Nutrition Facts with Dr. Greger Should You Take Fish Oil?
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Apr 10, 2025 Explore the intriguing debate around fish oil supplements and their effectiveness for heart health. Learn about recent clinical trials challenging traditional beliefs and the misconceptions surrounding omega-3 fatty acids. Discover the risks of PCB contamination in children's fish oil, raising concerns about safety. Algae-derived DHA emerges as a safer alternative, with breast milk praised as the best omega-3 source. This discussion re-evaluates long-held guidelines and promotes a critical look at the necessity of fish oil in our diets.
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Fish Oil Effectiveness
- Fish oil supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry, partly due to the American Heart Association's recommendations.
- However, multiple studies have shown no protective benefit of fish oil for heart health.
Conflicting DART Trials
- The DART trial initially suggested that eating fatty fish reduced mortality, boosting fish oil's popularity.
- However, the DART-2 trial, conducted by the same researchers, found the opposite, with increased cardiac death risk in those consuming fish oil.
Fish Oil Contaminants
- Fish oil supplements, even distilled ones, often contain concerning contaminants like PCBs and oxidation byproducts.
- These contaminants frequently exceed industry safety standards, regardless of the product's price or origin.
