Fish Oil And Cholesterol
fish oil and its benefits for the heart and improving cholesterol is probably the most researched aspect of Omega 3 fish oil.
In fact, both the American Heart Association and Food and Drug Administration have both commented on the potential benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids for cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.
First off, cholesterol is a substance found in fats in the bloodstream and cells in your body. Cholesterol can’t dissolve in the bloodstream so it is transported to/from cells by lipoproteins.
The important lipoproteins that you commonly hear about are LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides.
I won’t go into detail about the function of each lipoprotein but the important thing to remember is that generally the lower your LDL and the higher your HDL, the better your chances of preventing heart disease and other chronic conditions.
The types of fat in your diet affect the types of cholesterol in your bloodstream so people should focus on obtaining unsaturated “good fat” which is comprised of monounsaturated fat (usually nut oils) and polyunsaturated fat (plants and fish – Omega 3 fatty acids).
Modern diets have caused many people to be deficient in good fats and get too many bad saturated fats due to all the processed foods nowadays.
Fish oils are the best source of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA + DHA) and can help reduce blood triglyceride levels, which are blood fats closely related to risky cholesterol and heart disease.
In fact the US FDA approved a concentrated prescription fish oil called Lovaza to treat high triglycerides. (The pure fish oil supplement I take is essentially a less concentrated version with a much lower price tag)
Fish oil fatty acids also help to reduce the levels of small, dense particles of LDL cholesterol, also known as the “bad” cholesterol. LDL is commonly associated with various heart diseases.
Lastly ,fish oil is known as a blood thinner which can help the blood flow thru the arteries. Essentially blood thinners assist in prevention of thrombosis (blood clots) as it helps platelets (smallest cells in the blood) from sticking together and forming blood clots.
However, if you are currently on blood thinners like aspirin or other anti-coagulants, make sure to speak with your doctor if you decide to take fish oil.
