Reasonable fish oil supplement

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Nowadays, many people have a habit of using fish oil supplements daily. Besides supporting brain health, improving vision, fish oil also has anti-inflammatory properties for the body. Although many experts have proven that using fish oil is good for health, users should still learn carefully and pay attention to the appropriate dosage for the body.

1. Why should you use fish oil?

Fish oil is considered a beneficial product for human health because it contains a large amount of omega-3, which protects the cardiovascular system. However, the body is not able to produce this fatty acid on its own, and omega-3s need to be obtained from the diet.
Certain types of fish oils provide vitamin A, an important antioxidant, and vitamin D, which is necessary for bone health and overall immunity. The main omega-3s found in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which have a major impact on brain development and function.
By not adding fish to your regular diet, you could potentially be deficient in EPA and DHA - because most other food sources only contain omega-3s in the form of alpha-linolenic acid ( ALA). ALA is not believed to have as many positive effects as EPA and DHA.

2. Dosage

There are currently no recommendations for how much fish oil you should take.
However, there are recommendations for total omega-3 intake, as well as EPA and DHA intake.
The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for combined EPA and DHA is between 250 and 500 mg.
Therefore, when choosing to buy fish oil supplements, customers should read labels carefully to determine the amount of EPA and DHA provided. Typically, 1,000 mg of fish oil provides about 300 mg of EPA and DHA combined
RDI for total omega-3 intake should be 1,100 mg for women and 1,600 mg for men..
Most users can absorb it. There are some omega-3s in your diet, from foods like flaxseed, soybean oil and walnuts - but this is the omega form ALA.
Although the body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, often these converted amounts of EPA and DHA are not enough to provide the body with one. .
Normally, the body can consume up to 3,000 mg of fish oil per day and still ensure a safe and balanced omega-3 ratio.

2.1 For pregnant women

EPA and DHA are essential for fetal development. DHA is especially accumulated in the baby's brain during the third trimester of pregnancy.
However, many pregnant women do not meet the recommended intake of Omega 3.
Supplementing with EPA and DHA during pregnancy may also benefit the baby postpartum and during development. Potential benefits of this fatty acid include improved problem-solving skills and a reduced risk of asthma and food allergies.

WHO recommends that pregnant women get 300 mg of a combination of EPA and DHA per day - 200 mg of which should be DHA. Since most fish oil supplements contain more EPA than DHA, users should try to find one with a higher ratio of DHA to suit their needs.
However, when choosing products, pregnant women should avoid cod liver oil products, because this product contains a large amount of vitamin A. Consuming too much vitamin A can impair fetal development.
Just 1 teaspoon (4 ml) of cod liver oil provides 2,501 IU of vitamin A - which is about 97% of the RDI.

2.2 For infants and young children

The adequate amount of omega-3 for infants up to 1 year old is 500 mg per day, this amount gradually increases until the child is 14 years old and has the same omega 3 requirements as adults. So, EPA and DHA recommendations vary by age.
For example, about 100 mg of EPA and DHA combined is needed for a 4-year-old child, for an 8-year-old child, the required amount is about 200 mg.
Children's cod liver oil products can provide some natural vitamins A and D. While other fish oil supplements may be fortified with vitamins D, A and E during the manufacturing process to keep the oil stable and possibly extend its shelf life.
When buying a fish oil supplement for an infant or child, parents should try to find products that are specific to each stage of their child's development to ensure quality for other nutrients.

3. The benefits of fish oil

To maintain a healthy heart, users should make sure that the body is adequately supplemented with EPA and DHA. 1,000 mg of total EPA and DHA per day is the recommended ratio for people with cardiovascular disease and high risk of heart attack.
However, a recent review determined that taking EPA and DHA supplements, either through diet or supplements, had little or no effect on reducing heart attack risk. Even so, studies still show that fish oil can reduce blood levels of triglycerides, which is a risk factor for heart disease, and that the omega 3s in fish oil can also increase good HDL cholesterol.
The higher the intake of EPA and DHA, the greater the effect on triglycerides. Two medical studies have shown that consuming 3 to 4 grams of a combination of EPA and DHA daily can reduce triglycerides by 25% to 50% after 1 to 2 months.

Fish oil can also help improve mood. Research indicates that supplementing with EPA and/or DHA can improve symptoms of depression. One study found that a daily intake of 1,400 mg of a combination of EPA and DHA could reduce depressive symptoms in young adults after three weeks, while another study found that 2,500 mg of EPA and DHA reduced anxiety deposited in a healthy person. Furthermore, omega-3 supplementation with a higher ratio of EPA to DHA was more effective in managing depression.
In addition, increasing the amount of omega-3 in the body helps to reduce inflammation and prevent diseases like arthritis. In a study in 75 people with osteoarthritis of the knee, taking 1,000 mg of fish oil per day — including 400 mg of EPA and 200 mg of DHA — significantly improved inflammation in the knee. However, with concentrations higher than 2000mg, this result is no longer consistent.

4. Is Fish Oil the Best Source of Omega-3?

Fish oil supplements provide EPA and DHA - and many also have vitamins A and D for the body. Meanwhile, omega-3 supplements in general may or may not contain EPA and DHA, depending on whether they are derived from fish, seaweed or vegetable oils.
If the omega-3 supplement is derived from seaweed, the product usually has EPA and DHA with a higher ratio of DHA than EPA.
On the other hand, fish oil supplements often have higher amounts of EPA than DHA, while vegetable oil supplements give high amounts of ALA.
If users do not have the habit of eating fatty fish regularly in meals, fish oil supplements can increase the body's EPA and DHA levels. However, if the user adheres to a vegan diet and does not use fish products, an algae-based supplement is a good choice.
Reference article Healthline.com