Weight Loss

The Best Fish Oil for Weight Loss

Parul Dube

December 12, 2022

It is true that “the body reflects what we ingest,” which is why providing your body with the necessary nutrients to stay healthy is vital. In addition, eating nutrient-rich foods regularly is a great way to start making positive lifestyle changes. 

People may use nonvitamin and nonmineral dietary supplements in addition to conventional medicine to promote their health and well-being, treat chronic diseases, or reduce the side effects of the drug.

While these supplements can be beneficial, it is essential to understand the risks associated with them as well. Ultimately, what you put into your body directly impacts your health, so it is crucial to ensure you consume all the nutrients necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

With over 8% of adults and 1% of children consuming it, fish oil is one of the most popular dietary supplements. People often use it for weight loss due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids.

However, with hundreds of different omega-3 supplements on the market, it is vital to make an informed decision. This article will help you make the right choice by highlighting some of the best fish oils available.

Understanding Fish Oil and Its Supplements

Fish oil is derived from fatty or oily fish tissues, such as herring, tuna, Rou, and Rawas. The amount of oil in a fish can range from 0.7% to 15.5%, depending on the species. 

Fish oil contains two omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids offer a variety of health benefits and are necessary for optimal metabolic health and the proper functioning of the heart, brain, and other organs.

If you want to get the most out of the health benefits of fish, it’s best to eat 1-2 servings at least once a week. If that’s not possible, supplement your diet with a fish oil pill, liquid, or capsule to ensure you get enough omega-3 fatty acids.

In addition, an effective solution like HealthifyPro 2.0 can help you track your omega-3 intake with its CGM-based BIOS, smart scale, and nutritionist advice.

You should choose the fish oil supplements if you:

  • Dislike eating fish
  • are a vegan or vegetarian
  • have congestive heart failure or blockage
  • are at risk for developing several heart illnesses
  • have heart disease
  • want to minimise your triglycerides

Choosing the Best Fish Oil for Weight Loss

If you cannot consume fish or do not prefer to eat it, you can use fish oil supplements or capsules. When choosing a fish oil supplement, be sure to look for the following:

  • Research shows that the EPA and DHA ratio should provide 500 mg of combined EPA and DHA
  • The WHO recommends consuming fish oil with 0.2-0.5 grams of EPA/DHA 
  • Select a reliable brand with third-party testing; look for any added substances that may be toxic for you 
  • Be aware of the type of fish oil. For instance, cod liver oil is rich in vitamins A and D, and the toxicity of these fat-soluble vitamins could be life-threatening. 
  • Read the label carefully before purchasing.
  • Purchasing a fish oil supplement your doctor recommends is best.

Watch Out for the Source of Oil

For optimal health and environmental benefits, fish oil should be sourced from a sustainable fishery and be purified through molecular distillation.

Due to their shorter life span and lower place on the food chain, small body cold water fish are better sources of fish oil than larger fish. In addition, purification is necessary to reduce the presence of heavy metals that often accumulate in fish oil.

Molecular distillation is the gold standard for purifying fish oil, allowing for the concentration of EPA and DHA fatty acids. Ultimately, purity begins at the source.

Check if the Oil is not Rancid.

If you experience indigestion, fishy burps, or a foul smell, it may be a sign that the product has gone rancid. It could have happened due to too much heat exposure during processing or storage, light damage, a bad source of fish oil, or oxygen damage.

Additionally, it may be due to your body’s inability to break down the large fat molecules found in fish oil supplements.

Emulsification is Vital

Companies that are taking a progressive approach are now utilising the process of emulsification to make fish oil easier to absorb. This process involves using natural substances that transform the larger fat globules in the oil into smaller micro-droplets.

As a result, the oil can be diffused more easily into the small intestine. It enhances absorption and assimilation into the cells, even for those with digestive problems.

An added benefit of emulsification is that it creates a creamy texture, making it more palatable even for the choosiest of fish oil consumers.

Storage

For the best quality, buy fish oil stored in an opaque bottle in the refrigerated section of your local health food store. Then, at home, keep it in the refrigerator, just like you would with fresh fish!

What Dosage of Fish Oil is Suitable?

Humans should consume the following amounts of fatty fish oil per day:

  • Men: 1600 mg
  • Females: 1100 mg

An adult can take up to 3000 mg of fish oil daily without experiencing any harm. Excessive intake, however, can have adverse effects. Therefore, medical practitioners advise consuming them in the recommended amounts.

When to Consume?

The optimal times to take fish oil are 30-60 minutes after waking up, 30 minutes before lunch, and 30 minutes before going to bed.

How Fish Oil Helps in Shedding Pounds

Fish oil and losing weight are connected. Consuming fish oil as a supplement or in fatty fish helps you lose weight and get lean and trim. So let’s explore how fish oil aids in weight loss.

Fish Oil May Reduce Appetite and Hunger

Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil may aid in weight loss in many ways, and the first is by decreasing hunger and appetite because fish oil regulates appetite.

This impact may be beneficial for those on weight loss programmes, which can occasionally enhance sensations of hunger, this impact may be helpful.

In one study, healthy individuals who were dieting for weight loss either ingested less than 0.3 grams or more than 1.3 grams of fish oil omega-3s daily.

The high-fish-oil group reported feeling noticeably fuller for up to two hours after a meal. You will consequently notice a discernible alteration in your body weight.

Fish Oil Might Boost the Metabolism

By speeding up your metabolism, fish oil omega-3s may also aid in weight loss. Your metabolic rate, which determines how many calories you burn each day, can be used to calculate your metabolism. Your metabolic rate increases as you burn more calories and find it simpler to lose weight and keep it off.

One small study found that 6 grams of fish oil daily for 12 weeks increased healthy young individuals’ metabolic rates by roughly 3.8%. More recently, a researcher discovered that taking 3 grams of fish oil daily for 12 weeks increased healthy adults’ metabolic rates by an average of 5.3%. Therefore, burning more calories each day and possibly losing more weight is made possible by having a faster metabolism.

Fish Oil May Enhance the Benefits of Exercise

The metabolic benefits of fish oil might extend beyond only raising daily caloric expenditure. Taking fish oil supplements may also increase the calories and fat you burn when working out.

According to research, fish oil may enable you to transition from using carbohydrates to fat as a fuel source during exercise. According to one study, women who received 3 grammes of fish oil daily for 12 weeks burnt 10% more calories and 19–27% more fat while working out.

You May Lose Fat and Inches With Fish Oil

Omega-3 fatty acids from fish may still assist some people in building muscle and reducing body fat, even if they don’t help them lose weight. Your weight on the scale may not always be accurate. It can stay the same even if you’re growing muscle and decreasing fat.

Due to the possibility that fish oil may help you lose more fat or inches without actually lowering your weight on the scale, people who want to lose weight should use a tape measure or track their body fat percentages to monitor their progress instead of solely relying on the scale.

The HealthifyMe Note

Omega 3 fatty acids are abundant in fish oil, and as you are aware, your body needs these nutrients for various functions. Fish oil can benefit your body in several ways, from protecting your heart health to aiding in weight loss. If people do not eat fish, they can take fish oil supplements. Salmon and other fatty fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which help fight obesity and give skin a healthy glow. You can therefore benefit from fish oil by including it in your diet.

Losing Weight like a Pro

Fish oil supplements are an effective treatment for excessive blood triglyceride levels. You should still heed your doctor’s advice, though. A comprehensive programme like HealthifyMe pro that includes personalised nutrition and lifestyle coaching provides the chance for long-term success if you’re seeking a science-based approach to weight loss.

It might be simpler to make healthy food decisions that support meaningful change and the lifestyle you want to lose weight with in-depth nutritional counselling that goes beyond calorie monitoring.

While fish oil supplements may aid weight loss, choosing a holistic strategy that promotes long-term transformation is best. Expert advice provides an additional layer of assistance. Your chances of losing weight successfully can grow by combining diagnostic testing with educational counselling and continuing support.

For instance, a wearable CGM device like the BIOS from HealthifyPRO 2.0 is a perfect approach to monitoring your carbohydrate intake. One of HealthifyPro’s five steps to a healthy metabolism includes features like Continuous Glucose Monitoring. 

As part of this strategy, you can also obtain real-time dietary guidance from nutritionists to point you toward good food and activity. Your nutritionist then discovers how a person reacts to particular foods within a few days. Access to HealthifyMe is available to iOS and Android users alike.

In addition, RIA, the interactive AI that continuously scans, analyses, and delivers insights about your general health, will be available for one-on-one talks with you.

Over a few months, you will notice improvements in your markers after implementing the healthy food, regular exercise, and weight reduction tactics indicated by HealthifyPRO 2.0 coaches, using the smart scale and repeated metabolic panel testing. You will benefit from these qualities if you maintain a healthy weight and improve your overall health.

Conclusion

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements made from fish are the finest options. They provide our bodies with essential nutrients. DHA and EPA are typically a part of fish oil and fish oil dietary supplements.

You get these fatty acids from fish oil supplements, which help control inflammation, the brain’s inflammatory response, and several metabolic signalling pathways.

Fish consumption is the ideal method for obtaining fish oil. However, fish oil supplements are the best way to meet your dietary needs if you don’t like to consume fish.

Supplemental fish oil promotes brain health and heart health. But like everything, you should combine supplements with a healthy diet.

About the Author

Parul holds a Masters of Medical Science in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and has worked across the globe from the U.K to New Zealand (NZ) gaining her License with the Health Professionals Council (HPC, UK) and the NZ Nutrition Council. From being a Gold medalist in Clinical Nutrition to being awarded an internship with World Health Organisation (WHO, Cairo, Egypt) and Contracts with CDC Parul has had a wide spectrum of work experiences. She is very passionate about Nutrition and Fitness and holds strong to her guiding mantras ‘ Move more’ and ‘Eat Food that your grandmother can recognize’!


Related Articles

 

Comments are closed.

Your health is our priority. Talk to one of our experts and get the best plan for you today.
whatsapp
Chat With Us