There’s nothing more vital to your wellness than the air you breathe, which is why dirty air is such a health concern. Air pollution from motorways, wood smoke and industrial factories can have a major impact on your wellbeing, increasing your risks of heart attacks and strokes, and even causing behavioural problems in your kids if you were highly exposed to pollution during pregnancy. More often than not, you only have one solution to counteract the severe damage that particulate matter does to your heart and brain; move away. However, as this is not always the most practical option, scientists have come up with a new way to fight the damage caused by dirty air; omega-3 fish oil.
According to a new study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, taking fish oil supplements for as little as four weeks can reduce the impact of air pollution on your heart health. For the study, researchers from the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute for Environmental Health Scientists gave 29 healthy middle-aged adults either omega-3 fish oil supplements or olive oil supplements. After the four-week study period, the study participants were exposed to air pollution levels similar to those in an urban environment. The scientists did this by putting the test subjects in enclosed chambers for two hours, and tested their blood levels before and after the exposure in order to note any changes.
The results of the study revealed that those who took fish oil supplements had a far lower variability of heart rate, which is a marker for cardiovascular damage, than those taking the olive oil placebo. The fish oil supplement group also had lower levels of other markers of cardiac distress, and their levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and lipid (blood fat) levels remained steady after exposure, the olive oil group demonstrated spikes. This shows that adding fish oil supplements to your regular programme of healthy eating, exercising (for weight loss and stress relief) and not smoking can help keep you from succumbing to air-pollution-induced heart problems.
However, before you rush out to stock up on supplements, it’s important to bear in mind the type of supplements used in this study. The participants were taking three grams of fish oil every day for four weeks, which is the average dose you would expect from most over-the-counter supplements. Still, that is not to say that all supplements are the same; you have to be particularly careful when it comes to fish oil. This is because low-quality products could increase your exposure to contaminants such as mercury and PCBs, which surely defeats the point of taking them! So, when choosing your fish oil supplements, remember the following three steps:
1. Consult independent tests: The Environmental Defence Fund has surveyed 75 fish oil manufacturers to see if they purify their fish oils to remove PCBs and mercury, and published a list of the healthier supplements. Or you could look on ConsumerLab.com, which conducts tests on fish oils every year to identify health-undermining contaminants in your fish oil supplements.
2. Read the label carefully: Tests from ConsumerLab.com show that the concentration of the different omega-3s in the fish oil can vary, but what you’re looking for are the most beneficial fatty acids; EPA and DHA. The study’s most effective dosage comprised of 410 milligrams of EPA and 274 milligrams of DHA.
3. Don’t mistake a high price for quality: ConsumerLab.com tests show that some of the best-quality supplements don’t cost an arm and a leg; just because a brand costs more doesn’t mean you’re getting a better-quality product.