Omega 3 Side Effects

There is a lot of information in the news about how important Omega-3 oils are for you, but are there Omega 3 side effects?

Before looking at Omega 3 side effects, it is important to know a little bit about Omega 3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to human health; however, they are not manufactured by the human body. All Omega-3 fatty acids are only attained through dietary sources. Omega-3s can be found in fish, some nuts and certain plants. The form of Omega-3 fatty acids that are the most available to the human body come from fish and krill. Nut and plant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids actually require some filtering and refinement by the human body – much like crude oil needs to be refined. Nut sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts and flaxseeds.

In some cases, eating seafood provides the body with enough Omega-3 fatty acids, but this is not always the case. The primary reason that Omega-3 supplementation is often recommended is because the standard American diet is high in Omega-6 oils.

Omega-6 oils in and of themselves aren’t unhealthy, however, the body needs a 2:1 balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids. The typical American diet throws this balance all out of whack, raising the levels of Omega-6 fatty acids to about a 25:1 fatty acid balance ratio. This can lead to inflammation, cognitive impairment, neurological problems and more. This is why Omega-3 supplementation is recommended – to bring the Omega-3 fatty acid intake up to a point where the ratio returns to a healthy 2:1.

A little is good, but is more always better? In the case of Omega-3 fatty acids, it seems that the body tolerates Omega 3 supplementation well. Most Omega 3 side effects are actually related to the source of Omega 3 fatty acids, as opposed to the actual supplementation.

The majority of side effects actually come from ingesting rancid oil. According to Dr. Michael Eades, author of Protein Power and Protein Power Life Plan, fish oil becomes rancid quite easily. Referred to as oxidation, rancid fish oils lead to lipid peroxides, which “can (and do) start free radical cascades that can damage fatty cellular membranes,” according to Dr. Eades.

The best way to avoid oxidative side effects from rancid fish oil is to bit into each fish oil capsule before you take it in order to ensure that it isn’t rancid. If it is, throw out the whole batch. If, however, you can’t stand the thought of biting into a fish oil capsule, then you may wish to purchase a liquid fish oil. There are several that have a pleasant flavor, including Carlson’s Lemon-flavored fish oil and Barleans Omega Swirl. The Carlson’s has a very mild lemon flavor that isn’t unpleasant, while the Barleans tastes like lemon pie. Both need to be kept refrigerated and used within a few weeks after opening.

Fish liver oil, particularly cod liver oil, is high in vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that excess is stored in your body and not excreted in your urine. In some cases, it is possible to build up vitamin D toxicity if you are taking high levels of fish liver oil, or combining fish liver oil supplementation with vitamin D supplementation. Check with your doctor, and be aware of signs of vitamin D toxicity if you are taking a fish liver oil. If you are supplementing with vitamin D, take either fish oil (not fish liver oil) or flaxseed oil instead.

You may experience some of the following minor side effects of Omega-3 supplementation supplementation. One way to avoid these side effects is to start with a small dose of Omega-3 fatty acids and increase as your body tolerates it.

• Nausea
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Intestinal gas
• Fishy flavored belching
• Fish breath
• Fishy body odor
• Increased LDL

• If you have diabetes and take fish oil, you may experience difficulty controlling your blood sugar. Check with your doctor before beginning supplementation.
• Fish oil may have a blood thinning effect. Check with your doctor before supplementing Omega-3 in fish oil form if you are taking anti-coagulant medications.
• High doses of Omega-3s may cause bleeding. If you have a bleeding disorder, consult your doctor before supplementing with Omega-3 acids.
• If you are using fish oil as your source of Omega-3 fatty acids, make sure it is from a reliable source that tests for heavy metal contaminates. Oil from a number of fish may contain mercury.

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