Loaded with omega-3 polyunsaturated essential fatty acids, fish oil is critical to your body's well being. The body does not produce fatty acids. The body uses fatty acids for normal growth and development, brain function, cognitive abilities and improving memory. Additional benefits include a variety of hearty health benefits. However, it's important to not add a fish oil supplement unless approved by your medical doctor.
Healthy Adults
Healthy adults may receive enough fatty acids through diet alone. Fatty fish contain large amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA; and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. According to the American Heart Association, one serving of fatty fish such as salmon, tuna or herring is 3.5 ozs. or three-fourths cup shredded fish. The AHA suggests healthy adults add two servings or more to their diet each week. Each servings contains about 1 gram of fish oil, depending on the fish. Prepare your fish by broiling or baking and seasoning with lemon and fresh herbs. Frying fish in grease and seasoning with heavy sauces, creams or salt dramatically decreases and even eliminates any heart health benefits. Studies show environments where fish is a regular dietary staple have decreased incidents of heart attack.
Heart Disease Patients
The AHA suggests patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease to include 1 gram of fish oil into their diet daily. Fish oil is recommended to come from your diet, but taking a daily supplement is also suggested. Fish oil decreases blood clots, hardening of the arteries and plaque development. According to MedlinePlus, fish oil may even reduce the occurrence of heart attack and stroke.
Triglycerides and Cholesterol
Cholesterol and the related fatty triglycerides are indicators of possible future heart disease or undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. MedlinePlus states that fish oil may reduce triglycerides by as much as 50 percent. The AHA suggests taking between 2 and 4 grams of fish oil daily to reduce high triglyceride levels. Still, this should only be considered if approved directly by your medical doctor. Taking 3 grams or more of fish oil greatly increases your risk of excess bleeding.
Alternatives
Not everyone may want to consume fish or fish oil, even though they are one of the highest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Alternatives to fish oil include algae, krill and some nuts, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Fish actually feed on algae to gain fatty acids. Algae supplements are available on the nutritional market and often touted as a vegetarian alternative. Krill oil is becoming a more popular alternative to fish oil, however more research is recommended. Krill are a type of shrimp whose oil has the same components as fish oil. Nuts such as walnuts contain a different form of fatty acids known as ALA, or alpha-linolenic acid. The body converts the ALA into the same type of omega-3 fatty acid fish contains, but at a reduced rate.
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