A lot of the benefits of taking fish oil in the form of either dietary fish or fish oil comes from omega-3 acids called docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA for short, and eicosapentaenoic acid, more commonly known as EPA, the Mayo Clinic reports. By regularly taking recommended amounts of DHA and EPA you lower the amount of triglycerides in your blood, reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke, slow the hardening of your arteries and, to a lesser degree, lower your blood pressure. However, taking more than what is recommended may actually be harmful.
High Doses
There is a good chance that taking more than 3 g of fish oil per day may be unsafe because this may keep your blood from clotting properly and increase your chances of bleeding, MedlinePlus reports. Aside from this, high doses of fish oil may reduce your body's ability to fight infection by reducing the activity of your body's immune system. This becomes a special concern especially if you are taking medications that already work to suppress your immune system's activity or if you are elderly. In addition, taking large amounts of fish oil can increase the bad cholesterol in some people so have your blood tested regularly to make sure that your cholesterol levels are not too high.
Recommended Doses
If you are a healthy adult with no history of heart disease, include fish in your meals at least two times a week, MayoClinic.com reports. If you are unable to include fish in your diet, try to get from 0.3 to 0.5 g of a combination of EPA and DHA everyday. If you have medical conditions, it is best if you first consult a doctor or a pharmacist for the best dose for your particular condition. There are no clearly established doses for children who are younger than 18 years old, so consult a doctor when you are considering giving them any sort of supplement. Be careful when feeding fresh fish to young children because of the presence of potentially harmful environmental contaminants.
Availability
Mackerel, tuna, salmon, sturgeon, mullet, bluefish, anchovy, sardines, herring, trout and menhaden are among the fish that are espeicially rich in omega-3, MedlinePlus reports. For every 3 1/2 oz. of fish of this type, you can get 1 g of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil supplements typically contain mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, or seal blubber and often include small amounts of vitamin E to prevent spoilage. In addition, these supplements may also contain calcium, iron, or vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-3, C or D.
Choosing Omega-3 Supplements
When selecting omega-3 supplements, avoid products that don't list the source of their omega-3 oils, Helpguide.org recommends. There is a very good chance that such products contain only alpha-linolenic acid, commonly called ALA for short, an omega-3 oil that is not as healthy as either DHA or EPA. Also avoid fortified foods that claim to be high in omega-3 fatty acids because in actuality, the amount of omega-3 that these foods contain are minuscule. Be sure to look at the total amount of EPA and DHA on the label. What really matters is the amount of omega-3 instead of the amount of fish oil. So if a supplement claims that it has 1,000 mg of fish oil but lists only 300 mg of EPA and DHA you would have to take three capsules to get close to 1,000 mg of omega-3. Finally, choose supplements that are mercury-free, pharmaceutical grade and contain both DHA and EPA.
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