Are Fish Oil Capsules Good For You? How Omega3s Can Reverse Fatty Diet
British supermodel Kate Moss is famous for controversially stating that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” but why can’t we have both?
A new mouse study from researchers at the University of São Paulo has revealed that fish oil supplements may reverse the effects of a high-fat diet. The new study demonstrates the beneficial properties of the pills, and it also suggests that they could be effective in preventing obesity and Type 2 diabetes in humans, though further tests need to be conducted.
“Our research suggests that fish oil supplements may be used in addition to other strategies as a preventative measure for insulin resistance and obesity,” said Professor Maria Isabel Alonso-Vale, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Federal University of São Paulo and lead investigator of the study.
For four weeks, scientists administered fish oil to mice also being fed a high-fat diet. The researchers then collected and analyzed the animal subjects’ body fat samples and compared them to mice on a high-fat diet that had not been consuming fish oil. Factors that affect metabolism, fat deposits, and insulin resistance were also measured and considered.
“It is important to note that this research has been performed in mice which may not translate to humans. More research will need to be done so we can have a better understanding of the effect of fish oil in humans,” Alonso-Vale said.
Fish oil pills are a popular dietary supplement as they have many perceived benefits. Last year, researchers also demonstrated the preventive effects of fish oil on a group of young people who were at risk of schizophrenia.
Fish oil contains a powerful omega 3 fat known as docohexaenoic acid (DHA). Your body doesn’t naturally produce omega 3 DHA, which is why consuming it via diet and supplementation is so important.
Source: Alonso-Vale MI, et al. Fish Oil Pills Reverse The Effects Of A Fatty Diet. Journal of Physiology . 2016.
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