Fish oil is known for it numerous health benefits. But many people will be keen to know whether there are any side effects they may experience after taking fish oil.
Yes, there some fish oil side effects, but they are rare. They can actually be grouped in 2: irritations and serious side effects.
Irritations are bothersome but they will not kill you, and considering the value you get from taking fish oil, you can choose to live with them. Most commonly reported irritations are:
1. A fishy taste in the mouth. This is common especially if you take fish oil concentrate. It will be much more conspicuous if you take fish oil that’s gone past it expiry date. There are ways to go around this though. Take your supplement in capsule form. The coating of the capsule is a strong exterior that will only start to release once it reaches your stomach. You will not have any taste at all. You can also take your fish oil just before meals so that the food can camouflage the fishy taste. There are also flavoured fish concentrates which leave no taste at all.
2. Gastric problems: again, these are minor and will range from heartburn to diarrhoea to excessive gas. You may pass gas that has a fishy smell. The solution here is to avoid the concentrate if you get these side effects. Capsules are slow release and you will barely feel any side effects. You may also consider reducing your dosage.
3. You may get nausea. It may be a combination of the taste and the smell that brings this on. Take a capsule or take a fish oil concentrate that does not leave you with this feeling.
These fish oil side effects are the minor ones, the irritations as we called them earlier. People who have been taking pure fish oil concentrate for years will tell you that keeping your fish oil in the fridge helped combat all these side effects. Make sure to take it when it’s still cold.
There are the more serious side effects, but these will not be caused by the fish oil itself but by dosage and type of fish oil. These can be life threatening. Remember that with all supplements, because you take them on a daily basis, you accumulate any toxins contained in them much faster. Always be aware what the possible consequences of any supplement are.
Fish oil side effects that are serious include:
1. Bleeding: If you overdose, you will over-thin your blood. This could lead to internal bleeding. It also means that should you get into any kind of accident, you will bleed for much longer. Take your dosages as they are prescribed.
2. Fish oil that’s not from a certified manufacturer could be from fish that contained contaminants like mercury. These will accumulate in your body and lead to all kinds of problems including cancers. Make sure that you take a fish oil from a reputable brand, and seek to know where they breed their fish. Some waters are well known for high pollution levels.
These are the two known potentially lethal side effects of taking fish oil, but as you can see, they are easy to get around.
If you get started and experience the minor irritations, slow down. If you had started on 1 pill 3 times a day, take 1 pill once a day. Ease your body into it.
Fish oil benefits far outweigh fish oil side effects. You can safely keep taking your fish oil without worrying about possible consequences.