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Fish oil is known to benefit the brain, heart, skin and mood. It’s also no secret that fish oil keeps inflammation down and is very important for heart health. However, there are many benefits that many people are not aware of. Fish oil is particularly effective with burning body fat when combined with exercise. Most of the health benefits of fish oil can be attributed to the presence of omega 3 essential fatty acids in the oil. These fatty acids are found in oils from certain types of fish, vegetables and other plant sources. Here are four things you may not know about the benefits of fish oils:

Weight loss and improves effects of exercise: It has been shown that exercise and fish oil supplements make a powerful fat-loss combination. Through a study at the University of South Australia, it was found that those who exercised and took fish oil supplements saw significant improvements in body fat areas such as abdominal fat compared to those who were exercising without taking supplements. The omega 3 fatty acids may exert a significant influence on muscle function by improving muscular strength and physical performance.

Strengthens bones: When maintaining bone density, calcium and magnesium should not be your only supplements to take. The omega 3 fatty acid is quite often overlooked, but has actually been noted as being necessary for bone health. Since fish oil also plays a large role in improving exercise, physical activity is also widely known to exert positive effects on bone health.

Boosts brain power, memory and cognitive function: There have been many studies focused on the positive associations between cognitive functioning and fish oil supplements. Compared to non-users, those who did take the supplements were associated with better cognitive functioning. Omega 3 supplementation may enhance decision making and reaction time in athletes by increasing communication between the brain and body, according to Ascentahealth. Fish oil has also been shown to be associated with improved attention.

Heart Health: According to the American Heart Association (AHA), there are many clinical trials which have proven the effects of omega 3 reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. According to Organicfacts, Fish oil also aids in the lowering of bad cholesterol and increases levels of good cholesterol. Fish oil is also effective in the prevention of strokes.