Fish oil and selenium provide health benefits that may include protection against heart disease and other diseases. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated fat, which may help improve cholesterol levels for heart health and reduce the risk of dying of heart disease, MayoClinic.com notes. Some fish also contain selenium, an essential mineral that may play a role in lowering harmful cholesterol and reducing plaque buildup in the bloodstream. Selenium may interact with drugs to lower cholesterol. Check with your doctor for dietary and medical information about your heart health.
Fish Nutrients
Finfish and shellfish provide you with selenium as well as protein and other nutrients. Fish contain vitamins, such as riboflavin, or vitamin B2, and vitamin D, along with other minerals, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. Fish with rich amounts of selenium include mackerel, tuna, herring, halibut, flounder, smelts, oysters, lobster and scallops, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Mackerel, tuna, herring and halibut, along with lake trout, sardines and cod, also have high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which play a key role in health benefits.
Selenium Foods
Aside from fish, you can get selenium from whole grains, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, liver, butter, Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds. Levels of selenium from certain foods may vary because of the way the foods are grown or the amount of selenium in soil. Refined or processed foods may deplete levels of selenium. Eating whole, unprocessed foods, especially fish, helps retain selenium levels for your diet.
Heart Protection
Fish oil lowers triglycerides, fats in the blood, MedlinePlus points out. Excess amounts of triglycerides can increase the risk of heart disease. The FDA approved prescription fish oil supplements, omega-3-acid ethyl esters, to lower triglycerides. The omega-3s in fish oil may also expand blood vessels to reduce high blood pressure, a heart disease risk factor. Deficiency of selenium may contribute to heart failure and worsen atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, the University of Maryland notes. Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause plaque to form on the arteries, leading to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Blockage of blood flow to the heart can cause heart attack or stroke. Selenium, working with other nutrients, may help lower LDL cholesterol, which forms plaque and clogs the arteries.
High Fish Oil and Selenium Intake
People who have a high intake of selenium in their diets have lower rates of cancer, but studies on selenium's effectiveness in protecting against various cancers remain mixed, according to the University of Maryland. Populations where fish plays a central role in the diet appear to have lower rates of heart disease. Inuit Eskimos from the Canadian Arctic and Greenland regions have healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels. They consume a high amount of omega-3-rich fish. The Mediterranean diet, which includes at least two servings of fish a week, may help reduce heart disease.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Omega-3 in Fish --- How Eating Fish Helps Your Heart; December 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Selenium; May 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; June 2009
- JAMA; Eating Fish: Health Benefits and Risks; October 2006
- MedlinePlus; Fish Oil; November 2010
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