The Health Benefits of Fish Oil

If you’re looking to get more omega-3s in your diet and you’re not a fan of eating fish, you wouldn’t be the first to consider a more convenient option: a fish oil supplement. According to figures from the National Institutes of Health, roughly 80%—or about 19 million Americans—take some kind of over-the-counter (OTC) fish oil supplement.

In addition to being more convenient, studies indicate that fish oil supplements are much less likely than fish to contain contaminants, due to the purification that occurs during the manufacturing process. Fish oil sold over-the-counter contains EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3s found in fish.

非处方鱼油补充剂不同于那些为高甘油三酯的人开的处方，包括Lovaza (omega-3 ethyl esters), Vascepa (icosapent ethyl), and Epanova (omega-3-carboxylic acids).

健康福利

Research suggests that fish oil may offer the following benefits.

Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases

鱼油已被发现是有效的治疗类风湿关节炎（RA）的症状，减少晨僵，关节压痛，肿胀的关节数量和调节免疫反应。鱼油还有助于控制心血管危险因素，这一点很重要，因为类风湿关节炎患者心脏病发作的风险增加。

根据关节炎基金会的说法，鱼油还可以用于：

• 膝骨关节炎
• Lupus
• 银屑病
• 雷诺氏综合征

Heart Health

Although fish oil can’t prevent a heart attack or stroke, it is study-proven to reduce some of the risk factors associated with both of these conditions, including:

• 增加“好”高密度脂蛋白胆固醇
• 降低甘油三酯
• 轻微降低血压
• 减缓动脉粥样硬化的进展（动脉硬化）
• 减少不正常的心律或心律失常

If you are taking fish oil because you have high triglycerides, a type of fat associated with increased risk of heart disease, your doctor may prescribe a prescription fish oil like Lovaza for you. Prescription fish oil capsules contain highly purified fish oil with a greater concentration of omega-3 fatty acids than most over-the-counter fish oil capsules.

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研究表明，鱼油中含有丰富的omega-3脂肪酸和EPADHA, may be useful in the治疗抑郁症的. 流行病学研究表明，ω-3脂肪酸缺乏或ω-6和ω-3脂肪酸比例失衡可能与抑郁症发病率增加有关。此外，一些小规模的、精心设计的研究也支持将鱼油作为食品添加剂抗抑郁治疗.

虽然需要更多的研究来确定有效性，但鱼油在治疗下列精神疾病方面也进行了研究：

• Alzheimer's disease
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Bipolar disorder
• 经前期综合征
• 精神病

Possible Side Effects

The side effects of fish oil most often occur when people take the supplement in high doses (more than 3 grams per day). In other words, the more you take, the more you're likely to experience side effects, which is why it's important to consult with your healthcare provider prior to taking a fish oil supplement.

The most common side effects include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Heartburn
• 腹痛
• Belching a fish-like aftertaste ("fish burbs")

在鱼油补充剂中发现的高剂量欧米伽-3脂肪，可以减缓血液凝结，如果你已经服用了抗凝剂（“血液稀释剂”），比如Coumadin (warfarin)orPlavix (clopidogrel). 它还可以降低人体的免疫系统，或抵御感染的能力。

Dosage and Preparation

How much fish oil you take will depend on your age, sex, and specific health condition, so it’s best to consult your healthcare provider before taking these supplements. Fish oil should be taken in whole-from capsules, with food and water, and not broken and sprinkled into food or liquids.

美国食品和药物管理局建议，EPA和DHA的摄入量加起来每天不超过3克（3000毫克），包括膳食补充剂每天不超过2克（2000毫克）。高剂量通常用于降低甘油三酯，但你应该在你的医疗专家的指导下这样做。

It’s not yet known whether people who are allergic to seafood can safely take fish oil, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine.

寻找什么

虽然鱼油在保健食品和药店很容易买到，但在开始服用前与医生交谈是很重要的。当购买鱼油补充剂时，最好的方法是看标签来判断产品是否有信誉。避免使用任何声称“治疗抑郁症”或“降低心脏病风险”的产品

Look closely for added ingredients like fillers, binders, and flavorings. The fish oil supplement should also contain a seal of approval from a third-party testing organization to demonstrate purity levels, notes the NIH. The big three include U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab.com, and NSF International. While this seal of approval does not guarantee that the fish oil is safe or that it will work, it does guarantee that there aren't harmful levels of contaminants and that the product contains the ingredients listed on the label.

另一种辨别优质鱼油的方法是根据鱼油的气味和味道。鱼油不宜食用smell or taste "fishy." If it does, this indicates that the fish oil is starting to degrade and is becoming rancid. A strong smell may also be a sign that artificial flavors were added to the product.

当然，欧米伽-3脂肪酸的最佳来源来自鱼类，尤其是食用大量富含欧米伽-3的藻类的野生鱼类。较小的冷水鱼，如鲱鱼，鲭鱼，鲑鱼和沙丁鱼，是你最好的选择。大型鱼类和养殖鱼类可能在其组织中积累毒素。汞、多氯联苯（PCBs）、二恶英和农药残留是最受关注的毒素。然而，在这个时候，食用鱼的好处超过了大多数人的风险。

ω-3脂肪酸的其他良好膳食来源包括：

• 坚果和种子（亚麻籽、芝麻籽、核桃）
• 植物油（亚麻籽油、大豆油、菜籽油）
• 强化食品（鸡蛋、牛奶、谷类食品和橙汁）