We rarely ever think of something such as oils from fish to have any significant benefit
to our health.
Heck, as fitness enthusiasts, we hardly even think of supplements outside of the ones that
improve your gains.
Perhaps we should give more attention to our health, considering that our gains are all
for naught if we don’t take good care of ourselves.
And with such an amazing track record, fish oil certainly should be on the top of your
list.
So, what is fish oil, and how does it help?
The active components of fish oil are two omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid,
or EPA, and Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA.
They cannot be made the body, thus eating it is the only way to go, with fish oil being
a top source.
Fish oil’s benefits for health are well-documented.
The most notable benefit is lowering blood triglycerides, especially for people currently
dealing with high lipid profiles outside of cholesterol.
There’s also connections to lowering blood pressure and reducing general inflammation,
and strong evidence in aiding those dealing with severe depression.
There are also connections of DHA and improved memory formation and protecting against retinal
angiogenesis, which improves your eye health.
There are also dabs of evidence suggesting improved bone health and reduced diabetes.
Overall, the health benefits are quite miraculous to say the least.
Many believe the most important factor for taking fish oil is to lower omega-6 to omega-3
ratios.
It’s been shown that when omega-6 levels are abundantly higher than omega-3s, which
is the case for most Western populations, there tend to be a slew of adverse effects
ranging from asthma to cancer.
The ultimate aim is to achieve a 1 to 1 ratio.
Unfortunately, most Western diets have ratios of FIFTEEN to one or worse.
To counteract this, a good starting point on how much you should take is 250 milligrams
of EPA and DHA combined.
A more optimal amount is roughly 1 gram of EPA and 500 milligrams of DHA.
Some of the best fish sources with the least contaminants are non-predatory and non-bottom-feeding
fish such as mackerels, cods, or sardines.
And yes, it can also be obtained through non-fish sources such as flaxseeds and walnuts, but
bear in mind that you will need to consume much higher amounts to reach the recommended
EPA and DHA levels.
As great as all the health benefits might be, you probably still have one more question:
can fish oil help with your gains?
Sorry bros, but this one is pretty much a blank.
Even though there are some indication that fish oil can suppress downstream regulators
of the muscle-inhibiting myostatin, there’s no study that guarantees it.
There is some research that suggest fish oil can help with muscle soreness, but only in
much higher doses than usually recommended.
Same goes for weight loss, where only rat studies saw results, but at doses that are
extremely impractical for human consumption.
And the only human trials noted minimal effects for only lean individuals or those on a calorie
restricted diet.
Which is a given to begin with.
Performance improvements are also lackluster, with no significant influence of VO2max nor
strength output.
But, the lack of fitness improvements shouldn’t scare you from taking fish oil.
There’s just too much on the line in terms of health that you are leaving on the table
if you choose not to get enough of your omega-3 fatty acids.
Keep your health in check, so you can keep your gains on deck.
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