Omega-3 Fish Oil
– By Ryan Hommel
In the past decade, people have been searching for supplements to keep them ahead of the curve when it comes to staying healthy. This can be harder than it seems due to the lack of regulation on supplements, the various number of companies claiming their products are superior to the rest, and the surprisingly low level of knowledge when it comes to supplementation in America. However, there is one supplement that has been sweeping through the country without much backlash at all. That supplement is omega-3 fish oil.
Omega-3 fish oil is a beneficial supplement for both healthy individuals and those who are battling illness and disease. The omega-3 fatty acids have proven to benefit your joints, bones and skin, although it’s main purpose is to help prevent and manage heart attacks and heart disease. To break it down a little farther, the omega-3 fatty acids contain EPA (eicosapentaenoic) and DHA (docosahexaenoic), which are what actually benefit the heart, joints, skin and bones. These fats are what people refer to as the “good fats” that help to balance out the “bad fats” in your diet. Along with helping your joints, skin, bones and heart, omega-3 can also help maintain triglyceride levels that are already within a normal range.
The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two cold water fish per week, but most American’s do not intake that much. That is why it’s important to supplement your diet with fish oil pills. The recommended dose for omega-3 fish oil is about 3 grams per day. If you think you have an abnormally low amount of omega-3 in your diet, talk to your doctor about upping your dosage. The only possible side effects of taking omega-3 fish oil are, a fishy taste in your mouth, fishy smelling breath, bruising, mild stomachaches, mild nausea and loose stools.
It’s vital to understand what to look for when purchasing supplements in America. This is due to the FDA not regulating dietary supplements using the same policy as they do with foods. Although supplements are still somewhat regulated, and the FDA will post warnings on products saying they may not lead to the results the consumer is looking for, supplements are not considered a nationally covered product within the FDA. This has lead to companies being able to get away with dishonesty regarding the ingredients they are putting in their products. One good way to check and see if a company is using the correct ingredients is to look up the company name and then “quality control” on Google. If they show that they take the necessary precautions to make sure their work environment is clean, they are using safe ingredients, and they can prove their ingredients are what they say they are, then it is most likely a reliable company.
Omega-3 fish oil has been a very successful supplement, becoming even more popular over the last 10 years. If you are interested in taking omega-3 fish oil, make sure you know what to look for, how much to take, and be aware of the effects it has on your body. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure about any of those things. Supplementation is only effective if the consumer makes sure they are going about it in the correct manner, hopefully this article can help our readers do just that.
Resources:
Puritains Pride www.puritainspride.com
Web MD www.webmd.com
Nature Made www.naturemade.com
Last Modified: