Side Effects from Fish Oils?
Read this information before taking fish oil supplements.

Can you get side effects from fish oils?

What happens if you take too many fish oils? Will you experience side effects from fish oils if you're pregnant or on certain medications?

Here's an interesting study looking at fish oil side effects:

Boston, MA - The Tufts-New England Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) looked at 148 studies where fish oils were used to see if anyone experienced side effects from fish oils.

These studies included the following factors:

• About 100,000 subjects had taken fish oils in different forms and dosages (from 300 milligrams to 8 grams/day), for at least 1 week to more than 7 years.
• Most of the studies were small, with only a few dozen participants using the supplements for less than 6 months.

And the results are:

• More than half of the studies (77) showed no side effects from fish oils.
• Any reported fish oil side effects were mild. The most common side effect was gastrointestinal, such as diarrhea. This was reported in fewer than 7% of the participants in all studies and may be contributed to taking too much fish oil
• No reports of serious events, such as death, life-threatening sickness, disabilities or handicaps from taking too much fish oil.
• Although fish oils reduce your risk of blood clots, they don't increase your risk for bleeding. There were a few reported cases of clinical bleeding, but these patients were also taking blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin and warfarin.

The New England Medical Center EPC concluded any side effects from fish oils would be minor.

So it appears you can reduce your risk for fish oil side effects by lowering the dosage or to stop taking them.

What about Allergies to Fish Oils?

If you're allergic to fish, you might have an allergy to fish oil. This will depend on how your fish oil was processed. High quality, pharmaceutical-grade fish oils are generally free of allergy-causing proteins due to their highly specialized processing. You can also use alternate sources of omega 3's found in foods, such as flaxseed oil.

Comments:

So in conclusion, your risk for side effects from fish oils are rare.

Be aware if you're taking any type of blood-thinning medication, like warfarin or aspirin. There may be a slight increased risk for bleeding if you combine fish oils and blood-thinning drugs. If you fall in this category, it's probably best to talk to your doctor before using fish oil supplements.

The only other side effect from fish oils may be mild diarrhea - and this will discontinue if you stop taking fish oil supplements.

Taking fish oils is an excellent way to get omega 3 fatty acids. These healthy fats are considered safe and there should be minimal concern for fish oil side effects.

Using IFOS-rated, pharmaceutical-grade fish oils should prevent any fish oil side effects.

Consult your physician before supplementing with fish oils; especially if you're taking blood-thinning medications.

Want to know how to buy a good pharmaceutical-grade fish oil? Read my Guide to Buying Fish Oils. You'll learn how to get the highest quality fish oils for the best health benefits.

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