Benefits of Fish Oil Supplements - Untold Facts Revealed!

There are numerous benefits of fish oil supplements that doctors share with their patients these days, but a number of them remain unsung. However, clinical trials continue to show positive effects of fish oil supplementation when used to help treat or prevent several ailments. Doctors typically communicate fish oil's potential to improve and prevent medical conditions associated with the cardiovascular system, including coronary heart disease, high triglycerides, and sometimes even high blood pressure.

Fish oil is often referred to as an omega-3 fatty acid, an essential fatty acid (EFA). Essential fatty acids or EFAs are essential because the body cannot synthesize them. Instead, they must be consumed through diet or supplementation.

Some EFAs are omega-6 fatty acids, the kind we get from food sources, such as red meat, cheese, and butter. People, especially those of European and North American descent, usually consume too many of these fatty acids, developing cardiovascular complications. This may be the result of inflammatory characteristics worsened by long-term consumption.

EFAs are precursors to the eicosanoids, which are chemical messengers in all the cells in our bodies. Some eicosanoids are good, and others are bad. The good ones are usually synthesized through omega-3 fatty acids, and the bad ones are synthesized through omega-6 fatty acids. Good eicosanoids produce inflammatory effects, and bad eicosanoids produce anti-inflammatory effects.

The medical community has repeatedly performed clinical trials validating the efficacy of dietary fish oil and omega-3 supplementation in preventing and improving medical conditions besides those associated with the cardiovascular system. However, it doesn't fully embrace fish oil's positive effects as a buffer against these conditions. Still, the evidence is hard to deny, and many are unwilling to put their health on hold while waiting for the medical community to catch up.

Some of the medical conditions for which omega-3 supplementation is beneficial include prostate cancer, breast cancer, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dry-eye syndrome, asthma, and multiple sclerosis (MS). There are many others we could list but have decided to omit because of space concerns. Medical researchers attribute the benefits of fish oil supplements to their anti-inflammatory qualities.

Medical afflictions arise from genetic predispositions. However, eating a healthy diet--one that includes more omega-3 fatty acids and less omega-6 fatty acids (precursors to inflammation)--can prevent healthy cells from mutating into those that cause these afflictions.

Before you start consuming more fish, though, you might want to consider supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules, as wild seafood may contain toxins like mercury, PCBs, and dioxins. Eating farm-raised fish is not the best solution either. Such fish is grain fed, not fed with algae, which contains heavy amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

What is the solution? Consuming purified, high-quality omega-3 supplements is the solution. Many manufacturers specify only minimum dosages, but you can usually take up to threefold the amount listed on labels. Just talk to your medical practitioner or naturopathic doctor first. In fact, your naturopathic doctor will probably reveal more benefits of fish oil supplements than a conventional physician would.

Also, if you choose to supplement with omega-3 fatty acids, do not discontinue taking medicines prescribed by your doctor. Instead, talk to you doctor beforehand, and find out whether there are complications that may arise from supplementation.