Fish oil, which comes from the fat inside cold-water fish, contains two main substances that may lower people's risk of cardiovascular disease. The Linus Pauling Institute reports that the main components of fish oil -- EPA and DHA -- can reduce cardiovascular disease in many ways, such as slowing the growth of plaque inside arteries and preventing abnormal heart rhythms that can lead to sudden heart attacks.
EPA
EPA, which is short for eicosapentaenoic acid, can prove quite effective in reducing cardiovascular disease risks, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center, and it can also help people with existing heart disease improve their health. The University of Maryland Medical Center adds that EPA may also reduce the symptoms of depression in people of all ages, help infants grow and develop normally, decrease the pain that women experience from menstrual cramps, and fight a wide variety of medical conditions, including kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.
DHA
DHA, an abbreviation for docosahexaenoic acid, also is a powerful tool in combating cardiovascular disease, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports, and it's necessary for adults' brains to function well and for infants' sight and nervous systems to develop properly. Just like EPA, DHA may be useful in fighting a myriad of other health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, says the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Recommended Daily Amounts
People who want to use fish oil to decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease should aim to eat at least two small servings of oily fish every week, or consume fish oil supplements containing between 400 and 500mg of EPA and the same amount of DHA, recommends the Linus Pauling Institute. The University of Maryland Medical Center cautions that women of childbearing age should avoid consuming too much of the mercury that's often found in fish and recommends that they refuse to eat high-mercury fish such as swordfish and Atlantic mackerel while limiting their intake of white albacore tuna to less than 6 oz. weekly. Since mercury is often removed from fish oil when it's processed as a supplement, women who may become pregnant can consume EPA and DHA through fish oil supplements that indicate on the containers that they're free of mercury. But the University of Maryland Medical Center says that women who are already pregnant should talk to their doctors about fish oil supplements before deciding whether or not to take them.
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