How Much Omega 3 to Take for High Triglycerides

It is strange to think that taking a fat supplement every day or eating a minimum amount of fatty meat per week is actually good for adults. Especially if we have risk factors for heart disease, documented high levels of serum cholesterol, or if we have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD). The fact is that science has found that eating fish containing omega-3 fatty acids, or other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, actually reduces high triglyceride levels which decreases the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Omega-3 (n-3 polyunsaturated) fatty acids are fats that are required by the human body because we cannot produce them on our own. These fatty acids are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). DHA and EPA have to be consumed through our daily intake of nutrients in the form of fresh, fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout or shellfish) or as a fish oil supplement. ALA is found in walnuts and other fatty nuts, flaxseed, canola oil and soybean oil. A good ALA supplement is flaxseed oil.

How Much to Consume

• Individuals with elevated triglyceride levels should consume 2 to 4 grams of DHA and EPA per day in the capsule form as recommended by their physician. One fish oil capsule contains about 1 gram of fish oil which contains 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA for a total of 300 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. Two to 4 grams of fish oil will provide 360 to 720 mg of EPA and 240 to 480 mg of DHA for a total of 600 to 1,200 total mg of fatty acids.

  Triglyceride levels are only affected by taking a large dose of omega-3 every day. A good triglyceride-reducing dose of fish oil is actually about 1,800 total mg of EPA and DHA--the amount found in roughly six fish oil capsules. Doctors can recommend 5000 mg of fish oil per day. High doses of fish oil have no side effects, except for belching and upset stomach, but these can be alleviated by taking fish oil supplements with food, or by refrigerating the capsules. Taking this many capsules in one day may be a lot for some people. Concentrated forms of fish oil are available by prescription in the form of Lovaza which contains 850 mg of omega-3 per capsule. Talk to your doctor to see if taking Lovaza is an option for you.

  Eating fatty fish a few times per week in conjunction with taking fish oil supplements can provide an amount of these fatty acids that will be high enough to reduce high triglyceride levels.