We Need A Good Source of Omega 3 Fish Oil

Omega 3 fish oil has unanimously been declared as healthy fats that are good for everybody, even for those who are on a low fat diet. Doctors are increasingly recommending it to patients who suffer from a wide range of diseases and the American Heart Association's new guidelines have stressed the importance of it in the prevention and cure of a whole host of cardio vascular problems.

The Sources
Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna are rich sources of Omega 3 fish oil. However, increasing pollution levels of the waters is a worrisome factor and eating too much fish can put you at risk of consuming high amounts of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) toxins. Pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplements are also rich in Omega 3 fish oil and are a good and safe alternative to eating fatty fish that could contain contaminants. Care should be taken however that fish oil pills are only bought from established pharmacy companies as inferior quality fish oil pills tend to get rancid, causing a host of adverse health effects.

Pregnant women especially, have to be extra careful to limit the amount of fish they eat as the high mercury levels could be harmful for the unborn baby.

Raw fish can be particularly dangerous. Frequently indulging in eating different forms of raw seafood, including sushi, could make you vulnerable to the Hepatitis A virus.

The Benefits
Omega 3 fish oil has been touted as the miracle brain food of the 21st century, and for good reason too. A major portion of the brain is composed of fats. Studies show consumption improves the development and memory functioning of the brain right through to old-age.
Fish oil contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) as well as docosahexaenoic acids (DHA), both of which helps lower triglyceride levels, reduce inflammation and blood clotting, reduce the risk of abnormal heart rhythm and heart attack, lowers blood pressure levels marginally and slows down the build up of atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries. EPA and DHA also reduce the risk of a stroke in people with existing cardio vascular disease and helps prevent secondary cardiovascular diseases. Research suggests that Omega 3 fish oil also has the potential to decrease platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), inhibit the appearance of vascular adhesion molecules, decrease platelet aggregation and stimulate relaxation of the endothelial cells that lie in the walls of the blood vessels.

The benefits are found to be dose-dependant with higher doses having greater effects. While a daily dose as low as 2 grams does have beneficial effects, a higher dose of 4 grams a day can potentially lower the level of triglycerides by as much as 25% to 40%.

Precautions
People who are hypersensitive or allergic to fish should avoid fish and fish oil supplements. It is advisable to consume Omega 3 fish oil only in recommended doses as high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids can cause adverse side effects caused mainly due to the high levels of methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins.