Can you get side effects from fish oils?

Just like vitamin supplements, taking too much of anything can be dangerous to your health. While fish oils are generally regarded as safe, there are a few things to consider.

One of the most important factors that may determine the possibility of fish oil side effects is the the quality of your fish oil and its omegea 3 fatty acids.

Fatty acids are susceptible to heat damage, light exposure and oxidation. Fish oil manufacturers may add vitamin E to prevent oxidation of the fatty acids. Liquid fish oils should also be bottled in dark brown glass bottles to reduce light exposure. A high quality fish oil may also be bottled with nitrogen to help reduce oxygen exposure and free radical damage. For example, Nordic Naturals Fish Oils uses molecular-distillation and a nitrogen-rich environment to process their fish oils.

It's also a good idea to store liquid fish oils in a dark cool place and keep in a fridge after opening. Never heat fish oils or omega 3 fatty acids as this will destroy the fatty acid bonds in the omega 3's.

Common Side Effects from Fish Oils

The most commonly reported side effect is gastrointestinal in nature; this includes fish burps, fishy breath and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and an upset stomach.

Secondary side effects are an increased risk for blood thinning and bruising. These symptoms are usually only seen if someone takes in a higher than average amount of fish oils and omega 3 fatty acids.

People taking any type of blood thinning medication, such as coumadin, heparin or aspirin, should use caution when supplementing their diets with fish oil. You may increase your risk for bleeding disorders when combining these medications with fish oils. You may have to consult with your doctor if you wish to take fish oils along with your current medications.

Beware of Rancid Fish Oils

Ingesting rancid fish oils will increase your risk for fish burps, gas and indigestion. You can usually avoid these side effects by using a pharmaceutical grade fish oil that's been molecularly-distilled and properly bottled to protect the oil.

A good quality fish oil should have an expiry date and a Certificate of Analysis. These criteria will help ensure the consumer is getting a product that's safe to ingest.

The fish oil industry isn't regulated and many uninformed consumers may purchase low-priced fish oils that don't have an expiry date or any method to check on the quality of the product.

Benefits of Enteric Coated Fish Oils

Some people like to use enteric coated fish oils to avoid these side effects.

Enteric coated fish oils are packaged in a soft gel that has a special coating that helps reduce digestion in the stomach; the enteric coating allows the fish oil soft gel to be digested in the small intestine. These enteric coatings are usually made from shellacs or waxes and they may help reduce the associated symptoms of gas, bloating and fish burps. In most cases, these symptoms may be due to ingesting a rancid, poor quality fish oil. Not all people will experience these side effects so you may or may not require the use of an enteric coated fish oil.

Some people believe there is no benefit to using enteric coated fish oils. However, there is research showing there may be some benefits from this specialized delivery system.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed an enteric coated fish oil was more effective at reducing relapses in Crohn's disease patients. It should also be mentioned that many pharmaceutical companies use enteric coatings to enhance drug absorption. These specialized coatings are particularly helpful in individuals that need to take medications but have impaired digestive systems.

Click here to learn more about Enteric coated fish oil.

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. However, if you are concerned about potential allergic reactions, you may have to use an alternate source for omega 3 fatty acids found in foods such as flaxseed oil or specialized algae-based omega 3 supplements.

Latest Research on Side Effects from Fish Oils

If you want to determine the overall risk for experiencing side effects from fish oils, one of your best sources is published medical studies.

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

Comments:

Based on the above information, the risk for experiencing side effects from fish oils appears to be rare. The only possible side effect may be mild diarrhea; and this will discontinue if you stop taking fish oil supplements.

Researchers advise caution 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.

Most health conscious consumers can avoid side effects from fish oils by not buying poor quality, rancid fish oils. Using IFOS-rated, pharmaceutical-grade fish oils should prevent any fish oil side effects and will help ensure you're using a high quality product.

Fish oils that come with a Certificate of Analysis and an Expiry Date are generally higher quality products. It's these types of fish oils you may want to look for when choosing a fish oil supplement.

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.

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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