Fish oil pills: Survey suggests they are most popular U.S. dietary supplement, but what’s in them?
Americans seem to be falling for fish oil supplements -- and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A new survey suggests fish oil pills are the most popular dietary supplement in the country, even over multivitamins.
Fish oil matters because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA and EPA. If you’ve been paying attention (and the ConsumerLab.com survey indicates that you have), you know fish oil can help maintain a healthy heart and better brain function for starters. MedlinePlus, a key resource from the National Institutes of Health, describes what’s inside the glossy pill here:
“Fish oil supplements are usually made from mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, or seal blubber. Fish oil supplements often contain small amounts of vitamin E to prevent spoilage. They might also be combined with calcium, iron, or vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, or D.â€
Or you could eat 3.5 ounces of mackerel, tuna, salmon, sturgeon, mullet, bluefish, anchovy, sardines, herring, trout and menhaden (a.k.a., mossbunker, bunker and pogy) to gain 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids.
But figuring out how much fish oil to take can be confusing. For example, MedlinePlus also says scientific research recommends 1 to 4 grams of fish oils a day if your triglycerides are high but 4 grams per day if high blood pressure is the problem.
So how much should you have each day? This Los Angeles Times story says: “Increasing evidence suggests that each type of omega-3 plays a different role. The benefits depend on the amount, one’s life stage and specific medical conditions. Such complexity is something that guidelines, at least in the United States, don’t yet reflect.â€
What is clear is that having more fish oil in your diet helps -- and the survey might suggest that we’re getting the message. Here’s an Orlando Sentinel story that highlights the rest of the survey’s findings.
