Fish oil may help prevent arthritis because its omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation. If you already suffer from this condition, fish oil may help reduce your symptoms such as joint stiffness and pain, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you are taking fish oil in therapeutic doses to combat arthritis symptoms, you will likely need more than 1,000 mg, which equals 1 g, daily. Discuss any supplement use and dosage with your doctor.
Therapeutic Dose
Most studies on fish oil's possible benefits in treating arthritis focus on rheumatoid arthritis. The therapeutic dose for this condition is up to 2.6 g fish oil taken twice daily, according to the Arthritis Today, published by the Arthritis Foundation. Theories on prevention simply recommend consuming fish twice a week if you are a healthy adult.
Content
If you utilize fish oil capsules to combat arthritis, seek those that contain at minimum 30 percent eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Dosing for fish oil supplements needs to be based on the EPA and DHA content, not the total amount of fish oil in the supplement. The recommended level for treating rheumatoid arthritis is 2.6 g fish oil, which contains 1.6 g EPA.
Dosage in Research
Some studies base the amount of fish oil for a therapeutic dose to combat arthritis on your body weight. For example, a 1995 study published in "Arthritis and Rheumatism" uses dosages of 130 mg per 2.2 lbs. of body weight daily. For a 150-lb. person that would be 8.8 g daily. Dosages of EPA and DHA in studies are equal to 2.7 to 5.6 g a day. The average American takes in an average of about 100 mg of these omega-3 fatty acids from fish daily compared to the 8 g, or 8,000 mg, daily dose used in clinical trials, notes "Nutrition and Immunology" by M. Eric Gershwin.
Expert Insight
Do not take more than 3 g fish oil supplements a day without supervision from a health care provider. Dosages higher than 3 g daily raise your risk for bleeding. Also seek a supplement manufacturer that has a well-established track record and that certifies its products are free of heavy metals like lead, mercury and cadmium, advise the experts at UMMC.
References
- Arthritis Today: Supplement Guide---Fish OilArthritis Today: Supplement Guide---Fish Oil
- MayoClinic.com: Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fish Oil, Alpha-Linolenic Acid
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- "Arthritis and Rheumatism": Effects of High-Dose Fish Oil on Rheumatoid Arthritis After Stopping Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs. Clinical and Immune Correlates; J.M. Kremer et al.; 1995
- "Nutrition and Immunology," M. Eric Gershwin; 2000
- "Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases"; John H. Klippel; 2008
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