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Reasons Why You Need Fish Oil | 14th February, 2018

What Fish Oil Is For
Fish oil is a form of fatty acid that is derived from the tissues of oily fish. It contains the omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are what has gained the most attention with regard to health research over the last few years.
 
Individuals who consume a high amount of fatty fish in their diet tend not to need to supplement with fish oil capsules as much or as often. However, you should remember that many fish varieties do contain higher levels of mercury, which also needs to be monitored in the human body.
 
Fish oil supplements offer a wide variety of benefits. Here are three important ones you should know about.
 
 Healthy Cholesterol Level Support
Supplementing with fish oil may support a healthy blood cholesterol profile already within a normal range. Adding 3-6 grams of fish oil a day can help promote healthy ratios of HDL to LDL, as well as healthy levels of triacylglycerol concentrations in the body when they are already in healthy range.
 
If you can start using fish oil, as well as eating a diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, you will support overall health and well-being.
 
 Bone Health Support
As you grow older, especially in the case of women who are entering the menopausal years and who no longer have the standard estrogen and progesterone hormone levels, the bones may begin to thin, which then sets you up to experience osteoporosis.
 
Studies have looked at the implications of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes on the bone density and calcium balance in menopausal women, and have found that those who do take in higher levels of fatty acids may help support healthy bones.
 
Mood Support
Research has indicated that including fish oil in your diet on a regular basis may offer mood support.
 
The diets of many people are so filled with processed foods that there is not enough quality nutrition coming in to support a healthy system. This only adds to the stress build-up that may exacerbate mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
 
Fish oil consumption helps support the levels of serotonin in the body, which is often termed the "feel-good" hormone. You will typically reap the benefits of serotonin after eating a carbohydrate-heavy meal, which is what puts you in a relaxed and peaceful state. For this reason, individuals typically crave high-carbohydrate foods when they are stressed.
 
By supplementing with fish oil, you will naturally support your own serotonin release in the body, which may help manage stress.
 
 Depression
 
We have already seen that fish oil can help with depression-like symptoms in rats, but what about people? A study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience evaluated the effects of fish oil supplementation on prefrontal metabolite concentrations in adolescents with major depressive disorder. Researchers found that there was a 40 percent decrease in major depression disorder symptoms in addition to marked improvements in amino acid and nutrition content in the brain, specifically, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
 
 Diabetes
 
A study published in Brain Research shows how far-reaching fish oil can be for people with diabetes. Researches found that fish oil can help reduce the risk of diabetics from developing cognitive deficit because it protects the hippocampus cells from being destroyed. The study also showed that fish oil could help reduce oxidative stress, which plays a central role in the development of diabetes complications, both microvascular and cardiovascular.
 
Another recent study shows that fatty fish consumption can cut the risk of eye-diabetes complications. The researches tracked the seafood consumption of about 3,600 diabetic men and women between the ages of 55 and 80 for nearly five years. The researchers found that people who regularly consumed 500 milligrams each day of omega-3 fatty acid in their diets (equal to two servings of fatty fish per week) were 48 percent less likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than those who consumed less.
 
Combined, this shows consuming fish oil benefits diabetics and that fish oil sources should be included as part of a diabetic diet plan.
 
 Eye Disorders
 
There is more good news when it comes to fish oil and eye health, and it is just not just for diabetic this time. Fish oil has been shown to reverse age-related eye disorders. In March 2014, French researchers evaluated 290 patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and they discovered that dietary oil fish and seafood intake were significantly lower in AMD patients. Due to the high EPA and DHA levels in fish oil, it was concluded that this kind of nutritional intervention could especially benefit those at high risk for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
 
A higher intake of polyunsaturated fats like those found in fish and fish oils have also been linked to reduced levels of cortical cataracts.
 
 Immune System Function
 
An animal study revealed that when the antioxidant astaxanthin is combined with fish oil, the immune-boosting power is multiplied. The researchers believe that the results of this study are definitely applicable to human health. They conclude that the study reinforces the health-promoting effects of habitual fish consumption.
 
Salmon is a fish that naturally contains both fish oil and astaxanthin. I also recommending buying a fish oil supplement that contains astaxanthin.
 
11. Skin and Hair 
 
The health benefits of fish oil can be incredible for the bodys largest organ, the skin. This source of essential fats improves the health and beauty of human skin in several ways. Fish oil benefits and nourishes the skin with fats and contributes fat-soluble vitamins that help skin maintain a smooth, elastic texture. There is also evidence that fish oil prevents wrinkles and works against the aging process.
 
The deficiency of EPA and DHA in diet contributes to skin conditions, such as dandruff, thinning hair, eczema and psoriasis, as well as age spots and sun spots. Without the essential fatty acids, too much moisture leaves the skin. The truth is your internal health can appear on your skin, and taking fish oil internally as a supplement may be as good as or better than applying conventional moisturizers.
 
In one study, individuals taking fish oil equivalent to 1.8 grams of EPA had a significant reduction in symptoms of eczema after 12 weeks. Researchers believe that these effects may be due to fish oils ability to reduce leukotriene B4, an inflammatory substance that plays a role in eczema.
 
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, fish oil can aid in preventing or slowing heart disease, which is especially great for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis sufferers who are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. When it comes to using fish oil supplements for the alleviation of psoriasis symptoms, studies have been mixed with some showing improvement but others showing no effect. If you suffer from psoriasis, you may want to try a fish oil supplement, or else I highly recommend that you make sure to have fish rich in omega-3s regularly.
 
One of the biggest reasons fish oil leads to healthier skin is definitely the fact that it can reduce inflammation. Research has shown that fish oil supplements can even reduce sun-induced inflammation and provide sunburn relief. “The sunburn response is markedly reduced by dietary fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.” 
 
Fertility and Pregnancy
 
Recent studies have shown that the consumption of fish oil (or, more specifically, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil) can improve fertility in both men and women. DHA, which is a byproduct of omega-3 fatty acids, plays a key role in the mobility of sperm and health of sperm in men. Low blood levels of DHA have been linked to decreased fertility. Animal studies have found that the DHA in fish is vital to changing dysfunctional round-headed sperm into strong swimmers with cone-shaped heads packed with egg-opening proteins. 
 
Fish oil has also been shown to increase fertility in women by reducing inflammation, balancing hormones and regulating their cycles. Also, fish oil has been found effective in treating conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis, which can cause infertility.
 
Fish oil is also extremely beneficial for pregnant women and their children. Throughout pregnancy and also while breastfeeding, a womans omega-3 needs are even higher than usual. According to the American Pregnancy Association, most U.S. women are deficient in EPA and especially DHA going into pregnancy and get even more depleted during pregnancy, as the placenta supplies the fetus with DHA from the mothers tissue. Omega-3 DHA is a critical building block of the fetal brain, eyes and nervous system. Once the baby is born, omega-3s continue to be vital to healthy brain development and immune function. 
 
Omega-3 fatty acids also seem to reduce the chance of premature delivery.  EPA and DHA intake can help support healthy labor and delivery outcomes. This omega-3 duo also helps normalize mood and overall well-being in the mother after giving birth.
 
 Weight Loss
 
Australian researchers published results of a study examining the effects of fish oil on weight loss in combination with diet and exercise in the May 2007 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The results show that a combination of fish oil supplements and regular exercise can reduce body fat while also improving heart and metabolic health. The fish supplementation group had lowered triglycerides, increased HDL cholesterol and improved blood flow. Overall, adding fish oil to a current exercise program (and a overall healthy lifestyle) looks like it can decrease body fat as well as cardiovascular disease risk.
 

     
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