Fish oil pills are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and are used to treat a number of health conditions, including inflammatory disorders, heart disease risk factors like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and other conditions. Aspirin is also used to reduce inflammation and heart disease risks. Taking fish oil and aspirin together may not be safe, however. Talk to your health care provider before using fish oil or aspirin, and do not take aspirin and fish oil together unless this combination is prescribed by a physician.
Fish Oil and Anticoagulants
According to MedlinePlus, fish oil has a minor drug interaction with aspirin and other anticoagulants, or blood-thinning medications, and you should be watchful with such combinations. Fish oil may increase the effects of aspirin and other anticoagulants such as warfarin, thereby increasing risk of internal bleeding. Taking high doses of fish oil greater than 3 g/day may result in an even greater risk of bleeding, according to MedlinePlus. For certain conditions, such as heart disease, taking fish oil with aspirin with fish oil may be beneficial, although you should only use this combination under the supervision of your doctor, notes the University of Maryland Medical Clinic.
Other Fish Oil Medication Interactions
Besides anticoagulants like aspirin, fish oil also has moderate drug interactions with several other types of medication, including birth control pills, drugs for hypertension, and orlistat. Birth control pills such as ethinyl estradiol may interfere with the triglyceride-lowering effects of fish oil, whereas the weight-loss drug orlistat reduces your body's ability to absorb fish oil, unless the two medications are taken at least 2 hours apart, cautions MedlinePlus. Fish oil may also increase the effects of antihypertensives like losartan, resulting in an unsafe drop in blood pressure. Additionally, UMM advises caution when taking fish oil with diabetes medications.
Therapeutic Benefits of Fish Oil
While taking fish oil pills with aspirin is risky, taking fish oil alone may provide some of the same benefits of aspirin, including promoting heart-health and reducing pain and inflammation. According to MedlinePlus, fish oil pills are likely safe when taken in low doses of 3 g or less per day, and, like daily aspirin therapy, fish oil may reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. Additionally, research indicates fish oil is possibly effective in reducing pain from menstrual cramps and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis; people with these conditions may thus be able to lower their dosage of anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin by taking fish oil, according to MedlinePlus.
Aspirin Precautions
If you've been prescribed daily aspirin therapy, it's important to tell your doctor about any supplements or other medicines you take, as aspirin interacts with other drugs and dietary supplements in addition to fish oil. For example, according to MayoClinic.com, taking aspirin with ibuprofen reduces the heart-healthy benefits of aspirin, and taking aspirin with other anticoagulant medications may increase risk of bleeding. Drinking alcohol when taking aspirin can also cause bleeding, notes Drugs.com. Health conditions which are contraindications for aspirin therapy include asthma, stomach ulcers, bleeding disorders, kidney disease and heart failure.
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