As we can see, fish oil has a whole lot of positive health benefits but is there any side effects of fish oil? Are there really any negative consequences that come from taking this very beneficial supplement? Well first we have to define who should be using fish oil.
Now I believe that everyone should be taking fish oil. The bigger question is why aren't you taking fish oil? Taking away all of those health benefits that I mentioned earlier, fish oil is a healthy source of fat. Most people's diets are just too low in fat in general, not to mention healthy fats. These fats will also help people who are dieting and eating a low amount of calories stay full and not cheat on their diets.
What about the downsides though? If fish oil were really the magic pill then we'd know if there were any negative consequences right? Wrong, while I love fish oil and recommend it highly in the Physique Formula, I think we need to watch out about believing that fish oil is all good.
First, fish oil may not be the best thing for building muscle. I see some crazy high recommendations for the amount of fish oil that people should take and it makes no sense. To build muscle we need a pro-inflammatory substance known as arachidonic acid, which fish oil actually lowers. Arachidonic acid is found in red meats and actually increases our natural testosterone production so we can build muscle and lose fat. This can lead to side effects with fish oil
Using high doses of fish oil for prolonged periods of time will decrease arachidonic acid which isn't good for muscle building purposes.
Another side effect of fish oil is that it can disrupt the absorption of certain important nutrients such as vitamin D and E. Vitamin D and E have numerous healthy benefits including reducing free radical damage, inflammation, and even cancer. Large amounts of fish oil may actually decrease the beneficial properties of these nutrients so we would need to supplement with vitamin D and E individually.
Vitamin E also helps with the ability for the body to absorb fish oil. Just popping fish oil doesn't do it anymore. It's the amount that we absorb not the amount that we take that matters.
While those two side effects of fish oil may seem small, we need to be aware of them. I'm not saying not to take fish oil, I take a good amount every day but we must be aware of the side effects of fish oil.
Side Effects Of Fish Oil
Fish is a high-protein low-fat food with a range of health benefits. White-fleshed fish, especially oilier fish is believed to contain substantial quantities of omega-3s or the so called ?good? fats. Furthermore, fish does not contain the ?bad? fats commonly found in red meat. As such, nutritional supplements made from fish oil are growing more popular. Sales of such supplements in the United States alone have more than tripled since 1998, reaching US$190 million in 2003.
Omega-3 fatty acids in fish play an important role in reducing the risk of heart disease. The two fatty acids found in oily fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been recognized by The American Heart Association (AHA) as vital to sustain the heart. More recent studies also suggest that high levels of omega-3 fats do help reduce symptoms of mental health and developmental disease, ranging from dyslexia to bipolar disorder.
Despite the health benefits provided by fish, several research studies have shown that fish or fish oil supplements can contain unsafe level of environmental pollutants such as dioxins, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and heavy metals such as mercury.
Take salmons for instance. Farmed salmon, most commonly eaten, contains significantly higher levels of dioxins and toxins such as PCBs than wild salmon. PCBs are chemical cocktails used as coolants and lubricants in transformers. They can cause developmental disorders and other health problems for young children. PCBs have been banned in the United States since 1979, but they still persist in the environment and end up in animal fat.
When farmed salmon from United States grocery stores was tested, it was found to contain 16 times the PCBs found in wild salmon, 4 times the levels in beef, and 3.4 times the levels found in other seafood. Similar studies established that farm-raised salmon contains between 3 and 10 times more dioxins than wild salmon.
Mercury contamination has been another major concern. It can harm the nervous system, especially to developing foetus and the very young.
However, it is possible to minimize exposure to toxins by eating fish that are known to have lower levels of contaminants. Also, avoid fried fish as frying seals in chemical pollutants whereas grilling, broiling or poaching allows fat to drain away. Fat is where the pollutants are usually stored. Another advice is not to eat the same kind of fish more than once a week.
The United States group, Environmental Defense, lists the best and worst seafood choices:
Best ? Atlantic wide salmon; Atlantic sea herring; US farmed abalone; US farmed catfish; Atlantic mackerel; Alaskan halibut, sardines, oysters; Alaskan black cod; New Zealand mussels; Alaskan halibut.
Former Heart Surgeon Reveals ... How to prevent and even reverse heart disease - without drugs or surgery. Read more about Dr Robert's confession at: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com/dr-robert.html
Ng Peng Hock has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Heart Conditions and Health. Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Goto: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com. Ng Peng Hock's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
Bat Thumb Part 1 4. Once the grip is in position you can continue to stimulate yourself.In Part 2 we look at what to do when you reach a high level of arousal and provide some notes on the practice
