Complications of Overusing Fish Oil

Fish oil has become a popular dietary supplement. Some have gone so far as to call it "the wonder drug." It provides benefits to cardiovascular health and brain function, and reduces the chance of developing breast, colon and prostate cancers. The reason is that fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which cannot be made in the body but are essential to human health. However, despite the many health benefits of fish oil, taking too much can lead to serious risks.

Dosage

• Most fish oil caplets come in the form of soft gels that are swallowed with water. These gels can contain anywhere from 1 to 3 g of the active ingredients; 1 g was found to give the beneficial cardiovascular effects. People who suffer from arthritis or other serious inflammations may want to take more. Though there is no optimum dosage, too much of anything--even beneficial things--can be dangerous.

Bleeding

• Fish oil has a tendency to decrease platelet aggregation, which makes bleeding last longer. Platelets can take longer to form and stop bleeding because there are fewer of them, so any bleeding--even from small cuts--can potentially become severe. Large amounts of fish oil can also be the cause of blood in the urine or intense nosebleeds. In serious cases, this effect may even be seen in the form of strokes or serious internal bleeding.

Poisoning

• Many fish live in an environment of heavy pollutants like mercury, dioxins or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). According to myomancy.com, the oil carries less toxic residues than eating fish directly, but it is still possible to have some gastrointestinal problems. These include, but are not limited to, upset stomach, diarrhea, unusually heavy burping or flatulence, and acid reflux. At high doses, these effects may require hospitalization. One way to decrease the likelihood of these side effects is by taking fish oil caplets with meals and spreading the amount you take over a longer period of time. So instead of taking 3 g in the morning, take 1 g at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Blood Pressure

• According to myomancy.com, one of the reported side effects of fish oil is a decrease in blood pressure. If a person takes large amounts of fish oil and has low blood pressure, or is on a medication to lower blood pressure, it can be very dangerous. This is a dose-sensitive side effect, and there is almost no risk unless you take a huge amount of fish oil. Still, people who have low blood pressure or take medications to lower their blood pressure should ask their healthcare provider about a healthy dosage.

Overdose

• it is possible to overdose on fish oil. The amount required will vary from person to person, and so will the effect, but essentially an overdose means you feel one or all of the above-mentioned side effects in a severe form: gastrointestinal bleeding or bleeding in the brain, a very severe stomach ache or even a stroke. If you believe that you or anyone you know may have overdosed on fish oil, seek medical attention immediately.