Can You Take Fish Oil Before Bed For Weight Loss?

Fish oil, or omega-3 fatty acids, are a great addition to your weight loss diet.

Fish oil helps you lose weight because is suppresses your appetite, boosts your metabolism, and reduces inflammation in your body.

Omega-3s also have many other potential benefits, including heart health, and helping with arthritis pain.

Put bluntly, Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that play a vital role in maintaining your health.

The body cannot make these fats on its own so it is essential to include them in your diet through foods like fish or plant oils.

HOT: click here to download our FREE Fish Oil Cheat Sheet.

Should You Take Fish Oil Before Going To Sleep?

Fish oil capsules | omega-3 fatty acids

Fish oil can be taken anytime during the day.

Even though it's most commonly thought of as a morning supplement, there's no reason you can't take fish oils at night, or any time of day for these beneficial effects.

The only thing that matters is taking them consistently over time!

Are There Benefits To Taking Fish Oil Before Bed?

woman sleeping in bed

Some studies have shown Omega-3s have been shown to improve sleep quality.

This is because oils such as fish oil and krill oil contain EPA and DHA, which can improve the quality of sleep.

Omega-3s have been shown to reduce the amount of stress hormone cortisol in your system.

This can help you sleep better through both reduced stress and the reduction of cortisol levels.

This doesn't necessarily mean you need to take fish oil before bed, though.

Taken consistently, one of the benefits of fish oil is that it increases levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood.

So, even if you take it in the morning, you'll still get the sleep benefits.

Fish Oils Are Known To Be Beneficial For Weight Loss

Woman lost weight | measuring waist

Fish oil helps you lose weight in two ways: first, it helps to burn fat by increasing your metabolic rate; secondly, it reduces your appetite.

Read: Is fish oil good for weight loss?

Omega-3 fatty acids, the primary component of fish oil, are a key source of fuel for cells in your body.

And they're necessary for converting sugar and fat into usable energy.

So if you're deficient in Omega-3s, you'll have trouble burning off calories as quickly as someone who is getting enough from food or supplements.

But by taking supplements or eating more fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, you can help speed up metabolism so that all those extra calories go right through without sticking around long enough to be stored as fat!

Omega-3s Regulate Blood Sugar Levels

Omega-3s play an important role in regulating your body's insulin response to the food you eat.

If you don't get enough omega-3s from your diet or supplements (fish is the best source), then it may be difficult for your body to produce insulin normally, which can lead to developing Type 2 diabetes.

Omega-3s also help improve the function of pancreatic cells that make insulin; this helps lower blood sugar levels as well as reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Omega-3s Can Make You Feel Fuller Longer

Eating a diet high in omega-3s can help you feel full longer and lose weight.

Omega-3s are essential fats that the body needs to maintain healthy cells and keep inflammation at bay.

They also play an important role in brain health, mood stability, and heart function.

But for many people who don't eat fish or take supplements every day, omega-3 deficiency is common.

And this can translate into weight gain because when your body lacks these crucial nutrients it starts storing more fat instead of burning it off as fuel!

The good news is that once you start eating foods rich in omega-3s regularly (or taking them as supplements), your cravings for unhealthy foods like sugar will decrease, and with less sugar, in the blood, you will stop craving sweet foods.

This in turn will help you to lose weight because your body won't have the added calories from junk food, and your metabolism will start using stored fat as a source of fuel instead of sugar.

Fish Oil And Digestion Issues

Some people experience heartburn or gastrointestinal problems when taking fish oil supplements.

We suggest taking your fish oil with food, and avoiding low-quality fish oils, which can also cause a bad taste in your mouth, and burping.

If you're taking your fish oil with food and still having issues, one possible solution is to take enteric-coated capsules with food because these capsules will not irritate the stomach lining.

This type of capsule keeps the nutrients contained within it from breaking down until they reach the intestines where they are most needed.

Another solution is to take high-quality fish oil, such as Carlson's brand. It's deodorized and lightly flavored orange or lemon.

Other less common side effects of taking fish oil may include increased blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

If you're experiencing these side effects, it's likely that your body is reacting to an allergy or intolerance to one of its ingredients.

If you experience any of these symptoms more than once while taking fish oil, contact your doctor immediately.

You may need to find a different type of supplement that does not contain any fish products at all.

There are plenty of plant-based options available to meet your Omega-3 fatty acids needs.

Alternatives To Fish Oil

Certain plant-based foods contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which can be converted into EPA and DHA in the body.

Plant-based foods are a great alternative to eating fish.

Luckily, there are plenty of plant-based sources of ALA that can be converted into EPA and DHA in the body!

Plant Sources Of Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) To Meet Your Omega 3 Needs

  • Chia seeds contain about 7 grams per tablespoon.
  • Flaxseeds have around 6 grams per tablespoon.
  • Walnuts contain about 4 grams per ounce.
  • Hemp seeds have 5 grams per tablespoon.
  • Sacha Inchi seeds, also known as “Incan peanuts,” have 4.5 g of ALA per ounce.
  • Walnut oil contains about 2.5 grams per tablespoon.
  • Spinach and chard both contain about 1.1 g per cup cooked.
  • Kale contains about 0.7 g per cup cooked.
  • Brussels sprouts contain about 0.5 g per cup cooked.
  • Edamame contains about 2.2 g per cup cooked.

Keep in mind, the above amounts are for ALA.

ALA Conversion to EPA and DHA

EPA and DHA are derived from DHA via the conversion of ARA to EPA and DHA in humans.

This transformation process, on the other hand, is inefficient in people.

Only 1–10% of ALA is converted into EPA and 0.5–5% into DHA on average.

How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acids Do You Need?

Most nutritionists recommend 500 mg to 1000 mg of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid every day, although there are no hard rules.

However, if you already consume two to three times a week some fatty fish, you should be OK.

The bottom line is, fish oils are a great way to help you lose weight.

Fish oil helps burn belly fat and promote a healthy appetite.