Fish Oil and Heart Health

There are many health benefits of fish oil, but what about fish oil and heart health?

Fish oil, which comes from the tissue of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, is one of the few dietary sources that contains a substantial amount of the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are essential fatty acids (EFAs) that are critical for good health, but the body is not able to produce them and they must come from food or supplements. Many people are deficient in DHA and EPA.

The health benefits of fish oil are powerful: it has strong anti-inflammatory properties, it increases fat loss and decreases fat retention, it may reduce the risk for developing breast, colon and prostate cancer, it may help prevent age-related macular degeneration (an eye disorder), it may help in the treatment of depression and ADHD, and it may reduce the risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

With regard to fish oil and heart health, multiple studies, some dating back 20 and 30 years, have found that the DHA and EPA in fish oil not only helps prevent cardiovascular disease in healthy individuals, but also reduces the incidence of cardiac events and mortality in individuals with existing heart disease.

In addition to these studies, cultures that have traditionally supported a diet rich in fish oil, such as Asian and Alaskan American populations, have had a lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease and mortality compared to European and United States populations where consumption of fish is lower.

Researchers believe that DHA and EPA help keep the heart healthy by getting into the membranes of cells and improving the heart's electrical activity, among other benefits. Studies show that the reduction in cardiovascular events is inversely related to the tissue level of DHA and EPA.

Here are the specific effects that fish oil has on cardiovascular health:

* It reduces the risk of heart disease and heart attack.
* It improves blood vessel functioning.
* It reduces triglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood).
* It increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
* It lowers blood pressure.

Although eating fatty fish provides you with DHA and EPA, there's a growing concern that many types of fatty fish are contaminated with PCBs, mercury and other environmental toxins. There's also no way to be sure that the fish you're eating contains enough DHA and/or EPA to provide maximum health benefits. This is why many people are turning to fish oil supplements. A high quality fish oil supplement will be free of contaminants and contain a high concentration of DHA and EPA.

When it comes to purchasing a fish oil supplement, you need to be very selective in what brand you choose. Several brands have been found to contain PCBs, mercury, dioxins, arsenic and lead, and the oil in several brands has been found to be rancid. Safety and efficacy should always be your number one concern. Only buy fish oil supplements from a trusted company that has a track record of producing high quality products and whose products are backed by solid clinical evidence supporting their efficacy and safety.

In conclusion, now that you're aware of the connection between fish oil and heart health, you should strongly consider making fish oil supplements a regular part of your diet. In addition to keeping your heart healthy, you'll also experience the many other health benefits that fish oil supplements provide.