# Fish Oil!



## GoLdeN M 07 (Sep 25, 2008)

Is it true that fish oil actually helps burn fat and gain muscle? If it wasnt already miracolous enough..!

I read a few articles and it says that the EPA in fish oil enter through the membrane of every single cell in the body and helps in the exchange of waste, making all cells healthier and cleaner. This is obviously true in muslce cells/tissie as well so does it help alot with the anabolic process. Also, fish oil also help stop muslce loss which is amazing as well. For fat loss, correct me if im wrong, fish oil is known to help regulate blood sugar and increase matabolism which = fat loss!


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## DaMayor (Sep 25, 2008)

Ask Aaron.


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## Arnold (Sep 25, 2008)

*Fish Oil

    Introduction*

    With the focus on concepts such as the glycemic index, macronutrient ratios, and food groups, essential fatty acids (EFAs) are one of the most neglected aspects of nutrition in modern society. One can have a diet that is nutritious by most standards and still under consume EFAs. Omega-3s are of particular importance in today's world. A deficiency of omega-3 EFAs in the diet, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may play a strong role in many of the widespread and interrelated conditions of today, such as cardiovascular disease, inflammatory conditions, and obesity. Although omega-3s are most commonly emphasized only when one of these conditions is present, ensuring adequate intake can play a very strong preventative role.

    Our ancestral diet was very different than the diet of today. The diets of the Paleolithic era in which our genetic patterns were establishe consisted of an omega 6mega 3 ratio of about 1:1 to 2:1 (with the estimate usually falling closer to 1:1) [1]. DHA may have played a particularly important role in the development of the hominid brain [2]. In contrast, the ratio in the typical Western diet is 10:1 to 25:1 with the average being around 16:1 [1, 3], and the importance of this difference cannot be underestimated.

    Consuming fat sources rich in omega-3s, such as flax seed oil, may help to correct this imbalance. However, the omega-3 found in flax seed oil, alpha linolenic acid (ALA, not to be confused with alpha lipoic acid), has only limited conversion to the more important EPA and DHA, and the magnitude of its biological effects is much smaller [4]. Also, it only partially corrects the evolutionary imbalance, because a large portion of the omega-3s we consumed provided ample amounts of DHA [2]. For this reason, it is important to emphasize a diet that is high in both EPA and DHA, and one of the best ways to achieve this is supplementation with fish oil [4]. The EPA and DHA found in fish increases plasma concentrations more than from fish oil supplements, but in this case one has to eat a lot of fish on a regular basis [5], and an additional problem is that fish that are not caught in the wild tend to have lower concentrations of EPA/DHA. Fish oil supplements are also a more convenient and less expensive source of EFAs.

*Body composition*

    One of the primary benefits of fish oil supplementation is improvement in body composition, as dietary fatty acid composition plays an important role in the accumulation of excessive body fat. A reduction in fat mass is to be expected, as well as fat being less likely to be distributed in the abdominal area. There are quite a few mechanisms of action, one of the most important being activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), which in turn increases the production of various enzymes that break down fat [6-8]. Fish oil also deactivates a number of lipogenic (fat forming) enzymes [7-9].

    Many studies in rats have found a diet high in fish oil to significantly reduce fat accumulation [7, 8, 10-12]. This reduction is dose-dependant [8]. Also, fish oil causes less relative distribution of fat in the abominal area in rats gaining weight compared to saturated fat [13] and increases lipid mobilization in visceral adipose tissue [14]. Although this effect has not been confirmed in humans, fish oil has definite potential in the treatment of obesity [6], and the evidence for changes in gene expression and enzyme activity is quite strong, as well as the health benefits of fish oil supplementation which in many cases are interrelated with the antiobesity effects. Fish oil may be especially useful during a period of weight gain due to the fat redistribution, and also due to the fact that one study noted that changes in liver membrane fatty acids due to fish oil were not significant during a period of energy restriction and concluded that "the influence of dietary fat type on cellular structure and perhaps function becomes increasingly important with progressively positive energy balance" [15].

*Cardiovascular disease*

    Multiple large-scale, long-term epidemiologic studies have shown a significant association between consumption of fish and thrombotic stroke, sudden cardiac death, and other cardiovascular conditions [16- 18], with one study finding only 5.5 g per month of omega-3s from fish to be associated with a 50% lower risk of cardiac arrest [18]. A Japanese epidemiologic study also found consumption of omega-3s from fish to be associated with a decrease in all cause mortality among women [19]. Two large-scale clinical trials have confirmed these findings. The first was a two year study in men recovering from heart attacks. One group was counseled to consume at least two portions of fish weekly or fish oil capsules (900 mg of EPA/DHA daily), while the other received no counseling. The risk of death from ischemic heart disease was 33% lower in those that ate more fish and 62% lower in those that consumed fish oil supplements [16, 18]. Fish oil supplements also reduced all cause mortality by 57% in this group [16]. An additional study in 11,000 similar patients had similar results, finding that 850 mg per day of EPA/DHA reduced mortality risk by 41% in only three months [16]. The effect fish oil has on blood pressure has been extensively researched, with a recent meta-analysis of 90 trials finding that fish oil significantly reduced blood pressure, especially in the elderly and hypertensive [20]. Some of the mechanisms of action in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease are antiarrhythmic properties, improved endothelial function, antiinflammatory properties, and reduction in serum triglycerides, with both EPA and DHA playing important roles [16].

*Fish oil and the brain*

    When it comes to the brain, DHA is probably the most important fatty acid. DHA plays a very important role in brain development and the maintenance of normal brain function in adults [18]. The impact during development is significant enough that maternal supplementation with fish oil has been shown to increase the IQ of children at age four by an average of 4.1 points [21]. DHA is preferentially taken up by the brain compared to other fatty acids, where it then enhances membrane fluidity, which in turn changes the signaling properties of neurons and affects the function of the blood brain barrier [22]. In rats, DHA changes the expression of 23 genes in the hippocampus alone [23]. Epidemiological studies indicate that there is an association between high fish consumption and a reduced risk of cognitive decline [18, 22], while saturated fat is associated with an increase in dementia [22]. In animal models, fish oil supplementation improves learning and memory in both young and old rats [24, 25].

    Fish oil also fights stress and depression. Multiple studies have found a direct association between depression and omega-3 content in various tissues of the body, including the content in adipose tissue, which is a marker of long-term dietary fat intake [26]. Supplementation with DHA increases levels of both serotonin and dopamine in rats without affecting norepinephrine [27]. Additionally, a trial with 42 college students taking 1.5-1.8 g of DHA daily vs. placebo over one college quarter found that DHA prevented the changes in various markers of stress during finals week, such as external aggression and changes in the plasma epinephrine:norepinephrine ratio [28]. Anti-stress effects of DHA have also been observed in mice [28]. In addition to anti-depressive and anti-stress properties, fish oil may be useful in the treatment of other conditions such as dyslexia and schizophrenia [29, 30].

*Treatment and prevention of other conditions*

    Fish oil has many anti-inflammatory properties and for this reason has been explored in a number of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. These include rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, migraine headaches, asthma, and cystic fibroris, and it usually has a significant beneficial effect [31-33]. Mechanisms of action include displacement of arachidonic acid (which is pro-inflammatory), suppression of proinflammatory cytokines, and changes in adhesion molecule expression [32].

    N-3 PUFAs from fish oil also have a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity. Animal studies show that fish oil increases insulin sensitivity, with a high fish oil diet being equivalent to a low fat diet in this regard [10]. Positive effects on bone metabolism have been observed in both rats and quails, indicating a possible benefit in the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis [34, 35]. Finally, epidemiologic, case-control, and animal studies respectively found that fish oil decreases the risk of lung, breast, and colon cancer [36-38].

*Possible side effects*

    Fish oil consumption is generally safe and well tolerated, with less adverse effects than other dietary oils [12]. Doses equivalent to three times the FDA maximum safe dosage (which is 3 g EPA/DHA per day) appear to be safe in rats [39]. The primary reported side effect is "fish burps" or a "fishy taste in the mouth," although this can depend on the product, and it is also commonly reported to only be a problem for the first few weeks of fish oil consumption. However there are a few more serious side effects that may be seen with high dose fish oil consumption which may warrant caution.

    The first of these is that high doses of fish oil may decrease immune function (in opposition to lower intakes, which may enhance it) [40-42]. While this is beneficial in some autoimmune diseases it is not always desirable. For example, high amounts of fish oil may impair bacterial resistance [43]. Modest doses, in the range of 1-2 g of EPA/DHA daily, do not appear to have a negative impact on immune function over 6 months [40]. This effect may also be avoided with supplemental vitamin E [42]. A second potential problem is increased lipid peroxidation, resulting in an increase in oxidative stress [44-47]. However, this effect can also be remedied with vitamin E [9, 48].

    Another possible side effect is an increase in LDL cholesterol and a decrease in HDL cholesterol [49-50]. The first of these effects can be seen with doses as low as 3.6 g/day in humans [49]. However, LDL increase is generally less than 5% [16], and fish oil on balance has a very positive impact on the cardiovascular system. Since fish oil thins the blood, it may also increase the likelihood of bleeding, but it does not appear to do this at lower doses. 2-5 grams a day, even when combined with other blood thinners such as aspirin, do not appear to increase bleeding time, but intake over 20 grams a day will increase bleeding times [16]. Other possible side effects of high or very high dose fish oil consumption reported in animals are increased liver and spleen weight, adverse effects on iron metabolism, and red blood cell deformities [45, 46, 50], but it is doubtful that these are relevant in moderate doses.

    What all of this amounts to is, fish oil consumption in a healthy individual should probably be kept within a reasonable range, and additional supplementation with vitamin E is also a good choice. The amount of fish oil one takes should be dependent on both goals and the amount of EPA/DHA present in the fish oil. The optimal range for both safety and effectiveness in most healthy individuals is 1-4 g of EPA/DHA daily, and this amount shouldn't be exceeded without medical supervision. Most fish oils are standardized to 30% EPA/DHA, so this would be about 3-12 one gram caps daily. If the fish oil is standardized to a different amount the dosage should be changed accordingly, for example 2-8 caps of a 50% EPA/DHA product. Most of the benefits (other than possibly the change in body composition, for which there is presently little functional data) can be seen with 1-2 grams of EPA/DHA daily. Most fish oil capsules also contain vitamin E, but if they don't, a vitamin E supplement should be taken also.

IronMagLabs Essence EFA


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## GoLdeN M 07 (Sep 25, 2008)

Prince said:


> *Fish Oil
> 
> Introduction*
> 
> ...




Thank you alot prince for showing me this, but I already read this on the stickies. I was just wondering if fishoil actually does help increase muscle, prevent muscle loss, boost metabolism and burn fat... and if yes, why isnt the hype about it more. Fish oil is a miracle substance.


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## ZECH (Sep 25, 2008)

It's not magic, but it is something that I take everyday!


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## Merkaba (Sep 25, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> Is it true that fish oil actually helps burn fat and gain muscle? If it wasnt already miracolous enough..!
> 
> I read a few articles and it says that the EPA in fish oil enter through the membrane of every single cell in the body and helps in the exchange of waste, making all cells healthier and cleaner. This is obviously true in muslce cells/tissie as well so does it help alot with the anabolic process. Also, fish oil also help stop muslce loss which is amazing as well. For fat loss, correct me if im wrong, fish oil is known to help regulate blood sugar and increase matabolism which = fat loss!



Ok.  What mags did you read them out of, or what forums?....what sources.  You do know that most of the major muscle media sources have stakes in nutritional companies and will sell a snake shoes, right?


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## largepkg (Sep 26, 2008)

Hmm... Thems fightin words!


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## MCx2 (Sep 26, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> thanks for your help
> 
> i never said it was magic u fucking asshole, i was just curious if this was true




Just worry about eating right and training hard.


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## fufu (Sep 26, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> thanks for your help
> 
> i never said it was magic u fucking asshole, i was just curious if this was true



You're welcome.

You said it was a miracle substance. A miracle is defined as something that occurs supernaturally and transcends quantification by human mental processes. In other words, magic.

Learn to define words and understand your own contextual references.


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## GoLdeN M 07 (Sep 26, 2008)

fufu said:


> You're welcome.
> 
> You said it was a miracle substance. A miracle is defined as something that occurs supernaturally and transcends quantification by human mental processes. In other words, magic.
> 
> Learn to define words and understand your own contextual references.



well i was using it as a simile saying that fish oil have so many great benefits including the possible benefit of fatloss and muscle gain (which i dont fucking know yet so i decided to ask) that it is LIKE a miracle substance. U dont need to give me any bullshit, if u dont like my threads then dont comment on them. All i want to know is if this is is true and if it _is _true, why isnt it hyped up more often in the stickies?


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## fufu (Sep 26, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> well i was using it as a simile saying that fish oil have so many great benefits including the possible benefit of fatloss and muscle gain (which i dont fucking know yet so i decided to ask) that it is LIKE a miracle substance. U dont need to give me any bullshit, if u dont like my threads then dont comment on them. All i want to know is if this is is true and if it _is _true, why isnt it hyped up more often in the stickies?




There are no such things are miracle substances. Simply taking fish oil doesn't mean you'll exhibit amazing results even when all other factors in your lifestyle are executed properly. You've been a member here for a while, you should know that. 

That is why it isn't hyped up, it would be misinformation.

This is an online forum and people can voice their opinions, no matter how ridiculous they may be, you of all people should know this.


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## Arnold (Sep 26, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> Thank you alot prince for showing me this, but I already read this on the stickies. I was just wondering if fishoil actually does help increase muscle, prevent muscle loss, boost metabolism and burn fat... and if yes, why isnt the hype about it more. Fish oil is a miracle substance.



that is not from a sticky, it is an article on the main site, fish oil, or EFA's in general, have many health benefits, but I don't know of any evidence to suggest they are "fat burners" per se as you're suggesting here.


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## GoLdeN M 07 (Sep 26, 2008)

Prince said:


> that is not from a sticky, it is an article on the main site, fish oil, or EFA's in general, have many health benefits, but I don't know of any evidence to suggest they are "fat burners" per se as you're suggesting here.



Ive read in many articles and blogs that fish oil is known to regulate ur blood sugarm and by this result in fat loss... u can go on a bad diet and sit around as a couch potato and STILL lose fat because ur blood sugar would be regulated.  And for muslce, fish oils EPA goes into the membrane of ebery cell in the body and eases the exchange of waste making healthier and cleaner cells. This obviously goes for mucle cells as well and prevents muscle loss. Also it creates faster recovery after training (from what I read) meaning faster mucle gains for atheltes.

Fish oil already has a tremendous amount of benefits for the entire body and all of its organs, and helps cure so many diseases and illnesses, but now hearing that it creates muscle and helps in fat loss and prevents muslce loss as well is just too good to be true.


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## FishOrCutBait (Sep 26, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> Ive read in many articles and blogs that fish oil is known to regulate ur blood sugarm and by this result in fat loss.



so even if you eat 1000 calories in excess of your maintenance intake youll lose weight?

strange. it must be magic


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## Arnold (Sep 26, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> Ive read in many articles and blogs that fish oil is known to regulate ur blood sugar and by this result in fat loss... *u can go on a bad diet and sit around as a couch potato and STILL lose fat because ur blood sugar would be regulated*.



and you seriously believe this? it's still all about calories in/out and metabolism.


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## GoLdeN M 07 (Sep 26, 2008)

Prince said:


> and you seriously believe this? it's still all about calories in/out and metabolism.



well i dont really believe it strongly, i still think some work should be involved

but studies have shown obese people who have not changed their diets and were taking fish oil for 3 weeks and had lost 2 pounds of fat.


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## GoLdeN M 07 (Oct 7, 2008)

Please correct me if Im wrong (and please dont!..) but I read in many articles that fish oil increases metabolism as well as protein metabolism (doubles the use of protein in muscle tissue) and lowers insulin levels which allow the use of fat stored in the fat cells as energy, and all these factors greatly contribute to fatloss...

and correct me if im mistaken but fish oil is known to be a great anti inflammatory supplement and therefor helps the recovery of muscle meaning faster muscle gains...


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## Gazhole (Oct 7, 2008)

GoLdeN M 07 said:


> I read a few articles





GoLdeN M 07 said:


> I read in many articles





GoLdeN M 07 said:


> but studies have shown





GoLdeN M 07 said:


> Ive read in many articles and blogs



Any links/references to all these?

Its a very beneficial supplement, and the article that Prince posted goes into huge detail there. No doubt that it's a good addition to your supplementation plan if you want to use it.

But the truth of the matter is that without well designed diet and training problems no supplement, including steroids, will make you gain huge amounts of mass, dissolve the fat off you, make you bigger, harder, faster, stronger, make you more confident with women, do your taxes, invent space travel, or improve your bench.

So the answer is yes and no - yes it can help with your goals, but no it wont do them on its own.


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## GoLdeN M 07 (Oct 8, 2008)

Gazhole said:


> Any links/references to all these?
> 
> Its a very beneficial supplement, and the article that Prince posted goes into huge detail there. No doubt that it's a good addition to your supplementation plan if you want to use it.
> 
> ...




I know that it wont do them on its own and that training is still required...

here are some of the links I looked at to give me all this information I am telling you:
Omega-3s have positive effect on muscle mass | Science Blog
T-Nation.com | Fish Oil and Fat Loss
Fast Muscle Building with Fish Oil


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## GoLdeN M 07 (Oct 11, 2008)

I have the links on the comment above this one

feel free to look at it and tell me what u think


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## gerard4864 (Mar 16, 2011)

bump


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## DeliaHealth (Apr 5, 2011)

Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid, and supposedly fish oil does have Omega 3. I say supposedly because most fish oil are processed by heat. And by heating the Omega 3 becomes damaged. Moving forward, since omega 3 is an essential fatty acid, it does help with boosting your metabolism thus makes the body to produce more energy efficiently and burn the bad fats.


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