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Can Omega 3 help control obesity?
June 6, 2009
I first started taking Omega 3 supplements because Dr. John Berardi suggested that it would help convert extra body fat into lean muscle as you train. Since I’ve been a long time fitness buff, this new piece of information was enough to get me to change my ways.
I take Genuine Health Omega products because after doing quite a bit of research I found that not all manufacturers were willing to be forthcoming with the origin of the fish used to produce Omega 3 supplements. For instance when I called a number of manufacturers to get on a confirmation on the provenance of their salmon, I was given the run around and no one was able to assure me that the salmon was wild and not farmed (farmed salmon is questionable and many trainers and health professionals are shying away from it given some of the potential hormones used to feed the fish). This is a non-issue with companies such as Genuine Health because they put on the label the following statement:
Omega is a pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled wild fish oil and free of all toxins including mercury and PCBs. Omega contains no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives, corn, dairy, egg, wheat, gluten, soy or yeast.
If you’re going to buy Omega 3 supplements, you’ll want to be sure to check the origin of the ingredients used.
Omega 3 has been quite beneficial for my overall body, not just my muscle mass. I’ve noticed that my skin retains moisture more and my nails seem to grow faster and my hair is quite shiny.
If you’ve missed some of the previous posts I wrote on the benefits of Omega 3, you can read them here:
You need Omega-3 essential fatty acids everyday
As you age, you need Omega-3 for healthy skin, hair and nails!
Until recently, Omega 3 was one of those products that has been used and recommended by many trainers, nutritionists and natural health practitioners to help overweight clients get a better control over their weight. You see, Omega 3 is great at healing inflammation and it seems from my readings that overweight people have high levels of inflammation in their body and it seems there is a link between lower inflammation levels and your body’s ability to lose weight more easily.
Recently, researchers in Spain have found some more conclusive evidence that was lacking up to now. It seems that their research proves that animals that were fed omega 3 supplements stored much less fat in their fat tissue and liver, and had lower inflammation production.
The conclusion many health professionals, trainers and nutritionists are coming to is that if they recommend their obese clients consumer higher levels of Omega 3 this might reduce fat gain and fat would not store so easily in their fat tissues or livers.
A second European study (this one from Spain, Ireland and Iceland) suggests that dieters who took omega 3 supplements found it helped them control their appetite and helped them reach that feeling of fullness much faster than those dieting alone.
I’ve stopped taking multi-vitamins because I have a diet that is fairly rich in vitamins and nutrients and I’ve replace the daily multi with a daily dose of Greens. I’m religious at taking my daily Omega 3 supplements because in the eight months since I started taking them, I can see the difference in my body.
If you have a weight issue and if you are reading this post, I’d suggest that you start a conversation with your own doctor or your naturopathic doctor before adding anything new to your diet. You can surely swing by your closest natural health food store to find out more about Omega 3 supplements. If you are going to buy Omega 3 supplements at a drugstore, sports/nutrition store or your supermarket, I’d surely check (and recheck) the list of ingredients to ensure that you are buying the best quality of Omega 3 you can find.
Photo by zimpenfish
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