Fish Oil to Reduce Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates through your blood, just like cholesterol does. The Mayo Clinic explains that when you eat food, the calories that don't get used for energy get converted to triglycerides and stored in fat cells. Triglycerides are released into the blood between meals for energy. A high triglyceride level can be as dangerous as a high cholesterol level, leading to heart disease and stroke. There is a natural, dietary way to lower triglyceride levels, and that is by consuming fish oil.

Why Fish Oil?

• Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid.) The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that omega-3 fatty acids work to lower triglycerides by stopping the production of them in the liver. In fact, the evidence of this is so conclusive that it says there are more than 15 studies that show consuming 4 g of omega-3s on a daily basis can reduce triglyceride levels by up to 30 percent. One such study, published in 2002 by the American Heart Association (AHA), reports that omega-3s from fish oil are especially effective on triglyceride levels right after a meal, and even a small amount (less than 2 g) can have a lowering effect. Omega-3s from fish oil also offer the benefit of raising HDL (good) cholesterol, by 3 percent.

Fish Oil Sources

• If you are on any medications, speak to your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet. While there are no major side effects to taking fish oil, the National Institutes of Health report that there is an increased risk of bleeding, due to omega-3's ability to prevent the blood from coagulating or clumping together. Fish oil is available from three sources: fresh, fatty fish; over-the-counter fish oil supplements; and prescription fish oil supplements. If you are not currently dealing with a high triglyceride level, the AHA recommends eating fatty fish at least two times per week. Fatty fish include salmon, mackerel, sardines, lake trout, halibut, herring and albacore tuna. Nutrition data from the United States Department of Agriculture shows that half of an ocean-caught Atlantic salmon fillet contains 3.98 g of omega-3 fatty acids, a substantial amount to help keep triglyceride levels down. If you have a high triglyceride level, you may want to add a daily fish oil supplement to your diet, unless you can eat fish 10 times per week. The problem with over-the-counter supplements is that they can often become contaminated in processing, contain other unwanted ingredients, and be an overall inferior product. You may want to speak with your doctor about a prescription for fish oil. With prescription fish oil, you can safely assume that the oil is pure. You and our doctor can come up with the proper dose and type of fish oil that is best for your triglyceride level.