The Benefits of Fish Oil and Omega-3 fatty acids

According to renowned research scientist Dr. Barry Sears, Medical Research is focusing more and more on the health benefits of high dose fish oil, which has long been considered by doctors around the world to be one of the most effective remedies for improving physical performance, treating depression and arthritis, and improving concentration and memory. Fish oil is also widely considered to be effective in preventing heart disease because of it's rich omega-3 component. In addition, new research suggests that high doses of fish oil may also be effective in combating Parkinson's disease, Attention deficit disorder, and other Neurological problems.

Fish oil has been linked to disease prevention. The US National Institutes of Health has also Recognized the benefits of DHA and EPA and has published Recommended Daily Intakes of fatty acids. They recommend a daily intake of 650 mg of DHA and EPA, and 4.44 g/day of linoleic acid. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have used high doses of fish oil to treat bipolar disorder, with considerable success. In addition, researchers in the United Kingdom have reported positive results in treating schizophrenia with fish oil supplements. Current medical research is also focusing on the use of high doses of fish oil during radiation treatment and chemotherapy, as well as for treating Fibromyalgia.

On the whole, there appears to be consensus that Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil promotes a healthy vascular system. Fish oil contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), both of which are omega-3 fatty acids. These particular omega-3 fatty acids may inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis.

Essential fatty acids are grouped into two families, omega-6 EFAs and the omega-3 EFAs. Omega-6 acids promote inflammation, blood clotting, and tumor growth, while omega-3 acids, found in fish oil and very few other sources, act entirely opposite, according to researcher Hans R. Larsen, MSc ChE.

According to Larsen, Scientists were first alerted to the many benefits of EPA and DHA in the early 1970s when Danish physicians observed that Greenland Eskimos had an exceptionally low incidence of heart disease and arthritis despite the fact that they consumed a high-fat diet. Subsequent research later discovered that the two fats or oils that they consumed in considerable quantities, EPA and DHA, were indeed very beneficial.

Dr. Sears states that the purity of the fish oil is the single most important factor to consider when taking it as a supplement. To manufacture pharmaceutical-grade fish oil requires extensive purification. In fact, it takes 100 gallons of health-food grade fish oil to make one gallon pharmaceutical-grade fish oil. It should be known by anyone taking fish oil supplements, that there are several medications which may have beneficial or harmful interactions with them. They are Cyclosporine, Pravastatin and Simvastatin.