Although it is not necessary to understand all the details of the relationship between fish oil and LDL cholesterol on your health, a little basic knowledge should be useful to encourage you to get regular amounts of fish oil. First we must recognize that cholesterol is usually broken down into two major categories. What is known as HDL cholesterol is generally good in that it is able to move easily to the liver to be processed out of the body. On the other hand, LDL cholesterol is much less dense than HDL cholesterol and tends to cling to the walls of the blood vessels narrowing them with plaque. LDL cholesterol on average today comprises some seventy-five to eighty percent of the total cholesterol in the human body which contributes to plaque formation in the blood adding significantly to the potential development of heart disease as well as.

Drugs or Fish Oil?

Reducing the LDL cholesterol should be a critical need in the desire to reduce heart disease risk. Generally speaking if the LDL cholesterol level is over 100 mg/dl it is wise to begin researching a way to reduce that level. Of course synthetic drugs made for this purpose may accomplish this but along with these medicines come the potential for side effects that could possible not be better than not taking the drugs at all. Whether these medicines are appropriate for you or not should only come after consultation with your doctor.

Nonetheless, there are some alternatives to these synthetic drugs. History and testing have shown that fish oil and LDL cholesterol interact in such a way that the LDL cholesterol is facilitated in acting like HDL to move the excess cholesterol back to the liver for processing. Fish oil is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. The ability of these three fatty acids, ALA, EPA and DHA to bond with the LDL cholesterol diminishes the chances of it creating plaque in the blood vessels. The overall effect is that the combination of fish oil and LDL cholesterol is that it achieves similar results without exposeure to the harmful side effects as the synthetic drugs.

Best Source of Fish Oil

The book seems to still be open on what the best source is for the Omega 3 fatty acids. Some say that at least three times a week fish such as tuna or salmon that is high in Omega 3 should be eaten. Others say that a good capsule processed by a reputable manufacturer is the way to go. The debate will more than likely go on for sometime but it is not about fish oil and LDL cholesterol but rather about how to take the fish oil.

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