Omega-3 fatty acids can seem like miracle workers--taking a dosage defined by your physician has been connected with treating medical conditions ranging from heart disease to arthritis to dry skin. It is common get your omega-3 fatty acids from taking fish oil pills because fish like salmon, tuna and herring natural contain omega-3s. While there are many beneficial effects to taking omega-3 fatty acids, there also are adverse effects, including burping.
Significance
Fish oil supplements are taken from fish by grinding the fish, then separating the oils from the remainder of the fish. This means the omega-3 fish oil supplements can often taste fishy and/or have the strong smell fish tend to have. Fish oil pills can be slightly irritating to the stomach, and can contribute to burping that causes air to pass up from your stomach to your mouth. Along with this burping can come an unpleasant, fishy aftertaste.
Additional Effects
Stomach side effects are common when taking fish oil pills for omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to burping or belching after taking the supplements, you also may have side effects like heartburn, nausea or loose stools. If you have just begun taking fish oil supplements, you may be more likely to experience these effects because your body has not yet become accustomed to digesting fish oil supplements. Taking supplements higher than 3g per serving are considered high dosages and may cause more side effects.
Tips
If you have trouble with burping or an unpleasant fishy aftertaste after taking omega-3 fish oil pills, you can take steps to minimize these effects. Purchase "odorless" supplements that dissolve in the intestines instead of the stomach, which can reduce burping side effects. Freezing the fish oil capsules reduces the likelihood the pill will start breaking down in your esophagus, which can lead to a fish aftertaste. Taking the omega-3 pill at the beginning of a meal, or mixing the supplement and food helps to reduce a fishy aftertaste.
Pure Omega-3 Pills
If you have difficulty taking fish oil pills that contain omega-3 fatty acids due to uncomfortable burping, it is possible to take pure omega-3 fatty acid oil. While this oil seems to be less irritating to the stomach and not associated with a fishy aftertaste, it also tends to be more expensive than typical omega-3 fatty acid fish oil products.
Member Comments