Stupid question: Fish oil

I've been hearing about fish oil a lot and I was just wounding what are the benefits to taking it are and pretty much the scoop on it is

Thanks.

makes u strong like ox

Probably the most important supplement you could ever take.

13 Reasons To Take Fish Oil

1 Cell membrane health: EPA and DHA insure that cell membranes remain healthy. This means that the membranes are flexible and contain larger numbers of insulin receptors that are more receptive and responsive to circulating insulin. This results in decreased fat storage in the adipocytes (fat cells)
2 Fish oils turn on the lipolytic genes (fat burning genes)
3 Fish oils turn off the lipogenic genes (fat storage genes)
4 Fish oils diminish C-reactive proteins, a newly identified risk factor associated with various inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, and diabetes. The DHA fraction of the fish oil seems to be one most responsible for that protective effect. DHA also has the best ability to reduce blood pressure
5 Increase utilization of fat stores from the adipocytes
6 Preferential utilization for energy production once stored in the adipocytes
7 Reduced inflammation from physical training
8 Pain management from the reduced inflammation
9 EPA regulates blood supply to the brain which is essential in maintaining focus in weight training sessions.DHA is important in brain membranes, memory, and cognitive function
10 Fish oils increase serotonin levels (the happy neurotransmitter). Therefore, fish oils will decrease incidence of depression, anxiety, panic attack, and reduce carbohydrate cravings
11 Fish oils will improve your cardiovascular risk profile by lowering VLDL, triglycerides, homocysteine, fibrinogen, and increasing HDL levels. Combining fish oils with plant sterols will improve lipid levels even more than either alone
12 Fish oils can also decrease blood pressure by several mechanisms. These include increases in the vasodilatory compound, nitric oxide, reducing vascular inflammation, blocking the constrictive elements in the vascular wall such as the calcium channels reducing blood viscosity, and inhibiting a blood vessel constrictor (thromboxane). Lipoprotein (a) is another CVD predictor that can be lowered by fish oils (a 19% reduction was seen with natural, stable fish oils and just 4% with a highly purified fish oil)
13 Fish oils are a great stress fighter. Supplementation with n-3 fatty acids inhibits the adrenal activation of steroids, aldosterone, epinephrine, and norepinephrine (catecholamines) elicited by a mental stress, apparently through effects exerted at the level of the central nervous system. Therefore, for the same amount of stress, one will produce fewer stress hormones if consuming fish oils on a regular basis.

I take a 1000mg fish oil morning & night. (GNC Ultra Omega 3) How much are you guys taking?

I take a 1000mg fish oil morning & night. (GNC Ultra Omega 3) How much are you guys taking?

"1000mg of fish oil" is not a good way to talk about dosage. The active ingredient (i.e. the stuff that matters) is EPA and DHA which make up only a fraction of the fat in the fish-oil. Products may range from as low as 30% combined EPA/DHA to as high as 90% EPA/DHA. Basically, it is best to quote your dosage in terms of daily mg's of EPA/DHA.

I personally take about 3.5 grams of epa/dha per day but would recommend shooting for at least 2 grams based on the dosages used in the scientific studies. I have seen people go as high as 6 grams/day but you can start seeing side-effects (poor blood clotting, etc.) once you start getting north of 4 grams/day.

Most concentrated fish-oil tablets sold at "mass-market" retailers would be around 60% EPA/DHA. Therefore, you would need to take 4-5 pills/day to break the 2 gram level.

Another awesome side-effect, at least for me, has been burping up fish taste.

Another awesome side-effect, at least for me, has been burping up fish taste.

Look for a higher quality brand that is eccentric coated. Also, be sure to take w/ a meal and not on an empty stomach.

1200mg once a day

"1000mg of fish oil" is not a good way to talk about dosage. The active ingredient (i.e. the stuff that matters) is EPA and DHA which make up only a fraction of the fat in the fish-oil. Products may range from as low as 30% combined EPA/DHA to as high as 90% EPA/DHA. Basically, it is best to quote your dosage in terms of daily mg's of EPA/DHA.

I personally take about 3.5 grams of epa/dha per day but would recommend shooting for at least 2 grams based on the dosages used in the scientific studies. I have seen people go as high as 6 grams/day but you can start seeing side-effects (poor blood clotting, etc.) once you start getting north of 4 grams/day.

Most concentrated fish-oil tablets sold at "mass-market" retailers would be around 60% EPA/DHA. Therefore, you would need to take 4-5 pills/day to break the 2 gram level.
Very informative, thanks. The combined EPA/DHA is only 500mg with the capsules I have been taking. I'm going to bump it up to 4 a day to get that 2g. Good stuff.

where do you guys get fish oil from? I've been taking the regular shit I found at walgreen's, but I'm guessing that's pretty low quality? All I take is multivitamin and fish oil every day so I don't mind spending some money on the good stuff

I get enteric coated fish oils with a EPA/DHA of 650mg from Costco

You get burps that smell like fishermans warf

Can anyone recommend a moderately priced brand with high EPA/DHA? I used to have an awesome website listing it all, but I have never been able to relocate it.

is this stuff any good? NSI Mega EFA® Omega-3 EPA & DHA -- 2126 mg - 240 Softgels - Vitacost (http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Mega-EFA-Omega-3-EPA-DHA-2126-mg-240-Softgels)

Can anyone recommend a moderately priced brand with high EPA/DHA? I used to have an awesome website listing it all, but I have never been able to relocate it.

My favorite is the liquid product from Carlson's. The liquid is actually cheaper than pills per gram of EPA/DHA and they are a quality company.

Surprisingly it does not taste bad at all. Also you know for sure the oil is not rancid, unlike pills.

Carlson The Very Finest Fish Oil -- 16.9 fl oz - Vitacost (http://www.vitacost.com/Carlson-The-Very-Finest-Fish-Oil)

i think i'd prefer the convenience of the pills just because I like to dose things like fish oil and vitamins throughout the day (with meals) instead of all at once. My thought is maybe I absorb it better.

That is true, the liquid can be annoying if you usually take the pills away from home.

With regards to dosing, I take 1.5 tsp in the morning and 1.5 tsp at night. I don't think you will get much benefit from splitting up your dosage any more then 2x per day. From my reading of the literature, most of the effects of EPA/DHA are from chronic administration and not acute dosages. The EPA/DHA needs to build up in your system over weeks of supplementation, making individual dosing less important. Multiple daily dosages would make sense if the effects where more acute.

The most important thing is to always take it with other food/fat. If you take fish oil on an empty stomach then you run the risk of your body will oxidizing it for energy.

I think most brands that have 60% EPA/DHA are pretty good these days. Some brands (like Carlson's and Nordic Naturals) do independent lab testing but this obviously means a higher price.

A good idea when buying a new brand is to crack one of the pills open. If it smells very fish/rancid then I would not be buying that brand. Very pure fish oil should only smell faintly of fish.

Another test is to see how easily the oil freezes. EPA/DHA is one of natures anti-freeze and the oil in very high EPA/DHA pills should take a long time to harden in the freezer. I had some 85% EPA/DHA pills that never hardened when stored in the freezer.

TMUSCLE.com | FLAMEOUT! (http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_perf ormance_bodybuilding_supp lements/flameout)

TMUSCLE.com | FLAMEOUT! (http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_perf ormance_bodybuilding_supp lements/flameout)

Like all T-nation stuff, overpriced and overhyped but a good product if you like paying extra for a picture of a shark.

Good info in this thread.