Fish oil: properties, benefits, harm, contraindications

Basically, fish oil is obtained from the liver of large fish, the weight of which is from 1 to 2.5 kg. As a rule, this is cod. There is a lot of fish oil in the marine inhabitants of cold waters: herring, mackerel, etc. Its benefits for the human body can hardly be overestimated, especially fish oil has a beneficial effect on the work of the brain. Today we will analyze in detail what is the use of this wonderful product, its contraindications and how to use it correctly.

Fish oil: benefits

The main fish oil producer is Norway, which is not surprising given its location. On an industrial scale, the product is manufactured as follows:

• The liver is removed from the caught fish, the gallbladder and pathological changes are removed, if necessary. Clean organs are put into a huge boiler, which has two walls, and heated in a water bath to 50 ° C. Under the influence of temperature, the fat separates itself. It is caught and defended at zero temperature. The settled composition is sold with the emblem of white fat. The remaining liver continues to be heated further, but less, resulting in a different cod liver oil (red / yellow). Subsequent heating allows the development of other varieties - brown - but this is no longer a food species.

Briefly about each variety:

Brown fat has a very unpleasant "odor" and is used exclusively for technical purposes, for example, as a lubricant, for treating leather, etc.

Yellow fat is used in medicine, but only after preliminary purification.

White fat is considered the best and, like yellow, is applicable in medicine.

Now that you know about the types and methods of extracting fish oil, you can move on to the next stage and learn about its benefits for our body.

The chemical composition of this wonderful product has been studied from "A to Z". Its main components are vitamins E, D, A, saturated fatty acid esters (palmitic and oleic acids), OMEGA-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc. In addition to the above, fish oil contains iodine, bromine and phosphorus, albeit in small amounts.

Mentioning the vitamin composition of the drug, it is worth noting that vitamin A has a good effect on vision and skin, vitamin E contributes to strengthening immunity, Nourishes blood vessels and the heart, and D is responsible for the high-quality absorption of calcium, which has a positive effect on the strength of bones.

Probably every adult remembers how, as a child, adults poured a nasty oily liquid with a characteristic fishy smell into them. This has led to the fact that even now, grown-up children experience a violent disgust at the expression "fish oil". Fortunately, now both children and adults have the opportunity to use the drug in capsules - to receive the required dose of nutrients with minimal taste inconveniences.

And this is very good, because fish oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids helps to fully function not only bones, heart and blood vessels, but also muscles. At the same time, it is a proven scientific fact that regular use of the drug eliminates excess weight, and if the latter is not there, then it does not allow it to appear at all.

An interesting ability of fish oil is to help vitamins D, A, and E be absorbed. This is direct evidence that you can forget about the deficiency of these elements, which means that the nails, skin and hair will become much better.

OMEGA-3 includes eleven polyunsaturated fatty acids with complex names. They greatly affect the brain and vision. It is especially good to use fish oil for pregnant women, since it is these elements that play a huge role in the formation of the brain and vision of the future baby. These fats help the body resist all inflammatory processes and diseases associated with the cardiovascular system.

In addition, OMEGA-3 helps to improve blood circulation, significantly reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. In complex treatment, it helps to get rid of varicose veins and rheumatoid arthritis.

OMEGA-3 elements allow you to get rid of fatty deposits. And here it is worthwhile to understand that fish oil helps to eliminate exclusively excess body fat, and not normal subcutaneous fat, which a healthy person should have. Subsequently, this action will be extended to prevent the appearance of new deposits. They simply prevent the processing of unhealthy fats and the latter are naturally excreted undigested. But by itself, it will not save you from excess weight, for example, if you continue to eat hamburgers and lie on the couch. But using it even with a light diet, then without prejudice to the psyche and health, you can get rid of 5 kg per month.

Fish oil contributes to the formation of serotonin in the body, known to all as the "hormone of happiness." He suppresses aggression stress, depression and irritability, which has a positive effect on the nervous system. Let's use the drug for alcohol intoxication, it seems to minimize the harmful effects of intoxicating drinks on the brain area. It also prevents diseases that cause dementia, memory loss. Fish oil improves brain activity.

It is difficult to list all the benefits of fish oil in one article. One has only to grasp the logic that it affects the brain, and the brain, in turn, regulates the work of the whole organism. Therefore, regular consumption of this nutritional supplement can heal the entire body as a whole.

Fish oil: harm

Fish oil is not capable of causing harm under several conditions: if the product is of high quality and if the person has no contraindications. We will mention the latter a little later, but now let's talk about what is meant by the word "quality". We are used to trusting pharmacies, thinking that since it is on the counter, it means you can drink. This is so, but you don't want to get a paid placebo either. Briefly about how to choose quality fish oil.

To begin with, experts do not recommend taking a product that was obtained from fish liver. This is due to the deterioration of the environment, including the quality of the water in which this fish lives. All harmful substances, heavy metals can accumulate in the liver, so what is the use of this? At best, it won't hurt. The situation is much better with the product obtained from other parts of the fish.

Okay, you say, but how do you know where this fat comes from? Very simple! Few people pay attention, but on the shelves of pharmacies there are packages with the words "fish oil" and "fish oil". And this is far from a play on words. This is the answer. Fish oil is prepared from the liver - it is characterized by a high content of vitamins A, D and E, but less OMEGA-3. And fish oil is made from muscle fibers, it has a lower content of vitamins, but OMEGA-3 is a huge amount. And if you take into account that they drink this supplement exclusively because of OMEGA-3, then the choice is obvious, since it is problematic to replenish its reserves in the body in a different way, but the vitamins mentioned earlier can be supplied in sufficient quantities with other products.

Don't skimp on your health - buy only high-quality products!

Fish oil: contraindications

Contraindications to fish oil rather show that it is very important to consult a doctor before using it and in no case should you drink it without it. So, be careful if you have:

• have an allergy to fish and seafood;
• diseases of the thyroid gland;
• there are kidney and liver diseases;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• active form of tuberculosis;
• there is a high calcium content in the blood;
• pregnancy, lactation period.

In addition, it is worth limiting the consumption of fish oil for people who have low blood pressure, as well as those who take drugs to lower it, since fish oil itself contributes to the same effect.

Suffering from diabetes mellitus you can also take this product only with the permission of your doctor. In general, if you are taking any medications in parallel, a doctor's consultation is mandatory, since the interaction of fish oil with some components can lead to a lot of serious complications. With caution, it is worth giving the drug to children. The dosage in this case should be determined by the pediatrician.

Fish oil for women

Considering the beneficial properties of fish oil, it is clear that it is more valuable for women than for men. The latter do not attach much importance to how thick and shiny their hair, long and beautiful nails, and how clean their skin is. But the ladies are even ready to go under the knife in order to preserve and increase the existing beauty.

With regular consumption of fish oil, the need for radical methods of achieving beauty will disappear by itself. Hair will become thicker, stop falling out and shine with health, marigolds will become noticeably stronger and seriously accelerate their growth, and the skin will be cleansed and become like a gloss cover. Of course, in order to achieve all this, you need to choose only high-quality products from trusted manufacturers.

And yet, it is also worth noting that fish oil is also used in cosmetology. In addition to the internal reception, you can use masks with its use, affecting the problem not only from the inside, but also from the outside. Here are a couple of interesting recipes for beauty:

• This composition allows you to remove peeling and forget what acne is. Pour a tablespoon of ordinary dry yeast with a couple of spoons of warmed milk and leave the composition for 20 minutes. Then add the yolk of one egg and squeeze out a couple of capsules of fish oil. Mix everything thoroughly and apply to your face. After about 20 minutes, remove the composition with warm water and wash yourself with cold.
• To restore dry and dull hair, use the following mask. Take a spoonful of castor oil, rappean oil, and flaxseed oil. In this "cocktail" squeeze out a couple of capsules of fish oil and distribute over the hair roots and the curls themselves. Wrap in cellophane and leave for an hour, then rinse with shampoo.

Fish oil during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the female body needs even more attention, since it has to work for two bodies at once. Moreover, one of these organisms is just beginning to emerge. Knowing the benefits of fish oil, the question arises - is it possible for future mothers to drink it. Theoretically, it is not possible, but even necessary. It contains many useful elements that simply cannot be taken from other sources. The only requirement is mandatory consultation with a specialist. Indeed, it is during this period that an aggravation or appearance of sores is possible, which are included in the list of contraindications. In addition, it is possible that the sensitivity of the body during this period may increase, which will lead to allergic reactions.

If there are no contraindications or negative reactions, and the observing doctor is not against it, then the prem of fish oil is simply necessary. True, the dosage must be determined by a specialist.

In addition to the benefits mentioned at the beginning of the article, fish oil helps pregnant women:

• prevent premature birth;
• suppresses the manifestation of allergic reactions;
• significantly reduces toxicosis;
• prevents negative changes in weight, from which many girls suffer so much;
• helps to preserve teeth (many know firsthand that it is during pregnancy that teeth break down badly), hair and nails;
• prevents the development of inflammation;
• warns postpartum depression.

Fish oil has a separate effect on the fetus. OMEGA-3 plays a huge role in the correct formation of the brain, vision and other organs of the baby, including the formation of the nervous system.

Breastfeeding fish oil

Even when pregnancy is over, when breastfeeding, mommy must howl attentive to everything that she eats and drinks. Any incorrectly eaten product will immediately affect the baby and in most cases this has sad consequences.

No matter how trite it may sound, but in this case, before using the drug, you must definitely consult with a specialist. If the latter does not mind and does not reveal any contraindications either for you or for the baby, then you can safely start drinking fish oil and thereby transferring to the baby irreplaceable elements that will help him grow correctly.

Fish oil for hair

OMEGA-3 promotes active hair growth, even if nothing has helped before, you will be surprised at how their appearance and general condition will change. By the way, just a couple of weeks is enough for a visible result to appear. And after a month you will not recognize yourself. The beneficial properties extend not only to the hair itself, but also to the scalp. Regular use will help eliminate dandruff and other blemishes.

In addition to the internal reception, you can use the product in masks, but this is undesirable. This is due to the characteristic fishy smell of the product, which is not so easy to wash afterwards.

How to drink fish oil

Correctly consume fish oil - following the manufacturer's recommendations, which are indicated on the package. However, it should be borne in mind that they are advisory and generalized. The best option would be to consult a doctor. Indeed, for some, the manufacturer's dosage will be small, but for someone too large.

Do not increase the dose on your own, this will not add to the benefit, but negative effects may arise. It is better not to use the drug on an empty stomach, as fats increase the amount of bile secreted and thin the stool.

It is highly discouraged to take the supplement for more than a month. This is due to the high content of vitamin A, which tends to accumulate in the body and contribute to toxicity.

An overdose of fish oil activates the occurrence of diarrhea, nausea and nosebleeds.

Fish oil: benefits for children

Children need fish oil like air. Their brains and the entire body as a whole are constantly developing, it is very important that the former receives sufficient nutrition, which OMEGA-3 can provide. It is impossible to find this element, or rather elements, in such quantities in other products, so taking fish oil is a great alternative.

It promotes the development of intelligence, normalizes growth, promotes proper muscle function and makes bones stronger. Improves fine motor skills, reduces excessive activity in children and normalizes the nervous system.

Of course, it is preferable if the child drinks fish oil in liquid form and without extraneous additives and flavors. But it is not always possible to persuade the child to take such a step, because he still does not understand what it is for, but the taste, smell and consistency of the drug, unfortunately, are not the most enviable. If you still have not managed to achieve the desire from the baby - purchase special baby fat in capsules. It is not so odorous and has no taste. But it is still better to avoid flavors, there is no need for excess chemistry.

Slimming fish oil

We already mentioned the help of fish oil earlier. In addition to the fact that OMEGA-3 promotes fat burning, it also does not allow new ones to be absorbed, which is very valuable for those who strive so hard for ideals or simply follow their figure. By the way, it is for this that fish oil is so "respected" by athletes who really need muscle mass.

But go to proper nutrition nevertheless, it is necessary, since the mentioned drug is not from the world of miracles and the impossible cannot be made possible. And drinking it for weight loss is very simple. A couple of capsules three times a day is quite enough. During the year, you need to take three courses of admission according to the following principle: 3 weeks of consumption - three months of a break, then again three weeks of admission, and so on.

Fish oil: reviews

Considering that several pharmaceutical companies are engaged in the manufacture of fish oil at once, it is not surprising that the quality of the products will be different, which will generate many different reviews about its action - and it is so. But in general, every second consumer notes the positive properties of taking the supplement. The promised promises of benefits are being fulfilled 100%. If you have no contraindications, then you can safely take fish oil. Just be careful not to increase the allowed dosage. Remember, undershoot is better than overshoot.