How Much Fish Oil Is Safe to Take & What Are Benefits & Risks?

Fish oil is found in fatty fish such as mackerel, tuna, sturgeon, trout and salmon, and also in supplements made from these. Fish oil contains two different omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexenoic, or DHA, both of which have heart healthy benefits. Despite these advantages, be aware that mild and severe health risks are associated with high supplement dosages.

How Much is Enough?

Eat fatty fish twice a week, advices the American Heart Association. A 3.5-oz. portion of fatty fish provides approximately 1 g of omega-3 fatty acids. Get your omega-3 requirements met through food before resorting to supplements; however, if you do take fish oil pills limit your intake to 3 g per day. Discuss possible higher dosages with your physician.
Benefits

Research demonstrates the heart healthy effects of fish oils both for individuals with cardiovascular disease and for those without a history of heart problems. According to the American Heart Association, omega-3 fatty acids decrease abnormal heart beat and heart attack risk, slow hardening of the arteries and slightly lower blood pressure. In addition, fish oils lower blood triglyceride levels by 20 to 50 percent. It is also theorized that fish oils reduce fatalities caused by heart attacks more than the prescription drugs known as statins do.

Risks

Taking fish oil in amounts greater than 3 g is considered unsafe, warns the UC Berkeley Wellness Guide. Mild side effects at this large dosage include nausea, belching or "fish burps," heartburn and diarrhea. Minimize these effects by taking supplements at mealtimes and gradually increase dosage amounts. More severe side effects caused by high dosages include an increased risk for excessive bleeding, stroke, elevated LDL cholesterol levels, immune system suppression and poor glycemic control in diabetic individuals.

Safety Concerns

Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding and young children should restrict fatty fish intake due to possible methylmercury content. This toxin is only found in fish meat, thus fish oil supplements are a safe substitute. Individuals allergic to fish should also avoid fish oil or omega-3 supplements manufactured from it. For those individuals with toxin contamination concerns, the American Heart Association advises individuals to cut off fish skin and the underlying fat layer prior to cooking. The benefits of fish oil consumption for older men and postmenopausal women outweigh any risks from possible toxin contamination.
Fish oils are known to interact with certain medications such as birth control pills and anti-hypertensive and anticoagulant drugs. Vitamin E levels can also decrease with fish oil supplementation. Consult your physician if you have concerns regarding fish oil and medication interaction.

4 Must Have Supplement For Physique Building

We realize that your dollars are precious and, as a discriminating supplement user, you want to make sure that you’re investing in products that will help you continue gaining strength and size while keeping your bodyfat low. Contrary to what the industry has led you to believe, you don’t need a drawer full of jugs and bottles to reach your goals. And if you only have the dough for a few, these four are a great place to start.

1. GREEN FOOD SUPPLEMENTS

Taking a green food supplement will help you reduce the nutritional deficiencies that occur with any amount of hard training. Most physique athletes and don't eat enough veggies. So how can we make up for this? Consume a whole food-based supplement that provides an array of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, plant enzymes and other plant nutrients that the body thrives on. They are your insurance policy for making sure you consume suitable amounts of nutrient on days when you don't eat the recommended 5-10 servings of veggies. Any one of the following will do.

• Green food powders or pills
• Spirulina
• Chlorella
• Wheatgrass

>> Start by taking as directed on the label of the product you select and adjust with more or less, as desired.

2. FISH OIL

Fish oil is a very critical supplement that everyone should be taking at some level. It is one of the most studied supplements in the world and you will have a hard time finding research, doctors, or nutritionists who are against taking some type of marine oil.

Marine oils are rich in omega-3 fatty acids containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), acids that play a critical role in brain function and are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. They contain anti-inflammatory properties and are hormone-like compounds that affect almost every system in the body.

Why can’t we just eat some fish and be good you ask? Well, most of our fish is either poorly farmed, or contains a lot of heavy metals and do not have the amount of EPA and DHA necessary to reap the full benefits of this super food (there are still some great fish out there, so keep eating fish). Calamari oil has high DHA content and krill oil has a high absorption rate. All of these marine oils help to increase brain function, reduce inflammation and, yes, improve body composition.

>> Take 2 grams with meals three times per day.

3. WHEY PROTEIN

Whey protein offers an array of benefits beyond post-workout nutrition. Whey protein is one of the most efficient ways to get adequate amounts of protein in someone's diet. Finding a high-quality piece of animal protein when on the go can be very challenging. Whey protein is an excellent source of protein that is high in quality, is safe for many lactose intolerant people and provides a ton of essential amino acids at a (generally) low cost.

Below is a quick list of all the benefits whey protein offers.

• Helps build lean muscle tissue
• Improves strength 
• Improves fat loss 
• Has anti-cancer properties, such as glutathione
• Can help reduce cholesterol 
• Can help reduce blood pressure 

>> Take 20 grams 30-60 minutes pre-workout and, optionally, between meals. Bump that up to 40-50 grams immediately post-workout.

4. BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACIDS (BCAA)

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are comprised of three key amino acids: L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine. BCAAs are among the nine essential amino acids (EAAs) for humans, accounting for 35% of the essential amino acids in muscle proteins and 40% of the required preformed amino acids in mammals.

BCAAs aid in negating muscle tissue breakdown (thereby improving growth), improving protein synthesis and endurance. They are faster digesting than most other protein sources such as chicken, fish, eggs, and whey, making them optimal for post-workout nutrition to get amino acid blood levels up faster to improve recovery, muscle growth and fat loss. They are also a great pre- and intra-workout drink to get a head start on recovery and a fantastic pre-workout option for early-morning cardio.

>> Take 5-10 grams pre- and post-workout and optionally 1-3 other times per day, including immediately upon waking or between meals.

5 Reasons You Should Be Taking Fish Oil

Turns out the cardiovascular benefits of fish oil may just be a fisherman’s tale after all. According to the New York Times, at least two dozen studies of fish oil were published in leading medical journals from 2005 to 2012, nearly all of which focused on the pill’s ability to prevent cardiovascular events. All but two found fish oil had no benefit to heart health. (Find out more about what you should now about heart health).

However, fish oil is now the third most widely used dietary supplement in the United States—about 10 percent of Americans take the pill believing the omega-3 fatty acids will bolster their heart health—according to the National Institutes of Health. So, should we just flush ‘em down the drain? Of course not. Just because fish oil may not live up to the touted heart health benefits, doesn't mean there aren't other reasons to take them. You can also get the omega-3's in these foods if supplements aren't your thing. To prove it, here are five other ways you can benefit from fish oil.

BOOST MEMORY

18- to 25-year-olds who consumed fish oil pills every day for six months boosted their working memory by 23 percent, according to research published in the journal PLoS ONE.

IMPROVE MODERATE TO SEVERE ACNE

A 2012 study from California State Polytechnic University Pomona found evidence that fish oil can improve the severity of acne. Participants supplemented their normal acne-fighting regimen and typical diets with 3 grams of fish oil per day. After 12 weeks, the acne symptoms had greatly improved for 60 percent of the volunteers.

BOOST EYE HEALTH

A 2009 study from the National Eye Institute found that participants who reported the highest level of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet were 30 percent less likely than their peers to develop macular degeneration during a 12-year period.

HELP MUSCLE GROWTH

A 2013 study from the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found that fish oil can improve the anabolic effect of exercise by promoting more lean muscle growth, function and quality.

REDUCE IMPACT OF AIR POLLUTION

A 2012 study suggests fish oil can help protect your heart against air pollution—good news for city dwellers, and great news for city dwellers who run on highly-polluted streets. Researchers gave 29 middle-aged adults three grams of fish oil or olive oil every day for four weeks. Then they exposed them to two consecutive hours of unclean air, after which their cardiac responses were measured. The participants who were given fish oil didn’t experience as negative an effect to their white blood cell activity. The fish oil protected the participants against the harmful cardiac effects associated with air pollution exposure.

It may not boost your heart health, but the supplement does yield benefits for your brain, lungs, skin, and muscles.