Fish oil: health benefits and harms. What more? The opinion of a dietitian

  • The Benefits of Fish Oil
  • Harm fish oil
  • Who should not drink fish oil
  • How to take fat?

Fish oil is associated with the notorious oily, nasty liquid in a spoon that needs to be drunk for some reason, because "it’s necessary." Old The medical school gives fish oil almost the properties of a panacea for the prevention of all diseases. Fish oil really has tremendous benefits for the body, in moderation. It prevents the development of many diseases of the cardiovascular system, metabolic disorders, normalizes the condition of the skin, brain, and there are other effects.

Fortunately, the harsh Soviet times are in the past, there is an alternative to fat in liquid form - capsules. There is no difference between these forms of release.

The Benefits of Fish Oil

The benefits of fish oil due to its rich composition. The preparation contains the following components:

  • Unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3, 6). A total of more than ten items by chemical nomenclature. Unlike the notorious animal saturated fat, this one has the opposite effect, it is useful for several systems at once. On the one hand, it is struggling with the transportation of low-density lipoproteins, “bad” cholesterol, which causes atherosclerosis, and the deposition of plaques on the walls of blood vessels. On the other hand, unsaturated fatty acids accelerate the metabolism, prevent the destruction of blood vessels. Due to the presence of such compounds, it is possible to reduce the risks of heart attack, stroke, atherosclerosis, strengthen the vessels of the whole body.
  • Vitamins. The basis is three vitamins. D. Used to restore bone tissue, gives strength to the skeleton. Significantly increases the absorption of calcium, which can be dangerous with excessive consumption of fish oil. Vitamin A - restores skin firmness and elasticity, improves the condition of the retina. Vitamin E provides elasticity and resistance of blood vessels, stimulates the immune system.
  • Minerals. Iodine and phosphorus are also some others. They cover the daily requirement of the body for these substances.

Indirectly, fish oil increases the concentration of serotonin, which is responsible for the normal emotional background. Therefore, the drug will be useful to people prone to mood swings and depression.

A systematic moderate intake of fish oil has a beneficial effect on the state of the immune, cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine systems. But do not forget about the likely harm. There are always risks, you should carefully monitor your well-being during use. The benefits of fish oil are obvious for people, regardless of age: in children, it promotes tissue growth, normal physical, mental development, in adults it stabilizes hormones, increases resistance to all stresses. And in the elderly - it reduces the aging rate of the body, tidies the nervous system, reduces the risks of dementia, age-related problems with the heart and blood vessels.

Harm fish oil

Fish oil has a harmful effect with excessive use, an overdose. An individual reaction is also possible: as a result of the innate features of the body or the course of diseases that the person does not suspect. What negative consequences from the application can be found:

  • Allergic reaction of varying severity. It may not develop immediately. And after some time. Therefore, it is impossible to weaken control. Most often these are skin manifestations. Like dermatitis. Urticaria. Where less dangerous forms of violation develop, like Quincke's edema. These are almost exceptional cases. If allergies are found, you need to reduce the dose or refuse to take it.
  • Fish oil is able to indirectly lower blood pressure. This occurs due to the relief of vascular hypertonicity. Therefore, in patients with hypotension, the substance can harm, if taken improperly, in excessive doses.
  • Fish oil can cause a lot of harm to patients with low blood coagulation. Because, like the drug itself, it is able to thin the blood, albeit to a small extent.
  • Digestive tract irritation due to increased load on fish oil processing. This is a direct way to exacerbate gastritis, stomach ulcers and the initial sections of the small intestine.
  • Large dosages have a negative effect on the kidneys. With unreasonable consumption, the development of renal failure is possible. Fortunately, this is an exception.
  • There are cases of active removal of calcium salts from bones into the bloodstream. This is fraught with severe atherosclerosis, osteoporosis.

Despite the described variants of harm to fish oil, problems are extremely rare when the dosage is followed.

Who should not drink fish oil

Contraindications to taking the drug are formulated by the manufacturer. In short, fish oil should not be drunk in the following categories of people:

  • With a tendency to allergies. Not a complete contraindication, you need to look at the reaction of the body.
  • With hypervitaminosis. As a rule, they are caused by somatic diseases. After recovery, you can drink fish oil.
  • With an excess of calcium in the body. Due to large doses of vitamin D, which significantly increases the absorption of calcium. The element begins to circulate through the bloodstream in large quantities. Deposition on the walls of blood vessels, in joints is possible. This is dangerous.

Additional contraindications:

  • Children's age up to 7 years, pregnancy. Because there are no reliable studies proving safety.
  • Inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract and kidneys. Perhaps strengthening the process. You need to wait for a stable remission or cure.

Most of these are relative contraindications. After eliminating a specific cause, you can resort to taking.

How to take fat?

The dosage is selected by the doctor (therapist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, etc.) based on the patient's state of health, the characteristics of his body. On average, this is 1.5-2 grams per day (maybe a little more). In terms of 500 milligram capsules - 2-6 per day. To get the benefits of fish oil and avoid harm, you need to consider a lot of factors. The analysis of this amount of information is the prerogative of the doctor.

Fish oil is good for the whole body if taken correctly. The question of the method of administration and dosage is best left to specialists.

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