Treating Arthritis with Fish Oil and Omega-3

Many studies with fish oil have been done on people with rheumatoid arthritis and the results have been very positive. For aggressive treatment using fish oil, take 6,000 mg daily. Some people need doses that are even higher, so talk to your health practitioner about the optimum dose if have rheumatoid arthritis.

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If the fish oil is effective in lessening stiffness and pain, there’s a pretty good possibility you’ll be able to reduce the dosages of pharmaceuticals. Drug therapy for rheumatoid arthritis concentrates on prednisone, methotrexate (also used for chemotheraphy) and anti-flammatory medication all of which can have serious toxicity when used on a long-term basis. With fish oil, in contrast, there’s no toxicity, so it’s a much more benign treatment than the classic pharmaceuticals. One study discovered that many patients were able to go off their anti-inflammatory drugs while supplementing fish oil and experienced no relapse in the in their rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists found out that the fish oil had a balancing effect on the entire immune system.
And a new research in the Journal of Biological Chemistry indicated that fish oil reduces the body’s formation of chemicals called prostanoids, which in excess can promote inflammation.

Good Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acid

fishThe richest sources of EPA and DHA, however, are cold-water fish, particularly salmon, herring, anchovies, and sardines. Halibut, mackerel, and tuna also have Dmega-3s, however I recommend eating them no more than once a month due to concerns about possible mercury contamination.
I really believe, wild fish are usually better than farm-raised fish since farmed fish are generally fed corn and grains, raising their omega-6 content. Also, instead of living far out to sea, farm-raised fish live near shore and so are more prone to be contaminated with man-made toxins, for example PCBs (harmful compounds found used as insulating and cooling fluids, which are extremely slow to biodegrade), I would recommend limiting intake of farmed fish to no more than once per month. Supplements can be purchased in health-food stores and online in liquid or gel capsule form. The liquid gives a higher concentration per dose, is usually less costly, and now is available flavoured with lemon or orange to lessen the fishy taste. However, I find that most people prefer capsules, which have no taste.

For many people, fish oil (especially in liquid form) triggers unpleasant bouts of belching. To reduce this, take your fish oil with meals. Should the problem persists, buy enteric-coated fish oil capsules-their harder casing keeps the capsule from opening until it reaches the small intestine, preventing the stomach gassiness that creates burping. Fish oil capsules often come in l,000 mg doses but this refers to the weight of the oil, not to the exact amount of DHA and EPA they supply. Examine the label to see how many capsules you have to take daily to get the standard dose of 500 mg to 1,000 mg of combined DHA and EPA. Those with existing arthritis or cardiovascular disease may need up to 3,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA.

It is always good to take vitamin E on the same day as fish oil. It prevents oxidation of vitamin E in the body and fish oil may lower the body’s vitamin E levels.
In a more direct research of fish intake, team 36 scientists who studied mortality data from 36 countries verified that life expectancy is much longer in those countries where people get a lot of fish in their daily diet. Men and women who eat more fish have a lower risk of early death from all types of illnesses, particularly stroke and heart disease.

Essential fatty acids form a group of hormone-like messengers generally known as prostaglandins. The omega-3 fatty acids as found in fish oil-helped along by the EPA and DBA in the fish-tend to reduce inflammation, thin the blood, and balance the Immune system.

In the immune system, EPA is apparently particularly important for its anti-inflammatory effects, so it’s useful to people who suffer from arthritis. DHA is very important for the proper development and function of the brain because your brain cells need it to transmit electrical impulses efficiently. It’s not surprising, therefore, that a DHA deficiency can cause memory, behavior, and learning problems.

Some studies have also revealed that supplementing infant formula with DHA, can enhance children’s IQ. Interestingly, it’s also essential for mood regulation, and research indicates that a deficiency can lead to depression. The DHA present in fish oil also seems to calm down hyperactive children. It’s also needed for proper retina development for infants.

Benefit of Fish oil Containing Omega 3s Fatty Acids

The majority of people, unfortunately, delay until they’ve had a heart attack before taking the measures that they could and should have taken years before. True, there are actually inherited factors which will make some people more prone than others to heart attack-specifically, homocysteine and blood choleseterol levels just are generally higher in some people than in others. But the majority heart attacks are due to lifestyle and diet factors.

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Gary had done enough reading to understand that. It was one good reason he wished to begin an aggressive program to maintain his heart as healthy as you can. Among the list of strategies we discussed were stress reduction, exercise, a number of lab tests, and, of course, diet and supplements. I stressed the significance of omega-3 fatty acids present in fish, especially cold-water fish for example salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines. Most importantly, I recommended fish-oil supplements to optimize the amount of these heart-healthy fatty acids. As part of a total strategy for heart health, the regular consumption of fish oil could, potentially, add decades to his life span. I also revealed how fish oil was among the best substances, out of the natural or pharmaceutical categories, to relieve inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation underlies many chronic diseases.