Fish oil benefits

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Scientists are discovering that a daily dose of fish oil is turning people's lives around, making them well and happy.

Parents and grandparents knew the value of fish oil, but now science is proving it's even better than they thought.

Professor Les Clealand from the Rheumatology Unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital explains why: "The reason we use fish oil is because it contains a high proportion of long chain Omega 3 fats, so it's the Omega 3 fats in fish oil that we are looking for, for a health benefit."

This should please dietary experts, who say that our national diet is very low in essential Omega 3, and very high in Omega 6 from our large consumption of red meat and vegetarian food.

But fish oil is also said to help a range of conditions. Rheumatoid arthritis sufferer Greta said, "It's unbelievable, incredible, within a matter of four to six weeks, I noticed a huge difference with both my hands."

She says it's made a big difference. "No pain and no oedema, swelling. I can hold and grasp my tennis racket for example and hold my cards at bridge and various things."

"We now use fish oil as a foundation for treatment for almost all of our arthritis patients," confirmed Professor Clealand.

Meanwhile, Graham Gurney suffers from poly-myalgia rheumatica, an inflammatory disorder that causes muscle ache and stiffness. He swapped painkillers for fish oil added to orange juice with amazing results.

"With the cortisone products, you have a return, goes backwards and forwards, you get pain, your off pain and so on. Now with fish oil it's all over," he said.

A daily dose of fish oil can also help relieve depression.

Craig Hamilton is an ambassador for Beyond Blue, which helps Australians suffering depression.

"For anyone who is experiencing or has experienced depression bipolar disorder, any other type of mental health issue, then I would certainly say it is worth a trial of fish oil, on Omega," said Mr Hamilton.

Craig started taking fish oil capsules for high cholesterol, but found it also improved his mental state and well-being.

"Having experienced depression, clinical depression, bipolar disorder, I've been looking for every angle in the last nine years toward healing. I would take four of these fish oil tablets containing Omega 3 every day.

It can also be good for cardio vascular problems, according to Dr Peter Clifton, Director of the Nutrition Clinic at CSIRO.

"It certainly is an arithmetic so it normalises the heart rhythm, particularly after you have a heart attack," said Dr Clifton.

"For people who have had a heart attack, probably three to four capsules a day would be enough and I would certainly recommend that people take it."

Before buying check the use-by date to ensure it's fresh and talk to a health practitioner to compare brands and assess the strength of Omega 3.

It's very important that you consult your doctor first if you have new pain or other medical conditions.

And with fish stocks dwindling, scientists are working on fish oil alternatives, using genetics to get plants to produce it, which hopefully will be on the market within 20 years.

More details

Beyond Blue: www.beyondblue.org.au
"Broken Open - How one man stared down his demons to recover form mental breakdown" by Craig Hamilton and Neil Jameson. Published by Bantam 2004.