I’ll venture a guess that you’ve heard of fish oil, but do you know why fish oil? Are you aware of the rationale behind it being such a staple in the fitness community? Oil itself is a broad term that can range from preserving an engine to making your skin shine, yet this oil goes in the body to improve not only its function, but its output. Here’s everything you need to know about the brain, heart, and vision health vanguard that is fish oil.

SECTIONS:

What Is Fish Oil
What Are Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Benefits Of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Symptoms Of Omega 3 Deficiency
Side Effects Of Fish Oil
Common Sources Of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Daily Recommendation For Omega 3 Fatty Acids
My Thoughts

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What Is Fish Oil

I could’ve spent even less time studying in school if words like this made it to the vocabulary test; fish oil is actually oil from a fish. The oil is obtained from the fatty tissue, most commonly through a process referred to as wet pressing.

Fish oil gets the name recognition, but it’s merely a vehicle.. The best vehicle in fact. The most concentrated vehicle for the transportation of omega 3 fatty acids.

What Are Omega 3 Fatty Acids

This reason alone is what makes fish oil the belle of the ball: omega 3s.

Omega 3 fatty acids fall under the polyunsaturated fat category along with omega 6 fatty acids.

Note: despite the benefits soon to be mentioned with adequate omega 3 consumption, you want your saturated fat intake to always outweigh polyunsaturated fat intake, for otherwise there’ll be issues with maintaining testosterone levels [12] (what makes broccoli a friend to testosterone).

The catalog of omega 3s is longer than science often discusses. The focus is primarily on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an essential fatty acid meaning your body can’t piece it together.. Has to come directly from an outside source.

DHA and EPA are the money makers. A percentage of ala is transformed to EPA or DHA upon ingestion, yet the efficiency of this conversion is so poor your ala consumption would need to be astronomical to reach EPA and DHA optimization. Partly why vegans in particular come up short in the EPA, DHA department, but vegans aren’t alone.. Most fail in this sector of health (why meat isn’t the problem).

What Are The Benefits Of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

At this point of our information gathering journey we’ve established it’s about the omega 3s. Fish oil just happens to supply a channeled amount, but I’m sure now you’ve traveled the wonder path and landed on curiosity lane considering why DHA and EPA should be on your radar at all.

Omega 3 benefits:

Anti-inflammatory properties [20]
Inhibition of platelets [16]
Reduces triglycerides aka body fat [13]
Improvement in endothelial function [15]
Plaque stabilization [14]
Antiarrhythmic effects [17]
Lower risk of metabolic syndrome [5]
Boosts cognitive function [7]
Betters your mood [6]
Bolsters muscle growth [19]
Lowers heart disease risk [18]
Enhances muscle protein synthesis [8]
Helps retain muscle mass [9]

Yes, ‘tis true. Omega 3 intake will make you superhuman, well maybe not that, but it’ll raise the quality of some significant bodily functions. Furthermore, it’ll enhance your performance and aesthetic potential when it comes to putting those muscles to use. It had me at triglyceride reduction and assistance with hypertrophy. The anti-inflammation pro leading to joint pain relief is simply a bonus feature for me, let’s get it.

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Symptoms Of Omega 3 Deficiency

I can’t lie, the indications you’re low on omega 3s run the risk of duplicating indications you have other issues, which makes pinpointing the problem more difficult.

The best method is a broad awareness of your dietary habits, including supplementation. If you know those you’ll know if you’re in the ballpark or if you’re at the wrong address.

Omega 3 deficiency symptoms include:

Rough skin
Dermatitis
Issues detectable by labs IE high cholesterol
Anxiety (how to manage stress)
Depression [21]

Note: the litany of conditions the right amount of omega 3 fatty acids can improve unironically work against you when deficient. They may not stick out in singularity, however the impact of less than full capacity functionality will have you running in mud.

Plans

Side Effects Of Fish Oil

The right amount of omega 3s, emphasis on right amount, may be the best thing since the cheese cracker, but its vehicle.. Namely fish oil comes with a little mileage.

One is mercury.

If you stayed awake long enough in high school chemistry you might recall the element mercury coming up on the periodic table as a metal.

No relation to the high temperature planet, but it would be like playing with fire if you consume too much of it. Flying too close to that sun puts you at risk of mercury poisoning, which has unflattering side effects like: numbness, muscle weakness, rashes, cognitive decline, anxiety, vision impairment, and the bad reviews could continue, but you get it.

Nearly all sources of fish contain mercury, the question is how much. This is where the fish oil you choose has relevance. High quality fish oil will only contain trace amounts of the metallic element so you want to shoot for a supplement with 0.1 parts per million (PPM) mercury or less.

Less harmful fish oil side effects include:

Foul burps. Fish oil has a distinct odor when you belch, but solid brands mask this mate repellent with a lemon-like flavor.
Has calories. Fish oil isn’t without calories, it’s a fat. Take this into account when tracking your calorie intake.
If on blood thinners, talk to the doc before you pop a capsule. Upping your omega 3s creates a blood thinner-like impression so include your physician when deciding to make this change.

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Common Sources Of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fish oil aside, concentrated levels of omega 3s are hard to come by, but you’re still able to get a little something from your diet.

Other sources of omega 3s are:

Mackerel
Salmon
Cod liver
Herring
Oysters
Sardines
Anchovies
Krill
Fortified eggs
Grass fed meat
Flax seeds*
Chia seeds*
Walnuts*

*Denotes ALA source

Daily Recommendation For Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 intake should be consistent, for your body doesn’t store a surplus supply for later use. I suggest spreading dosage throughout the day for more efficient uptake, whether you go the fish oil route, purely food sources, or some combination.

Studies have shown benefits in the 1-6 grams daily range when adding DHA to EPA, so stay there and you’ll get what you need from these fatty acids [1].

Omega 3s are often combined as “x mg of omega 3s per serving” on labels, but in some cases they’re broken down specifically into how much DHA or EPA is in a dose. Go for products that specify how much you’ll obtain of each.

Note: DHA has more of the brain benefits, while EPA leans in the anti-inflammatory direction, so adjust accordingly.

Label awareness is also critical in that you want a higher concentration of EPA and DHA per serving in your fish oil because the more capsules it takes you to reach your number of omega 3s, the more calories you’re taking in.

Recall, these calories are grams of fat, so calculate your macros accordingly, as well.

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My Thoughts

Omega 3s are vital for overall health and brain development, parents take heed, so ensure your little ones get their share from some dietary or kid-friendly source [22].

When it comes to physique changes and performance it’s the little things that make subtle differences, especially the more experience you get under your belt in the fitness field.

Chances are you’re low on omega 3s.. Get ‘em up, use every subtle advantage you can.

So, It’s About That Time

And there you have it: fish oil. Omega 3s to be more specific, they’re fatty acids and if this was the 90s I’d say enough of them will lead to ‘phat’ gains. Give your body what it needs and it’ll do for you what you want it to do. Comment and let me know your experience with fish oil, I’m curious. As always I now implore you to put those muscles to use and Be Great.

Sources:

[1] Examine.Com/Supplements/Fish-oil/Research/

[2] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/10617969

[3] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pmc/Articles/Pmc3279313/

[4] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/24026545

[5] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/21762726

[6] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/10793236

[7] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/14745067

[8] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/21501117

[9] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/26553492

[10] Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pubmed/89498b

[11] Ods.Od.Nih.Gov/Factsheets/Omega3fattyacids-healthprofessional/