Fish oil for weight loss: truth and speculation about dietary supplements, ratings of the best brands

Should you take fish oil?

It is useful to take fish oil for the following conditions:

• lack of vitamins A and D in the body;
• acute and chronic respiratory diseases;
• various eye diseases;
• wounds, injuries, bone fractures;
• problems with the growth of bones and teeth;
• dry skin and mucous membranes;
• poor condition of hair and nails.

The medicine can also be taken to prevent vascular diseases and rickets.

Excess Omega-6

Plant-derived PUFAs have an additional unpleasant “surprise”. With a high consumption of Omega-6, the body begins to actively produce endocannabinoids - appetite-increasing molecules. They provoke obesity, overeating and fat deposition. Omega-3 competes with Omega-6, eliminating the negative effects of the latter.

Does fish oil help you lose weight? Taking it daily will be a good way to prevent excess weight. If you need to lose weight, you need to minimize your Omega-6 intake while increasing Omega-3 to 1000-1500 mg per day. The result will be visible soon.

How to use

Oil

Intended for internal use during meals.

For an adult, it is enough to take 1 tbsp per day. l. For children, the dosage is determined by the doctor and depends on age.

Features of administration depend on the purposes for which the medicine is taken, as well as on medical indications.

Capsules

The drug in capsule form should be taken after meals and washed down with a sufficient amount of drinking water. The capsule must be swallowed immediately. You can take up to 6 capsules per day.

The duration of treatment is determined by a specialist and cannot exceed 1 month.

The method of use and dosage may vary among different manufacturers.

Consumption standards

According to WHO calculations, the minimum intake is 250 mg per day, the optimal is 1 gram, and the maximum is 8 grams.

Healthy people who do not require adjustments to their physical fitness can take 500 mg of fish oil per day. To combat excess weight, the dosage is increased depending on the complexity of the situation. For 2-3 extra kilos, adhere to the standard prophylactic dose. If you need to lose 5-10 kg, 3-5 grams are recommended. in a day. Excessive weight requires increasing the daily dose to 5-7 grams. It is imperative to monitor your condition and avoid overdose. It will be indicated by nausea, diarrhea and dizziness.

An interesting fact is that when selecting a dosage, the main indicator is the person’s age, so for men and women the daily dose may be the same.

Contraindications

Despite the usefulness of fish oil, it has a number of contraindications:

• increased susceptibility to constituent components;
• hemophilia;
• low blood clotting rate;
• open pulmonary tuberculosis;
• excessive calcium levels in blood plasma;
• excessive levels of vitamins A and D in the body.

Relative contraindications include: ulcers, acute and chronic nephritis, breastfeeding, liver and kidney pathologies, heart disease, old age.

Children can be given oil from 3 months. Capsules are contraindicated in children under 7 years of age.

Adverse reactions and overdose

If you keep the dose and follow the established dosage regimen, then no negative reactions should appear. Otherwise, an upset stomach, an allergic reaction, and bad breath may occur.

With prolonged use, an overdose may occur, manifested by the following symptoms:

• lack of appetite;
• gagging;
• lethargic and drowsy state;
• stomach upset;
• headache.

If such symptoms appear, maintenance therapy should be started. You should stop taking the drug.

Should children be given fish oil?

For children under 2 years of age, the medicine is usually prescribed to prevent rickets. It contains vitamin D, which is necessary for bone growth and a strong immune system. This vitamin is useful in that it reduces the body's susceptibility to heart pathologies and skin diseases. It normalizes heart rate, maintains blood pressure at the desired level, and promotes the development of intellectual abilities.

After taking it, overly active children become more perseverant and calm, they can be better controlled, and they become less irritable.

To make it easier for young children to take the drug, it is produced in the form of capsules that do not have a specific odor and have a pleasant taste.

The instructions say that the oil can be given to babies from 3 months, and capsules can be taken from 6 years.

Doctors advise giving the medicine to those children whose immunity is very weakened. It will also be useful for diseases that occur with complications.

Beneficial properties of fish oil for weight loss

Valuable fat is extracted industrially from the liver or meat of fatty fish (usually cod). In the first case, it is considered fish oil, in the second – fish oil, but in everyday life both types are usually called fish oil. The second method is relatively new and allows you to obtain a product that is less useful in composition, but safer in terms of the absence of toxins. This is due to the fact that toxic substances used during feeding or accidentally released into the environment are stored in the fish’s liver.

It is impossible to say definitely which of these fats is better. Each has its own pros and cons, but modern processing methods make it possible to eliminate their individual disadvantages as much as possible. In any case, the raw materials are thoroughly cleaned, and the lack of any important elements is compensated for by vitamin and mineral supplements. Therefore, both types of fish fat extract, when used correctly, can be considered absolutely harmless and very beneficial for human health. Regarding whether this product helps you lose weight, you should know that it is not able to directly influence weight loss, but it allows you to activate metabolism and many other important processes, significantly increasing the effectiveness of any diet.

Important! Fish oil can only be used for weight loss as an auxiliary and not as a primary means. To obtain the desired result, its use must be combined with a healthy diet and increased physical activity.

The advisability of enriching the diet with such a supplement is due to its unique composition, which provides a number of actions necessary for weight loss:

• Vitamin D controls the delivery of phosphorus and calcium into cells, calms the nervous system, preventing breakdowns and overeating due to stress;
• vitamin A keeps the skin in good condition, accelerates tissue regeneration, preventing the appearance of wrinkles, stretch marks and sagging after reducing body weight and volume;
• Iodine and phosphorus maintain a healthy thyroid gland, increase the strength of bone tissue, and improve the health of the nervous system.

But the main component of this product, which provides the greatest benefits for health and weight loss, are essential fatty acids, primarily Omega-3 and Omega-6. They are not synthesized by the human body and do not accumulate in it, therefore they must be systematically supplied with food. Omega-3 is of greater value, but is rarely found in other foods, although a person needs it every day.

Regular intake of Omega-3 provides the following beneficial effects:

• improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism;
• reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol;
• increases immune defense;
• normalizes hormonal balance;
• has a beneficial effect on brain function, blood circulation and cell condition;
• helps fight depression and stress.

Omega-6 also has its benefits in terms of weight loss. It promotes the production of arachidonic acid, which in turn is the basis for the synthesis of prostaglandins, one of which, prostacyclin, directly affects the secretion of adrenaline by the adrenal medulla. It is this hormone that helps fight extra pounds by providing the following results:

• activation of metabolism, launching metabolic processes;
• increasing the speed of blood flow, increasing vital energy;
• stimulation of the breakdown of glycogen and lipids contained in the liver and active muscles;
• normalization of glucose, insulin and cholesterol levels.

Among all the features of fish oil, one of the most important is the ability to accelerate the generation of nerve cells. Taking this product improves memory and mental activity, increases the assimilation of new knowledge. But the most important thing for losing weight is the beneficial effect of the product on those parts of the brain that are responsible for appetite control, diet and cravings for sweets.

Thanks to the complex action of all its components, fish oil, when taken regularly during a diet, can solve the following problems:

• remove harmful substances that “clog” the body’s cells and block the process of weight loss;
• ensure the burning of adipose tissue and prevent the formation of new deposits;
• improve overall well-being, improve mood, eliminate overeating due to nervousness.

Regarding whether the introduction of an additional fat-containing product into the diet helps to increase its daily calorie content, it should be noted that, despite its high energy value (900 kcal/100 g), fish oil is used as a supplement in minimal quantities. As a rule, it is recommended to take a few grams per day, which has virtually no effect on the amount of energy received from food during the day.

Do pregnant women need fish oil?

Fish oil is strictly not recommended to be taken during pregnancy. During lactation, a specialist may prescribe the drug, but with great caution and under constant supervision. In this case, the expected benefit should be several times greater than the possible threat to the baby and mother.

Pregnant women can use fish oil, which is obtained not from the liver of sea fish, but from muscle mass.

The benefits and harms of fish oil

Beneficial properties of fish oil:

• can lower blood pressure;
• reduces the likelihood of developing diabetes;
• helps cope with stressful situations and depression;
• slows down the development of malignant tumors;
• nourishes tissues with useful elements;
• activates brain activity.

Harm of fish oil:

• is a strong allergen;
• has contraindications;
• taking on an empty stomach may cause stomach upset;
• high calorie content.

The benefits of fish oil capsules

Capsules prevent the substance from oxidizing, suppress unpleasant taste and aroma, but the composition is no different from a liquid product for internal use. The composition also contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Fish oil capsules and diet

To effectively lose weight using fish oil capsules, you must follow a balanced, low-calorie diet. The diet menu should be dominated by non-starchy vegetables and unsweetened fruits, low-fat dairy and fermented milk products, meat, poultry, and fish. Sugar and salt should be reduced to a minimum. It is necessary to exclude from your menu for weight loss: fried foods, fatty meats, smoked meats, pickles, marinades, sweets, fresh baked goods, carbonated drinks and alcohol. The last meal should be no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime.

Diet menu for the week (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner):

Monday:

How to avoid obesity and regain an erection at any age?

• Oatmeal with dried fruits;
• Bouillon. Boiled chicken fillet;
• Grapefruit;
• Steamed fish cutlets. Greek salad".

Tuesday:

• Omelette;
• Green borscht. Steamed beef cutlets;
• Green apple;
• Chicken rolls. White cabbage salad.

Wednesday:

• Buckwheat porridge. Grated carrot salad;
• Champignon puree soup. Hake baked in the oven;
• A glass of kefir 1%;
• Cottage cheese seasoned with natural yogurt.

Thursday:

• Curd pudding;
• Beetroot soup. 2 slices of rye bread;
• Tomato juice;
• Rice. Beef stroganoff from veal. Cucumber and tomato salad.

Friday:

• Muesli;
• Creamy spinach soup with croutons. Steamed veal meatballs;
• A glass of curdled milk;
• Roast rabbit meat with vegetables.

Saturday:

• Syrniki;
• Okroshka. Steamed turkey fillet;
• Carrot smoothie;
• Boiled pollock fillet. Salad "Brush".

Sunday:

• Cottage cheese seasoned with natural yoghurt and herbs;
• Vegetable stew. Oven-baked bream;
• Apple juice;
• Milk soup.

To lose weight, you need to drink 2 capsules of fish oil after breakfast, lunch and dinner. During the day, it is recommended to drink purified water without gas, at least 1.5 liters.

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