![]() ![]() This exposure can result in oxidization, reducing the total EPA and DHA concentration of the oil. ![]() So how does this happen? Scientists speculate that in the production process, fish oil may become exposed to the air. What’s more, two-thirds of the research samples contained less than 67 percent of the EPA and DHA advertised. In fact, of 32 commercially available supplements analyzed by researchers in Australia and New Zealand in 2014, only three had levels of EPA and DHA equal to or greater than those advertised on the label. One concern is that over-the-counter supplements may not deliver the fish oil dosage promised on the label. Only recently have the supplements been studied in a more comprehensive way, and the results raise worrisome questions. The government’s optimism remained guarded, however the FDA stated that the research was “not conclusive.” But that disclaimer did little to stem the tide of American consumers hungry for omega-3s in a capsule-or companies that were eager to deliver it to them.īut when you look at the entirety of omega-3 research, one thing sticks out: Most of the data on the benefits of omega-3s came from studies that looked at consumption of fish, not fish oil supplements. Those efforts proved so successful that by 2004, the FDA allowed dietary fish oil supplement labels to state that the capsules may reduce coronary heart disease risk. They brought in lobbyists to push legislation that would codify the benefits of fish oil into federal product labeling guidance. Supplement producers started sending out fleets of warship-size trawlers to harvest omega-3-rich fish. Later the formula was refined to eliminate the fish burps of early omega-3 supplements. The result: a convenient capsule that delivered the goods in one easy swallow. So the supplement industry, sensing an untapped market, decided to address those concerns. Some guys may not like the taste others might think fish is too expensive, too smelly, or too complicated to cook. men is a measly 1.4 ounces a week, a 2014 Nutrition Journal study found. Is Taking a Fish Oil Supplement as Good as Eating Fish?Īverage intake of omega-3-rich fish among U.S. In 1994, it staged a conference about the therapeutic benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. The findings implied that omega-3s from fish lowered blood levels of triglycerides, potentially reducing the risk of conditions like heart disease and cancer.Īdditional data over the ensuing decades appeared to support these claims, and by the mid-1990s, the American Heart Association was all in. Later research identified the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA, primarily) as the beneficial silver bullet these are found in high concentrations in such oily fish as sardines, mackerel, and herring. That’s when a landmark study from Denmark revealed low rates of coronary artery disease and diabetes among indigenous Greenlanders with a fish-rich diet.įrom that point on, the scientific community quickly began building a case for the link between fish consumption and good health. And when your grandpa was a pup, he probably had to swallow cod-liver oil to prevent rickets, a bone disorder caused by vitamin deficiency.īut modern research into the protective health effects of oily fish began around the 1970s, when scientists homed in on polyunsaturated fat intake. The Spaniards believed fish bile cured madness. The Bible has anecdotes of people using fish gallbladders to treat blindness. THE LINK between consuming fish oil and good health go way back. Luckily, there's a simple step you can take, starting today, to drastically improve your heart health (not to mention your overall health in general) and it doesn't involve buying or taking a single pill. #Fish oil benefits professional#Despite early buy in from doctors and their respective professional associations, many are now making an about-face on the supplement in terms of recommendations. Is fish oil just another form of snake oil? Quite possibly. So if you're taking an omega-3 supplement because you think it may prevent heart disease, boost your brainpower, slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration, or stave off prostate cancer-you might want to reconsider. While research in the 1990s initially suggested benefits from dietary fish oil supplementation, these new studies-including several high-profile reviews published in trusted journals-no longer support many of the original health claims marketers used to sell their supplements. Unfortunately, a large and growing body of research from the last decade warns that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may now have a catch. ![]()
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