I had a professor in undergrad once say that unless you had a specific deficiency, the only supplement you should be taking is fish oil. Fish oil supplements have been promoted to protect against cardiovascular disease, cancers, arthritis, mood disorders and more. In the U.S, people spend over $1 billion a year on over-the-counter fish oil (LeWine, 2019). Should a fish oil capsule be an essential part of everyone's daily routine?
Fish oil is a dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, a substance that cannot be manufactured in the body. The two omega-3 fatty acids fish oil contains are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Sources of DHA and EPA include salmon, trout, oysters, and crabs. Alpha-linolenic acid, found in plant sources such as flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and canola oil, can be converted to DHA and EPA which serve as another source of omega-3 fatty acids (LeWine, 2019).
Despite previous claims of the health benefits of this supplement, evidence linking fish oil to both heart health and cancer has recently been mixed however. A study early this year in the New England Journal of Medicine did not show any evidence that fish oil supplements reduced heart disease or the risk of cancer (Manson, 2019). However, in this same study looking at those who did not eat fish at all, supplements did have lower risk of disease. So are these capsules worth it?
Dr. Howard LeWine from Harvard Medical School recommends to keep eating fish and plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to containing omega-3’s, these foods are sources of other nutritional values such as minerals, vitamins, and molecules that supplements don’t offer (LeWine, 2019). So unless prescribed by your doctor or do not eat fish entirely, fish oil supplements may not offer much of a benefit and you’re better off saving your money.
LeWine, H., & M.d. (2019, July 24). Fish oil: friend or foe? Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fish-oil-friend-or-foe-201307126467.
Manson, J. A. E., Keaney, J. F., Rosen, C. J., Manson, J. E., Kapur, J., Kearon, C., … Department of Medicine. (2019, January 3). Marine n−3 Fatty Acids and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: NEJM. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1811403.
That is very interesting because fish oil is an extremely popular supplement with a list of potential benefits. I agree that if you can eat all your sources of nutrients, they are probably better than taking supplements. The American Heart Association recommends eating a three ounce serving of fish at least twice a week to get the correct amount of omegas-3 fatty acids. I think if you can eat the correct serving of fish weekly that is the best way to go but if not, occasional supplementation is probably a good backup.
ReplyDelete“Fish vs. Fish Oil: Which Is Better?” Virtua Health System: South Jersey Healthcare & Hospitals, https://www.virtua.org/articles/fish-vs-fish-oil-which-is-better.