As we all know, fish oil brings a lot of health benefits to us.
Most of the health benefits of fish oil can be attributed to the presence of Omega-3 essential fatty acids like Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
What is omega-3 fatty acid?
Omega-3 fatty acids are organic compunds commonly found in
marine and plant oils. They are polyunsaturated fatty acids with a double bond (C=C) starting after the third carbon
atom from the end of the carbon chain. The fatty acids have two ends—the acid
(COOH) end and the methyl (CH3) end. The location of the first
double bond is counted from the methyl end, which is also known as the
omega (ω) end or the n end.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
It
also called timnodonic acid. In chemical
structure, EPA is a carboxylic acid with a 20-carbon chain and
five cis double bonds.
EPA is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that acts as a precursor for prostaglandin-3, thromboxane-3, and leukotriene-5 groups.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
It is a primary structural component of the human brain, cerebral cortex, skin, sperm, testicles and retina. It can be synthesized from alpha-lilolenic acid or obtained directly from maternal milk or fish oil.
DHA is a carboxylic acid with a 22-carbon chain and six cis double bonds. Its trivial name is cervonic acid.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF FISH OIL
HEALTHY HEART
Omega-3 fatty acid is effective in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Fish oil is a good source of omega-3 and therefore, reduces the risk of heart diseases and heart arrhythmias. It also lowers the level of bad cholesterol (LDL), and increases the level of good cholesterol (HDL). Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil help lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of blood clots, improve the health of arteries and reduce the amount of arterial plaque, which narrows arteries and causes heart diseases. Preliminary research has also shown that fish oil can be used for preventing atherosclerosis in coronary patients. Thus fish oil is effective in treating heart strokes and regular usage of fish oil can help avoid numerous sudden cardiac deaths. EPA and DHA are converted into hormone like substances called prostaglandins, and they regulate cell activity and healthy cardiovascular function.
IMPROVED IMMUNITY
It
is believed that regular consumption of fish oil aids in increasing your immunity thereby enabling you to resist
incidence of common diseases such as cold, cough and flu. Omega three fatty
acids present in fish oil benefit the immune system by effecting cytokines and
eicosanoids present in our body. Thus fish oil has the potential to enhance the
immune system of humans. Fish oil is also beneficial to patients suffering from
lupus, which is a disease characterized by the attacks of immune system of the
body on various organs and tissues. It also helps in reducing associated fever, skin
rashes and fatigue.
ULCERS
The presence of EPA and DHA in fish oil makes it helpful
in case of ulcers caused by Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
HUMAN GROW AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
DHA plays a very important role during fetal development, early infancy, and old age. DHA is a building block of tissue in the brain. It helps with forming neurotransmitters, which is important for brain function. 50% of the weight of a neuron's plasma membrane is composed of DHA. Elderly people should also take EPA and DHA, because as we get older, our bodies form less DHA and EPA, which may cause less mental focus and cognitive function. Taking EPA and DHA may also help with mental abnormalities, such as Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia.
Fish oil has the ability to treat Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) due to
the high concentration of fatty acids. If your child suffers from
hyperactivity, dyslexia, dyspraxia, inability to complete tasks, emotional
instability, wavering attitude, poor coordination, short attention span, short
term memory, low concentration, tendency to interrupt others, recklessness, hastiness, impetuosity,
impulsiveness, low IQ, or learning disorders, fish oil is a proven remedy.
Since brain consists of about 60% of fats, especially essential fatty acids
such as omega 3 and omega 6, fish oil helps in improving the functioning of the
brain. Further, it is believed that fish oil is useful in the normal
development of the brain. It helps your kid concentrate on the studies better.
It has been further found that when pregnant women are
given regular doses of fish oil, the born toddlers show enhanced hand eye
coordination.
SKIN CARE
Fish
oil helps in improving the condition of poor and dry skin by making it shinny and glowing. It is
useful in treating various skin problems such as eczema,
psoriasis, itching, redness of skin, skin lesions, and rashes. In case of
psoriasis, the EPA present in fish oil restricts the growth of pro-inflammatory
agents by producing arachidonic acid. Fish oil can also be applied topically to
get relief from psoriasis. Regular intake of fish oil capsule helps in reducing loss of moisture
from the skin. It is also claimed by some people that fish oil helps in
preventing sunburns.
Fish oil is effective for acne as well.
EPA is known to inhibit androgen formation. Androgen can affect the formation
of sebum in hair follicle.
PREGNANCY
Fish
oil is very useful for pregnant women as DHA present in it helps in the
development of the eyes and brain of the baby. It helps in avoiding premature
births, low weight at birth, and miscarriage.
It is also believed that women who do not have a sufficient intake of EPA and
DHA in their diet suffer from depression after birth as there is transfer of
some amount of brain mass from the mother to the child in the last stages of
pregnancy. Moreover, as mentioned above, when pregnant women are given fish oil
supplements, the born kids show enhanced coordination between eye and hand.
Thus it is very beneficial to consume fish oil either by eating fish or taking
fish oil supplements, tablets, capsules, or pills during pregnancy for the
overall development of the child and well being of the mother.
HAIR CARE
Fish oil helps maintain a good
luster of the hair. Omega-3 fatty acid has hair growing properties as it
provides nourishment to the follicles. It aids in faster development of hair
and preventing hair loss. A
good supply of proteins is also necessary for hair growth. Since most fish
varieties are rich in protein, eating fish helps in keeping healthy hair.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
Due
to the presence of Omega 3 fatty acids, fish oil is good for relieving
depression, sadness, anxiety, restlessness, mental fatigue, stress,
decreased sexual desire, suicidal tendencies and other nervous disorders.
Fish
oil can be useful in mood stabilizing and treating bipolar disorders. No
wonder, it has been found that countries where fish is eaten often have low incidence of depression. Similarly research conducted on prisoners has shown that when prisoners were fed
with sea food containing
higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids there was a significant drop in the
homicide rate.
WEIGHT LOSS
Fish oil also aids in losing weight. It
can improve the efficiency of exercise in reducing
weight. Volunteers who were given fish oil diet showed greater weight loss as
compared to those who did not consume fish oil diet. Exercise combined with
fish oil had a positive effect on the body shape and body composition of the
patients.
Besides that, omega-3 fatty acids in
fish oil may also have positive effects on lung and kidney diseases, diabetes,
Crohn's disease, anorexia nervosa, osteoporosis, inflammation and early stages
of colorectal cancer.
There are other benefits to taking EPA and DHA because it also plays as a source of energy, it insulates the body against heat loss, prevents skin from drying and flaking, and cushions tissues and organs.
