Are Fish Oil Vitamins Necessary?

What are fish oil vitamins first? Fish oil can be obtained from two parts of the fish: the flesh and the liver. The fish oil extracted from the flesh has a high concentration of EPA and DHA, the two most essential omega-3 fatty acids. The fish oil from the liver also has this, but it also has a high content of Vitamins A and D. Sometimes, the concentration of these vitamins exceeds the required levels in our body, leading to vitamin toxicity.

But these Vitamins A and D are very necessary for our well-being too. We only have to be careful about the dosage.

• Vitamin A – Vitamin A is very essential for avoiding night-blindness. This is a disease of the eye in which you will not be able to see in the dark. Although Vitamin A is very necessary for our body, yet an overdose will lead to toxicity. Taking cod liver oil may lead to health hazards.
• Vitamin D – The deficiency of this Vitamin causes rickets. A balanced dose is responsible for the healthy bones and teeth. Since this vitamin provides the necessary calcium to our body, it is vital for our body’s growth. Since the human body is able to synthesize the required amount of Vitamin D from sunlight, a higher concentration will lead to toxicity. Again, cod liver oil may be the culprit in doing this. So it is important to check the ingredients list while purchasing a fish oil supplement. Fish oil containing Vitamin D may lead to health problems.

The problem with taking fish oil is that we might take rancid fish oil by mistake. Since the fish oil is highly unsaturated, the molecules oxidize very fast. This leads to rancidity. Taking fish oil in this form will lead to addition of free radicals in our body and will subsequently cause health problems. This revelation contradicts the fact that fish oil is greatly advantageous for the body.

But, however, scientists have discovered a remedy for this. The addition of an anti-oxidant, which maybe a Vitamin E like Tocopherol, will not allow the fish oil to get rancid. Not only that, this Vitamin E will also preserve the good effects of omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil.

Some companies commit the mischief of extracting the natural fish oil vitamins from fish oil and adding synthetic Vitamins A and D. These are still more harmful and should never be taken. Whenever you are in doubt, you should check your own levels of Vitamin A and D and also check the cover of the supplement to see that it has been tested by a government authorised laboratory.

Fish oil vitamins are not always bad. We only need to be careful that we take the adequate doses and not overdo it. Preference should be given to fish oil containing more DHA and EPA rather than these vitamins. Gathering enough knowledge about what is best for our body will never allow us to go astray.