I have been timid about taking the fish oil I recently bought. I have read many reviews and studies stating that is is good for the skin, hair, nails, brain, heart etc. and people saying it helped decrease their oil production and breakouts. But then I have read a bunch of anecdotal stuff online, including on this site, about it causing breakouts in oily skin. Anyone have experience with supplementing fish oil?
I love using fish oil. I was getting too many omega-6 fats and knew it was important to have a healthy ratio of omega-3:omega-6. I don't enjoy fish so I decided to go the supplement route. I didn't specifically note how long it took me to start seeing the benefits in my skin, but remember that it was only a few weeks before I could look in the mirror and know without a doubt that my skin was improving. I actually noticed changes in my brain chemistry much sooner, after about a week. I have suffered from anxiety most of my life and the fish oil really mellowed me out. Some days I just feel so calm and emotionally balanced! Okay, not a huge thing for most people, but after a lifetime of never feeling that way, it is AMAZING! Don't get me wrong, it was a subtle change, most times I don't notice it. However, I always notice when I have not taken it. What it does for your skin is provide the proper building blocks for your sebum (oil on your skin). With the proper building blocks, your body can produce thin sebum that flows easily out of your pores coating the skin and hairs providing protection the way it is supposed to. When you don't get enough omega-3 fats your body must use different components that produce a stickier, thicker sebum that tends to clog pores and make your skin look more greasy and less glowing. The trick is getting enough omega-3 fats without cutting out all your omega-6 fats, so you achieve balance in your dietary fats. Too much fish oil can also make you bruise more easily. It thins your blood which is why it is often recommended for people with cardiovascular issues.
