There is no question that the list of fish oil benefits is extensive, but there have also been reports of fish oil side effects as well. So what is all the fuss about? You’re probably wondering if taking fish oil can have negative effects, because no supplement can have all those benefits with no side effects. Can it?
Luckily, I felt the same as you and decided to research potential fish oil side effects and see what the real story was. What I discovered was that there are side effects when taking fish oil, but almost all of them can be avoided very easily.
The best way I have found to overcome 99% of all fish oil side effects is to simply use a high-quality fish oil supplement. This is what I recommend to my friends, family, and now to you too.
The 7 most common side effects of fish oil
Before you can make an educated choice about which fish oil supplement to choose, you need to know what the fish oil side effects are and why they happen. Once you know why, you can choose a product which overcomes these side effects by being high quality and natural.
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Heavy metal poisoning. The most major of all fish oil side effects is the heavy metal content found in many fish. As a result of toxic and polluted waters, larger fish can have a high mercury content, as well as other heavy metals.
You can easily avoid this potential side effect, which is in my opinion the most dangerous of them all, by choosing a high-quality fish oil supplement that contains no contaminants. THis is possible with manufacturers who are able to distill, concentrate and purify the fish oil to leave no trace of mercury or other metals. If you are unsure whether the supplement is safe, ask them for a Certificate of Analysis which will show exactly how pure the product is. If they do not have a CoA, choose a better company.
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Heart burn and indigestion. Probably the most noticeable of these fish oil side effects is the “fishy burps” that many products give you. These burps are caused by oxidation in your digestive tract and is a common sign of a poor quality product.
If you’ve ever experienced a rancid product, the burps and aftertaste could be enough to put you off fish oil supplements for life. Before you give up though, there are a select few products that are so pure that they can guarantee you will not experience this -and they give a money back guarantee to prove it. You can also store your supplements somewhere cold and try to always take them with food to avoid this harmless side effect.
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Itchiness, rashes, hives and wheezing. Any of these side effects could be an indication that you have an allergy to either the fish oil, or an ingredient within it.
If you do start to experience any of these reactions, the first thing you should do is to stop taking the supplement immediately. If the symptoms do not pass, then consult with your doctor to make sure nothing else is happening in your body to cause them.
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Fish allergies. It should go without saying that if you have a known fish or seafood allergy, you should be very careful when taking fish oil.
Some people with only a mild allergy will be okay taking a pure fish oil supplement, but you should consult your doctor to ensure it’s safe before using fish oil regularly. There are other sources of omega-3 fatty acids so it really isn’t worth risking your health over it.
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Diarrhea. Although it is uncommon in most people, the first few days or weeks of taking fish oil can cause a number of gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea. This is likely just your body getting used to the higher levels of omega-3 and should settle down fairly quickly.
To prevent this you can lower the dosage for the first few days as this will help your body to adjust. You can also store your product in the fridge or freezer and, as always, choose the purest fish oil you can.
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Mixing with other medications. Sometimes fish oil side effects can occur when it is taken in combination with other medication. Fish oil is known to have blood thinning effects, so using it with any other blood thinning medication could make you more prone to bleeding and bruising. It also lowers your blood pressure and should be taken with caution if you are on medication for high blood pressure to avoid lowering it too much.
As always, if you are on medication, consult your doctor before you start taking fish oil so that you avoid any potential complications.
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Weight gain. Some of the lower quality fish oils do not contain sufficient levels of EPA and DHA and instead are full of useless fats that are hard for your body to metabolize, which is the cause of the weight gain.
Choosing a purified EPA and DHA concentrate will actually lead to weight loss, as it boosts your metabolism. High quality fish sources and pure distilled oils are the best ways to prevent weight loss when taking fish oil supplements.
Are you using an ethical source of fish oil?
Aside from the fish oil side effects when choosing a low quality supplement, there are ethical considerations too. As more companies manufacturer and ship fish oil, the level of fish in the sea is greatly depleted.
What I look for, and what I would like others to look for as well, is a company that uses sustainable fish oil sources. I use a company which uses tuna oil not just for it’s amazing health properties, but because it is a byproduct of fishing. The fish are not caught for the oil, they are caught for the tuna meat and so they can comfortably use the oil knowing that it is not going to deplete fish levels.
They then take this fish oil and purify it before combining it with hoki oil. The hoki oil is sourced from their own sustainable fishery and they replace each fish they use.
Some lower quality companies are not this ethical and because they cannot source enough fish, or the price of fish is too high due to an increase in competition, they dilute their products with poor ingredients that can lead to rancid products and many of the fish oil side effects listed above.
