Problems With Taking Fish Oil

Fish oil pills are made from fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Tuna, mackerel, salmon, halibut and cod are some examples. According to the National Institutes of Health, these fatty acids offer a variety of benefits such as lowering blood triglycerides and cholesterol, improving brain function, preserving sight, relieving dry eyes, lowering blood pressure and preventing menstrual pain. However, some potential problems are associated with taking fish oil.

Digestive Problems

• Switching brands of fish oil may resolve some negative side effects.

  People talking fish oil commonly report digestive problems. Some of these side effects are a fishy tasting burp, fishy breath odor, heartburn, upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea and bloating. You can reduce or prevent these symptoms three ways. Store fish oil capsules in the freezer and take them while they're still frozen. This slows their break down without reducing the amount absorbed in the body. Second, start with a smaller dosage than recommended by your doctor and gradually work your way up to the prescribed amount. Finally, take fish oil pills right before a meal so that the food can buffer the reactions that cause side effects.

Bleeding and Stroke

• High doses of fish oil may raise the risk of stroke, blood in the urine and nosebleeds. This happens because of the effect fish oil has on platelets by preventing them from adhering to each other, which slows clotting time.

Drug Interactions

• Fish oil can interact with over-the-counter herbal supplements and prescription drugs.

  As with any supplement, fish oil can interact with certain kinds of prescription and non-prescription drugs. Birth control pills, fat blockers such as Xenical and Alli, high blood pressure pills and anti-clotting drugs can negatively interact with fish oil supplements. Fat blockers reduce the effectiveness of fish oil by reducing its absorption. Other drug types interact with fish oil to cause more serious side effects such as causing hypertension medication to lower blood pressure too much. Some herbal supplements are potentially dangerous when taken with fish oil pills because of their effect on the blood clotting process. Some of these herbs are ginko, red clover, ginger, garlic and tumeric. For this reason, it's important that a doctor supervise the use of all over-the-counter supplement and prescription drug use.

Vitamin Deficiency and Toxicity

• Vitamin toxicity and deficiency are potentially harmful to the body.

  Taking fish oil can lower the amount of vitamin E in the body over time. For this reason, some brands of fish oil contain vitamin E. If vitamin E supplements are also taken as a part of a daily multivitamin, for example, this can cause toxicity. Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, the body's fat cells store any excess. It's important to pay close attention to all the dietary and supplemental sources of the fat-soluble vitamins, which are vitamins A, D, E and K.