I take an essential fatty acid supplement every day, because like most Americans, I probably don’t eat enough fish to get an adequate supply. (Okay, forget probably. I don’t eat enough fish.) The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times per week. Fatty fish include mackerel, trout, salmon, sardines, herring, and albacore tuna, which are all high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). I can’t pronounce them either.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “There is evidence from multiple large-scale population (epidemiologic) studies and randomized controlled trials that intake of recommended amounts of DHA and EPA in the form of dietary fish or fish oil supplements lowers triglycerides, reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease, slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques (“hardening of the arteries”), and lowers blood pressure slightly.”
Sounds good to me.
Of course, it would be best to increase your intake of omega-3s through real food. Two problems:
1- Let’s be real. That probably won’t happen. The reason is pretty simple in that you can’t really quantify the benefits visually. Lower triglycerides isn’t something you’re going to get compliments on at the office party. If I told you that you’d drop 3 dress sizes, you’d eat fish every day though.
2- Coronary artery patients may not be able to increase their intake to sufficient levels through diet alone.
So, the benefits are obvious. The fact that I’m not going to eat enough fish to get those benefits is also obvious. So I take a supplement. If you think you should, or want more info, the only one I recommend is EFA Icon.
~Dave
Dave Soucy is an entrepreneur, coach, trainer, motivator, husband, dad, and former fat guy. Learn more about him here.
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