Both fish oil and flaxseed oil provide cardiovascular benefits that might be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease. However, making the choice between the two is much more than making a vegetarian and nonvegetarian choice between two vitamins. This is because the benefits provided by the oils are more bioavailable from one source than from another.
Fish Oil
The fish oil contained in capsules is usually a mixture of the oil expressed from the liver of multiple fatty fish. Some examples of these fish include salmon, mackerel and cod. Fish oil contains high amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
Benefits
According to the Mayo Clinic, taking the recommended dose of EPA and DHA has multiple cardiovascular benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease, strokes and lowering your cholesterol. Research has shown that these substances reduce systemic inflammation and retard the progression of atherosclerosis by making arteries resistant to arterial plaque.
Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are derived from plants can be found as whole seeds and in the form of ground meal. Like fish oil, flaxseed oil is also sold in capsule form and also contains omega-3s fatty acids. Unlike fish oil, flaxseed also contains omega-6 fatty acids in addition to the omega-3 alpha linoleic acid. When alpha linoleic acid enters your body, it is converted into EPA and DHA to some degree.
Benefits
According to researchers at the University of Maryland, flaxseeds provide a higher concentration of omega-3s in the form of alpha linoleic acid. However, the conversion of alpha linoleic acid to EPA and DHA is not a thorough one and some benefits might be lost in the process. As a result and even though flaxseed also contains omega-3s, research showing that flaxseeds provide the same cardiovascular benefits as fish oil is inconclusive. A healthy diet has a good balance of omega-3s and it is recommended that you eat two to four times more omega-3s than you do omega-6s.
Warnings
Both flaxseed oil and fish-oil supplements can interact negatively with medications. According to the University of Maryland, these fatty acid oils can increase your potential for hemorrhage by enhancing the effect of blood thinners like aspirin, Warfarin and Plavix. They can also increase your glucose fasting level which is of special importance to those who are diabetic or pre-diabetic. In contrast they can also positively enhance the effects cholesterol lowering medications to help them work more effectively. Your physician will be able to educate you on any potential drug interactions.
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