Fish Oil for Cardiovascular Health - Omega 3 for High Cholesterol

Omega 3 or fish oil is polyunsaturated fat found in fish oil, fish, and in food supplements form. It typically has of a mixture of polyunsaturated fatty acids which include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (ECA). Polyunsaturated fats, especially DHA and EPA, are heart friendly fats since they don't promote atherosclerosis related with heart disease causes. Previous studies have shown that a person who is taking omega 3 has reduced the risk of sudden death from cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have indicated that it can as well lower the risk for cardiovascular diseases by improving the lipids of our body. So, does this Omega 3 help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels?

The common dose tested in these studies ranges about 900 milligrams to 5 grams each day of a combination of DHA and EPA. To get this amount of polyunsaturated fats, one needs to consume many fish. Therefore, food supplements are usually used. Ingesting 900 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acids every day resulted in a four percent drop off in triglyceride levels after five to six months. The average dose used which was effective in most studies was about two to four grams, and this had resulted in decrease in triglycerides for about twenty five to forty-five percent. Omega-3 fatty acid's effectiveness on triglycerides is dose dependent; this means that the more omega-3 fatty acids ingested the lower triglyceride levels in our body will fall. This will work best if you follow a healthy diet. Omega-3 fatty acids seemed to affect newly consumed triglycerides more. Moreover, people with high triglyceride levels (more than 500 mg / dL) appear to gain the most benefit from omega-3 supplementation.

Even though it could lower triglyceride levels, it can slightly elevate low density lipoproteins (also known as "bad" cholesterol or LDL). However, this change is modest and could range from three to ten percent. On the other hand, high density lipoproteins (also known as the "good" cholesterol or HDL) don't appear to be affected by omega-3 supplementation, if not increased to some extent.

Omega 3 fatty acids are available as a supplement or as a prescription at any nutritional store or local pharmacy. Just a gram of omega 3 supplement a day could cause triglycerides to decrease and would help prevent sudden death from cardiovascular diseases. An average of 4 grams of omega 3 fatty acids is normally used to lower triglycerides in people with elevated triglyceride levels. It is suggested that people taking more than three grams each day must consult a health care provider, because high doses of omega 3 fatty acids could decrease the platelets that may cause the occurrence of bleeding more easily.

You have to know that prescribed omega-3 fatty acids have certain amount of DHA and EPA. They are purified and carefully rid of impurities like mercury, trans-fats, and other contaminants. Supplements purchased OTC are classified as "foods". Therefore, they don't have to go through the efficacy studies or thorough purification processes that prescribed drugs have to go undergo.