Comparing Omega-3s and Fish Oils

The human body constantly needs nutrients. Vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, carbohydrates — all this comes with food and finds its place in metabolism. However, not all food contains a sufficient amount of useful substances — and not all useful substances are present in a person’s daily diet.

Take, for example, the so-called «essential fatty acids». Their presence in the diet depends on the growth of children, blood cholesterol levels in adults, skin condition, kidney function, immunity and general health. The only problem is that these essential fatty acids are only found in certain foods.

Most of them are found in fatty sea fish and some raw vegetable oils (hemp, linseed, mustard, rapeseed). These products are not included in the daily diet. In contrast, vegetable oils containing essential fatty acids are almost never eaten, and oily ocean fish like mackerel are more of a delicacy.

As a result, the body simply does not have enough saturated fatty acids, and you have to use them in the form of nutritional supplements. And most often for these purposes, «Omega-3» and fish oil are used. That’s just what they are more effective?

In this material, we will figure out how Omega-3 differs from fish oil, and also what is better to take.

Omega 3

Omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids — and this is how this group of substances is fully called — are the most important nutrients that are used by the body in almost all of its systems.

So, the positive effect of Omega-3 is manifested in the following:

1. affect the normal growth of the child. With a lack of Omega-3, there may be a lack of growth. Of course, it doesn’t “reach” to dwarfism, but short stature is “provided”;

2. Normalize the level of triglycerides in the blood. This is very important for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases;

3. Improve kidney function, reduce the risk of developing kidney failure and other systemic problems of this organ;

4. Improve local immunity of the skin, make it softer and more elastic. Reduce the risk of developing mimic and similar wrinkles. Help to cope with inflammation, including acne, and accelerate wound healing;

5. Preserve and restore telomeres in DNA molecules, thereby prolonging life;

6. Significantly improve brain function, reduce the risk of depression and depression, reduce the risk of depression or bipolar affective disorder;

7. They improve local immunity of the respiratory system, reduce the risk of «catching» colds.

In addition, Omega-3 reduces stress levels and improves overall psycho-emotional well-being, while increasing mental stamina. So this dietary supplement is really useful.

Most Omega-3 is found in sea and ocean fish, especially small breeds like mackerel, anchovies and herring. It can also be found in some vegetable oils — linseed, camelina, rapeseed, hemp and mustard. Lots of Omega-3s are found in spinach, seaweed and chia seeds.

Omega-3 is part of fish oil, as it is obtained from marine fish.

Despite the fact that plant sources contain omega-3s, for the nutritional value of the diet, you should not be limited only to them. The fact is that there are 2 types of Omega-3:

1. ALA (ELK). Presented mainly in vegetable oils;

2. EPA (EPA) and DHA (DHA). Presented mainly in fish oil.

All these acids — ELA, EPA and DHA — are part of the complex with the common name Omega-3. They have a similar effect, but to get the most striking positive effect, you should not be limited to taking just one thing.

As a result, if you want to buy Omega-3 in the form of a dietary supplement, then you should make sure that the complex contains all these acids — ALA, and EPA, and DHA. The latter, for example, is highly recommended for children during intensive assimilation of new information — training or preparing for exams. It improves brain development and protects against mental fatigue.

Despite a variety of beneficial effects, omega-3s are still not well understood by scientists. In particular, it is not very clear in what dosages these substances should be used. From the point of view of the Ministry of Health of the EU, an adequate intake rate is about 1 gram per day. But the US regulator FDA says that you should not consume more than 2-3 grams of Omega-3 from dietary supplements or fish oil per day.

So, let’s sum up.

In general, omega-3s are best taken as supplements. It is very difficult to consume enough marine fish, algae, chia seeds and other mustard oils per day to provide the required dosage.

Fish fat

Fish oil is a complex nutritional supplement that contains a huge amount of nutrients. It is obtained mainly from cod liver. In addition, it is found in the meat of some oceanic fish species — mackerel, herring, and so on.

Fish oil is made up of many glycerides, mostly fatty acids. Most of all it contains oleic and palmitic. And Omega-3 and Omega-6 are responsible for the beneficial effect, which is about 5% of the total volume. In addition, fish oil contains vitamins A and D.

Initially, fish oil was used in medicine due to the content of rare vitamin D. It is practically not found in other products. But at the same time, vitamin D is vital for the normal development of the musculoskeletal system in children. Therefore, fish oil was prescribed for the prevention of cancer and similar diseases.

Vitamin A, in turn, is essential for skin and vision. In addition, it improves immunity and ensures normal growth in children. But most importantly, it is used in the biochemical processes that determine human vision. With a lack of vitamin A, not only astigmatism or similar disorders can be observed, but also a deterioration in the perception of colors, as well as the so-called «night blindness» (deterioration in the ability to distinguish objects at dusk).

In addition, fish oil has a positive effect on the state of the digestive system — except when a person has catarrhal diseases (viral inflammation of the mucous tissues).

However, fish oil also has disadvantages. So, in some cases, it contains heavy metals that are not excreted from the body, especially mercury. This is due to the insufficient purity of the habitat of fish, from which this food supplement is extracted. In addition, it may contain ammonia and other nitrogenous derivatives, including ptomaine.

Especially a lot of harmful substances are found in fish oil that has undergone insufficient purification. It has a dark brown color. Medical fish oil, which has passed all stages of purification and therefore is practically devoid of harmful substances, has a characteristic yellowish-amber hue, is transparent and does not taste bitter when shaken in water. This dietary supplement is recommended and allowed to be taken.

The dosage of fish oil varies depending on the degree of purification and preparation. But it is usually recommended to take at least a few of its capsules per day — that is, about 3-5 grams. The specific recommended dosage is indicated on the package. There are no negative effects with excessive intake; fish oil is calmly excreted from the body in a natural way.

So, let’s sum up.

Medical fish oil is recommended for purchase. Only it undergoes sufficient purification, which makes it safe and useful. But presented in the form of dietary supplements, it may contain harmful and dangerous substances, since no one guarantees sufficient processing quality.

It is also worth considering that fish oil is not a medicine. Therefore, it is used for prevention rather than treatment.

Comparison

So, fish oil is a complex of useful substances that includes Omega-3, Omega-6, vitamins A and D. And Omega-3 itself is a set of polyunsaturated fatty acids necessary for the normal development of the body. But the difference between these substances is not limited to this.

In general, regular fish oil is healthier. However, there are a couple of «buts». Firstly, it does not contain plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids (ALA), so it is recommended to supplement its intake with the use of appropriate oils or flax or chia seeds. Secondly, it is very important to correctly calculate the dosage of fish oil, drinking it as much as indicated on the package.

«Omega-3» is a biological supplement mainly for adults who are able to properly control their diet. In addition, it is absolutely safe. Thanks to the many degrees and methods of purification, harmful substances like the same heavy metals are removed from it.

There is no point in taking both at the same time. You can limit yourself to just medical fish oil.