The Facts on Fish Oil

We’ve all read about omega-3s, with mounds of medical research linking these fishy fatty acids to everything from mellower arthritis pain to stronger DNA. In most cases, the health benefits revolve around omega-3’s ability to quell inflammation. But do fish oil supplements match the anti-inflammation benefits of fish—nature’s omega-3 champ? Australian research published in the journal Metabolism
has had a closer look at this question.

The surprising diabetes link

So what exactly happened? Researchers at the University of Wollongong split 29 overweight people into two groups. While members of one group ate 590 grams of fish per week for a month, the others swallowed daily supplements containing nearly 2000mg of omega-3. Before and after the study period, the researchers measured each person’s levels of a hormone called adiponectin, which past studies have tied to lower inflammation. Here’s what they discovered: while total adiponectin levels jumped 12% among the fish eaters, the supplement group experienced no adiponectin boost. This is significant since low levels of adiponectin are also a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

Related: Antioxidants Explained

So what about supplements?

Although these findings are preliminary, eating fish seems to provide a stronger anti-inflammation advantage than popping fish oil supplements, says study co-author Elizabeth Neale. Why? Fish are loaded with other nutrients, including vitamin D, protein and selenium—all of which have significant health benefits. “I believe the synergy of all these ingredients in fish are more effective than fish oil, which features only a single nutrient,” Neale explains.
So should you toss out your omega-3 supplements? Absolutely not, according to Neale. “There are large amounts of evidence highlighting the benefits of omega-3 both from whole fish and from supplements,” she adds. And while snacking on salmon may provide more anti-inflammation assistance, Neale says the vast majority of people would struggle to eat large enough amounts of fish on a regular basis to meet their daily requirements, so supplements are a great practical way to boost omega-3 intake.

Are you getting enough?

It’s still too early to make dietary recommendations based on her research, Neale says. But she supports the National Heart Foundation of Australia guidelines, eating two to three serves of 150g of oily fish—such as salmon, mackerel and swordfish—every week. For those who can’t (or don’t want to), she recommends a daily omega-3 dietary supplement, or foods like walnuts and linseeds which are also fantastic omega-3 sources.