What is Fish Oil and How Does it Help?

The answer to what is fish oil seems obvious. Oilthey are either impractical or inefficient.
from fish. It is not that simple since there areMany people are not only wondering about what
many types. Understanding the subtle differencesis fish oil but also what else is in it? They are
is the first step to safely getting the benefitsrightfully worried about ocean toxins, like arsenic
from this essential nutrient.and PCBs, that are absorbed by all the various
The reason people are even asking what is fish oilspecies. The FDA recommends only two servings
is because of the omega 3 content in it. A recenta week of seafood. Some experts think that is
study of Alaskan Eskimos verified whattoo much. In the US, the state of California
thousands of other studies have discovered.makes stores publish warnings about anything
There is a direct relationship between the amountcaught in the Pacific ocean. Other states like
of omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil in the bloodVermont have similar warnings for the Atlantic
and overall health. The Eskimos have much fewerocean.
Western health difficulties like heart disease, eyeGiven the safety issues, many consumers turn to
problems, joint stiffness and immune systemsupplements. The quality companies use a process
issues.called molecular distillation, a process that
There are many different species of fish but as aseparates out the contaminants and allows the oil
general rule the predatory, ocean variety haveto be concentrated.
the most omega 3 content. That would includeMy product is sourced from hoki, which swims in
oily or fatty types like salmon, tuna, sharks andthe Southern ocean southwest of New Zealand.
mackerel.There is very little commercial traffic because of
These fish store the omega 3 in their muscles,the national parks and the fact that their western
while non oily "white" species like cod, store it inneighbor is Antarctica. That means very little man
their liver. Most people prefer to stay away frommade pollutants and quick processing times.
cod liver oil because it is too high in vitamin A. InMany producers purchase their supplies extracted
order to get the amount of omega 3s that arefrom a variety of fish from worldwide sources
needed, you would have to take doses thatincluding third world countries. They are
would cause a vitamin A overload - possibly totransported across the world in tankers and pass
the level of toxicity.through the tropics. As a result the oil is very
There are other sources of omega 3s like eggs,prone to rancidity and has to have many additives
walnuts, flax and grass fed beef. Unfortunately,to try and minimize this problem.