Medical interest in fish oil began with the observation that
heart disease is extremely rare among the Inuit (Eskimo) people
despite the fact that they consume a great deal of fat. Close
investigation showed that the Inuit diet includes high amounts
of an unusual type of fat found primarily in cold-water fish,
seals, and whales. This finding led to an enormous amount of
scientific investigation into the potential health effects of
what came to be called fish oil . However, despite decades of
research and hundreds of clinical trials, it has proved
difficult to conclusively demonstrate that fish oil does in fact
prevent heart disease. The active ingredients in fish oil are
two fats in the omega-3 category: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
and the other docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Fairly solid evidence
indicates that EPA and DHA can reduce levels of triglycerides .
Triglycerides are a substance that is related to cholesterol and
helps to create the artery clogging plaque. Much weaker evidence
hints that EPA and/or DH