Fish oil contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Based on numerous clinical and epidemiological studies that show that fish oil lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the American Heart Association recommends a diet rich in fatty fish and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids if you have a healthy heart and fish oil supplements if you have heart disease or an elevated triglyceride level. Too much fish oil can cause health problems, so ask your doctor about the right dose for you.
How Does Fish Oil Help Protect Your Health?
Fish oil increases good HDL cholesterol levels and helps to slow down the plaque buildup that causes hardening of the arteries. Plaque buildup in arteries can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart rhythm irregularities and high blood pressure.
What Foods Are Good Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Fatty or oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines, halibut, sturgeon, mullet, bluefish, anchovy and menhaden are excellent sources of the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. Because some fish can contain mercury, check to make sure the fish you buy has a low mercury level. Walnuts; flaxseeds; and canola, soybean, flaxseed/linseed and olive oils are excellent vegetable sources of alpha-linolenic acid, a compound that can be converted into omega-3 fatty acids.
What are the Recommended Doses of Fish Oil?
The AHA recommends eating fatty or oily fish at least twice a week, as well as including vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet on a daily basis, if you have a healthy heart. If you have heart disease, make sure you consume a total of 1 g per day of EPA and DHA from fish or supplements. If your triglyceride levels are high the AHA suggests supplementing with 2 to 4 g per day of EPA and DHA. Check with your doctor before beginning supplements.
Can You Take Too Much Fish Oil?
According to the Mayo Clinic, too much fish oil can raise bad LDL cholesterol and might decrease the body's ability to fight infection by adversely affecting your immune system. Taking a higher than recommended dose of fish oil may also enhance the effect of blood pressure medication and lower blood pressure too much. Excessive doses of fish oil can interfere with anticoagulant drugs, medications that slow clotting, and cause bleeding.
Does Fish Oil Interact with Other Supplements?
The Mayo Clinic suggests caution when combining fish oil with certain vitamin and herbal supplements. Fish oil can decrease the free-radical scavenging ability of vitamin E. Some herbs, including angelica, clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, red clover, turmeric and willow slow blood clotting times. When combined with fish oil, these herbs can cause bleeding problems.
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