Fish Oil: When Plenty of Fish is Too Much
Are you eating plenty of fish or getting plenty of fish oil via supplementation or enriched foods? As with most things in life, moderation is key. And fish oil is no different. What is scientifically known about fish oil in relation to human health does present a bit of a dilemma. Here are the essentials of this fishy debate.
Modest consumption of fish or fish oil reduces the risk of death by heart attack to the tune of 36%. This health benefit is greatest from oily fish such as salmon, herring, or sardines. Eating just one 3-oz portion of farmed salmon or one 6-oz portion of wild salmon per week is sufficient for optimum protection against heart attacks. There seems to be a threshold effect to fish oil’s benefit, so eating more is not necessarily better.
There is clear health risks when exposed to extremely high levels of mercury. Researchers report that eating wild or farmed salmon regularly over a lifetime could lead to 8 to 24 extra cancer deaths per 100,000 people, but more than 7,000 fewer cardiac deaths. Overall health advisory on this point is that the benefits of modest oily fish consumption outweigh the risks.
So what about supplementation or enriched foods? Well, it remains to be seen whether they provide the same benefits as whole fish. Someday you may know for sure if all that extra supplementation expense was worth it. Just not today.
Another fish related issue to remember is that cooking with used frying oil, as many restaurants do, can increase free radical damage in cells. As such, fast-food fish-burgers may not be the best way to protect your heart. Take your fish home and steam, steam, steam.
Too much fish is risky business, supplementation is an unknown, so that leaves moderation. Steamed salmon, once a week, as part of your healthy diet ~ is plenty.
