Prescription medications can cause dangerous interactions with non-prescription health supplements. Prozac is a widely prescribed medication and cod liver oil is a health supplement. Although direct interactions between Prozac and cod liver oil are not widely reported, indirect interactions are possible. Whenever you receive a prescription for a medication such as Prozac, always tell your doctor about all health supplements you are taking, including cod liver oil.
Prozac
Prozac is a prescription medication belonging to the family of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. People take Prozac to treat several mental health conditions, including depression, eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Prozac acts on the brain by increasing levels of a neurotransmitter known as serotonin, which helps to stabilize mood, explains MedlinePlus.
Cod Liver Oil
Cod liver oil is a specific type of fish oil, made from the livers of cod fish. Supplements containing fish oil, such as cod liver oil, contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and are used to treat a variety of health conditions, including high cholesterol and heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids play many important biological roles in the body, and certain types of omega-3 fatty acid are only found in fish, the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University reports.
Depression
Certain fish oil supplements have been reported to worsen the symptoms of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, according to MedlinePlus. The effect of taking cod liver oil at the same time as Prozac has not been thoroughly studied, but cod liver oil could theoretically reduce the effectiveness of Prozac by worsening symptoms of depression. Ask your doctor before taking cod liver oil at the same time as Prozac.
Interactions with Blood Thinners
Prozac and fish oil both have the potential to interact with blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, aspirin or ibuprofen. Consuming fish oil at a dose of more than 3 grams per day appears to slow blood clotting and increase the risk of excess bleeding or bruising from minor cuts or bumps, warns MedlinePlus. For this reason, large doses of cod liver oil should never be taken with blood-thinning medications. You should also avoid taking Prozac with blood-thinning medications, advises Drugs.com. Taking Prozac, cod liver oil and a blood-thinner could potentially cause unexpected harmful interactions.
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