Fish oil is one of the few supplements we recommend most people use. I personally take two every morning.
There are a variety of health benefits to taking fish oil including:
- Improve heart health
- Can help with cognitive function
- Support healthy bones and joints
- Can improve sleep quality
- Beneficial for infant and child development
- Supports healthy hair, skin, and nails
The heart health benefits are one of the more common reasons why people take fish oil supplements. Fish oil can help lower blood pressure, reduce triglycerides, slow down plaque development in the arteries, reduce abnormal heart rhythm, and reduce the risk of heart attacks.
All of these benefits have a cumulative effect on your cardiovascular system. It is important to take fish oil every day to get the most benefit.
There are two ways to take fish oil for its supplemental health benefits. It can be consumed by eating fish, or it can be taken as a liquid or gel capsule. For people who are hoping to get the benefits of fish oil, but don’t eat a lot of fish, a fish oil supplement is the perfect compromise.
Not all fish oil supplements are created equal.
You want a higher concentration Omega-3s from your fish oil supplement. For example there is a cheaper fish oil supplement on amazon. It says 1200mg but if you look at the label it only has 360 mg of Omega-3. I use 1st Phorms Full-Mega.
So how much should you take?
Well, that’s where things get tricky. There are two primary types of Omega-3s. First, there’s EPA, and then there’s DHA. You’ll want somewhere around 2,500 mg of fish oil in total in a single serving, with a 3:2 ratio of EPA and DHA.
Some special cases and specific conditions may require more than that, but most people don’t.