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What is fish oil anyway?
The current weather is conducive to infections. We do our best to protect our families from diseases. But how do you do it when everyone is coughing and sneezing? A great method seems to be taking fish oil. But does it really work?
The name cod liver oil is reserved for Atlantic cod liver oil and other cod family fish. It is an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. For this reason, you have to be very careful with the dosage. Excess of vitamins A, D, E and K. it is very harmful, e.g. vitamin A overdose leads to acute or chronic poisoning, the symptoms of which are headaches, irritability, heaviness, diarrhea, bone decalcification, kidney disorders, skin reactions, hair loss.
It is best to take fish oil in the fall and winter period and never exceed the dose recommended on the packaging.
The beneficial effect on our body will be felt after the amount of fish oil contains 1g of omega 3, taken daily for several months. The greatest treasure of fish oil are the omega 3 fatty acids, and more precisely the fatty acid docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA). These are long-chain fatty acids that are part of the essential, unsaturated fatty acids. We cannot produce them in the body, so providing them with food is necessary. Of course, it is best to eat sea fish (twice a week). Good sources of these fatty acids are, for example, salmon, herring, halibut and hake, as well as linseed, almonds, avocados (however, we need much less vegetable omega 2). If we are not able to cover the demand with fish alone, fish oil will be the rescue. You can also enrich milk with omega-3 fatty acids, which we wrote about in a separate article.
What about this resistance?
Omega 3 fatty acids are really versatile: they are necessary for the functioning of the brain (Scientists from Queen Mary University in London confirm the protective and regenerative effect of omega 3 on the brain, nutritionist Marta Tomaszewska also wrote about the effect of omega 3 on nerve cells), they strengthen eyesight, protect sperm , strengthen the heart, have anticoagulant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. And how is this immunity? First of all, it is important to know that the omega-3 deficiency itself leads to the formation of arachidonic acid (omega 6) compounds that increase inflammation, it also increases the possibility of blood clots and allergies.
We have a lot of omega 6 acids in our diet, so let’s not fall for omega 3 and omega 6 capsules. The ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 should be 1: 1 (at least 1: 4), and in the modern diet it is 1:20 !
In the last 10 years, there has been significant progress in understanding the mechanisms of action of omega-3 fatty acids. The beneficial effects of these fatty acids have not turned out to be so obvious. There were voices that in some cases they may have a bad effect on the immune system, and even. One such study was that conducted by scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The results suggested that consuming omega-3 fatty acids increased the risk of prostate cancer. The study, however, turned out to be not entirely reliable – it was not based on the amount of acids in the diet of the respondents, but on their content in the blood.
Research published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity also confirms that taking omega-3 fatty acids after exercise improves athletes’ immunity.
The bad taste, however, remained. Fortunately, most reliable research allows us to hope for the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids on our immunity. It is recognized that EPA and DHA can inhibit the activation of the prototype NF-kB transcription factor. In simple language, the discussed acids can interfere with very early immunodeficiency processes. EPA is also a precursor of pro-inflammatory eicazonoids such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes. These complex compounds are biologically active and extremely important in the course of physiological, inflammatory and immunological processes. Studies show that supplementation with long-chain fatty acids increases their participation in immune cells and modifies the production of important inflammatory mediators, and supports the immune response towards a more anti-inflammatory state.
Moreover, a study published that year in Diabetes / Metabolism Research and Reviews confirms that fatty acids play a large role in reducing obesity-induced inflammation.
Fish oil in the pharmacy – what to choose?
It is difficult to choose the right fish oil from the pharmacy shelf. Bet on the most expensive one? The most famous and advertised? The most delicious? Or maybe it doesn’t matter? It has a lot of it. It is worth knowing about a few things before going to the pharmacy. So what oil to choose?
1. With the highest possible concentration of omega-3 acids.
Why? First of all, for your comfort and wallet. The higher the concentration of omega 3, the lower the daily dose of cod liver oil you will need and the later you will see the bottom of the bottle.
2. Standardized.
Standardization ensures the uniformity of the content of active compounds in each portion of the supplement.
3. Better not tasting.
If we are able to swallow natural fish oil, avoid the flavored one. We will then reduce the addition of artificial flavors and flavor enhancers.
Tran is not for everyone
Fish oil is a very helpful natural supplement. We should undoubtedly take advantage of its many properties. However, as with everything, you should be moderate and follow the recommendations on the packaging. An overdose of omega-3 fatty acids alone results, among others, in bloody petechiae and tissue degradation. It also turns out that there are people who should not take fish oil at all, or at least not without the knowledge of the attending physician:
- suffering from hypercalcemia, calcium kidney stones (fish oil facilitates the absorption of calcium),
- taking anticoagulants (omega-3s enhance their effect),
- taking vitamin A and D supplements (to avoid overdosing).
And you take fish oil?
The title photo is from: athriftymrs.com / Foter / CC BY-SA
Photo 1 of the text is from: James Bowe / Foter / CC BY
Photo 2 of the text comes from: athriftymrs.com / Foter / CC BY-SA