Health News

Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Everything You Need to Know

There are two primary types of vitamins: those that dissolve in water and those that dissolve in fat. Fat-soluble vitamins, or those that don’t dissolve in water, should be taken along with some dietary fat in order to obtain the most benefits. After the supplement has dissolved, the vitamins contained within it are delivered to the liver and to fatty tissues throughout the body. These vitamins will be stored in these locations until the body needs them.

Here is everything you need to know about fat-soluble vitamins, so you can choose a vitamin supplement that will provide you with the best health benefits.

Which Vitamins are Fat-Soluble?

There are four specific vitamins that are fat-soluble: vitamins A, D, E and K. Each one of these vitamins provides different health benefits and your body needs a daily supply of them to function properly. While these vitamins are found naturally in foods, it may be necessary to take a supplement to ensure you’re getting a sufficient supply of each vitamin. However, it’s equally important to not overdo it. Since these vitamins are stored in the liver, ingesting too much of any of these vitamins can lead to liver toxicity. This is why it’s important to check with your doctor before starting a new vitamin supplement if you have a medical condition or are taking prescription medication.

If you want to add fat-soluble vitamins to your diet, they can each be found in a variety of foods. Vitamin A can be found in butter, animal liver and fish liver oil. Vitamin D is separated into two groups. D3 is found in animal fat, while D2 is common in many types of plants. For instance, mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D2. Vitamin E is found in almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and oil and wheat germ oil. Vitamin K can be found in kale, parsley, spinach, liver, egg yolk and butter.

How Do Fat-Soluble Vitamins Differ From Water-Soluble Vitamins?

While vitamins that are fat-soluble are stored in the body for later use, water-soluble vitamins are used immediately. As soon as the water in the body dissolves the vitamins, they are instantly distributed to the parts of the body that can use them. This means you’ll need to ingest a higher supply of these vitamins to ensure your body has a sufficient quantity of them when needed.

Another difference is that water-soluble vitamins don’t represent a danger to the liver. While fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissue, water-soluble vitamins are never stored. If you take more than the recommended daily allowance of a water-soluble vitamin, the body will expel the excess amount through the urine. This is why your urine may change color if you take too much of certain water-soluble vitamins. In some cases, taking too much of a water-soluble vitamin may also cause you to experience diarrhea.

There are more vitamins that are water-soluble than fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are:

vitamin B1 (thiamine)
vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
vitamin B3 (niacin)
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
folate (folic acid)
vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
biotin
pantothenic acid
vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

It should be noted that a healthy diet won’t cause you to overload on vitamins that are fat-soluble or water-soluble. This is something that only occurs when taking too much of a quality multivitamin. In addition to consulting your doctor before starting a new supplement, it’s important to read the label and follow the recommended dosages. This will ensure you won’t be taking more than your body needs.

The Benefits of Taking a High-Quality Multivitamin Supplement

Taking a quality multivitamin that includes daily allowances for both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins can help you ensure you won’t suffer a vitamin deficiency. When taking a high-quality multivitamin you’ll be able to enjoy a broad range of health benefits. Some common benefits of the most crucial vitamins are listed below:

Vitamin A: The primary benefit of vitamin A is in promoting healthy vision, but it can also be effective in fighting acne and other skin disorders.
Vitamin D: This vitamin is essential to bone health, making it especially beneficial to those at a risk of developing osteoporosis. Vitamin D also helps keep the teeth strong and healthy.
Vitamin E: Recognized as an antioxidant, vitamin E can help fight off the free radicals that exist throughout the body. It also boosts heart health, skin health and blood circulation.
Vitamin K: A good supply of vitamin K will help blood clotting, so you won’t bleed too much from minor injuries. The blood clotting this vitamin helps to promote is also helpful in preventing excessive menstrual blood flow.
Vitamin B1: Promotes stronger energy levels and keeps the nervous system in good condition.
Vitamin B2: This is another vitamin that promotes healthy skin and vision.
Vitamin B3: Regulates the metabolism and improves digestion. It also helps promote good enzyme functioning.
Vitamin B6: Aids in the production of red blood cells, hemoglobin and insulin.
Folate: Helps protein metabolism, while also promotes the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin B12: In addition to regulating red blood cell production, this vitamin also helps keep the nervous system functioning properly.
Pantothenic Acid: Regulates hormone production and metabolism.

The body relies on a steady supply of vitamins, which is why eating a healthy diet is so important. The vitamin intake you receive from eating healthy foods can be supplemented by taking a quality multivitamin. Together, good food and a daily supplement will help you give your body the vitamins it needs to stay healthy and strong.

New Insights Reveal How Chili Pepper Compound Capsaicin Relieves Pain

Oct 09 by Ewcopywriting

Chili peppers are used to create spicy dishes throughout the world, but research has found that this pepper also provides a vast array of health benefits. In fact, it’s the compound in the chili pepper responsible for creating that spicy, burning feeling that provides those benefits. This compound is called capsaicin and it has been the focus of several scientific studies in recent years. Now, new findings reveal that capsaicin relieves pain, adding to the myriad of health benefits that this component of chili peppers provides.

New Research Finds Capsaicin Relieves Pain

A recent study sought to uncover how capsaicin relieves pain, particularly since this compound has become a common ingredient in many natural pain relievers. Researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School found that capsaicin causes the nerves in the body to send out signals that block pain receptors. Since this process also works to calm the nerves, study author Tibor Rohacs believes capsaicin can also be used as an effective analgesic. It was found that these calming and pain-relieving effects were highly effective and very long-lasting, suggesting that capsaicin supplements and medications may be especially powerful in terms of treating pain and other conditions.

The laboratory research was just the first step in evaluating capsaicin’s effect as a pain reliever. The team hopes to move forward with human research subjects to confirm the compound’s pain relieving benefits. As future research validates the compound’s effectiveness, capsaicin may soon offer a natural alternative to addictive pain killers.

Capsaicin May Also Benefit Cellular Health and Obesity

Pain relief is just the latest benefit attributed to chili pepper consumption. Previously, researchers found evidence that capsaicin may also have a positive impact on the development of certain types of cancer, including lung cancer. This is a significant finding due to the rising number of instances of lung cancer each year. For this year, the American Cancer Society predicts 228,150 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 142,670 of those people will die from the condition.

Lung cancer is typically fatal as a result of the cancer metastasizing, or spreading to other parts of the body. However, recent findings suggest capsaicin may help prevent lung cancer from metastasizing. In testing, capsaicin was shown to help block the spread of lung cancer in rodents. In a separate study, the same effect was observed in cultured human cells.

During the testing on the human cells, it was observed that introducing the chili pepper compound into lung cancer cells stopped them from invading healthy cells. Similarly, rodents with lung cancer were administered doses of capsaicin and, as a result, the mice had lower rates of metastasis than mice who had not been administered capsaicin. The researchers found that the process was arrested because capsaicin blocked the activation of the Src protein, which is responsible for managing the longevity and mobility of cancer cells. The scientists conducting the study are hopeful that this research will lead the way toward developing medications that will help prevent the spread of lung cancer.

In another study, it was found that capsaicin can also have a positive effect on obesity, which is another growing epidemic. Working out of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Wyoming, Dr. Baskaran Thyagarajan tested metabocin on mice. Metabocin is a new drug that’s engineered to release controlled doses of capsaicin over a 24-hour period. The mice used in the study ate high-fat foods. The health of the mice was evaluated by testing their blood pressure, heart rates, liver function and kidney health.

Over an eight-month period, the researchers noticed that the metabolic health of the mice improved. Most notably, they exhibited lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lower blood sugar levels, improved insulin responses and reduced symptoms of fatty liver disease. Additionally, the team found that the mice taking capsaicin for the eight months also exhibited weight loss without suffering harmful side effects.

Can Capsaicin Help Us Live Longer?

Finally, a study on how capsaicin affects longevity found that people who regularly consumed chili peppers were likely to live up to 18 years longer. The University of Vermont study evaluated the effects of consuming chili peppers on 16,000 subjects. They found that the food reduced premature mortality in subjects from all causes as well as from specific causes such as colorectal cancer.

The subjects in the study were selected from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III, which was conducted between 1988 and 1994. As a part of the food consumption aspect of the survey, subjects were asked to record the frequency of their chili pepper consumption. Subjects chosen for the study were asked to participate in a follow-up survey 18.9 years later and the researchers noted that 4,946 had died within the intervening years.

Once the data had been reviewed and evaluated, the research team found that the subjects who consumed chili peppers had a 13 percent lower risk of an early death from all causes than those who did not regularly consume chili peppers. In particular, the researchers noted that eating chili peppers appeared to reduce the risks of developing fatal cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and heart attacks.

This study was observational, so it’s not possible to confirm why capsaicin has this effect on longevity. However, the researchers believe it’s related to the effects that capsaicin has on the release of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Capsaicin activates the production of TRP vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1), which is known to promote weight loss and lower the risks of obesity and other metabolic conditions. By fighting fat cells, TRPV1 helps reduce the chances of developing diabetes, lung diseases, heart diseases and blood flow problems.

The study suggests that adding chili peppers, or incorporating capsaicin into the diet in other ways, may help us live healthier lives and live longer. Looking at the ways that capsaicin affects our health overall may lead to changes in how we view diet and nutrition. As more studies delve more deeply into the health benefits of capsaicin, chili peppers may become a staple of a healthy diet in the future.

Diallyl Sulfide and Cancer: Can a Vegetable Compound Protect Against a Deadly Disease?

Oct 03 by Ewcopywriting

While vegetable compounds like diallyl sulfide make onions and garlic more flavorful and contribute to their spiciness, they may also play a more important role when it comes to human health. While previous research has looked at how these compounds affect the development of various medical conditions, a recent study focused specifically on their effects on breast cancer risk. This new research linking diallyl sulfide and cancer suggests eating more onions and garlic may provide greater protection from developing certain types of cancer.

New Study Finds Link Between Diallyl Sulfide and Cancer

Diallyl Sulfide and Cancer: Can a Vegetable Compound Protect Against a Deadly Disease? 2 A new study sought to examine how eating vegetables that belong to the allium genus (garlic, onions, chives, leeks and the like) affected the development of breast cancer in women living in Puerto Rico. The study, which was conducted at The University of Buffalo in upstate New York, focused on women of that particular area because Puerto Rico has a significantly lower rate of breast cancer than the continental United States. Additionally, “sofrito,” which includes garlic and onion as primary ingredients, is a popular condiment all across Puerto Rico.

The study examined the medical histories for 314 women who were between the ages of 30 and 79, and who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2008 and 2014. A control group consisted of 346 women within the same age range and geographical area, but who had not been diagnosed with cancer. A survey administered to the women in both groups asked about their dietary habits, focusing on their consumption of garlic and onion. In particular, the questionnaire asked participants to record their consumption of sofrito.

Using unconditional logistic regression, the researchers examined how the consumption of onions and garlic affected the rate of breast cancer. The study involved comparing breast cancer risk among women with a high consumption of these types of vegetables versus women who consumed lower amounts of garlic and onions. Surprisingly, they found that there was a correlation between eating vegetables in the allium genus and lower rates of breast cancer. They determined that consuming high amounts of sofrito resulted in as much as a 67 percent drop in the risk of developing breast cancer.

As an observational study, this research can’t pinpoint exactly why or how onions and garlic lower the risks of breast cancer. Until more direct research can be conducted, scientists have theorized that there is likely a link between the highly antioxidant vegetable compound diallyl sulfide and cancer. Together with other compounds, such as the S-allylcysteine anddiallyl disulfide found in garlic and the alk(en)yl cysteine sulphoxides found in onions, diallyl sulfide may help protect cellular health when consumed regularly in one’s diet.

Diallyl Sulfide May Benefit Health in Other Ways

Diallyl Sulfide and Cancer: Can a Vegetable Compound Protect Against a Deadly Disease? 1 In previous research, scientists found that diallyl sulfide may affect the risk of developing other types of cancer. In an experiment conducted with mice, it was found that the risk of developing colorectal cancer was reduced by 74 percent overall when a 1,2-dimethylhydrazine injection was administered once weekly over a 20-week period. The 1,2-dimethylhydrazine injection contained the same compounds in comparable amounts as those consumed by eating fresh onions and garlic.

Other previous research found that diallyl trisulfide may protect against the development of prostate cancer in men. A newer study examined how the compound appeared to cause prostate cancer cell death, with researchers taking an interest in exactly how this process was instigated. Specifically, they looked at inhibitor proteins to determine how they were related to cell death in mice with prostate cancer. They found that as the inhibitor protein levels decreased, cancer cell death increased. Ultimately, it was determined that the compounds found naturally in onions and garlic may affect cellular health by blocking the inhibitor proteins that allow cancer cells to thrive. In this way, prostate cancer cells can’t get the nourishment they need to grow, so, as people consume more onions and garlic, they could be building up a stronger defense against the development of prostate cancer.

In other studies, diallyl sulfide was found to provide a broad range of health benefits. While its promotion of cellular health alone may be enough to encourage more regular onion and garlic consumption, it has been found that the compound also provides other important benefits. Studies have found that it helps cut down on oxidative stress while also modulating internal inflammation. In addition to supporting cardiovascular health, diallyl sulfide also has antimicrobial properties. This suggests that regular consumption of onions and garlic may also help fortify the immune system.

While we don’t fully understand all of the benefits that onions and garlic provide, early research has shown us that these vegetables can be very beneficial to overall health. Regular consumption of certain onions and garlic compounds, whether via diet or supplementation, may help protect cellular health. It may also help us boost heart health and keep the immune system strong. As scientists continue to look deeper into how this compound benefits the human body, we will likely find that its consumption provides even more health advantages. In the meantime, adding diallyl sulfide-rich foods and supplements to your daily routine may help you stay healthier longer.

Scientists Probe New Link Between Gut Health and Chronic Disease

Sep 25 by Ewcopywriting

What would happen if you could turn an unhealthy gut microbiome into a healthy one? According to research recently conducted at Scripps Research Institute, doing so may improve cholesterol levels and stave off chronic disease. According to this new research, gut health and disease are linked, suggesting improving gut health can positively impact the risks of developing certain diseases.

Recent Study Links Gut Health and Disease

A recent research project used particles called peptides to identify how introducing certain molecules into the gut microbiome affected cholesterol levels in the body. Using mice that were fed high-fat diets and bred to develop arterial plaque, the team used peptides to alter the health of the gut microbiome and, in turn, improve cholesterol levels.

An unhealthy gut microbiome is one that does not contain a diverse selection of bacteria, so the goal was to encourage more diverse bacterial growth in the gut microbiome. They did this by introducing specific peptides, which would cause different strains of bacteria to thrive in the guts of the test mice. In this way, they were able to transform an unhealthy gut microbiome into a healthy one.

Before and after administering the peptides, the researchers conducted tests to evaluate the health of the mice. This involved taking fecal samples and looking at arterial health, while also examining molecules that indicate higher risks for developing inflammation, inhibited immunity and poor metabolic rates. They found that there was a 50 percent drop in plasma cholesterol in the mice receiving the peptide treatments. At the same time, researchers could not find a significant amount of plaque in the arteries of the same test mice.

While the research was conducted on mice, the researchers hope it will lead the way toward developing better treatments for human patients. Particularly, the research linking gut health and disease shows promise in treating people suffering from atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, though additional research is needed. Future research may take a deeper focus on how altering the gut microbiome can lower the risks of developing other diseases.

Can Strengthening the Gut Microbiome Stave Off Disease?

Another recent study found that a diverse gut microbiome can affect HDL (good) cholesterol levels, triglycerides and the likelihood of developing obesity. To look at this relationship, researchers examined the fecal samples from 893 subjects, ranging in ages from 18 to 80. The samples helped the scientists determine the richness of bacteria in the gut microbiome and the diversity of the types of bacteria. Those results were compared against the lipid levels and body mass index measurements of the subjects.

Once the comparisons were complete, they found that there were 34 types of bacteria that were positively associated with HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They also find a negative correlation between the presence of those particular bacteria and BMI measurements of the subjects.

The newly discovered link between gut health and disease, which was confirmed in this study, suggests that the gut microbiome plays an important roles in several areas of health. In addition to promoting better arterial and cardiovascular health, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome can help reduce unhealthy dietary cravings and may even affect the BMI of an individual. The researchers hopes future studies will strengthen the evidence that the gut microbiome plays a vital role in human health, so those findings can be used to develop more natural treatments for certain diseases.

Natural Ways to Bolster Your Gut Microbiome

Add Prebiotics and Probiotics to Your Diet

There are two primary ways to ensure you’re introducing sufficient quantities of probiotics and prebiotics into your gut microbiome. Many high-quality dietary supplements on the market incorporate both prebiotics and probiotics to maximize gut health. Additionally, you can eat foods that are excellent sources of prebiotics and probiotics. While there are many food sources of these important substances, a few are listed here to get you started.

Prebiotic Foods

artichokes
cucumbers
asparagus
apples
berries
bananas
honey
dark chocolate
seeds (flax, hemp, pumpkin, chia)

Probiotic Foods

sauerkraut
pickles
kimchi
plain yogurt
other fermented foods

Reduce Your Sugar Intake

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome has as much to do with what you don’t eat as it does with what you do consume. Consuming foods and drinks rich in refined sugar actually prevent the bacteria in your gut from getting the nourishment they need. As a result, some of the helpful bacteria in your gut will eventually die off, leaving you with a less diverse microbiome.

Intermittent Fasting

Fasting for brief periods can give your gut the time it needs to heal. It can also help strengthen your immune system by restoring the bacterial balance in the gut. As you fast, you should be drinking plenty of water. To add a bit of flavor, you can use lemons or apple cider vinegar. Adding bone broth to your fast can also be helpful, since the gelatin and amino acids in the broth have been shown to help the gut lining heal and grow stronger.

Get Back to Nature

Improving the diversity of your gut microbiome doesn’t just concern your diet. Getting enough exercise can help, especially if you’re doing it outside. Walking barefoot in nature or simply breathing the fresh air can expose you to a broad range of types of bacteria. Additionally, buy your produce from organic farms and give them a slight rinse to ensure you don’t wash away the bacteria. Since each living thing plays host to a different selection of bacteria, spending time among a variety of plants and animals can help you strengthen your gut microbiome.

Can Taking an Anti-Aging Supplement Really Slow the Aging Process?

Sep 21 by Ewcopywriting

While the physical symptoms of aging are obvious, they’re only the most noticeable aspects of a process that begins deep inside the body at a molecular — and even genetic — level. Just as the aging process is the end result of many different contributing factors, there are many factors that can speed up this process. Can taking a so called anti-aging supplement really help counteract these factors?

What Causes Aging?

There are many processes that contribute to physical aging, including genetic mutations, oxidative stress and inflammation. Throughout our lives, the cells in our bodies continuously divide and multiply. Since this is an ongoing process that occurs constantly, it stands to reason that deviations, or genetic mutations, will occur from time to time. A mutated cell can be rendered ineffective through senescence, or the death of the cell. However, if a mutated cell remains active, it can affect the surrounding tissue and speed up aging.

Additionally, oxidative stress within our cells promotes cell damage, thereby encouraging faster aging. Although research done on this topic in the 1950s was later called into question, the findings did indicate that oxidative stress on cells does speed up cell damage. At the time, it was postulated that taking more vitamins could slow or repair that damage.

A more recent study examined the relationship between free radicals and oxidative stress, particularly how they work together to speed up the aging process. This study found that mice that were exposed to free radicals exhibited advanced signs of aging earlier, and to a stronger degree, as they aged naturally. It also found that those effects could be reduced or prevented by introducing antioxidants that were specifically designed to target the cell damage. As result, degenerative diseases such as chronic kidney disease and osteoporosis were delayed.

A third factor that hastens the aging process is silent inflammation. This is a type of internal inflammation that frequently has no symptoms, but boosts the risk of deadly conditions like cancer and heart disease. It also causes the aging process to speed up by affecting cellular health. Silent inflammation tends to occur as we age because our immune systems become overworked. The inflammation our body produces to help deal with infections and illnesses end up doing more harm than good as we get older.

While turning off the immune system could possibly help correct the problem of silent internal inflammation, it would also put people at a higher risk for a wider variety of age-related illnesses. Researchers continue to look for a more ideal alternative, but in the meantime, natural nutrients and vitamins such as those found in a high-quality anti-aging supplement may hold the answer by helping to address inflammation without inhibiting the immune system.

Can an Anti-Aging Supplement Really Slow Aging?

A number of studies have shown that compounds found in red wine can help prevent disease, and one of these same compounds, a substance known as reservatrol, may also help us stay younger longer. That’s because reservatrol enhances the release of a serum known as SIRT1, which speeds up the production centers in each of our cells. By helping our cells stay more active, reservatrol may help protect against age-related degenerative diseases. Some of the conditions reservatrol may benefit include type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Similarly, omega-3 fatty acids help protect the body against disease and, as newer research pinpoints, can also keep the skin looking healthy. Primarily found in wild-caught oily fish, omega-3 fatty acids help strengthen the outer layer of the skin, which grows weaker and less resilient as people age. Since the skin loses elasticity and thickness, it can’t heal as well and can be damaged more easily by sun exposure. As omega-3’s strengthen and thicken this outer layer of skin, it ensures the epidermis is better able to retain the water it needs to keep a smooth and youthful appearance.

Some research indicates that an individual’s state of mind may also have an impact on the rate at which they age. A recently published study looked at the lifestyle habits and psychological perspectives of 69,744 women and 1,429 men. By following up at 10-year and 30-year intervals, the researchers found that those who scored highest on optimism surveys lived 11-15 percent longer. The participants with the most optimistic outlooks also exhibited a 50–70 percent likelihood of reaching age 85 or older, while those with lower levels of optimism were expected to die at much younger ages. Researchers believe there are many reasons that a more optimistic outlook can be beneficial to longevity and aging. For instance, optimistic people are more likely to live healthier lifestyles. They’re also less likely to let stress build up over time, which we know negatively impacts cell health.

How can this information benefit the average person? While it may seem challenging to add enough red wine and oily fish to your diet to help your health, a high-quality anti-aging supplement might be an ideal solution. For instance, supplements containing reservatrol, omega-3 fatty acids and other age-defying compounds can provide your body with nutrients that have been proven to affect the aging process at a cellular level.

While it will still be many years before science provides a way to reverse the aging process in a meaningful way, research has given us the compounds, nutrients and antioxidants we need to slow down the aging process. Additionally, taking an anti-aging supplement can also help protect against age-related degenerative diseases that can make us feel older. In this way, taking a high-quality daily supplement each day can help protect our overall health and help us to maintain a more youthful appearance into our senior years and beyond.

The Best Time to Take Omega-3 for Optimum Effectiveness

Sep 19 by Ewcopywriting

Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids is one of the most salient health trends of the past decade. Physicians are increasingly recommending these oily supplements for a variety of purposes, from helping to maintain healthy cholesterol levels within normal ranges to combating the physical effects of aging. But when is the best time to take omega-3 supplements?

Most people who take these supplements believe that they can be taken at any time of day without a dramatic difference in effect. A new study suggests that this may not be the case. Could the time of day that you take your omega-3 supplement make a dramatic difference in its effects?

Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements

It is almost impossible to read the latest health news without learning about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. These oils, which are found naturally in fish, flaxseed and a variety of other sources, have been found in studies to have a variety of health benefits. These include:

• reducing the chances of having a heart attack or other life-threatening cardiac event
• protecting cellular health, particularly in the breasts, lungs, colon and prostate
• helping to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and other blood lipids that increase cardiac risk
• treating metabolic syndrome, including type 2 diabetes
• protecting against insulin resistance and helping to maintain healthy blood glucose levels
• preserving healthy vision while reducing the risk of blindness and other vision loss
• encouraging brain growth and development both in pregnancy and in the first several years of life
• protecting against inflammation, especially long-term inflammation that can lead to tissue damage
• promoting optimal mental health and mood and soothing anxiety
• reducing the effects of ADHD in children and adults with this disorder
• offering benefits in cases of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia

It is clear that taking an omega-3 supplement can have many physical and mental benefits. However, we are still learning how to maximize these effects.

When is the Best Time to Take Omega-3 Supplements?

According to new research, taking omega-3 fatty acids at certain times of day may increase their proven health benefits. For most health concerns, the best time to take omega-3 is at night. Taking these supplements at night will maximize their effects on inflammation, pain and cardiovascular health because night is when these pathways are most active. If you are taking a supplement for arthritic pain or to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels within normal ranges, night time is the period when your omega-3 supplement will produce optimal effects.

In addition, taking these supplements at night may minimize their side effects. “Fishy burps” and a fishy taste in the mouth are the two most complained-about side effects of these supplements. Many find that they do not notice these symptoms when they take the supplements just before retiring to bed in the evening.

For most people, taking omega-3 fatty acids at night will have the most beneficial effects on health with the fewest side effects. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Omega-3 fatty acids are absorbed best when eaten with other high-fat foods. If your fattiest meal is not in the evening, you may want to take your supplements at another time to increase the proportion that is absorbed.

The Circadian Rhythm and Medications

Omega-3 fatty acids are not the only supplements or medications for which timing can make a difference. Research has found that taking other medications and supplements at certain times of the day can increase their health benefits while reducing side effects and other unwanted factors.

For example, blood pressure medications usually work best when they are taken at night, just before bedtime. Studies have found that people who take this type of medication in the evening have a one-third lower risk of having heart attacks and strokes compared to patients who take their medications in the morning. Medications for heartburn similarly appear to work much more effectively when taken in the evening.

Part of this phenomenon is due to the circadian rhythm of disease. Every disease, and even every organ in the body, has a time of day when there is more risk. Heart attacks and strokes, for example, are more likely to occur in the early morning hours when cortisol is high. Taking medications several hours before this time ensures that there will be plenty of active ingredient in your bloodstream at the time when your body is most vulnerable.

Is an Omega-3 Supplement Right for You?

An omega-3 fatty acid supplement is not right for everyone; there are certain people who should talk to their doctor about whether this oily pill should have a permanent place in their medicine cabinet. If you do not regularly eat fatty fish or high omega-3 plant oils, you may want to consider taking a supplement. This essential fatty acid is simply too essential to completely do without.

In addition, you should consider taking an omega-3 supplement if you are concerned about any of the health concerns omega-3 can benefit. People who suffer from osteoarthritis or heart disease, for example, should talk to their doctors about whether this supplement is right for them.

The Western diet is low in fish oils and other healthy fats. However, the science is clear: People need omega-3 oils to thrive. Because they are extremely safe and have few possible side effects, adding one of these supplements to your regimen (and taking it at night!) will likely be a net positive for your well-being.