Taking fish oil supplements on a daily basis along with some moderate exercise three times a week can help you lose weight according to the results of a study conducted by The University of South Australia and presented at the ISSFAL (International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids & Lipids) Congress in Cairns, Australia, in 2006.

The intervention study was conducted by PhD student Allison Hill and involved 75 overweight or obese men and women between the ages of 25 and 65 who had risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of symptoms linked to obesity that includes high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides in the blood and a resistance to insulin or increased levels of insulin, and together these increase the risk of developing heart disease and type two diabetes.

The Study

Those taking part in the study were split into two groups and given either fish oil (containing 2gr of Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of EPA and DHA), or sunflower oil, for a period of twelve weeks. No one participating in the study knew which group they were in. Half of the fish oil group and half of the sunflower oil group were then asked to take moderate exercise by walking or running for 45 minutes three times a week, the other half continued to take either fish oil or sunflower oil but with no exercise.

There was no difference in weight for those taking only fish oil or only sunflower oil, neither was there any difference in the group taking sunflower oil combined with exercise, however, those taking fish oil combined with exercise lost an average of 2 kg (4.5lb) over the course of the trial without making any modifications to their diet at all, they basically continued to eat what they wanted to eat. Furthermore, using Dual Energy X-ray Absoptiometry (DEXA), which is often used to measure body composition as it can differentiate between fat, muscle and bone, showed that those in the fish oil and exercise group, had a significant reduction in body fat.

It is not understood exactly why taking fish oil combined with exercise appears to make a difference to weight loss but a combination of factors is thought to be involved such as helping the blood to flow more efficiently throughout the body and to the muscles, and initiating metabolic changes involving the enzymes responsible for transporting the fat required by the body for energy.

Eicosapentaenoic acid

The Omega 3 fatty acid EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) in particular has hit the headlines many times in recent years due to its reported ability to combat inflammation in the body and for the profound effect it can have on mood, mental function and behaviour. Consequently, it has been cited as being beneficial for everything from heart disease, arthritis, asthma, and allergies to anxiety, depression, ADHD, and Alzheimer's disease, to mention but a few. It seems there is hardly an area of health where EPA does not show some benefit, indicating the importance of having enough of this Omega 3 fatty acid in our daily diet.

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