Monday, July 20, 2009

Cancelling Out The Health Benefits Of Fish Oil.

By Peter Bertonich

I have talked previously about the health benefits of fish oil supplements before, to a range of health conditions, but in particular to the heart. However a study has now posed a warning.

The study has suggested that a high fat diet, and in particular a diet high in saturated fat foods, can cancel many of the heart benefits of omega fish oil.

There are plenty of well known heart benefits of fish oil supplements. These heart benefits include a reduction in cardiovascular disease and this includes both fatal and non fatal heart attacks as well as a reduction in the risk of strokes.

But although taking daily omega 3 fish oil supplements may well offer these health benefits you may not be getting all these benefits if you eat a high fat diet. In particular a diet high in saturated fat.

A new study has now come out. It studied rats with heart failure and looked at the correlation between a diet high in saturated fat and the benefits of fish oil supplementation.

The study was conducted by scientists from a range of institutions led by William C. Stanley, Ph.D., from the University of Maryland-Baltimore. It concluded that even though the benefits of fish oil for the heart are known, these benefits can be canceled out when a high saturated fat diet results in the fat levels in the heart blocking out the heart benefits of the fish oil taken.

It was thought that the high fat levels in the heart blocked the capacity of the heart cells to absorb the helpful polyunsaturated Omega 3 fats from the fish oil.

The scientists studied rats that had heart failure, so it's difficult to know if that result can be extrapolated to humans who don't have heart failure and who take Omega 3 supplements.

But there's also no doubt that a diet high in saturated fats isn't good for the health and so even if you don't have heart disease and you already take Omega 3 supplements there are good reasons why you ought to be eating diet low in saturated fats.

That way you get the health benefits of omega fish oil along with the health benefits of a good diet. What could be better? Theres no doubt any more about the benefits of taking fish oil. But fish oil isnt the only thing that offers health benefits.

A diet high in fruit and vegetables and low in saturated fats is also well known to be extremely healthy, and there is also ample evidence that a lifestyle high in exercise is also one of the best things you can do for your health.

If you're not taking the worlds best Omega 3 supplements you need to visit my website to find out where to get them.

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