Health Benefits of Fish Oil
In addition to weight loss, the health benefits of fish oil extend to several organ systems including the heart, brain, eyes and skin.
Your Heart on Fish Oil.The heart benefits of fish oil first became apparent when it was noted that North American Eskimos who eat large amounts of fatty fish have a very low risk of heart attack.Since then, many studies have confirmed that fish oil supplements do indeed reduce the risk of heart attack. Although the exact mechanism isn’t known, fish oil supplements have been shown to reduce blood pressure, to lower blood levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, and to reduce the risk of developing abnormal heart rhythms. Fish oil supplements have also been shown to improve survival rates in those who do suffer a heart attack.
Fish oil supplements seem to be particularly effective in reducing blood triglyceride levels. Studies have shown that fish oilcan lower triglycerides levels by 30% in those with mildly elevated triglyceride levels (150-500 mg/dl) and by a whopping 45% in those with levels above 500 mg/dl. This effect may be due to reduced synthesis of fat compared to those who did not take fish oil pills.
More Benefits of Fish Oil: Your Brain on Fish OilThe brain contains a great deal of fat so its not surprising that one of the benefits of fish oil is improved cognitive function.Indeed, fish oil does appear to improve overall cognition. It also reduces symptoms of depression, and of attention deficit disorder or ADD in children. And fish oil supplements may also lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Studies have shown that blood levels of DHA or docosahexaenoic acid one of the main fatty acids found in fish oil, are significantly reduced in the serum of patients with Alzheimer’s diseases, and progressively decrease relative to the severity of the dementia. The reverse also appears to be true: in the Framingham Heart Study those with the highest plasma levels of DHA had a 47% lower risk of developing dementia than did those with the lowest DHA levels.
Cancer and Fish OilIn addition to improving heart and brain health, one of the benefits of fish oil may be to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Epidemiological studies show that populations that eat large amounts of fish have lower rates of cancer than populations that eat less fish. And other studies have shown that individuals with higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids are less likely to develop certain cancers, particularly of the breast, colon and prostate.Fish oil may also help cure cancer both directly through its regulatory effect on cell death and indirectly by sensitizing tumors to various chemotherapeutic drugs.
Fish Oil and Inflammatory Disease
Because the omega-3 fatty acids are precursors of molecules that are anti-inflammatory, it seems logical that they would help alleviate the symptoms of the various inflammatory diseases.
Fish oil supplements help lower blood levels of CPR or C-reactive protein, a substance that increases dramatically during inflammatory processes and is used as a marker of inflammation. And they have been shown to reduce the inflammation and pain associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases including asthma, arthritis, and colitis. In one clinical trial, for instance, patients with arthritis and high levels of CRP were given 300 mg/day of fish oil (as krill oil). After only 7 days of supplementation not only were CRP levels reduced by 19.3% but pain scores were reduced by 28.9%, stiffness by 20.3%, and functional impairment by 22.8%. Not surprisingly, fish oil has similar effects on other inflammatory conditions as well. Fish oil supplements have been shown to reduce the risk of developing allergies and asthma in children and to decrease the amount of bronchodilator medication needed by asthmatics. Supplementation with fish oil has even been shown to reduce menstrual pain - another condition caused by inflammation.
More Health Benefits of Fish OilIn addition to the known benefits of fish oil on heart and brain health, research is increasingly showing that fish oil supplements enhance the health of many different organs , including the eyes, skin and even overall body composition.For example, one study demonstrated that taking 300 mg /day of fish oil reduced the risk of developing acute macular degeneration, a serious eye disease, by approximately 70%. In skin, fish oil supplementation has been shown to reduce sunburn sensitivity and early skin damage markers suggesting that long term supplementation might reduce skin cancer. And recent studies have shown that fish oil enhances exercise-induced weight loss and can increase weight loss in those following a reduced calorie diet. Effect of Fish Oil Supplements on Menopause
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