Fish oil is one of the best sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It also provides a concentrated source of energy for your body, with 1 tbsp. offering nearly 14 g of fat to your diet. To benefit from the nutrients in fish oil, however,your body must first digest it. This process takes place in your small intestine, with the help of your liver, gallbladder and pancreas.
Fat Digestion
The fats you consume, such as from fish oil, are not soluble in the liquid environment of your digestive system. To address this issue, your liver produces a fluid called bile. Bile, which is stored in your gallbladder once your liver manufactures it, emulsifies your dietary fat. In other words, once the fish oil you eat travels from your stomach to your small intestine, bile breaks the fat into small droplets that mix in water. Once this happens, your pancreas secretes an enzyme that splits the fat molecules into three fatty acids plus a glycerol. These products of fish oil digestion are now small enough for your small intestine to absorb.
Benefits
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, an essential fatty acid you cannot synthesize and therefore must include in your diet. Once the process of digestion releases the fish oil fatty acids, they are free to travel to the cells throughout your body. Omega-3 fatty acids help to lower your cholesterol levels and stabilize your blood pressure, decreasing your risk for heart disease. The omega-3 fatty acids released from fish oil digestion may also reduce inflammation in your body, potentially helping treat the symptoms of disorders such as arthritis. Another benefit of the fats from fish oil digestion is the high food energy they contain -- more than twice that of carbohydrates or proteins.
Drawbacks
Because fish oil is energy-dense, consuming more than your body needs may cause you to store the excess as fat tissue. In addition to unwanted weight gain, the omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil digestion may increase your tendency to bleed. Fish oil supplements may therefore be contraindicated if you take blood-thinning medications such as warfarin or aspirin. Fish oil may also negatively impact your digestive system by causing gas or diarrhea, particularly if you take too much at once or consume it between, rather than with, meals.
Considerations
Depending on the source of fish oil, supplements may contain toxic contaminants. For example, fish oil supplements derived from mackerel, a cold-water fish with a tendency to accumulate mercury, may expose you to this heavy metal. To minimize your risk of consuming toxins, select fish oil supplements from a reputable dealer that tests for impurities.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
- Clinton Community College of the State University of New York: Digestive System
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center: Macronutrients: the Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; June 2009
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