Can eating fish oil help with weight loss?

May 09, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Consuming fish oil does not directly cause weight loss, but it may play an auxiliary role in weight reduction. Fish oil itself does not contain ingredients that promote fat breakdown or increase energy expenditure, and therefore cannot directly lead to weight loss. Moreover, due to its high caloric content, excessive intake may actually contribute to weight gain through calorie accumulation. However, EPA and DHA in fish oil may promote fat breakdown by influencing the expression of genes related to fat metabolism.

Generally speaking, taking fish oil cannot directly cause weight loss, but it may play an auxiliary role in the process. Detailed analysis is as follows:

Fish oil itself does not contain ingredients that promote fat breakdown or increase energy consumption, so it cannot directly lead to weight reduction. Due to its high caloric content, excessive intake may actually result in obesity due to calorie accumulation. However, EPA and DHA in fish oil might promote fat breakdown by influencing the gene expression related to fat metabolism. Fish oil can also regulate insulin secretion, reduce hunger caused by blood sugar fluctuations, and thus help control appetite, indirectly assisting weight loss.

Fish oil is not a magic pill for weight loss. It may only offer certain auxiliary benefits when combined with a balanced diet and appropriate exercise. If one relies solely on fish oil for weight loss without changing unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as long-term high-calorie diets and lack of physical activity, achieving the desired weight-loss effect will likely be difficult.

It is recommended to incorporate fish oil as part of a healthy diet to support a weight-loss plan, but it should not be viewed as the sole method for weight loss. Before trying any weight-loss approach, one should consult a nutritionist or doctor to ensure that the measures taken are safe and suitable for their individual health condition.

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