8 benefits of fish oil .. to counteract hyperactivity, childbirth depression and heart attacks

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved fish oil capsules as an adjunct to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and death from cardiovascular disease.

The news was announced in mid-December, after decades of exaggeration about the benefits of fish oil at one time, and questioning and even cutting off its harm at other times.

In both cases, it was established in the scientific community that fish oil contains vitamins A and D, and omega-3 fatty acids.

And fatty acids are fats that are usually found in plants and seafood, and are a major part of the composition of sperm, retina and breast milk, and are found in the heart and brain.

Fish oil has many proven benefits so far, including:

1- The properties of fish oil were tested to treat infections. In a study of a team of researchers at the William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary University of London, 22 healthy volunteers, aged between 19 and 37 years, were examined. The volunteers were injected with a placebo, and then half of them took oil pills. fish.

The study found that taking fish oil as a dietary supplement increases anti-inflammatory molecules in the blood, which have a strong effect on white blood cells, as well as controlling vascular inflammation, attacking bacteria and activating immune cells.

2- The protective effects of fish oil have been proven to help people with multiple sclerosis on the brain and nervous system, by attacking viruses and bacteria and protecting nerve fibers from damage.

Chronic disease affects the central nervous system, especially the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves, causing a wide range of symptoms throughout the body, and nerve fibers collapse in front of it, until regular intake of fish oil attacks it in parallel with treatment.

One study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that taking fish oil along with a low-fat diet may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

It also helped prostate cancer patients who were already on treatment, and the result was visible after the continuous intake of fish oil supplements after one month. However, another study linked high omega-3 levels to an increased risk of prostate cancer.

4- Experts recommend taking fish oil during pregnancy because it may reduce the risk of postpartum depression. After a study conducted by researchers at Louisiana State University, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology advised mothers to eat fish that contain a high percentage of omega-3 – such as salmon and herring – two or three times a week, for its positive impact on the mental health of the mother, and support the cognitive and visual development of children In their early life, especially since the child’s body needs more time to make sufficient quantities of fish oil as he approaches puberty, so that the pregnancy period is the best period for him.

5- An 8-week pilot study in 2007 indicated that fish oils may help children with behavioral problems, especially those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the most common neurological condition among children.

The study showed that children who took 8-16 grams of fish oil daily, showed a significant improvement in their behavior, according to the classification of their parents and the psychiatrist who followed up with him, especially in their crises with inattention, hyperactivity, conduct disorder and aggressive behavior.

The reason for this progress is that, combined with genetic and environmental influences, marked decreases in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are observed in children with ADHD.

6- A study published in the journal “PLOS ONE” reported that taking omega-3 fatty acids can help improve working memory in healthy adults, because supplements rich in fish oil may increase and enhance the storage and release of dopamine, which memory depends on. However, another study indicated that high levels of omega-3s do not prevent the cognitive decline in older women that occurs during menopause.

7- The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils may protect the human heart during times of stress. Results published in the American Journal of Physiology indicated that those who took fish oil supplements for longer than one month had better cardiovascular function during their stress tests.

8- The American Heart Association recommended taking fish oil pills and maintaining meals that include oily fish, at least twice a week, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Fish oil also appears to help stabilize stents in patients with atherosclerosis, and reduces the risk of heart attack compared to those who do not take fish oil.