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I’m sure you may have been told at some stage to take fish oils for its health benefits, but what actually are fish oils and what are these benefits exactly?
There are two types of fish oils - omega 3 fatty acids, or eicosapentaenoic acid (but that’s really long so let's call it EPA for short) and omega 6 fatty acids, or docosahexaenoic acid (but that’s also really long so let’s call that DHA for short). Both are a type of polyunsaturated fat and have various benefits in the body, which we will get into a bit later.
In your diet you can usually obtain these oils from cold water fish, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, tuna, halibut and cod. However, if you don't eat fish meals 2-3 times per week(1), you have the option of taking supplements.
At Kardinia Osteopathic Clinic, Metagenics is our brand of choice for our supplements and these may help with a range of medical conditions.
Fish oil health benefits include:
Whether you get your fish oils from your foods or in supplements form, we do not recommend that they replace any medications that your medical specialist has placed you on. For further information click herefor the metagenics information on "Why everybody needs fish oils".
We have several fish oil products available at the clinic if you are interested in purchasing. Ask at reception or your practitioner for further information.
REFERENCES
1. Australian Heart Foundation 2. Sacks FM et al. The effect of fish oil on blood pressure and high-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in phase I of the Trials of Hypertension Prevention. Trials of Hypertension Prevention Collaborative Research Group. J Hypertens Suppl. 1994;12(7):S23-31. 3. Eslick GD et al. Benefits of fish oil supplementation in hyperlipidemia: a systematic
review and meta-analysis. Int J Cardiol. 2009 Jul 24;136(1):4-16. 4. Minihane AM et al. Consumption of Fish Oil Providing Amounts of Eicosapentaenoic
Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid That Can Be Obtained from the Diet Reduces Blood Pressure in Adults with Systolic Hypertension: A Retrospective Analysis. J Nutr. 2016 Mar;146(3):516-23. 5. Amminger GP et al. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids for indicated prevention of psychotic
disorders: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010 Feb;67(2):146-54. 6. Nagakura T et al. Dietary supplementation with fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated
fatty acids in children with bronchial asthma. Eur Respir J. 2000 Nov;16(5):861-5. 7. Mangano KM. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their relation with bone and muscle health
in adults. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2013 Sep; 11(3). 8. Goldberg RJ and Katz J. A meta-analysis of the analgesic effects of omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for inflammatory joint pain. Pain. 2007 May;129(1-2):210-23. Epub 2007 Mar 1.