Do Fish Oil Pills Work?

Do fish oil pills work?

Fish oil is derived from fish like herring, salmon, mackerel, sardines, albacore, and everybody’s favorite: anchovies.¹The active compounds in fish oil are also present in oils made from krill, green-lipped mussels, and seal blubber. What sets these fish apart is that they’re particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids thanks to the marine vegetation they consume. These omega-3 fatty acids, namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are said to do an array of impressive things.²NOTE: Some of the benefits include reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer, lowering bad cholesterol and triglycerides, relieving arthritis, fighting inflammation, boosting bone density, improving cognitive performance, decreasing fat mass, stimulating muscle growth, ending world hunger, preventing the impending zombie apocalypse, finally getting Nas a Grammy, etc.

It’s for the benefits conferred by fish oil that nearly 8 percent of adults take the stuff in liquid, capsule, or pill form and spend more than $1B a year on it, ranking it as the most-used natural product in the U.S.

Given the popularity of fish oil, they must apparently work since all those people can’t possibly be wrong.³That’s argumentum ad populum, folks!

Right?

W-R-O-N-G!!!

For the most part, several studies have found that supplementing with fish oil does lower triglycerides, improve good HDL cholesterol levels, and reduce blood pressure. In clinical trials, supplemental fish oil to some extent or another has also demonstrated the ability to elevate mood, prevent or improve the symptoms of depression and mental decline, reduce arthritic pain, lessen the experience of delayed onset muscle soreness, and aid with protein synthesis to build more muscle. Those benefits are certainly great and have a semblance of support for them but what’s of note is that whatever effects conferred by fish oil supplements aren’t to as large of a degree as those from dietary sources of fish.⁴It’s unknown why but there’s something about taking fish oil by itself as a liquid or in pill form that doesn’t compare to consuming an actual fish that also provides a wealth of fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The same goes with popping vitamin supplements, which studies have shown not to be as advantageous as getting your vitamins by eating yucky fruits and vegetables. To that point, fish oil supplementation has been consistently found to only make a significant difference in people who seldom eat fish or any other seafood. For everyone else, it’s basically a waste of money.

The evidence shows that fish oil supplements don’t make as much of a marked improvement as is claimed, especially in regards to heart health.⁵Weirdly, despite the improvements in cardiovascular risk factors, the changes spurred on by fish oil supplements have little to no benefit in lowering the incidence of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. Rather than acting as the bulk source of your fish oil needs, you’re far better off just eating fish to reap the desired effects of EPA and DHA. That, however, doesn’t mean that fish oil supplements don’t have their place. For instance, if you’re allergic to fish or live in a landlocked region that’s completely inaccessible to planes and trucks so seafood is completely unavailable, then by all means get your EPA and DHA exclusively from fish oil supplements!⁶The purification process of fish oil makes the risk of an allergic reaction to it very low in people with a fish allergy. Also, something is better than nothing. So if you’re like the 68 percent of American adults who don’t consume enough EPA and DHA in their daily diet to meet recommended guidelines and adding more fish to the menu is out of the question because seafood is pretty fucking expensive and you have other shit in your budget to spend your limited funds on, then fish oil supplements can help narrow the gap.⁷If you’re vegan or vegetarian and in need of an omega-3 source, algal oil is the answer. Made of the marine algae consumed by fish and is the source of the omega-3 fatty acids found within them, algal oil is more concentrated in EPA and DHA, particularly the latter, than the oil derived from the fish that eat it.

Despite fish oil supplements not being all they’re propped up to be, they may come in handy in certain situations. When taking a fish oil supplement, any old supplement won’t do, though.

To ensure that you’re purchasing a quality product that contains what’s on its label and doesn’t expose you to mercury, lead, and other toxins, look for proof that it’s third-party tested. A certification mark from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS), or Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) is a good indication that the desired product meets purity standards.

Further, contact the manufacturer and request the certification of analysis from the independent testing lab to determine the freshness level of the oil. If the peroxide and anisidine values are less than 5 mEq/kg and 20 mEq/kg, respectively, then the oil is fresh. However, because the length of time between when fish oil goes through its final processing, is shipped, and then sits on a shelf before purchase, you should also check the date of the product to help you figure out if it’s still good. If it’s out of date, as well as smells or has a bad taste once opened, the fish oil may have oxidized and gone rancid, making it a danger to your health.⁸A rotten odor is a dead giveaway of foulness but a common tactic by manufacturers is to add a lemon or lime scent to mask rancidity. Also be aware of strong flavoring to hide the taste.