07/06/2022
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐-๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐จ๐ข๐ฅ?
Omega-3 fish oil is a fantastic nutrient. From before weโre born through to our golden years, this essential fatty acid has a role to play at every stage of our lives.
And while other supplements fall in and out of fashion faster than you can say โactivated charcoalโ, omega-3 is here to stay. First discovered in the late 1920s, the essential fatty acid really entered the public consciousness in the 1970s when researchers discovered that Greenland Inuits, who consumed vast amounts of oily fish, didnโt have the levels of cardiovascular disease we suffered from in the West.
These days omega-3 is one of the best-researched supplements on the planet. With benefits that range from the cosmetic (who doesnโt want younger-looking skin?) to the physiological (from maintaining normal blood pressure to keeping your eyes healthy), itโs tempting to think we should all be taking omega-3 by the tablespoon. But is that really the case?
So who needs omega-3 fish oil in their lives and is there anyone who really shouldnโt be taking it? Read our guide to find out.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐-๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ?
If youโre already eating the kind of diet a nutritional therapist would be proud of you may think that taking a fish oil supplement really isnโt for you. Surely itโs best just to get your omega-3 by eating the fish itself, rather than taking it as a supplement?
Well, yes and no. While it is true that supplements canโt undo the effects of a poor diet, very few of us are able to eat the recommended amount of oily fish we need for good general health.
Both the NHS and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) say we should all aim for two 140g portions of fish a week, one white (like cod) and one oily (like mackerel). This would give you a weekly omega-3 intake of around 3,150mg. Unfortunately, most of us fail to get even that modest amount, with only 27% of UK adults eating oily fish regularly according to the SACN.
And if you were hoping to see some physical benefits from eating oily fish, like maintaining a healthy heart youโd need to eat much more than this. A European Food Standards Authority-approved health claim suggests taking 3,000mg for the maintenance of normal blood pressure.
To get anywhere near those sorts of levels would mean eating far more than the current recommended amounts of oily fish. From mackerel to salmon, oily fish contains low levels of pollutants that build up in the body over time. For this reason, healthy adults shouldnโt eat more than four portions per week, while women who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldnโt eat more than two.
Credits: Bare Biology
