Fish oil is a potent source of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These essential fatty acids are critical for brain, cardiovascular, immune and metabolic health. Your body can't synthesize them, so you must get them from the food you eat. Unfortunately, Western diets provide an excess of omega-6 fatty acids, which compete with omega-3 acids for binding sites. You can compensate for the lack of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet by taking fish oil supplements. Some people develop upset stomach from fish oil, but some strategies may reduce your gastrointestinal distress.
Benefits
For most people, the potential benefits of fish oil outweigh the side effects. Fish oil reduces inflammation and might lower the risk or severity of many diseases or health conditions, including heart disease, arthritis, cancer, high blood pressure, Raynauds's syndrome, stroke, macular degeneration, menstrual pain and psoriasis, the National Institutes of Health reports on the website Medline Plus. It also might reduce the severity of several emotional, behavioral and developmental conditions, including bipolar disorder, depression, movement disorder in children, developmental coordination disorder, schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Gastrointestinal Side Effect Symptoms
Fish oil can trigger several stomach-related side effects. About 3 percent of people experience stomach or upper abdominal discomfort after taking fish oil, according to DoubleCheckMD.com. Symptoms can include heart burn or acid reflux, stomach or abdominal pain or discomfort, upset stomach, belching, a bloated full feeling, diarrhea, excess air or gas in the stomach or vomiting.
Consult Your Physician
Always speak with your doctor before you start fish oil or any other supplement. Fish oil can interact with certain medications, and it can exacerbate certain medical conditions. For example, people with severe angina, possibly lethal ventricular rhythms or severely compromised heart function may trigger complications by taking fish oil, reports Harvard Health Publications. If you feel chest, arm, back or jaw pain, severe dizziness, labored breathing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, nausea or wheezing, call your doctor immediately.
Course of Minor Side Effects
Minor gastrointestinal, or GI, side effects can occur when you first start taking fish oil and then improve as your body adjusts to the boost in omega-3 fatty acids. Some side effects will decrease after a couple of weeks, while others might take longer. Fish oil enhances anti-inflammatory processes within the immune system, so as you restore your balance of fatty acids, symptoms can improve.
Minimizing GI Side Effects
Minimize acid reflux and other GI distress side effects by taking fish oil on an empty stomach immediately before eating. The fish oil mixes with the food, which dilutes the acidity and also escorts the oil out of the stomach into the lower bowel. Avoid carbonated or aerated drinks. Avoid consuming excess fluids and don't overeat. Avoid lying down after you've taken fish oil. You might have fewer GI side effects if you take fish oil in capsule or tablet rather than in liquid form. Also, time-release formulations can reduce abdominal distress. Medline Plus recommends that you freeze fish capsules before taking them to minimize GI side effects.
References
- "Arthritis Research & Therapy; Fish Oil: What the Prescriber Needs to Know; Leslie Cleland, et al.; 2006
- Harvard Health Publications: Fish and Fish Oil: Good for Most Folks, But Not All
- Mind 1st; Acid Reflux, Fish Oil, Omega 3 Fatty Acids Information; Liz Miller, M.D.
- MayoClinic.com: Omega-3-Acid Ethyl Esters (Oral Route)
- MedLinePlus: Fish Oil
- Mind 1st; Acid Reflux and Fish Oil Omega 3 Fatty Acids; Liz Miller
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