These days its rare to come across people not taking fish oil, in fact the amount of fish oil being consumed is very high which raises the question, do you really need to be taking all those fish oil tablets?
There is no doubt that fish oil is a great way to get omega 3 fatty acids and the health benefits of fish oil for those that really need it is essential, the question is, how many people are taking fish oils that may be doing so unnecessarily or worse actually doing them more harm than good.
The key to good nutrition is in many ways about balance, this means that those who consume fish oil supplements without knowing their current levels of these fats may be causing imbalances of these fats which can result in serious health problems.
Fish oil warnings
When you bought your last bottle of fish oil I bet nobody told you about the potential problems that can come from consuming fish oils when you don’t really need them. While fish oil is promoted to reduce inflammation and prevent blood clotting, what isn’t on the label is that if you have inflammation to begin with, it’s a sign of an underlying health problem that fish oil supplementation can cover up. Similarly some people require more omega 6 or omega 9 than omega 3 so taking fish oil supplements can cause omega 6 or omega 9 deficiency.
It’s also important to understand that many people are not compatible with fish oil which causes fish oil to place a burden on the body and the immune system when it is taken. Birth control pills, & high blood pressure medications also interact with fish oils producing health complications.
People with bipolar disorder, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and lowered immune systems can all have an increase in symptoms just from taking fish oil supplements.
Knowing if you need fish oil
If you take fish oil and get relief from various symptoms that’s a great sign unless a deeper problem exists. Often if your diet is good there should be no real need for fish oil supplements, this is evidenced by inflammation, if you have inflammation and it is relieved by fish oil supplements this is an example of covering up an existing health problem and is a strong indication of an underlying nutritional imbalance which may be the real reason for the inflammation and should be investigated to prevent underlying health concerns.
The best way to know if you really need fish oil or omega 3 oils is by finding out your true balance of all the omega family such as Omega 3, 6, 9, EPA, DHA, this can easily be done by testing your body’s current levels of these important essential fats. An essential fatty acids test is a great way to discover if you need fish oil supplements and it also helps you discover if your taking the wrong supplements leading to excess omega 3 and or deficiencies in omega 6 and or 9 that need supplementing.