Fish Oil Omega 3 Supplements

Consider some numbers: (1) you get around 1 gram of essential fatty acids from 3.5 ounces of fish (2) the American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish at least twice a week (3) the FDA has recommended that no more than 3 grams of DHA and EPA combined be consumed each day.

So, if you eat 2 pieces of fish that are 5 ounces each per week, then you are getting around 2.85 grams of fish oil omega 3 –vs- the FDA allowance of 3 grams per day. With this deficit and the remarkable health benefits for numerous health areas and conditions that fish oil has shown to provide – there is definitely a case for taking fish oil omega 3 supplements.

However, there are some issues with omega 3 supplementation to consider, these are related to (1) possible interactions (2) quantity that is consumed (3) fish oil source and purity.

To begin with, if you are pregnant or possibly are allergic to fish, definitely check with your doctor before taking any fish oil supplement. And if you are taking other medicines, be sure to check for interactions. For instance, if you are taking blood pressure medicine, then the fish oil may increase the effect and lower your blood pressure too much. Or, if you are taking medicines that slow clotting like Coumadin, which seems to have interaction problems with everything, the fish oil may cause bleeding.

As is the case with so many things, people have a tendency to think that if a little bit is good, then a lot is better – and that is one of your risks, because too much could hurt you. Remember – the Federal Drug Administration has recommended that no more than 3 grams of fish oil omega 3 fatty acids be consumed each day.

Your fish oil source and purity is probably the biggest issue with supplementation – consider the following:

* Purity: Free from contaminants, with very strict testing for heavy metals, PCBs, and dioxins
* Freshness: Low oxidation levels that keep any free radicals to a minimum
* Natural: Ensures best body absorption as compared to a synthetic oil
* DHA Content: Varies among supplements with higher levels having the best anti-inflammatory properties

Fish Oil Omega 3 Supplement Recommendation

My favorite fish oil omega 3 supplements come from Xtend-Life. They follow a very rigid set of guidelines and standards in order to provide not only the best fish oil available, but also a supplement that is extremely effective in maximizing health benefits.

As discussed, inflammation is one of the primary causes for heart disease, along with leading to many other health conditions – this is why you want to take a fish oil supplement. Xtend-Life Omega 3 DHA Fish Oil has been shown to have 2.5 times the anti-inflammatory properties of ‘normal’ fish oil, and double that of fish oil that is highly concentrated.