It may have been skepticism on the part of the public. There are good reasons why fish oil might have been effective in stopping heart attacks or strokes. The supplements typically featured two omega-3 fatty acids that act in the manner of aspirin, thinning the blood and reducing inflammation, two key factors in developing heart disease. The Food and Drug Administration also played a role, approving three medicines that could be used by doctors to treat high triglycerides, a key factor in heart problems.

But perhaps something deeper was at work. We live in an age where highly processed foods and highly stimulating marketing are pushing more and more Americans into bad health. That combination has caused some people to look backward, seeking answers in the ancient ways of their ancestors. In fact, the whole fish oil cult of belief actually started that way.

The Eskimo Diet

Danish researchers Hans Olaf Bang and Jorn Dyerberg were the godfathers of the fish oil movement. In the 1970s, they spent time studying the Inuit population of the Arctic Circle in a town called Uummannaq. The total population was 1,350, living a largely hunter/gatherer existence based on fishing and hunting.

During their research, the clinical chemists examined 130 Inuit blood samples, discovering that they had low levels of cholesterol and triglycerides – and high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. This, they concluded, was the result of the local habit of dining largely on the oily, cold-water fish in the surrounding region, including whales and seals.