What does the intake of Omega 3 fatty acids do?
If omega-3 fatty acids are not ingested in sufficient quantities in the diet, taking it in the form of a dietary supplement can help prevent diseases associated with omega-3 deficiency. For most people, however, the intake of omega-3 fatty acids through food is completely sufficient. Taking an additional dietary supplement does not have any effect. Even though many effects such as protection against diseases and a positive influence on the skin appearance, joint function and many more are suggested by the manufacturers of such products, there is no positive effect from taking it beyond the requirements. The superfluous fatty acids are then only used by the body for energy production or for storage in fat pads.
What side effects may I experience while taking this medicine?
The amount of omega-3 fatty acids ingested through natural foods cannot cause side effects. The fatty acids that exceed the requirement are either built into the fat cells or burned to produce energy. Side effects are only to be expected from an intake of more than 20 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day, which can only be achieved by an excessive intake of concentrated food supplements.
This can lead to complaints of the gastrointestinal tract such as nausea and vomiting, flatulence and diarrhoea. In addition, a massive overdose can affect blood clotting, which can manifest itself, for example, through the occurrence of nosebleeds. If side effects occur as a result of taking omega-3 fatty acids, the preparation should be discontinued and a doctor should be consulted.
What forms are there?
Most of the dietary supplements that contain enriched omega-3 fatty acids are capsules containing fish oil. As fatty fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, it is also the most suitable raw material for the production of dietary supplements. Capsules from different manufacturers may differ, for example, in the type of fish that is processed.
As a rule, farmed salmon are used. Only a few manufacturers use oil from free-living deep-sea fish such as herring, tuna or mackerel. However, the only difference in the end products is the price.
The quality of the fish oil and the content of omega-3 fatty acids is usually the same. A common additive in fish oil capsules is also vitamin E. This is intended to prevent the oil from becoming rancid too quickly due to decay. The capsules themselves consist of gelatine. The fact that the capsules are swallowed unchewed prevents a fishy taste from occurring when ingested.
All articles in this series:
