So, should I be taking a fish oil supplement?

[viator]

I'm a healthy 30-year guy with no chronic health problems, other than the occasional wheeze from the asthma I suffered from as a child. I get regular exercise and I try to eat a balanced diet. Stlll, we hear so much nowadays about the importance of Omega-3s.

Questions:

1. Should I be taking a fish/krill oil supplement for general health purposes?
2. If yes, what is a good product? It seems there's a lot to consider between the DHA/EPA proportion, purity concerns, and (frankly) price.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kajak]

http://www.informationisbeautiful.ne...l-supplements/

Eh, I'd just eat fish a few times a week.

 

[xchen]

One thing I was told is that supplement companies are usually one of the last industries in the fish oil supply chain, and therefore many of them are crap.

If the capsule has a strong fishy smell when popped open, or if you are constantly burping nasty fish burps all day after taken it, it possibly means the fish oil you are taking is low quality.

However, I am no expert on fish oil so ymmv but you could do some more reading on the subject.

 

[Nosu3]

try walnuts and algae

 

[viator]

Originally Posted by Nosu3

try walnuts and algae
Thanks but I am allergic to nuts. Is there a reason to prefer this combo over a fish/krill oil?

 

[xccx]

I say yes. I'm about the same age as you and I take it religiously, and have been for the past 7+ years. My reasoning is this...I lived in scandinavia for 2 years and started taking Icelandic fish oil as a daily supplement and to maintain healthy skin, bones, and joints. Scandinavians swear by it and start feeding it to their children at a very young age -- and they have some of the longest lifespans in the world. I take it in liquid form, which has an acquired taste, but truthfully I kind of like it now. Even though I dont live there anymore, taking it makes me nostalgic and keeps me healthy at the same time. I only take the Icelandic "Lysi".... http://www.lysi.eu/

 

[mm84321]

OP, there's no harm in taking a fish oil supplement for your brain health as you age, it's most likely very beneficial to do so, but just don't expect it to provide you with a total shield from the deleterious effects of a 30:1 O6/O3 standard American diet. I don't know exactly what your diet looks like currently, but eating the right kinds of food, and not others, is essential for reaping the full benefits gained from a fish oil supplement.

 

[Charley]

I use these.

Cost is about $0.06 for a 1 gram capsule that is about double strength quantity of DHA / EPA compared to "regular" fish oil. The company generally puts out a good product so I'm not worried about the heavy metals. A couple a day will not gouge your budget too badly. The krill oil is quite a bit more expensive and I'm not convinced there is a real benefit from just taking an additional inexpensive fish oil capsule.

You might also want to look into green tea and curcumin. Both are pretty safe and seem to provide some long term health benefits. Also it is pretty easy to buy some fresh brocolli and break off some every day and include an apple. All pretty inexpensive and will replace whatever else you are eating so are not additional expenses.

You are still somewhat of a new car so whatever small rust spots you have are not yet evident. The long term benefits of proper diet are only recently getting the attention of the scientific studies. It is fairly hard to prove much of it with double blind studies as a rat won't live 50 years and it would take that long to run the study on humans. A few simple diet changes are not likely to be harmful and could have some remarkable benefits.

ScienceDaily.com has a searchable database of the many study results announcements for the last 10 years.

 

[Eason]

Yes. Try and get high quality ones with a 2:1 ratio of EPA/DHA.

 

[rjmaiorano]

If you want to, go for it.

I doubt you'll see much difference. IMO.

 

[viator]

Thanks, everyone.

 

[MrGoodBytes]

ya there definitely is a difference in omega3 supplements. I've always taken them and its made a big difference in my ability to concentrate (I'm all ADD and stuff). A good friend of mine produces these which not to pitch his product but its a good start to reading up on the subject http://www.theheartsupplement.com/benefits2.php

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Kajak

Eh, I'd just eat fish a few times a week.
This is what I do. I love fish, so having it multiple times a week is fine by me.

 

[Eason]

Be careful which fishes you eat.^

 

[TRA8324]

go for the actual oil and not a supplement. I use these.