Fish oil is
oil derived from the
tissues of
oily fish. Fish oil is recommended for a healthy diet because it contains the
omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors to
eicosanoids that reduce
inflammation throughout the bodyHowever, fish do not actually produce omega-3 fatty acids, but instead accumulate them from either consuming
microalgae that produce these fatty acids, as is the case with prey fish like
herring and
sardines, or, as is the case with fatty predatory fish, by eating prey fish that have accumulated
omega-3 fatty acids from microalgae. Such fatty predatory fish like
mackerel,
lake trout,
albacore tuna and
salmon may be high in omega-3 fatty acids, but due to their position at the top of the
food chain, these species can accumulate
toxic substances (See
biomagnification). For this reason, the FDA recommends limiting consumption of certain (predatory) fish species (e.g. albacore tuna) due to high levels of toxic contaminants such as
mercury,
dioxin,
PCBs and
chlordane. Due to this limitation, many people have turned to fish oil
supplements to get adequate omega-3 fatty acids.
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