You may have heard recently of several large bodies of research concluding that fish oil has no health benefit. At the same time, you’ve likely encountered research demonstrating a myriad of benefits from taking supplemental fish oil or adding more fish to your diet. So how do we reconcile these opposing viewpoints?

Let’s dive into the data!

While there are several large meta-analyses (i.e. studies that compile many prior research studies), we’ll take a look at the 2018 Cochrane review in particular as this is generally accepted as one of the most respectable institutions to conduct meta-analyses. In it, they state that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have little or no effect on the risk of death from cardiovascular events, including CVD, stroke, or arrhythmias, though it did find that alpha‐linolenic acid (ALA) may slightly reduce the risk of these events. On the surface that might sound like it’s time to retire the extra fish oil, but if we look a bit below the surface the picture becomes more interesting. Some of the studies they looked at used a low dose of fish oil, so it’s no surprise that they found no significant benefits. You wouldn’t expect pain relief from just a quarter of a tablet of ibuprofen, would you? Another study used olive oil as their “placebo” group, but olive oil has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, so this is akin to saying Tylenol doesn’t work because it’s as effective as aspirin. In other instances the meta-analysis simply ignored the plethora of studies that show a favorable effect from fish oil. When we look at studies that demonstrate a positive effect from fish oil, they are usually in the 1-2 gram/day dosage range, and the studies were completed over the time span of 1-5 years. In brief, the notion that fish oil or omega-3-fatty acids have no health benefit is simply false, and ignores countless studies (including other meta-analyses) that have shown the opposite to be true. These aforementioned studies are listed below, and we encourage you to look at the sixth reference in particular if you want to geek out on the mechanism of action for some of the ways in omega-3 fatty acids provide cardiovascular protection.

Looking beyond cardiovascular disease, are there other health benefits to taking fish oil?

Absolutely! Among other health benefits, there is good research demonstrating that it can help reduce depressive symptoms in individuals suffering from major depressive disorder, that it can help manage symptoms in children with ADHD, and it decreases systemic inflammation. And there’s good news for vegans out there too: algae oil is an effective substitute!

Clearly, there’s more than meets the eye once we start investigating beyond the flashy headlines. Omega-3 fatty acids, including fish oil and algae oil, can have some amazing health benefits when they are properly utilized. Following a mediterranean diet can be a great place to start, or if you’re looking for more in depth ways of supporting your health, our Naturopathic Doctors are experts in natural medicine and offer holistic solutions to your healthcare needs. Call us today at 707-840-0556 or head over the the New Patients tab for more information.

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Fish Oil: Separating Fact from Fiction

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