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Health News Archive 385 - Weight Reduction
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Omega-3 Fish Oil and Exercise Reduce Weight

An Australian study has determined that daily doses of fish oil containing omega-3 fats can, when combined with exercise, act as an aid to weight loss.

The study examined 68 overweight and obese people over a period of three months. They were divided into four groups: one that took fish oil but did no exercise, one that exercised (45-minute walks or running three days a week) but took no fish oil, one given both, and one given neither.

The groups that took sunflower oil, a polyunsaturated omega-6 oil, and exercised did not lose any weight. The two groups that did not exercise also lost no weight, the study found.

Those who both took fish oil and exercised lost an average of 4.5 pounds over the course of the study, even though they were given no dietary restrictions. None of the other groups lost any weight at all. The combination worked because the omega-3s increased fat-burning ability by improving the flow of blood to muscles during exercise.

"The omega-3 found in fish oil increases fat-burning ability by improving the flow of blood to muscles during exercise," university researcher Alison Hill said. Hill said future studies were planned that would take place over longer periods and with increased exercise.

The research was presented at the Congress of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids in Cairns, Australia. There are a number of good fish oils on the market, but one of the best new ways to get omega-3 fats is from krill oil.

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