Medications

Tests find many popular omega 3 supplements are rancid

Many consumers buying over-the-counter omega-3 fatty acid supplements may be getting rancid pills, according to a new study published Sept. 7 by researchers at the George Washington University. Derived from plants (algae) ...

Health

Do fish oil supplements really boost your health?

Stroll past the supplements in any drugstore and you'll find broad claims about fish oil helping everything from heart and brain health, to joints, eyes and immune systems. But you just might be wasting your money, according ...

Cardiology

Omega-3 supplements could elevate risk of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm, causing the heart to contract irregularly and, sometimes, too quickly. It is estimated to affect 33 million people worldwide and can lead to blood clots, ...

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Fish oil

Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. It is recommended for a healthy diet because it contains the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors to eicosanoids that reduce inflammation throughout the body. Fish do not actually produce omega-3 fatty acids, but instead accumulate them from either consuming microalgae that produce these fatty acids, as is the case with fish like herring and sardines, or, as is the case with fatty predatory fish, by eating prey fish that have accumulated omega-3 fatty acids from microalgae. Such fatty predatory fish like mackerel, lake trout, flounder, albacore tuna and salmon may be high in omega-3 fatty acids, but due to their position at the top of the food chain, these species can accumulate toxic substances (see biomagnification). For this reason, the FDA recommends limiting consumption of certain (predatory) fish species (e.g. albacore tuna, shark, and swordfish) due to high levels of toxic contaminants such as mercury, dioxin, PCBs and chlordane. More than 50 percent of the world fish oil production is fed to farmed salmon. There are vegetarian products, DHA Omega-3, made from algae available if toxic contaminants are of concern.

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