Not only is fish oil good for our brains and our insulin levels, it is also very important for heart health. Omega-3 supplementation has been shown to lower "bad" cholesterol and increase "good cholesterol." Fish oil has also shown its ability to slow the hardening of arteries and lower blood pressure. It also increases the flexibility of red blood cell membranes, which leads to improved blood circulation, as well as increasing the levels of clot-dissolving factors.
Omega-3s are great for reducing inflammation. When chronic inflammation occurs, your body is simultaneously healing and destroying the tissue at the sight of the inflammation. Heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and Alzheimer's are known to increase levels of pro-inflammatory markers. Omega-3s from fish oil prevent the production of these markers. Fish oil supplementation can’t prevent this inflammation, and it does nothing to stop the progress of inflammatory diseases or treat the causes of inflammation themselves, but fish oil can relieve the pain associated with inflammation. It is also great for creaky and achy joints! Think of it as WD-40 for humans!
According to Dr. Barry Sears of The Zone Diet, the daily recommended dosage is 5 grams. Now that is not 5 grams of fish oil. That is 5 grams of EPA and DHA combined. Some might say this is a somewhat high dosage for the average "healthy" individual. My response to that is to try taking in at least 3 grams a day for a few weeks and see how you feel. http://whole9life.com/fish-oil-faq/ is a great resource for any questions that might come up concerning fish oil supplementation. With all the positive effects of omega-3s from fish oil, the question you should ask yourself is not "Should I be taking fish oil?" It should be "Why am I not already taking fish oil?"
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