Since childhood, we know that fish oil is very good for health. Numerous studies have shown that eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, which are omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and are the main components of fish oil, can have many positive effects on the human body. Regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids prevents heart and vascular diseases, improves memory, vision, has a positive effect on mental activity, slows down aging. Is it possible to replace fish with tablets, that is, dietary supplements that also contain omega-3 PUFAs? Korean scientists tried to check this and came to the conclusion that such dietary supplements do not have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system of patients who have suffered heart attacks or strokes in the past. The participants in the meta-analysis were men over 60 years of age with a history of heart disease and daily intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the form of food supplements at a dosage of 1 to 5 grams. Observation showed that such preventive actions for several years had no effect on the frequency of recurrent heart attacks and did not reduce cardiac mortality.

It should be noted that although the Koreans proved the uselessness of dietary supplements, they agreed that the regular intake of oily fish in food has a positive effect on the prevention of recurrent heart disease. In this regard, they stand in solidarity with the American Heart Association and recommend eating fatty fish at least twice a week. Moreover, the optimal portion is 120 grams of cooked portion of fish. For prevention, at least two servings of fish per week should be consumed, and for people who have had heart attacks in the past, at least four servings per week. Suitable types of fatty fish such as Pacific herring, Atlantic mackerel, Atlantic salmon, trout. To whom financial opportunities allow, a serving of fish can be replaced with 100 grams of red or black caviar.

It is extremely difficult to meet the daily requirement for omega-3 PUFAs with plant products (linseed oil, flax seeds, rapeseed oil). These products contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a precursor to eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, but conversion requires a number of conditions. The conversion of alpha-linolenic acid into EPA and DHA is hampered by a lack of certain vitamins and minerals, it depends on the age of the patient and gender: with increasing age, the conversion process goes worse, in the body of men, for unknown reasons, ALA is worse transformed into EPA and DHA.

Therefore, the optimal source of omega-3 PUFAs remains fresh fish or fish oil. And the daily dosage depends on the diagnosis and the goals that the patient wants to achieve (lowering blood pressure, preventing heart disease, preventing a second heart attack, etc.). Let us clarify that, according to experts, frozen fish does not have the same useful qualities as freshly caught fish. Even in fish grown on fish farms, the percentage of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is lower than in “wild”, that is, caught in the sea.