high dose fish oil & Omega 3 Fish Oil Side Effects
Studies involving high doses of fish oil have not, to date, revealed any harmful side effects. Recommended doses range from two to five grams per day. The average fish oil capsule contains only about half a gram. Five grams equals one teaspoon.
Common side effects of fish oil include a fishy aftertaste and, in some cases, diarrhea. The benefits of omega 3 for the heart, brain, and other systems far outweigh the side effects of omega 3 fish oil. However, one thing to keep in mind is that fish oil is a blood thinner. So if you’re already using blood thinners (such as aspirin), be sure to let your doctor know you intend to take fish oils so they can monitor you.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends no more than two grams of fish oil per day from a fish oil supplement. This recommendation is not due to additional known side effects of high-dose fish oil supplementation per se, but rather because the FDA is concerned about the risks associated with fish oil contamination.
If dangerous levels of mercury are present, the side effects of omega-3 fish oil will be like those of mercury poisoning. Smart consumers will avoid this possibility by buy molecularly distilled fish oil or pharmaceutical grade fish oil. These fish oils will not contain any impurities and therefore will make high dose fish oil supplementation much safer.
If you are using a high dose of fish oil, try taking it with food rather than on an empty stomach and this may help eliminate the fishy aftertaste and “fishy burps”. In rare cases where diarrhea was noted, slightly reducing the dose was effective.
Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly those found in fish oil, may play an important role in preventing heart disease, lowering triglycerides in the bloodstream, improving the ratio of good cholesterol and bad in the bloodstream and much more.
high dose fish oil
One of the best fish oils comes from New Zealand. The fish source is Hoki fish, which is naturally high in omega-3 fatty acids and swims in very clean waters, so the chance of contamination is low, but manufacturers still purify the oil using molecular distillation technology. For those considering high dose fish oil supplementation, this is probably the best option and the one we use ourselves.