home as well as school.

Other researchers have found that children with ADHD that take Omega 3 fatty acids also have an easier time concentrating and an easier time staying focused on tasks, such as reading and writing. The fish oil is affecting their brains and nerve center to help them stay focused and able to perform properly in each aspect of their lives.

Alzheimer’s Disease

There have been many studies conducted on the connection between Alzheimer’s Disease and fish oil. Research studies have indicated that adding Omega 3 fish oil to the diet of a person with Alzheimer’s Disease could help to slow the decline in their cognitive function.

It was also shown that it could help slow or stop the onset of Alzheimer’s in people who are taking it on a regular basis. Studies have also been conducted on people who do not have Alzheimer’s and have no family history of the disease, and in these people results showed that the fish oil helps to stop any signs of Alzheimer’s in these patients.

Consistently throughout a large portion of research studies, Omega 3 fish oil has been the front runner is helping to return cognitive function to those who have lost it to this disease. While more research needs to be conducted to see if there is a way to reverse Alzheimer’s completely, researchers are positive about the results they have already seen and hope to see more in the future.

Anxiety

There are not many published research studies on humans when it comes to the connection between anxiety and fish oil. It is believed that fish oil can help to reduce anxiety and depression by affecting the parts of the brain that control our anxiety.

There are research studies in the works to study how giving children fish oil on a regular basis could affect them, such as if it could prevent children from developing anxiety in the first place.

Arthritis

Millions of people all over the world suffer with the effects of arthritis on a daily basis. There are many over the counter and prescription medications out there that state they can cure the arthritis. However, most medications are simply just masking the pain for a few hours before it returns.

Research studies conducted on people with Rheumatoid arthritis over an 18 month period showed that fish oil worked just as well as NSAIDs for controlling the pain. The study also indicated that Omega 3 fish oil supplements were significantly safer for the patients than NSAIDs are.

This may make the fish oil supplements a better alternative for pain management and also gives the patient less of a chance of becoming addicted to the medication.

Cancer

Because there are so many different forms of cancer, there is no way to know if fish oil can help with all of them without extensive research studies. However, studies have been conducted in the areas of colon, prostate, and breast cancer and have shown promising results.

Research studies have indicated that adding Omega 3 fish oil supplements to regular cancer drugs can actually make those cancer drugs more effective for the patient. The nutrients in the fish oil have been shown to kill and help prevent more cancerous cells from forming.

While it is best used in addition to prescription cancer drugs, it can be used as a therapy all to itself. It would be considered more of a home remedy cancer treatment or a more natural cancer treatment than the actual prescription drugs.There seems to be a trend when it comes to cancer, women, and fish oil.

Women are seeing the most improvement in their situation when they add in the fish oil, and though men are also having success, they are not having it at the rate that women are. A 2016 study found that women who consumed large amount of Omega 3 rich foods in their childhood and early adult lives have a significantly less chance of developing breast cancer than women who did not consume large amounts of fish.

Cardiovascular Disease

Most people are unaware of all of the nutrient properties that fish oil has naturally. Studies conducted in the Netherlands showed that Omega 3 fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which means that they can help to relieve any inflammation that may pop up in the body.

Reducing the amount of inflammation in your body is very important, as this helps to reduce and prevent any cardiovascular diseases or issues. People taking fish oil also have a lower chance of developing heart disease, having a heart attack, or suffering from a stroke.

Studies are also being conducted to see how fish oil affects people who have had heart attacks. One study that has already been completed showed that people who added fish oil to their diets after having a heart attack actually improved the overall health of their hearts.

Depression

While people with anxiety are still waiting for more research studies to be conducted, people with depression have already been a part of smaller studies. These research studies have indicated the children and teens with depression are more likely to see a significant decrease in their depression when they take fish oil supplements than those who are simply on depression medications.

The study also showed that the patients had a significant increase in the overall nutrients that their brains were lacking.

Diabetes

Omega fish oil supplements have shown amazing promise with people who have diabetes. One research study showed that people with diabetes taking fish oil had a significant decrease in the risk of developing a cognitive deficit. It also helped to reduce the triggers that cause diabetes complications and reduce the amounts of oxidative stress that they might have.

Another research study has shown that men and women who consume two servings of a fatty fish each week are almost 50% less likely to develop an eye disease called Diabetic Retinopathy. The researchers conducting the studies have also indicated the Omega 3 fatty acids and their supplements should be a vital addition to a diabetic health plan.

Eye Disorders

Research has been conducted on patients with both age related Macular degeneration and cortical cataracts. The studies have indicated that the EPA and DHA that are found in the fish oil supplements can actually help stop and reverse the affects that these diseases cause.

Researchers believe that the reason for these eye diseases come from the lack of Omega rich foods in the diets of older people. The patients that they studied showed little to no Omega 3 fish oil in their bodies, which puts them at risk of an Omega 3 deficiency that can be deadly.

Immune System Function

We all need our immune system to work properly and to work all of the time to help keep us from getting sick. However, when you lack something that is vital to your immune system, it can be hard to get your immune system back working properly again.

An immune system study was conducted on lab rats with Omega 3 fish oil, but is believed to be able to work the same way on the human immune system. This study showed that when you combine Omega 3 fish oil or the supplements with the antioxidant astaxanthin, you are getting a double dose of protection for your immune system.

If you are not big on eating fish, there are fish oil supplements on the market that also contain astaxanthin so you are still able to get both into your diet.

Skin and Hair

Omega 3 fish oil has been shown in research studies to help with certain skin diseases and irritations, as well as with hair issues. And with hair issues, we aren’t talking about being able to fix a bad haircut, but rather this pertains to dandruff and thinning hair. Most people will experience dandruff at some point in their lives and it can be both annoying and frustrating to get rid of it and make it stay away.

The fatty acids that are in Omega 3 fish oil moisturizes your skin and your scalp and helps to keep your skin on the scalp from drying out and flaking off. The fish oil can also help with skins irritations and diseases, and eczema and psoriasis are two main skin issues that fish oil can help to treat.

Omega 3 fish oil can also help to relieve the itch and burn of a sun burn, while helping to heal your skin. With eczema and psoriasis, it can help to stop what causes the diseases and also returns lost moisture to your skin to help prevent the cracking or flaking of your skin.

Pregnancy

For women who are pregnant, it is recommended that they consume the fish oil supplements instead of the Omega rich fish. The reason for this is that pregnant women should not consume large amounts of mercury in their diets, which is often found in fish. The DHA in fish oil is essential for the unborn baby, as it helps to develop their eyes, brain, and nervous system.

Pregnant women need extra amounts of Omega 3 while they are pregnant, and they are more likely to get that higher amount when it comes in the supplement form. Some research has indicated that women taking an Omega 3 supplement are less likely to deliver their baby prematurely, which gives the baby more time to develop and grow.

Weight Loss

While taking fish oil supplements or eating Omega 3 rich fish on their own will not cause you to lose large amounts of weight, it can help you when you combine it with a healthy diet and exercise. Adding a fish oil supplement to your daily routine will give you the nutrients that you need from the oil and it will also help you to lose some weight.

The fish oil can reduce your cholesterol levels and also your triglyceride levels, which are directly related to you packing on the pounds. By getting those two items under control, you are more likely to lose weight than if you chose not to add a fish oil supplement.

Final Words On Omega 3 Supplements

When it comes to Omega 3 fish oil supplements, there are so many benefits that can make life easier and healthier for the people who are taking them. As with any other supplements and medications, you should consult with your medical doctor before you begin taking them.

You will want to have your doctor check your Omega 3 levels and make sure you do not have too much in your system already before you add a supplement. You should also only take the recommended dosage, or the dosage set for you by your doctor. Consuming large amounts of a fish oil supplement can cause you to have internal bleeding.

When it comes to buying your fish oil supplements, you want to make sure that you are looking at the ingredient list first. All of the ingredients, including the capsule that the fish oil is in, need to be natural ingredients.

They do make all vegan capsules, so you will want to look for those. This will allow you to have all of the natural nutrients from the Omega 3 fish oil without adding anything unnecessary to your body.

You can also add fish oil supplements to your other medications, supplements and prescriptions alike, but make sure that you check with your doctor or pharmacist first to make sure there are no known drug interactions.

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