The benefits of taking fish oil supplements are many, and something you should consider doing (if you aren’t already).
The main reason is that we, as people living in the “the Western world” mostly have an imbalance of our Omega fatty acids. Ideally, you should be working with a 1:1:1 ratio. But we’ve got way too much Omega-6 from polyunsaturated fats, vegetable oils and processed foods. We have way too little Omega-3 from good fats. Taking a fish oil supplement gives you a straight dose of Omega 3s to help you get back into balance.
Beyond that, taking a fish oil supplement:
- Helps slow or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s
- Reduces or eliminates anxiety and/or depression
- Helps reduce or eliminate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
- Helps treat colon, prostate and breast cancer by killing these types of cancer cells
- Helps reverse or treat cardiovascular disease
- Protects the hippocampus–a part of the brain often compromised in diabetics
- Helps treat or reverses macular degeneration and prevents cataracts
- Helps fertility in both men and women
- Helps reduce body fat
Be picky about your fish oils
Here’s the meat of this entire post. ALL FISH OILS ARE NOT CREATED EQUALLY!
The main problem is toxicity in relation to the manufacturing of oil.
Yes, there are issues with heavy metals in fish. Yes, there are issues with farm-raised antibiotics and GMO grain-fed fish. But what I am most concerned with is whether or not your fish oil is even REAL.
A lot of fish oils are made with what’s called ethyl esters. These synthetic Omega 3 substitutes are highly dangerous.
I ran my own experiment at the office using three different fish oils. Take a look at these photos. I used:
You can see which one is which by the handwritten marker on each styrofoam cup.
The thing is, these ethyl esters are corrosive. I tried an experience where one capsule of each type broken open and poured on top of a styrofoam cup.
After 5 minutes, there were signs of corrosion on the Wild Alaskan Cup and after 15 minutes, it was totally corroded.
The difference between the Wild Alaskan Fish Oil and the other two is that ethyl esters are the first ingredient. The other two contain no ethyl esters and are composed of the oil from actual fish.
The problem with Ethyl Esters
Obviously you can see they are corrosive. You take a capsule of ethyl ester-based fish oil supplements, it opens in your stomach… and that’s not what you want to be sloshing around in your digestive system.
Beyond that, there is a lot of research into how it affects certain organs, systems, and tissues. One thing they’ve found is that it makes it harder for your kidney to get rid of excess calcium, causes calcium toxicity in the kidneys, and inhibits the production of ATP (the cell’s energy–like gasoline for cells). None of these are anything you want to deal with.
Also, depending on the type of oil extraction method a company chooses to use, it might determine the concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids in the end product.
Despite the dangers of ethyl esters, the benefits of taking a fish oil supplement make doing your research worth the time and effort.
Just make sure you read the ingredients, just as if you were grocery shopping. Learn what to avoid, and when it comes to fish oil supplements, you want to avoid ethyl esters. Look for top ingredients with phrases like “purified deep sea fish oil (from anchovies and sardines)” or “concentrated Atlantic salmon oil” and avoid any mention of ethyl esters.
And don’t just look at prices! They can be deceptive. The Wiley’s Finest Wild Alaskan Fish Oil is the mid-level price. And the best one in my opinion (MaxLiving) is the least expensive. So you never know.
Happy supplementing!
