Everyone knows that fish oil is good for you
but…
- What is the optimal amount?
- Can you overdo it?
- What is the best kind?
- Do some fish oils contain toxins like mercury?
I have been taking fish oil daily for about ten years now in the range of three to ten grams a day (this is three to ten fish oil 1000mg capsules). It first got my attention as a significant part of the Zone diet by Dr Barry Sears. The Zone diet is a more of a lifestyle diet than a weight loss diet in the sense that although you will naturally lose weight, you will also want to follow this eating plan for life because you will be healthier and feel better without being hungry. In fact he says, both heart disease and diabetes are inflammatory conditions that can be significantly improved by fish oil.
Dr Sears usually recommends a minimum of four to six grams of fish oil per day. High dose fish oil he regards as being between 10 and 20 grams per day. This level will supply between 3 and 6 grams of long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids. Research by Harvard Medical School on the effects of fish oil treatment of depression used the equivalent of 30 grams of fish oil per day. This translates to about 10 grams of long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids.
For example when treating depression with fish oil the amount he recommends is around 10 grams. However this needs to be pharmaceutical grade he says because at this dose, the impurities within standard grades become more of an issue.
The reason doctors and natural health practitioners recommend fish oil is because it contains omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are precursors to eicosanoids that reduce inflammation within the body.
The US National Institutes of Health lists possible safety concerns: “Intake of 3 grams per day or greater of omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of bleeding, although there is little evidence of significant bleeding risk at lower doses. The American Heart Association recommends the consumption of 1g of fish oil daily.
Deficiencies in omega 3 fats have been linked to declines in brain and heart health which can be reversed with sufficient supplementation.
Omega 3 supplementation can also help reduce or prevent heart rhythm abnormalities by strengthening the heart. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids also acts as a preventative of heart disease.
Some sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis gain significant relief through the use of fish oil supplements. Again this is believed to be a result of the anti-inflamatory action.
Unfortunately there are no real specifications for pharmaceutical grade fish oil. Fish oil needs to be refined to remove heavy metals such as mercury and high quality fish oil is molecularly distilled to remove PCB’s which are also found in free living fish. It can be argued that taking refined fish oil is a safer way to boost your levels of omega 3 fats because the fish that you eat has not had the mercury and impurities removed.
My normal test as to whether you should include a supplement as part of your eating plan is that you should feel a noticeable difference to your health, energy or appearance within a week or so. The main reason for this is that otherwise I would be taking much more than the twenty or so supplements that I take daily. Fish oil 1000mg is an exception because of the depth of research and my respect for Dr Sears advice. The fact is that I am in near perfect health and have been taking fish oil daily for ten years makes me think that fish oil has contributed to some degree at least even though there is no direct noticeable effect for me.
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Is Fish Oil Good for Kidney? Persistent Hematuria? Is it good for a person with Kidney prob (Blood in Protein), HB, Diabetes?
My Dr. prescribed fish oil because I have high triclerides and a little high on the cholesterol, but I do have pain with arthritis, do you think this will help me? Thank You, Tari
Tari – It is sure worth a shot. For what its worth I have been taking it for over ten years and do not have arthritis. You might need 6 to 12 grams per day although that’s just my opinion and in any case I think that it is one of the top five supplements you can take for general health.
Cheers,
Lewis
Myra – I have had no experience with those conditions specifically but fish oil would be useful as part of your treatment.
Cheers, Lewis
hi there..im lynda..i have some cholestrol problem..i love to take meat and lamb.my heart is bipping and pain sometimes and i do have alot of pimples on my face..my height 169 and my weight is 70.im scared of having heart attact in the future.but now for 2 days i took fish oil and evening primrose oil.is it good for my heart and control my cholestrol level..after took this i always go to the toilet and flush out….is it a good progress?
Hi Lynda,
Glad to see you are taking a natural approach to dealing with your heart and cholesterol problem.
Not sure what you mean by the toilet flush so I can’t comment there. You can always start with 2 grams a day of fish oil and try this for a week and see how you feel. You could then go to three grams a day in week 2 and and four grams a day in week 3 and so on… adding one gram a day every week til you get to 6 grams.
If you feel fine at that point then you can stay on 6 grams a day forever.
I am assuming you have seen a doctor about your heart pain
Hi there. I am Jennifer and I am trying to lose weight. I go to the gym daily, and eat below my BMR each day. I have lost 40 pounds since May. In the last 2-3 weeks, I have added 2000 mg of fish oil a day. I already feel a difference; I am less anxious and I feel like my weight is coming off easier. I was wondering – should I be taking 3000 mg (3 capsules) a day or more for weight loss? I worry about the bleeding warning if you go up to 3000 or more….Also, how much should my son take (age 14, Autism, Mood Disorder). Hoping eventually this will help my Raynoid’s Syndrome too.
Hi Jennifer,
Congratulations on the maintaining what looks to be healthy exercise and diet habits. Hopefully your eating plan is reasonably balanced such as the Zone plan by Dr Sears.
I can understand your concern about the fish oil bleeding warning. My take on this is that the risks from amounts under twelve grams per day of fish oil for adults are quite rare and or minor. Fish oil will help you at levels up to 6 to 12 grams spread throughout the day. However you may wish to talk it through with a medical practitioner if you are taking blood thinning medication or if you have a bleeding disorder.
Some fish oils are cleaner than others so it is better to take a fish oil supplement that is certified to contain no detectable levels of dioxins, heavy metals or PCBs.
Your son will likely benefit with up to 8 grams of fish oil day starting off with one gram a day.
Best wishes,
Lewis
Thanks Lewis. I will try to increase it to 4 grams and then 6 and see how I feel. I am not taking anything but synthroid, so I should be okay. I am not doing any specific diet plan; I have Celiac though, so I am avoiding all gluten. I try to balance between healthy grains (oatmeal, brown rice, some potatoes), veggies, fruits, and mostly lean meats (chicken, turkey burgers, some pork) and fish. Occasionally, I have gluten free cookies and snacks, but I crave whole grain granola/protien bars and fruit more these days since I started running. Before I started I couldn’t get off the couch! Now. I can run 4 miles and last weekend my husband and I (he lost 49 and counting) finished our first half marathon! I did a combo of running and speed walking.
I feel awesome. Take care, Jen
Thanks Jen and sounds like you are on a roll.
We have another thing in common as well because I had hypothyroid symptoms but was able to return to normal a few years ago using natural supplements. This site helped the most: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/
It took me around two years to completely heal and few people can achieve a quick fix but it made a huge difference to my health. The trick for me was to heal adrenal fatigue first… if you have it… because the thyroid will not heal while the adrenals are not well.
Cheers, Lewis
Hi Lewis,
Thanks for the website. You know its interesting about the low or fluctuating temperature. I was always chronically low temperature (96 or 97) and the doctor never cared but I knew it was a bad sign for thyroid.
However, I am tracking mine now – and although it is still low (98.1) it is more close to normal and doesn’t fluctuate throughout the day. So, I think my adrenals are okay (I sleep well too). I wonder if my vitamin supplements have helped (D, C, CoQ10, and EFAs).
Another interesting note – my thyroid and sugar and cholesterol are all correcting themselves. I just got my labs back yesterday. I require less Synthroid now (.100 instead of .125) and all my other labs are in the normal range. I really think my hypo was in large part due to Celiac. The other big change is during my weight loss program I started for myself, I have been better about sticking to gluten-free diet. A lot of times I would “cheat” and go back to gluten; it would always* impact my digestion, mood, vitamin levels, etc. Now I am being very strict with the GF diet and my allergens (milk, corn) and my migraines have disappeared too.
Hi I was wondering if I was taking Meds (thyroxine tabs) 2 per day would it be safe to take the 1000mg as well… I have taken a few but am not sure about it yet…
Sure… at 1000mg it is better to take it than not.
I take a fish oil 1000mg pill each day for better memory. Is it better for me to take it in the morning or evening?
Thank you!
Hank
Hi Hank,
At a dose of 1000mg it wouldn’t make much difference I would think. For some people fish oil can be energizing so taking it in the morning is better.
Cheers, Lewis
i am 17 years old ….. how many capsules can i take daily to be in good health without any complications !
Hey Andrew,
At 17 I reckon you qualify as an adult. If you are in reasonably good health then my comments above to Jennifer would apply to you as well.
Thanks for stopping by…
I found your site by leapfroging to it thru now I do not know where however will save yours in bookmarks….thank you so much for such great information. I want to know how inflamation is measured in the body and how to find out what that my number is as it were and how one goes about test or tests to find it. Actually at 76 I do not take any pharma drugs on any regular basis except in isolated circumstances. I am not a particular fan of the Dr community…I noticed that you do mention any brands in your comments….I would assume that is on purpose. It is often hard to know which company’s to buy from. Thank you again…..Joan
Hi Joan,
Thanks for your interesting comment… I actually have not gone to the extent of measuring inflammation or how one goes about it. Personally I have only measured two things on a regular basis and that is blood pressure and body temperature. I was able to get my blood pressure down from around 135/80 to around 115/75 which astounded me and my temperature was just under one degree Celcius below normal and is now normal. This was accompanied by a massive increase in a feeling of well being.
My take on this is that the reduction in inflammation and other harmful factors is a natural byproduct of thoughtful food and supplement choices and will manifest itself in better overall health and an obvious improvement in wellbeing.
I have seen massive improvements in health in myself and in others in just a few weeks form staying with the plan such as zone diet and fish oil, CoQ10 Vitamin B complex etc
You are right I do not mention brands but I believe the Dr Barry Sears fish oil is reputable and worth the higher price because of its potency.
Best wishes,
Lewis
Hi,
One capsule of the 1000mg fish oil is how many grams
1
Hi,
Can it take while pregnant?
Sure, Dr. Barry Sears explains why fish oil is essential for women during pregnancy here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OSYWl3KqXc
TAKING 3 CAPS. 1000MG EVERY DAY. I AM 74 YEARS OLD
I stumbled upon this site doing research into fish oil. I just ordered from Barry Sears’ site 2 days ago.
I noticed the comments on inflammation and how to measure it. One general measure of inflammation is CRP (c reactive protein). Some value the measurement more than others, but it does give a general measure of inflammation. This is done via a simple blood test.
During my last physical, I was given an expanded cholesterol test that gives more specific information on inflammation. It is the VAP cholesterol test and among other things it measures the inflammation in the walls of arteries. My understanding is the VAP is the most sophisticated cholesterol test out there. Again, just a simple blood test, although getting these results will probably cost a bit out of pocket.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for telling us your experiences with measuring inflammation.
Much appreciated,
Lewis
Hi, I’m Marvin. I’ve been taking fish oil off and on for a month now, my question is this. First off I want to no how many of my gel caplets equals 1 gram. And is it normal for me to be sleepy directly after taking the fish oil? And can u tell me everything excluding nothing, that fish oil is good for.
Dear Lewis,
I have just started taking supplement. Is it alright to consume 1000mg fish oil + 1000mg evening primerose + 1300mg Glucosamine daily at the same time. I also take brain booster from time to time. Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Stephany,
I cannot really give individual advice on this however most people not taking doctor prescribed medications would be fine with this.
Cheers,
Lewis
Yes I agree with you. This is a good diet for health and I oftenly refer this to my patient. I am going to share this blog. Good job. Keep it up…
I’m having trouble sleeping after taking a 1000mg fish oil, GNC brand.
Should I continue to take it and hope this will get better?
I don’t take it regularly.
Bill
Hi Bill,
You could try taking it in the morning. If you are already doing this then I would persist
with this for a week or so to make sure that it is not purely a coincidence.
If it is affecting your quality of life in terms of sleep, then sure discontinue its use.