Red Fish Oil Alternatives

Red fish oil comes from krill, a shrimplike, sea-dwelling crustacean, and it is valued for its omega 3 fatty acids, which, like other fish oils, including mackerel and salmon, lower triglycerides (fatty substances) in the blood and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. For people who want to enjoy the benefits of omega 3 but are either allergic to fish oil or run the risk of drug interactions, there are alternatives.

Background

• Red fish, or krill, oil offers the same nutritional benefits of all the other oils found both in seafood and supplements. The advantage of red fish oil in terms of supplementation is its lack of a fishy aftertaste. Also, unlike other fish oils, it contains anti-oxidant pigments, which boost the immune system, according to Dr. Andrew Weil on his website, DrWeil.com.

Effects

• People who are allergic to seafood shouldn't take fish oil, either the red or regular variety. Fish oil supplements can cause indigestion and diarrhea in some individuals. They also can interact dangerously with blood-thinning medications, such as heparin, warfarin and aspirin, causing a bleeding risk, reports MayoClinic.com.

Vegetarian Alternatives

• Fish oil is not the only source of omega 3 fatty acids. Most people are familiar with flax seed, or linseed, oil as a viable alternative, especially for vegetarians and people worried about the mercury present in fish. Other vegetarian sources are algae combined with a nut or seed oil and black currant oil, which serves to activate T-lymphocytes and protect against platelet aggregation.

Other Alternatives

• The nutrition news website NUTRAingredients-USA.com has conducted a roundup of a range of fish oil alternatives. Seal oil is viewed by some people as a superior source of omega 3 because of the several heart-healthy acids it contains that other oils don't. Shark liver oil has been used for decades on the coasts of Norway and Sweden as an immune booster, among other things. It's considered an excellent source of omega 3.

  Emu oil, from the flightless bird, is rich in both omega 3 and omega 6, although the omega 3 content is lower than the other sources previously mentioned. Derived from mussels, the brand-named Lyprinol claims a highly potent omega-3 formulation with none of the side effects of other fish oils.