Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat that can be found in fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines and salmon. You can also get omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil. These essential fatty are important for the function of your brain and can also be used for other health problems.
Uses
One of the main reasons people take fish oil is to lower their risk of developing cardiovascular problems, because fish oil can lower your blood pressure, prevent aberrant blood clotting and lower your triglycerides, MayoClinic.com states. Fish oil also reduces inflammation and may be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Others use fish oil to treat psychiatric problems such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Fish Oil and Omega-3 Content
When you are trying to determine how much fish oil to take, you need to base your doses on the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in the supplement. Fish oil contains eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, also known as EPA and DHA. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 5 g of fish oil can contain between 0.17 and 0.56 g of EPA and 0.072 to 0.31 g of DHA, demonstrating the variability between different fish oil supplements.
Dosing
The amount of EPA and DHA you should consume each day depends on why you are taking fish oil supplements, EMedTV explains. For example, if you have high triglyceride levels, you should take a fish oil supplement that provides between 2 and 4 g of EPA and DHA combined. Coronary artery disease, on the other hand, should be treated with 1 g of EPA and DHA daily. If you are taking fish oil for rheumatoid arthritis, 3.8 g of EPA and 2 g of DHA are an appropriate dose.
Risks
Taking too much fish oil can be dangerous. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil make it harder for your platelets to stick together, which impairs blood clotting. High doses of omega-3 fatty acids can make it too hard for your blood to clot, causing you to bruise or bleed more easily. This is especially dangerous if you are taking warfarin, aspirin or other medications that thin the blood.
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