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What Are the Benefits of Fish Oil Concentrate?

Fish oil comes from fats found in oily (generally, deep water/ocean) fish. The component of fish oil that is primarily looked at for its health benefits is called omega-3 PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids). These are the types of fatty acids that are liquid at room temperature. Fish oil concentrate refers to the purification or distillation process used to refine the oils harvested from fish into supplement forms able to be consumed.

  1. Types

    • According to Kirpal S. Sidhu's 2003 article in the Journal of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, fish species rich in omega-3 PUFAs include: anchovy, striped bass, bluefish, mackerel, pompano, herring, chinook, sockeye, pink salmon, sardines (in sardine oil), lake and rainbow trout, sablefish and tuna.

    Cardiovascular Benefits

    • Cardiovascular health benefits of fish oil concentrate include anti-atherogenic effects, lowered plasma (bad) cholesterol, increased HDL (good) cholesterol and improved blood pressure. All of these reduce the risk of heart disease, improve heart health and extend life expectancy.

    Protection Against Strokes

    • The inclusion of omega-3 PUFA in diets has been shown to reduce strokes and produce anti-arrhythmic properties that help prevent sudden death in men. The anti-thrombotic effect is believed to assist in breaking up blood clots before the clots cause any damage.

    Reduced Joint Pain

    • Omega-3 PUFA can help control rheumatoid arthritis and similar joint inflammation diseases. Fish oil concentrate assists in the management of inflammation response, reducing arthritis pain and increasing joint movement.

    Other Benefits

    • The brain also benefits from fish oil concentrate. Memory and recall performance improve, as does visual acuity. In addition, early findings suggest that fish oil improves reproductive performance and slows the progression of breast, prostate and potentially other cancers, according to Sidhu.

    Warning

    • The risks of consuming fish and fish oil concentrate center on the accumulation of contaminates in the tissues of fish. Some fish oil products claim their distillation and purification processes remove all contaminates. However, some fish oil concentrate manufacturers may use a solvent extraction process or inappropriate (cheap, old or non-oily) fish, or they will not verify the purity of their product. Fish oil concentrates made from farmed fish or fish not naturally high in omega-3 PUFA may offer a higher risk of contamination or significantly decreased benefits. Products made in this way should be avoided.

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