How To Select Quality Fish Oil Supplements
With the discovery of “good” fats, and Omega 3 fatty acids, fish oil supplements are becoming more and more popular. Oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon have been found to be one of the best natural sources of these essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease, improve the functioning of the eyes and brain, strengthen your immune system, and even help relieve your diabetes symptoms.
If you detest the taste of fish, then you may consider fish oil supplements as a great way to obtain Omega 3 acids. However, not all fish oil supplements are created the same, some can even be dangerous. That’s why it’s important to know how to choose best quality supplement.
The first thing you want to look for in a quality fish oil is the active ingredients it contains. Fish oils actually contain two types of omega 3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA. While they are both important nutrients, you should actually look for a supplement with higher concentrations of EPA. Most supplements give you more DHA, so you may have to do a lot of label searching. ou also need to check for other vitamins and nutrients, such as Vitamin A and Vitamin E, that are included in some fish oils and may be harmful in large doses or when used with certain medical conditions.
You can also attempt to find out where the fish that is used to make the supplements come from. Many people avoiding eating these types of fish because they can contain mercury and other heavy metals that pollute fishes’ natural environment. These metals can cause harm to your body can be found in certain fish oil supplements. That’s why it’s important to get a supplement that uses fish from pristine waters.
Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee that just because the fish come from clean water doesn’t mean that you should assume it’s safe. For a fish oil supplement to be free of dangerous chemicals, it should be molecularly distilled to remove any additional impurities. Hence, look for products that say they are pharmaceutical grade. A product that says it is pharmaceutical grade and molecularly distilled is much more likely to be free of any potentially harmful chemicals.
As with any supplement, consult your doctor before you start taking anything new. This is especially important with fish oil because too high a dosage may cause dangerous side
effects.
