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Losing weight is a very strenuous journey. Right from the beginning where you plan your activities to the day that you finally start seeing results, the process is quite extensive. With so many options of weight loss supplements and other exercise regimes, not many know of the benefits of fish oil for weight loss.
You’d be surprised to know that the consumption of fish oil does have ample benefits in promoting weight loss and even helping you maintain your overall health for the better.
In here, we are going to shed some light on the benefits of fish oil for weight loss and how it helps promote the same.
What is Fish Oil?
The variants of fish oil supplements are also rich in the different variants of the omega-3 fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid.
These compounds have proven benefits in helping reduce the signs of inflammation, thus further aiding with the issues of weight loss and hypertriglyceridemia. They are also amazing for one’s heart health which further enhances the overall list of impacts.
Apart from the omegae-3 fatty acids, they are also loaded with Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids which have proven benefits for one’s overall health.
When it comes to the omega-3 fatty acids, they come in three different variants – eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the only out of the three that is naturally produced in our body. The remaining two, EPA and DHA can’t be produced in our body.
But, the ALA often undergoes cellular mechanisms and gets converted to EPA and DHA when required. The fish oils are abundantly formulated with EPA and DHA which is one of the reasons why it is helpful for keeping your body healthy and promoting weight loss too.
How Does Fish Oil Help in Promoting Weight Loss?
But, how the same helps is the main factor that everyone is inquisitive about.
Fish oil can promote the prospect of weight loss in a number of ways, the only thing that you need to look out for is to ensure that you don’t overdo with the dosage. That can prove fatal for your body and can inflict completely opposite impacts.
So, how does fish oil promote weight loss?
1. Reduces Unnecessary Hunger Pangs
It is believed that fish oil consumption helps with just that. It has beneficial impacts in helping reduce the hunger and appetite of an individual. That doesn’t mean that it does so to an extent that hurts the body but in a healthy way.
In a conducted study (R), one group of subjects were given 0.3 grams of fish oil and the other group was given 1.3 gram of fish oil every day. The group which consumed more fish oil reported to experience more fullness after eating the meals.
The issue with these studies is the fact that they are not universal. So, you can base out the results for all the people residing in the world. But, majority of the conducted studies have found that consumption of fish oil helps regulate hunger and appetite.
With so many inconclusive studies, it is true that there are needs for more studies, without any doubt.
2. Lowers the Levels of Triglycerides
For those who aren’t aware, the fats that we consume undergo beta oxidation out of which the triglycerides are the end molecules.
They are often used for the body’s energy needs and help a lot with the overall well being of an individual. That being said, the levels of triglycerides in the body can often end up influencing one’s well being and enhance the risks associated with heart health.
There have been studies (R) that have found that the omega-3 fatty acids which are present in the fish oil help in lowering down the serum triglyceride levels by an extent. Since triglycerides are formed by the bonding between the fatty acid chains, what the omega-3 fatty acids do is reduce the availability of the same. This further helps in keeping the fat proportion in your body in check.
The reduced levels of triglycerides in the body have been found to be of quite significance in helping out with the reduction of weight by getting rid of the visceral fat around the abdominal region of the body.
3. Helps Improve Body’s Metabolism
Metabolism and weight loss go hand in hand. For those who aren’t aware, the metabolic rate of the body is what helps deduce how much calories one has burnt throughout the day. The more the metabolic rate of the body that you have, the more amounts of calories you are likely to burn throughout the day.
A study (R) conducted with a small group of individuals found that giving the subjects 6 grams of fish oil on a daily basis for 12 weeks straight helped improve the overall metabolic rates of the individuals by 3.8%.
In addition, a recent study also found that supplementing with 3 grams of fish oil on a daily basis helped contribute to increasing the metabolic rate by 5.3%. Studies also witnessed enhanced muscle mass, thus explaining the higher metabolic rates.
But, since the numbers of studies are limited and there’s not much evidence surrounding this, it isn’t surprising that the results aren’t that conclusive and require more research.
4. Helps in Burning the Excess Fat
Several studies have found that the consumption of fish oil, which has enriching levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been found to have amazing impacts in helping round with the fat oxidation.
Even a conducted study (R) with some subjects in France found that administering 6 grams of fish oil per day for 12 weeks straight helped in improving the body’s overall fat oxidation process, thus helping mobilize the fat and reduce the risks that it could impose on one’s health.
5. Enhances the Impacts of Exercise
The main reason why fish oil works is because of the beneficial impacts it has on the metabolism of the body. It helps in boosting the burning of the excess calories in the body. Some of the studies (R) have pointed out for a fact the fish oil helps make use of the fats as a form of energy, thus helping promote weight loss.
Some other studies have found that taking fish supplements along with exercising further helps in reducing the body fat in comparison to just exercise alone.
For further stronger conclusions on how the two are combined, it is important that one does focus on getting deeper into the same.
6. Reduces the levels of LDL Cholesterol
Another effective and important factor under the benefits of fish oil for weight loss that makes all the difference is because of the fact that it helps reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol.
The abundant cholesterol levels in the body are mainly found in two variants, the High density lipoprotein (HDL) and the low density lipoprotein (LDL). The latter can increase the risks of heart disease and even contribute to weight gain.
If you want the best for your weight loss goals, it is a given that you do need to have a balanced level of the HDL and LDL in the body. This itself makes all the difference that your body needs when it comes to the weight loss goals.
Researchers do suggest that if you have been looking for ways to shed off those excess pounds, adding in fish oil to the diet. It helps reduce the visceral fat around the body and even get rid of the unnecessary risks that come along with the condition of obesity.
7. Prevents Risks of Insulin Resistance
Another common but effective way in which the omega 3 fish oil promotes weight loss is by reducing the risks of insulin resistance.
For those who aren’t aware, insulin resistance is caused when the body’s blood glucose levels are constantly high. With high blood glucose, high levels of insulin are also secreted. The same can end up making the cells insensitive to the insulin, thus causing the resistance in the first place.
One of the common side effects of insulin resistance that many often tend to struggle with is the fact that it always induces hunger pangs that you could otherwise avoid.
Fish oil has been found to have positive impacts when it comes to prevention of the condition of insulin resistance.
One of the studies (R) found that supplementing with fish oil helped in enhancing the overall insulin sensitivity in the body, thus helping prevent the issues with the weight gain.
8. Reduce Inflammation in the Body
Inflammation in the body often does induce a number of negative impacts that you can otherwise prevent. It is best suggested that you do take the fish oil as per the prescribed dosage for your body. It is best that you don’t go ham with the same.
Chronic inflammation is one of the factors that ends up inducing the risks of inflammation that you can otherwise avoid. It also has direct impacts on the immunity and can contribute to weight gain.
The omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil have been found to have beneficial impacts in helping reduce the risks and the constant pain.
How Much Fish Oil Should One Take For Weight Loss?
Several food and safety outlets across the world have some standarised fish oil dosage for weight loss that you need to know of before you end up experiencing the side effects that is the last thing you want for yourself.
Some of the recent studies (R) conducted with fish oil supplements for weight loss; it was found that daily doses of 300-3000 mg were the one that were used.
Even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it suggests that anything is safe for consumption provided that it doesn’t cross the 3000 mg per day mark.
The main reason why excessive of it can prove fatal for the well being is because of the fact that the omega-3 fatty acids have blood thinning properties in it. This can prove very tough to overcome if you don’t have everything sorted out accordingly.
In addition, being careful of the types of fish supplements and the brands that you are taking it from also does play a very crucial role.
When Should one Take Fish Oil for Weight Loss?
It will help keep the metabolism spiked throughout the day. Just make sure that you opt for a good quality fish oil and not something that has a bad reputation in the market.
Other Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fish oil
Some of the highlighted benefits include:
- Helps promote heart health
- Can treat mental disorders
- Promotes better eye health
- Reduces the risks of inflammation
- Promotes healthier and glowing skin
- Effective for pregnancy
- Promotes liver health
- Alleviates the signs of depression
- Helps improve attention
If you have been on the lookout for the benefits of fish oil for your health, it is best suggested that you do lookout for the possible impacts first. Knowing of the how and the whys can help you make an informed decision. For those who have health conditions, it is best that you do consult a doctor before starting with the consumption.
