How Should Fish Oil Be Consumed?

Americans take fish oil more than any supplement, including the multivitamin, according to ConsumerLab.com's February 2010 survey. Fish oil consumption may reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and fatty substances in the blood known as triglycerides. Sold without a prescription, you must still use caution when taking fish oil to avoid minor and major complications. Talk about adding the supplement to your health-care regimen with your doctor before taking fish oil regularly.

Capsules

Most fish oil comes in gel capsule forms. The capsules are large and may be difficult to swallow. Swallow capsules with plenty of water directly before meal times. Capsules may be enteric coated, causing them to be digested in the intestines instead of directly in the stomach. Do not puncture or empty capsules. Do not take fish oil if you are allergic to fish or soybeans, advises Drugs.com.

Frozen

Some capsules may be frozen to create an "extended-release" action, suggests MayoClinic.com. Read your fish oil's label to ensure that your brand can be frozen. Freezing the fish oil reduces the fishy aftertaste and belches often complained about from those actively taking the supplement. Food and water may buffer some of the fish-like aftertaste associated with the supplement.

Additional Brands

Sometimes you may have to experiment with different brands of fish oil. Read the bottle's labels to understand what type of purification process the supplement has been treated with and what type of fish has been used. Look for brands that promote less "fishy" aftertaste. Some brands may negatively affect you more than others, suggests MayoClinic.com.

Testing

Your blood must be regularly tested when taking fish oil. Though there are many benefits of taking the supplement, an adverse effect is the increase of "bad cholesterol" in some people. Also known as high lipoprotein, there is no way to tell your levels have increased without testing.

Additional Tips

When taking fish oil to reduce triglyceride levels, it is important to also follow healthy diet and exercise daily. Results may take several weeks to become apparent. Drugs.com suggests avoiding high-cholesterol foods and alcohol, which will counteract the benefits of fish oil.