How Much Fish Oil Should I Take If…?

By Valerie Rosenbaum

If you asked, ‘how much fish oil should I take?’ You might get a number of different answers. There is no well established daily dosage, although for adults the minimum daily requirement for omega3 fatty acids is currently set at 1100mg. In order to get that, the amount of fish oil that you should take depends on the brand and the omega3 content.

Many people think that 1000mg of fish oil provides 1000mg of omega3 fatty acids. That is not the case. The oils are a blend of polyunsaturated fatty acids that include omega-3, 6 and 9.

Most people get plenty of omega6 in their diets, because it is found in cooking oils. The value of omega9s in the diet has not been established. It is known that an imbalance of omega6 to omega3 causes a variety of health problems.

In the better supplements, at least 50% of the fat in the capsule is omega3. So, in order to get close to the minimum daily requirement, you would need to take two gel caps. Below, you will see the answers to a few other questions.

How much fish oil should I take if I have arthritis?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAKStoEHlOM[/youtube]

Arthritis is an inflammatory condition. Inflammation is involved in other health problems and plays a role in aging. A number of different studies have found that omega3 supplementation provides benefit for people that suffer from rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

The amount used in the studies varied from 1000-3000mg per day given over the course of 3-4 months. A dose of 2000mg per day is generally recognized as safe and well-tolerated. You would need to check with your doctor about taking more. If diarrhea or nausea occurs, you should reduce the daily dose.

How much fish oil should I take if I have high cholesterol?

In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, omega3s can help lower LDL cholesterol by increasing HDL. LDL particles are small. They get stuck on the interior of the arterial walls. HDL particles are larger. They pick up the LDL and carry them back to the liver. Two gel caps per day, should be sufficient for an adult.

How much fish oil should I take if I suffer from depression or anxiety?

When it comes to depression, anxiety and other conditions that involve the brain, it is the DHA content that is most important. DHA is a specific omega3 fatty acid. The amount that is in a supplement could be very low.

Studies that showed benefit in depression used 500mg of DHA per day. You would need to check the label of the product that you intend to buy. The better supplements provide at least 250mg of DHA per capsule. So, once again, only 2 gel caps per day would be necessary.

How much fish oil should I take to protect the health of my heart?

Protecting the long-term health of your heart is the biggest benefit of an omega3 supplement. We do not know exactly how much is needed to achieve that benefit. Healthy diet and exercise are once again, essential. Most supplement manufacturers recommend 2 gel caps per day.

About the Author: Valerie Rosenbaum knows that taking

omega 3 fish oil

supplements is the single most effective way to improve your health. But not all

fish oil supplements

are safe. Low quality fish oils may actually be harmful to your health, because they may contain toxic contaminants. Visit her site to discover the pure, fish oil product she uses and recommends:

TakingFishOil.com

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=378076&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet