Watsonville, CA (April 20, 2009) Fish oil given to professional football players has proven to be effective for improving cholesterol levels, according to a study published in the January/February 2009 issue of Sports Health, A Multidisciplinary Approach.

The patented fish oil supplement was administered to 36 professional football players from ages 23 to 41 years of age that volunteered to be randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group in the study. Players were grouped according to BMI and position played. A physical assessment and baseline cholesterol tests were given to directly measure LDL, HDL and other fat lipid concentrations in the blood.

The research team chose Ultimate Omega™ from Nordic Naturals, Inc. During the two month period of the 2006-07 football season, subjects in the treatment group were given 4 soft gels per day of Ultimate Omega, which provided 2560 mg of omega-3 fatty acids (650 mg EPA; 450 mg DHA; and 180 mg other omega-3 fatty acids per soft gel). 

“The results illustrated a rather dramatic decrease in triglyceride levels, a healthy increase in HDL, and lowered LDL in the athletes who used a moderately high dose of omega-3 EFA fish oil,” relates Joseph Maroon, MD, a board certified neurosurgeon who serves on the Nordic Naturals Scientific Advisory Board and was one of the study researchers.

This study adds to the numerous publications that have shown fish oil to be a helpful preventative measure for heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends 2 to 4 gram of EPA and DHA daily for individuals with elevated triglycerides and 1 gram of EPA and DHA daily for individuals with risk factors for heart disease.

Dr. Joseph Maroon has become one of the nation’s leading advocates of fish oil and has recently authored two books, “Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-Inflammatory” and “The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life”.

Nordic Naturals is the leader in omega-3 fish oils and EFA blends with exceptional taste, freshness, and purity levels. The company has over 150 different fish oil products, including liquids, soft gels, and children's chewables. For information, call 800.662.2544 or visit www.nordicnaturals.com.

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