Fish Oil: Benefits, Dosage, and Effects

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Fish oil is a dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids which multiple studies have linked to lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of fatal outcomes and events like heart attack and stroke in people with a history of cardiovascular disease. Additionally some studies suggest that the fatty acids found in fish oil have anti-cancer effects, improve the immune response and may have beneficial effects on the brain as well, reducing the risk of depression and suicide, delaying the onset of schizophrenia, and mitigating symptoms associated with both Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Recommended Dosage: How much fish oil should I take?

The beneficial agents in fish oil are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends different dosages according to an individual’s reason for supplementing his or her diet with fish oil: for people who want to lower their triglycerides, AHA recommends a fish oil supplement with 2 to 4 grams (2000 to 4000 mg) of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids; for people with a history of coronary artery disease, AHA recommends a fish oil supplement with 1 gram (1000 mg) of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids.

Lowering Triglycerides

A 2007 report published in The American Journal of Health System Pharmacy analyzed the results of a clinical trial in which 11,324 patients with high triglycerides and poor coronary artery health were given 4 grams a day of a combination of EPA and DHA. Those patients with triglyceride levels above 500 mg/dl reduced their triglycerides on average 45% and their VLDL cholesterol by more than 50%.

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

A report published in Lancet reviewed the results of clinical trials involving 11,324 survivors of myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and found that supplementing their diets with 1 gram per day of n−3 fatty acids reduced the occurrence of death by 20%, the occurrence of cardiovascular death by 30%and the occurrence of sudden cardiac death by 45%. The results were observed after patients had been taking the supplement for three months.

In 2007, Lancet published the results of another clinical study which followed over 18,000 subjects with unhealthily high cholesterol levels. Subjects were divided into control groups: one control group received 1,800 mg a day of E-EPA with a statin drug, the other received the statin drug alone over a five year period. At the end of that time it was found that patients supplement their statin dose with E-EPA had superior cardiovascular function and a reduced rate of non-fatal coronary events.

Stroke Prevention

Several studies have cited the role omega-3 fatty acids play in the prevention of stroke. A groundbreaking 1994 study published in the journal Stroke analyzed the dietary histories of 552 Dutch men aged 50 to 69 years, and found that the consumption of as little as one portion of fish per week lowered the incidence of stroke significantly. A 2001 study published in the Journal of American Medicine that looked at the effects of fish consumption in women showed similar results.

Hypertension Prevention

Two 1993 studies – one published in the journal Circulation, the other published in the journal Hypertension – demonstrated that the DHA found in omega-3 fatty acids lowered blood pressure slightly.

Additional Resources about Fish Oil

There are many places on the Internet where you can learn more about the beneficial effects of supplementing your diet with fish oil.

The National Library of Medicine, a service administered by the National Institute of Health (NIH), maintains Medline page on Omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil. The highlight of the page is a list of all the claims made about the positive effects of fish oil, the evidence supporting those claims and the NIH’s assessment of how true those claims are. The page may be found at: this health website

The American Heart Association maintains a webpage describing the benefits of fish and omega-3 fatty acids with links to several mouth-watering recipes for preparing fish. The page also contains links to cutting edge research on the role that omega-3 fatty acids play in decreasing cardiovascular disease. The page may be found at: this health website

The world famous Mayo Clinic also maintains a web-module on Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid which explores the evidence supporting the claims made about the benefits of fish oil in some detail, as well as dosage guidelines and a comprehensive set of references for those people wishing to learn more. The page may be found at: this health website

WebMD, another respected Internet provider of health-related information, has published several long features reviewing the benefits of fish oil and the guidelines for its use. In particular, WebMD explores at some length the difference between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids – a distinction that is not clear in all laypersons’ minds. The feature may be found at: this health website

The Dyslexia Research Trust in conjunction with Oxford University’s Laboratory of Physiology in the U.K. has studied the benefits of fish oil supplementation in children suffering from dyslexia and adults suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD.) The webpages they’ve published describing their work include the case history of a 50 year old man who’d been suffering from ADHD his entire adult life when he began taking fish oil tablets. In addition to reporting great improvements in his abilities to focus, concentrate and learn new disciplines, CH reported improvements in his physical energy and night vision. The Dyslexia Research Trust webpage may be accessed here: this health website

Resource by L.Fuller

I am a fanatic when it comes to fitness and nutrition. I enjoy going to the gym, working out, hiking, camping, and overall just learning how to stay happy and healthy.

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