Omega 3 fish oil is only an effective arthritis treatment if it has a high level of anti-inflammatory fish oil capsules activity in the body. Consumers are able to find out from the manufacturers themselves what the level of anti-inflammatory is in their products because the producers can have the level of anti-inflammatory ingredients accurately measured.
Besides being an effective anti-inflammatory, fish oils offer many other health benefits. We know that fish oil is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation. We also know that fish oil lowers blood triglyceride (fats that circulate in the bloodstream, the 'bad cholesterol), thereby protecting against heart disease and reducing high blood pressure. Fish oil may be valuable as well in the treatment of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), which starts with inflammation of the artery wall. Fish oil, too, appears to stabilize certain arterial plaques that build up and can sometimes break loose to initiate heart attacks and strokes. Because persons afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis have a significantly increased risk of developing atherosclerosis, the potential benefit of fish oil is doubled.
Some rheumatoid arthritis sufferers using fish oil supplements may be able to use it as an effective alternative to the prescription drugs VIOXX and Celebrex without having a flare-up of joint pain in their disease. Researchers have shown that long-term supplementation with fish oils may really benefit rheumatoid arthritis patients and can, indeed, lessen their need for the aforementioned prescription arthritis treatments.
If you choose to use a fish oil supplement for the relief of arthritis pain, it is important to use a pharmaceutical grade of the product, since inferior grades of fish oil may have contaminants and lower levels of DHA, EPA, and omega-3 fatty acids. Current research suggests that lower-grade fish oils with high levels of chemicals like polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) may actually reduce or eliminate the positive effects of DHA, EPA, and omega-3 fatty acids.
We know with great certainty that fish oil is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation. We know, too, that fish oil lowers blood triglyceride (fats that circulate in the bloodstream), protecting against heart disease and reducing high blood pressure.
Dosage Recommendations
Although, as mentioned earlier, it's difficult to get a therapeutic dose of fish oil from food alone, for general health two 3-ounce servings of fish a week is recommended. To treat arthritis-related conditions, use fish oil capsules with at least 30 percent EPA/ DHA, the active ingredients. For rheumatoid arthritis, up to 2.6 g fish oil (1.6 g EPA) twice a day.
For mild pain, a supplement that provides 1000mg of omega3s per day should be effective.
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