Omega 3 fatty acid supplements, like fish oil pills, are taken for a variety of reasons. If you've chosen to take fish oil supplements to lower your cholesterol, improve your mood or simply to add nutrition to your diet, it's important to be aware of the potential side effects and complications associated with these supplements.
Before starting to take fish oil or omega 3 supplements, consult your doctor to be sure the supplements don't interact with any of your current medications.
Intestinal Complaints
The most common side effect of fish oil supplements is intestinal complaints. Taking omega 3s can cause belching, diarrhea and general stomach upset as your body adjusts to the supplement. While these side effects are not harmful in the long term, they can be quite unpleasant.
Intestinal problems caused by fish oil can sometimes be alleviated by changing supplement brands or eating before taking your supplements. Time release fish oil supplements may also cause fewer intestinal complaints, as the oil is released into your system throughout the day instead of all at once. This allows your body time to adjust to the supplement.
Environmental Contaminants
Omega 3 supplements derived from fish may contain potentially harmful contaminants, including heavy metals such as mercury. Pregnant women and small children are frequently advised to limit their consumption of sport caught fish, as they can contain these contaminants.
Before taking a fish oil supplement, read the label carefully to find the source of the fish used to make the oil. If you're unsure whether it is contaminated, you might consider another omega 3 supplement. Flax seed oil is an excellent substitution; this supplement is plant based, eliminating the worry about heavy metal contamination.
Disease Specific Complications
If you're a diabetic or schizophrenic patient, you should be especially careful about fish oil supplementation. Patients with bleeding disorders or who take blood thinning medications should also use caution before adding this supplement to their diet.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, diabetic patients may experience higher fasting blood sugar levels while taking fish oil supplements.
Schizophrenic patients may have difficulty converting the fatty acids in fish oil into a form that their bodies can use. For this reason, it is recommended that these patients consult their doctor or psychiatrist before adding fish oil to their daily routine.
Fish oil has also been shown to have blood thinning effects, and can trigger bleeding episodes in patients with bleeding disorders. If you have a bleeding disorder or are taking a blood thinning medication, you should avoid supplementing with fish oil.
Member Comments