Fish Oil Side Effects

A recent question arose concerning fish oil side effects, and since I discuss so much about the value of fish oil supplements, it only seems right to specifically address any safety concerns people may have.  The good news is, there really isn’t much to worry about.

In fact, when it comes to fish oil and safety, the main concern is not side effects from the fish oil, but a concern about potential toxins contaminating the supplements.  As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the very first thing to check when buying fish oil is to insure that it is filtered, particularly for mercury and dioxins.

The oceans of the world are horribly, horribly polluted… there’s apparently a giant swirling pile of garbage the size of Texas floating around out there… and if you’re a fish swimming around in those nasty chemicals 24/7, it isn’t such a stretch to recognize that some of those chemicals are going to find their way inside of that fish.  And if another fish eats that polluted fish, or many polluted fish, then all of those chemcials will become concentrated in the bigger fish as a result.

And if another, even BIGGER fish, comes along and eats that super-polluted fish… well, you get the idea.  The point is, toxins tend to get concentrated as you move up the food chain.  Then, you add in the fact that fish oil is basically a concentrated fish product, and you really, really concentrate a lot of the industrial pollutants into this product.

Most repuatable brands filter their oils for just this reason, so there’s no worry.  But, some of the real cheap-o brands out there don’t bother (it’s the most expensive step in the filtering process), so if you’re buying your fish oils at Walmart or Target or some other bargain basement place, be sure to double check on the label to be sure your fish oils are filtered.  In fact, just check regardless of where you get them.  I’d hate to see you grow a second, evil head from something so easily prevented.

Mild Side Effects Of Fish Oil

So other than extra evil heads, what other potential fish oil side effects are out there?  Well, there’s a couple of mild ones.  If you’re not used to fish oils and you start taking too much, too fast, you might start burping up fish taste (that’s called “fishy repeat”).  Kind of gross but harmless, and fairly easy to avoid.  Just ease gradually into your dosage over time, stick to good quality products, and take your fish oils with food (preferably something with fat in it).  You can also split the dosage up over the course of the day.

Related to that same idea is gastric upset, also known as “sore tummy”.  Again, the same things that cause fishy repeat are behind an upset stomach.  You may just be taking too much, too fast, or taking a particular brand that your body has an issue with.

These are relatively mild concerns.  Some more serious concerns are allergic reactions, blood thinning, and issues with pacemakers.

Allergic reactions are pretty self-explanatory.  If you’re allergic to fish… don’t take fish oil.  There’s unclear evidence on the interaction of fish oil with an increased irregular heartbeat for those people with pacemakers.  If this is you, talk to your doctor before supplementing with fish oils.

Blood Thinning From Fish Oils

Blood thinning effects are the most common concern.  Really, the blood thinning effect of fish oils is extremely mild, and are probably unnoticeable at dosages under 3 grams a day.   It’s not like fish oil capsules are going to turn a healthy person into a hemophiliac.

The real concern here is for people who are on medications for either blood thinning (such as Warfarin or other blood thinners) or medication for lowering blood pressure.  Those medications exert a very powerful effect, and large doses of fish oils might just bump you into a danger zone if you mix the two.  Again, it doesn’t happen often, usually only at high doses.

My advice if you’re on blood thinners or blood pressure lowering medications is this:  talk to your physician about your interest in fish oils, and once you get the okay, gradually increase your dose.  I’m talking start at 500 mg a day for a couple of weeks, then up to one gram a day for several weeks, and so on and so forth.  If you start feeling light-headed or have any other symptoms, cut back your dosage.

Fish Oil Side Effects:  Medications

The other major thing you need to look out for when it comes to fish oil side effects isn’t really a side effect per se.  It’s actually good news.

Here’s what I mean.  Fish oils have an amazing amount of research showing impressive effects in a variety of chronic diseases, from diabetes to depression and all kinds of other things you might never think of.  So if you start supplementing with fish oils at a therapeutic dosage, you may find some of these chronic conditions becoming more mild.

Nice, right?  Except if you’re taking medications for these conditions, all of a sudden, you’ll find that you’re now taking more than you need!  For example, if you’re a diabetic who requires a certain amount of insulin per day, and the severity of your diabetes reduces (and your need for insulin reduces along with it), if you continue taking your typical dose, you’ll actually be over-doing it.

Like I said, this doesn’t really qualify in the fish oil side effects category, and is actually good news… the less medication you need to take, the better… but still, you need to keep an eye on this.  Taking too much of a medication is just as bad as too little (actually, it’s usually worse).  Another reason to keep your doctor in the loop; monitor any improvement in your condition and whether or not that allows you to reduce the dosage of  your medication.

Notice you handle a lot of these issues the same way.  Ease into your fish oil dose (click here for more on fish oil dosage)  over time.  This will help you to avoid any digestive issues and also anticipate any problems you may have with side effects from fish oils with any medications you may be taking.

It’s worth saying that overall, the massive health benefits of fish oils far outweigh any potential side effects.  Just be smart, go slow, stick to the filtered stuff, and keep your doctor informed.

Stay healthy!