Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements - Basic Facts and Information

Omega 3 fish oil supplements are made mainly using fish oil, which is rich in the very important omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These essential fatty acids have a part to play in many aspects of human health, including that of the brains, heart, cardiovascular system, joints, immune system, skin, and even the hair.

As awareness of the usefulness of omega 3 fish oil capsules (also referred to as fish oil pills, or sometimes as fish oil tablets) heightens, the use of such fish oil supplements has been growing in popularity, too.

Here are some basic facts and information on omega 3 fish oil supplements:

• Fish oil capsules and pills are usually made using the oil of cold water fish, also commonly referred to as fatty fish or oily fish. Some examples include anchovies, herring, hoki, mackerel, salmon and sardines. Such fish is rich in the omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, which have been shown in much research to have many benefits on human health.
  
  
• Typical fish oil supplements contain 18% EPA and 12% DHA. Some have higher concentrations.
  
  
• Some supplements contain only or mainly DHA.
  
  
• Some fish oil supplements contain vitamin E and / or other antioxidants; this is to prevent the fish oil from easily suffering oxidative damage, which it is prone to. These antioxidants also offer users protection against free radicals.
  
  
• Cod liver oil is one specific type of oil which contains significant amounts of DHA and EPA. However, due to high amounts of vitamin A, which can result in toxicity, cod liver oil may not be a suitable omega 3 supplement.
  
  
• Some possible minor side effects of taking omega 3 fish oil supplements are bad breath, bloating, "fishy" belching and, in some cases, nausea. If you are affected by these symptoms, adjusting your dosage by lowering it and then gradually increasing it again may help. Adverse reactions may be caused by other ingredients or fillers, and not fish oil itself; thus, switching brands may also do the trick.
  
  
• Fish oil is a blood thinner.

To find out more about omega 3 fish oil capsules, pills, tablets and supplements, read the other related pages, or the other parts of this website.