Fish oils are some of the most popular supplements on the market today. It is estimated that in the United States alone some 18 million adults regularly take a fish oil supplement. The average cost per fish oil supplement per day is about $0.20 per day.
Fish oils are taken for a variety of reasons and are consumed for general health. Many people think that there is a general deficiency in omega 3 fishy fats. This motto is taken over by many policymakers, nutritionists, and consumers. There has been an industry built around fish oil. This industry consists of all kinds of (blood, gene, and saliva) omega 3 testings that are currently awaiting approval to be part of insurance coverage. Furthermore, patents are held that employ techniques to convert omega 6 into omega 3 by gene insertion. The multitude of science articles that put omega 3 in a favorable light reinforce the message that fish oils are a supplement that almost everybody should be taken.
Why Fish Oils Can Help
Together with omega 6, omega 3 is classified as essential. Both of these oils are unsaturated fatty acids, meaning they have double bonds. This means that the body can’t make the fats themselves. This claim of essentially caused an explosion of unsaturated fats in the western world. The graph below shows the increase in unsaturated fatty acids from the last century. The huge increase in omega 6 is something to worry about. Omega 6 is extremely inflammatory and seen in many pathologies. Omega 3 can reduce inflammation from omega 6, but has inflammatory properties on its own.
Yes, Omega 3 Can Be Inflammatory
Omega 3 is amongst the most fragile fats in the world, especially DHA has an extremely low resistance. The unsaturation of these fats makes them extremely easy to be attacked by radicals. These radicals are always present in the body and are actually needed in some ways. Omega 3 can be broken down into molecules that increase aging and many pathologies. You may know some of these breakdown products as age spots (lipofuscin). Yes, fish oils can turn into age spots (the picture below is an actual age spot).
