Can Fish Oil Aid Weight Loss? Read Here!

by Marixie Ann Obsioma, MT, undergrad MD on April 13, 2024
Last updated on April 13, 2024

Fish oil for shedding pounds stands out as one of the **best** options out there.

Can Fish Oil Aid Weight Loss - Read Here!

It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits, including improved heart and brain health, reduced depression risk, and even improved skin health.

Researchers have also claimed that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may aid weight loss. However, not all researchers agree, and opinions on this potential advantage are divided.

The current data on whether omega-3s from fish oil can help you lose weight is reviewed in this article.

What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Fish Oil?

The omega-3 fatty acids are critical for human health.

Omega-3 fatty acids come in a variety of forms, but the most significant ones can be divided into two categories:

  • Essential omega-3 fatty acids: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the only essential omega-3 fatty acid. It is found in a wide range of plant foods. Walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and oils are the richest sources.
  • Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids: The two most known are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They are mainly found in fish oil and fatty fish, but also seafood, algae, and algae oil.

Because your body cannot make ALA, it is deemed necessary. This indicates that you must obtain this sort of fat from your diet.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on the other hand, aren’t legally deemed necessary because the human body can make them from ALA.

In humans, however, this conversion is inefficient. Your body converts only 2–10% of the ALA you consume to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

As a result, several health experts recommend consuming 200–300 mg of EPA and DHA every day. One can accomplish this by eating two fatty fish per week or taking a supplement.

EPA and DHA are engaged in various vital biological activities, but they are especially crucial in the development and operation of the brain and eyes.

Maintaining proper amounts of EPA and DHA has been shown to help reduce inflammation, depression, breast cancer, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to research (ADHD).

There are a variety of fish oil omega-3 supplements on the market, most of which come in oil drops or capsules.

Fish oil is high in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are beneficial for various bodily activities. Fatty fish, seafood, and algae are also good sources of this two omega-3s.

Fish Oil and Weight Loss

Fish Oil Has the Potential to Reduce Hunger and Appetite

Many people now use fish oil for weight loss as it helps reduce hunger and appetite.

This effect may be especially beneficial for persons on weight-loss programs, which can occasionally result in increased hunger.

According to one study, healthy adults on a weight-loss regimen consumed either 0.3 grams or 1.3 grams of fish oil omega-3s per day. The high-fish-oil group reported feeling much fuller up to two hours after a meal.

These effects, however, are not universal.

In one short trial, healthy adults who were not on a weight-loss program were given 5 grams of fish oil or a placebo every day.

After a typical breakfast, the fish oil group reported feeling roughly 20% less complete and a 28% higher desire to eat.

Furthermore, when comparing patients with cancer or renal disease who gave fish oil to those who gave a placebo, some studies found that those who gave fish oil had a higher appetite or calorie intake.

Surprisingly, one study found that fish oil omega-3s boosted levels of a satiety hormone in fat people while decreasing levels in non-obese people.

As a result, it’s conceivable that the effects will differ based on your health and diet. However, further research is required before You may draw firm conclusions.

In healthy persons on a weight-loss regimen, taking fish oil supplements may be the most effective for lowering hunger and appetite. However, more research is required.

Fatty Acids in Fish oil Boosts Metabolism

Another way fatty acids in fish oil may aid weight loss is by speeding up your metabolism.

Your metabolic rate, which determines how many calories you burn each day, can be used to assess your metabolism.

The more calories you burn and the easier it is to lose weight and keep it off, the higher your metabolic rate is.

A tiny study found that taking 6 grams of fish oil per day for 12 weeks raised metabolic rates by 3.8 percent in young and healthy adults.

Another study found that when healthy older women took 3 grams of fish oil per day for 12 weeks further increased weight loss. Their metabolic rates increased by roughly 14%, equating to an additional 187 calories burned each day.

More recently, the research found that giving healthy adults 3 grams of fish oil per day for 12 weeks raised their metabolic rate by 5.3 percent on average.

The majority of studies that reported increased metabolic rates also saw increased muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat; hence, an increase in muscle mass could explain the more excellent metabolic rates seen in these trials.

However, this impact has not been detected in all investigations. As a result, further research is needed to comprehend the effect of fish oil on metabolic rates fully.

Fish oil has the potential to speed up your metabolism. A faster metabolism can aid weight loss by allowing you to burn more calories each day.

Fish Oil Enhances the Effects of Exercise

The metabolic advantages of fish oil may extend beyond simply increasing your daily calorie expenditure.

According to research, consuming fatty acids from fish oil may also increase the number of calories and fat you burn during exercise.

This, according to researchers, occurs because fish oil may aid in the transition from glucose to fat as a source of energy during exercise.

According to one study, women who took 3 grams of fish oil every day for 12 weeks burnt 10% more calories and 19–27% more fat when exercising.

This conclusion could explain why some studies have indicated that taking fish oil supplements and exercising is more effective than exercising alone for weight loss.

On the other hand, other studies have revealed that fish oil does not affect the type of fuel used by the body during exercise. As a result, further research is required before drawing firm conclusions.

Fatty acids from fish oil may promote weight loss by increasing the number of calories expended and the quantity of fat burned during exercise. However, more research is required.

Fish Oil Could Aid in Body Fat and Inch Loss

Even though fatty acids from fish oil do not assist some people to lose weight, they may help them gain muscle and decrease fat.

Your weight on the scale might be deceiving at times. Even if you’re gaining muscle and losing fat, it could stay the same.

That’s why, rather than relying just on the scale, people who wish to reduce weight are typically urged to use a tape measure or check their body fat percentages to track their progress.

The failure of specific studies to find any effect of fatty acids from fish oil (omega-3s) on weight loss could be explained by the use of body weight to assess the fat loss. Studies that employ more exact fat loss metrics, on the other hand, frequently reveal a different conclusion.

For example, in a study of 44 persons, those who took 4 grams of dietary fish oil daily lost no more weight than those who gave a placebo.

Also, the dietary fish oil group lost 1.1 pounds (0.5 kg) more body fat and gained 1.1 pounds (0.5 kg) more muscle than the control group.

In another trial, six healthy adults substituted 6 grams of fat in their diets with 6 grams of fish oil during three weeks. They didn’t gain any more weight on the fish oil diet. Instead, they lost more body fat.

A tiny study found that persons who took 3 grams of fish oil per day shed 1.3 pounds (0.6 kg) more fat than those who took a placebo. The total body weights of the subjects, however, remained unchanged.

As a result, a meta-analysis of 21 research found that fish oil is no more beneficial than a placebo when it comes to significant weight loss. However, they found fish oil to be more helpful at reducing waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio.

As a result, while fish oil may not help with weight loss per se, it may make it easier to drop inches and shrink your clothes sizes.

Fatty acids from fish oil may help you lose more fat or inches without actually lowering your weight on the scale.

Dosage and Precautions

Daily dosages of 300–3,000 mg were utilized in the most recent trials that revealed that fish oil positively affected weight or body fat loss.

Intake of fish oil omega-3s is declared safe by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) if the daily dose does not exceed 3,000 mg per day.

Daily fish oil supplementation of up to 5,000 mg are considered safe by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European equivalent of the FDA.

It’s important to remember that omega-3s thin the blood, which might lead to severe bleeding in certain people.

Before adding fish oil supplements to your diet, see your doctor if you’re on blood-thinning medication.

Additionally, be cautious of the fish oil supplements you use. Some may include vitamin A, which, in large doses, can be harmful, especially in pregnant women and young children. One example is cod liver oil.

Finally, pay close attention to the ingredients in your fish oil supplements.

Unfortunately, some varieties contain very little fish oil, EPA, or DHA. Choose a supplement that has been tested by a third party to prevent “fake” items.

Choose an omega-3 supplement that contains at least 50% EPA and DHA to get the maximum benefits out of it. For example, for 1,000 mg of fish oil of at least 500 mg of both EPA and DHA.

Fish oil is generally considered to be safe to take. Fish oil supplementation of 300–3,000 mg every day is recommended to get the most out of them. If you’re taking blood thinners, talk to your doctor before adding fish oil supplements to your diet.

Here’s How Fish Oil Can Help You Lose Weight Around Your Stomach:

According to experts at Kyoto University, fish oil burns body fat faster than fat-burning medications, resulting in effective weight loss in persons in their 30s and 40s.

According to a new study, fish oil can help people lose weight. But, before we get into the research, there are a few things concerning fish oil that you should be aware of.

Fish oil can be obtained by eating fish or taking supplements. Fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, mullet, and trout are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

To keep fish oil supplements from spoiling, they commonly include you may also add a tiny amount of vitamin E. Calcium, iron, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and D.

Fish oil is also used to prevent and or treat cardiovascular disease risk factors and blood-related problems. Fish oil is used by some people to lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels (fats related to cholesterol), but only at recommended doses.

According to new research, a group of mice was fed fatty food, while researchers provided another group fatty food with fish oil additions. They discovered that mice who ate fish oil-enriched chow gained five to ten percent less weight and 15 to 25 percent less fat than mice who did not.

Fish oil activates receptors in the digestive tract, activates the sympathetic nervous system, and causes fat to be metabolized by storage cells when eaten.

The fat tissues, however, do not store all of the fat. “White” cells store fat to sustain energy supply, whereas “brown” cells metabolize fat to keep the body temperature steady.

Brown cells are plentiful in infants, but they decrease in quantity as they get older.

The third form of the fat cell, known as “beige” cells, has recently been discovered in humans and mice, and it functions similarly to brown cells.

As people reach middle age, the number of beige cells decreases, and without these metabolizing cells, fat accumulates for decades without being consumed.

Based on an earlier study, we already knew that fish oil had numerous health benefits, including the prevention of fat buildup. We wanted to see if fish oil and an increase in beige cells were linked.

The researchers fed fatty meals to one group of mice and rich diets with fish oil supplements to the other.

They discovered that mice who ate fish oil-enriched chow gained five to ten percent less weight and 15 to 25 percent less fat than mice who did not.

When something triggered the sympathetic nervous system, beige cells emerged from fat white cells, indicating that specific fat storage cells gained the ability to metabolize.

Longevity has long been associated with Japanese and Mediterranean foods, but why these cuisines are advantageous has been a point of contention. We now have a better understanding of why that is.

How Can Supplemental Fish Oil Aid Weight Loss?

If you want to slim down, taking supplemental fish oil every month to help you drop a few pounds. It won’t make you feel jittery or nervous, unlike most weight reduction products that contain stimulants. Your energy levels will not plummet immediately after taking it, either.

Fish oil, unlike weight-loss pills, is suitable for your entire health. Taking fish oil every day can benefit your brain, heart, and joints in addition to helping you lose weight. These are claims that no weight loss diets or pills on the market can make.

In this essay, I’ll go over four different ways fish oil pills might aid weight loss. After reading them, you’ll understand how this low-cost, widely used tool can help you lose weight and improve overall health.

1. Fish Oil Enables You Lose Fat and Build Muscle

Simply popping a couple of fish oil capsules daily can help you lose fat and build muscle. The study I review below shows how much. Subjects took about 2 grams of Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) every day for six weeks.

They lost more than 2 lbs. of body fat and gained about 1 pound. They didn’t change their diet or exercise. All it took was taking a couple of high-dose fish oil capsules every day.

2. Fish Oil Supplements Decrease Your Appetite

If you want to stay full longer between meals, popping a couple of fish oil capsules after you eat may help. In one study, women who did this stayed full longer after their dinner and ate less overall. Over time, this will help you lose weight without feeling hungry and suffering from the hunger pangs when you diet.

The most likely reason fish oil helps you stay full is that it can regulate the release of a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin helps to control your appetite and mood. This effect is also what gives fish oil its antidepressant benefits.

3. Fish Oil Makes Your Diet and Weight Loss Workout Program More Effective

Taking a fish oil supplement can make your diet and exercise program more effective. In one study, fish oil subjects lost more weight than those taking a placebo. Both groups followed a diet that had them eating less and working out several times a week.

4. Supplemental Fish Oil Helps Minimize Fat Storage 

Fish oil supplements can minimize the risk of storing the food you eat fat. This increases insulin sensitivity, which is key to losing weight and staying healthy. The more sensitive your cells are to insulin, the less likely it that the food you eat will be stored as fat.

Final Thoughts

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which offer a variety of health benefits, one of which is weight loss.

More importantly, fish oil omega-3s may aid in the reduction of body fat and inches.

These impacts, however, appear to be minor, and they may not apply to everyone, according to studies.

Overall, when combined with lifestyle factors such as proper nutrition and regular physical activity, fish oil omega-3s are likely to have the most beneficial effects.

For healthier weight loss diets, consume more omega 3 fatty acids. Always include Walnuts, seeds, oils, fatty fish, seafood, and algae in your diet.

References

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