Does Fish Oil Give You a Bigger Butt?

Consumption of fish oil has been deemed responsible for the improvement of a variety of physiological factors, but a new question has been proposed as to its attributes--whether it can add inches to our glutes, giving a fuller look to jeans. As with most outrageous claims, fish oil does not in fact make our butts grow any bigger.

New Chapter, the whole food, organic supplement company, displays on their website the previous and modern consumption of fish oils and their micro-nutrients, omega fatty acids. Where our ancestors used to eat a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids at a 1:1 ratio, today it is estimated that we eat closer to a 20:1 ratio, mainly owing to our highly processed diets. Eating more fish or taking fish oil supplements gives a more balanced ratio of omega fatty acids, containing not only omegas 3 and 6, but also 5, 7 and 9.

One category of omega-3 oil contains ALA, which is good for your heart and arteries because it makes your blood cells less "sticky." EPA and DHA comprise the other category. DHA is great for your eyes and brain, which is why doctors prescribe omega-3 for pregnant women. Dr. Andrew Weil also speaks of its abilities to help those with mental disabilities like ADD, ADHD and Alzheimer's disease, since the brain is made up mostly of this fat. Finally, EPA is great for the joints and aids in relieving much of the inflammation and pain in your joints.

Omega-5 fatty acids are great for the hair, skin and nails, and they help give us that "glowing" look. Omega-5 also contains CMO, which aids in collagen reformation and synthesis.

Omega-6 fatty acids can be and many times are over-consumed in our diets, but their benefits include regulation of metabolism, aid in balancing hormone levels in the body, as GLA, as well as helping in brain formation.

Omega-7 fatty acids contain PA and CVA, both of which create mucus membranes in the body, which helps with sinus problems as well as urgogenital health, counteracting vaginal dryness. They also promote normalized digestive health.

Omega-9 fatty acids contain OA ,which helps to reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke, as well as promoting joint health.

Enlargement of body parts occurs when muscle or fat is added to the body. In terms of gaining fat in the butt, this can occur if two factors are present: if we can gain weight overall, and if our genetics allow fat to accumulate in that specific region.

If the hips and glutes are where fat usually deposits, then an extra 3,500 calories per pound are needed to gain weight in this area. After ingesting your recommended daily intake of calories as determined by your basal metabolic rate, if an additional 3,500 calories of only fish oil were consumed, then, and only then, could the additional inches in the glutes be attributed to fish oil.

Fish oil, like any other supplement, is not a magic pill for spot gaining. There is yet to be any supplement to grow or reduce specific regions of our bodies, including fish oil, which should not be taken for the specific goal of gaining a bigger butt or avoided to prevent such weight gain.