Derived from the flesh of fatty fish, fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is used as a medicinal supplement to protect your heart and keep it healthy. Daily treatment with fish oil supplements can help lower high blood triglyceride levels and may also decrease high blood pressure, prevent heart disease and reduce inflammation throughout your body. Additional health applications for fish oil supplementation may include diabetes, mental health and learning disorders and skin and eye diseases. Additional research is needed to support these purported health benefits of fish oil, however.
Warning
The amount of fish oil you should consume daily may vary depending on your age and health status. Normally, you need to take fish oil daily for at least 2 to 3 weeks before health benefits develop. Though fish oil supplements are available over-the-counter, do not take more than 3 g of this supplement daily unless you are instructed to do so by a physician. High doses of fish oil may increase your risk of developing bleeding complications.
Healthy Adults
Taking 300 to 500 mg of fish oil daily can help healthy adults reduce their risk of having a stroke or developing heart disease. Alternatively, healthy adults can get adequate levels of fish oil in their normal diet by consuming two, 3.5-oz. servings of fatty fish each week. Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids include trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon.
Adults with CHD
Adults with coronary heart disease, also called CHD, can consume 1 g of fish oil each day. Taking fish oil that contains a combination of DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, and EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid, can help prevent atherosclerosis, a heart condition caused by the buildup of fatty plaques along your arteries.
Adults with Dyslipidemia
Dyslipidemia is a medical term used to describe abnormally elevated blood levels of triglycerides and cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol, your physician may recommend taking 2 to 4 g of fish oil to help reduce your cholesterol levels. People with elevated triglyceride levels may need between 1 and 4 g of fish oil each day, depending on the severity of their condition.
Other Health Conditions
Children and adults with other health conditions, such as asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or depression, should seek guidance from a doctor to determine how much fish oil to consume daily.
Member Comments