How Long to Lower Triglycerides With Fish Oil?

How long it will take to lower triglyceride levels with fish oil will depend on how well you also incorporate other therapies for hypertriglyceridemia (high triglycerides). Using fish oil is encouraged in addition to an overall change in lifestyle, which is the primary recommendation for lowering high triglycerides. Since fish oil supplementation is recommended as an adjunct to treating the condition, the time to see results can vary with other actions you take.

How Long Will It Take?

• By incorporating other lifestyle recommendations (such as dietary changes) into a triglyceride-lowering strategy, taking fish oil along with following a healthy diet can help decrease triglyceride levels in as little as a few days, according to a statement on the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s website.

  If you take a more gradual approach to lifestyle modification, such as phasing in a low-fat diet, along with taking fish oil, it will take longer for triglyceride-lowering effects, from a few weeks to a few months.

Dosage Recommendation

• Because there is significant variation in the amount of omega-3 fatty acids among fish oil supplements, take dosages based on the content of two key omega-3’s--eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). If your triglycerides are high (200 mg/dL or higher), take a fish oil supplement with 2 to 4 g (2,000-4,000 mg) of EPA and DHA, recommends the American Heart Association (AHA).

  You don’t have to take the entire dose all at once. Split it into two daily doses to decrease some of the undesirable minor side effects, which can include a fishy aftertaste or stomach upset.

  Because taking higher dosages of omega-3 fatty acids can increase the risk of bleeding (more than 3 g per day, according to AHA’s guidelines), always check with your health care provider before you start supplementation.

Dietary Influences

• "Diet is the best way to reduce triglycerides," says Dr. Robert DiBianco, associate clinical professor of medicine at Georgetown University and director of cardiology research at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland, in an excerpt from the "Doctor’s Book of Home Remedies." "The lower the better when it comes to fat (in the diet)," he says.

  He recommends reducing fat intake to less than 30 percent of daily calories as a beginning, although "shooting for 20 percent would be an ideal range," he adds. He also recommends keeping saturated fat intake at less than 10 percent.

  For a more gradual approach, reduce your fat intake to 30 percent of calories for one month, then return to your doctor to see if there's been an improvement in your triglyceride level. If there’s a reduction, your doctor will probably recommend you stay on the diet. If not, reduce your fat intake to 25 percent for one month and see what happens, DiBianco recommends.

  If you have no documented history of heart disease, you can lower triglycerides through dietary sources of fish oil as well. Eat fish at least two times per week. Focus specifically on fatty fish, like anchovies, tuna (albacore), whitefish, carp, salmon, pompano, bluefish, catfish, halibut, herring, lake trout, mackerel and striped sea bass, tuna (albacore) and whitefish. Other sources of omega-3 fats include: ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, soy products, legumes, walnuts, and dark leafy green vegetables.

Other Lifestyle Factors

• In addition to fish oil supplementation or getting fish oil through your diet, incorporating these habits can help lower triglycerides:

  Engage in regular physical activities--get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five or more days per week.

  Consume moderate amounts of carbohydrates and fats.

  Increase your intake of fiber-rich foods.

  Reduce your sugar intake.

  Avoid fast foods, refined and processed foods.

  Avoid skipping meals.

  Make smart food choices.

  Reduce your intake of alcohol--even small amounts of alcohol can lead to large changes in plasma triglyceride levels.