Since some time, deep-sea fish oil has been popular among middle-aged and elderly people, and many of them have started to consciously supplement fish oil, believing that it can lower blood lipids. So, does taking fish oil have this effect? According to Jonas Cen of the Nutrition Department of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, fish oil comes from deep-sea fish rich in fat, such as herring, mackerel and sardines. We take fish oil mainly to supplement Omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA and EPA, which are commonly believed to play a role in reducing blood clots, protecting the heart, brain and vision development, and fighting depression and cancer. We cannot synthesize Omega-3 fatty acids on our own and must supplement them through food.
So, can fish oil supplementation achieve the effect of improving blood lipids? The answer is not necessarily. Jonas Sham points out that due to the loss during processing, the effective EPA and DHA content in fish oil supplements is actually not much. Moreover, the stability of Omega-3 fatty acids is poor, and the problem of oxidation is very common in fish oil products on the market. When fish oil is oxidized, its efficacy is reduced, and oxidized fats are harmful to the body and can promote inflammation and atherosclerosis.
“In fact, the Guidelines for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in China (2020) advocate that people eat fish and fats rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, but do not mention health food. So, we don’t necessarily need to take Omega-3 fatty acids through supplements, just a slight change in our daily diet is enough.” Jonathon Sham suggests, “Eating more sea fish, such as deep-sea fish and shellfish once to twice a week, can basically ensure the body’s demand for Omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon (salmon), golden pomfret and mackerel are good choices.”
In addition, you can also eat more Omega-3 rich chia seeds, walnuts, macadamia nuts and other nuts, and it is recommended that a variety of nuts mixed with food. Among them, walnuts are the richest nuts containing Omega-3 fatty acids, which is also “walnuts for the brain” is the reason. The Omega-6 fatty acid content of melon seeds, peanuts, etc. should be eaten less. 2022 “Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents” recommends 25-35 grams of soybeans and nuts per day. Nutrition experts recommend that almost 2 to 3 walnuts or pistachios or macadamia nuts, or 10 pistachios or batanas.
Finally, experts warn that when the body has problems such as high blood lipids, the first priority should be to adjust the diet, rather than pinning your hopes on fish oil supplements. It is not a substitute for medicine, and does not really prevent the occurrence of disease, should take lipid-lowering drugs still have to eat.
