7 Amazing Proven Benefits of Fish Oil Supplements

Omega-3s in fish oil have been shown to protect your heart and prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Here are 7 amazing proven benefits of fish oil supplements that will help you fight depression, boost your brain functioning, reduce inflammation, and a great deal more. 1. Relieving Symptoms of Depression Many research studies found that fish oil supplements alleviate the symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and other psychoses. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield UK, in addition to Dr. Andrew Stoll of Harvard, found that they alleviated the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis, and helped to prevent relapses. 2. Boosting brain functioning and promoting higher concentration Pregnant and nursing mothers who supplement with fish oil greatly increased the intelligence and happiness levels of their babies. In adults, it improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus. Dr. Madeleine Portwood of the Durham Local Education Authority found that children given an omega-3 supplement dramatically improved concentration, had fewer behavioral problems, and lessened impulsive and hyperactive behaviors associated with ADD/ADHD. 3. Alleviating pain and inflammation Omega-3s control inflammatory response. A study published in an April issue of Surgical Neurology found that omega-3s from either fish or supplemental sources reduced inflammation. By helping to regulate your body's inflammation cycle, it can prevent or relieve painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, and cystitis. After one month, 59 percent of the participants reported that they were able to get off their anti-inflammatory medication. The positive preliminary results and the lack of side effects led the researchers to propose that up to two-thirds of people currently taking prescription anti-inflammation drugs could discontinue this use and benefit from omega-3 fatty acids instead. 4. Promoting superior cardiovascular health Fish oil's DHA, EPA and DPA have been proven to work wonders for your cardiovascular system, helping you to lower cholesterol, triglycerides, LDLs and blood pressure, and increase good HDL cholesterol, adding years to your life expectancy. Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health found that women who ate fish 2 to 4 times per week reduced their risk of heart disease by 30 percent, compared to women who rarely ate it. Scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital reported that men who ate it had a significantly reduced risk of sudden death. 5. Protecting you from heart attack and stroke When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what's known as a thrombosis, or clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Omega-3s break up clots before they can cause any damage. In the GISSI-Prevention Study, 11,324 patients with preexisting heart disease were given either 300 mg of vitami E, 850 mg of omega-3s, both, or neither. After three and a half years, the group given the omega-3s alone experienced a 15 percent reduction in death from heart attack and stroke. 6. Lowering the incidence of childhood disorders Omega-3s allow children with ADD and ADHD, autism, depression, dyslexia, dyspraxia and compulsive disorders to improve their quality of life. In the Acta Neuropsychiatrica Study, it was found that children with ADHD have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood compared to children who did not have the disorder. In a 2007 issue of the American journal of Psychiatry, researchers reported that fish oil supplementation was very effective for treating symptoms of depression in children ages 6 to 12. Scientists at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria gave 1.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids daily for six weeks to autistic children ages 5 to 17 and saw significant improvement in their behavior. Autism is a developmental condition that manifests in the first few years of life and affects normal development of the brain. Impaired social and communication skills are typical symptoms of this condition. 7. Reducing your risk of breast, colon and prostate cancer Fish oil has been shown by several test tube and animal experiments to protect against three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon and prostate. It accomplishes this in three ways – by stopping the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, by inhibiting unwanted cellular growth, and by killing off cancer cells. Researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet published a comprehensive review of the current knowledge regarding the role of fatty acids in cancer prevention. They concluded that omega-3s are protective against cancer progression, while omega-6s help promote the growth of cancer. How to get Omega-3s in your diet: The best way to get omega-3s is by eating foods such as salmon, tuna, halibut, flaxseed, and walnuts, but fish oil and flaxseed oil based supplements are also available in both capsule and liquid form. Experts recommend taking anywhere from 0.5 to 2 grams a day, although the FDA warns that the daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids from all sources should not exceed 3 grams. Use these 7 amazing proven benefits of fish oil supplements that will help you fight depression, boost your brain functioning, and reduce inflammation to improve the life and health of you and your family.