A lot of people from all over the world have been raving about the benefits of fish oil. it seems to be a cure-all for every condition under the sun and many people are saying it has positive health benefits on everything from improving the skin to improving heart health and even helping out diabetes.
However, many people have been wondering about the connection between fish oil and ulcers. The relationship is pretty clear: fish oil helps out ulcers. however, the root cause of most ulcers is the H pylori bacteria. Where does fish oil fit in here?
A group of researchers actually attempted to treat patients for H pylori gastritis with fish oil but it did not work out well at all, even when given 2 of the 3 medications found in triple therapy. As a result, you do not want to trust anyone who claims that you can cure an ulcer with good diet and supplements. if the problem is the H pylori bacteria, then an antibiotic is needed.
Fish oil can help out stomach ulcer symptoms however. it helps reduce the secretion of digestive enzymes like pepsin and also helps reduce the production of stomach acid. these are the chemicals which irritate ulcers in the first place, so lowering their production will help heal ulcers.
Fish oil also has been shown to strengthen the lining of the stomach. it does this by increasing secretions and improving the lifespan of the cells which line the stomach. H pylori burrows into these cells, destroying many in the process (which causes the ulcer to form). By strengthening these cells, fish oil is a great benefit to anyone who is suffering from an ulcer.
The final word it that if you have an ulcer you should be taking fish oil. however, you still want to get medical treatment. you do not want to try to just use supplements to get help for your ulcer. you will still need to be tested for H pylori and, if an infection is present, recieve the appropriate treatment.
You should know that not all fish oil supplements are the same. First off, anything that is not fish oil that is claiming to be fish oil needs to be approached with caution. things like flax oil are not the same as fish oil. A standard discount fish oul has 300 mg combined of DHA and EPA per 1000 mg (1 gram) so any oil you purchase should at least meet those requirements. it is not a question of cost as discount fish oil of this quality only runs a few dollars a bottle at practically any store. you do not need to head to a supplement store and can even shop at a major discount retailer for fish oil.