Benefits of Fish Oil - Proven Beyond Medicine

Omega 3 fatty acid deficiency is officially one of the top 10 causes of death in America, claiming the lives of up to 96,000 people each year. Out of the 12 dietary, lifestyle and metabolic risk factors examined in the study, omega 3 fatty acid deficiency ranked as the sixth highest killer of Americans.These deaths are considered preventable since getting enough omega 3 fatty acids in your diet can ward off this now common cause of death, and fish oil benefits omega 3 intake as a potent omega 3 source. The fish oil benefits include decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke while also helping reduce symptoms of depression, hypertension, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain, arthritis and chronic skin ailments like eczema. Fish oil intake has also been associated with aiding the body in weight loss, fertility, pregnancy and increased energy. Prescription fish oil has even been approved by the FDA to lower unhealthy high triglyceride levels. Most of the fish oil benefits are because it’s one of nature’s richest sources of omega 3 fatty acids. While fish oil benefits are numerous, there are some false claims on how to use this incredible supplement, but in this article I go over the proven scientific evidence to demonstrate the true benefits of fish oil.

What Is Fish Oil?
Fish oil comes from the tissues of oily fish. The best sources are cold water, fatty fish. When it comes to human consumption of fish oil, you can get it from fish themselves or from a fish oil supplement. Fish oil is a concentrated source of omega 3 fats, which are also called ω 3 fatty acids or n 3 fatty acids. To get more scientific, omega 3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs. Our bodies are able to make most of the fats we need need, but that’s not true for omega 3 fatty acids. When it comes to these essential fats, we need to get them from omega 3 foods or supplements. Fish oil contains two very important omega 3 PUFAs. I’m talking about docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are sometimes called the marine omega 3s because they mainly come from fish. Some of the best fish to eat to obtain fish oil from in your diet include wild caught salmon, herring, white fish, sardines and anchovies.

13 Fish Oil Benefits
There are so many fish oil benefits. These are just some of the top scientifically proven fish oil benefits I want to make you aware of.

ADHD
Many members of the medical community, like myself, believe that suboptimal levels of omega 3 fatty acids may contribute to symptoms of ADHD and related developmental problems as well as many other mental health problems over one’s lifetime. A 2012 study involved children from 6 to 12 years of age with ADHD who were being treated with methylphenidate and standard behavior therapy for more than six months. The parents of these children reported no improvement in behavior and academic learning using these standard treatments. The researchers randomly gave some of the children an omega 3 and omega 6 supplement or a placebo. They found statistically significant improvement for the omega group in the following categories: restlessness, aggressiveness, completing work and academic performance. Another study found that increasing omega 3 intake, specifically DHA, may improve literacy and behavior in children with ADHD. Fish oil is believed to work via its effects on brain function, which makes sense when you consider that 60 percent of the brain is composed of fats.

Alzheimer’s Disease
For several years now, the fish oil and Alzheimer’s disease connection has been studied with consistent results. The essential fatty acids vital for brain function that are found in fish oil can not only slow cognitive decline, but can help prevent brain atrophy in older adults. A study published in the FASEB Journal looked at the health effects of four to 17 month supplementation with omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants.