Question by Amr R: I want someone professionl in herbal medicine to tell if fish oil has any side effects.?
I’ve heard that fish oil capsules have some side effects and that they contain traces of mercury. Is that true?
And if there’re side effects, what are these side effects?
Best answer:
Answer by ninja
Fish oil is not a herb (plant). Fish oil has lots of mercury in it unless you get what says pharmacuetical grade where they take it all out.
Give your answer to this question below!
February 9th, 2011 at 8:01 am
no side effect unless the company screwed up…mercury is a chemical waste and fishes may have been poisoned in their water
February 9th, 2011 at 8:59 am
Yes fish oil can have mercury in them. There is always a danger of heavy metal ingestion (like mercury)]
Other side effects is nausea,diarrhea,heartburn and belching and stomach pain.
It can drop your blood pressure so if you have a tendency to a lower B.P be careful.
Basically I have been told taken in small doses the fish oil caps are considered safe.
Be careful and good luck.
February 9th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Fish Oil in the appropriate dose has no actual side effects unless you’re allergic to fish (which is a whole other story). However, most Fish Oils do have the warning to consult your healthcare provider before use if you are taking a blood thinning medication…. that’s more of an interaction with the drug, not a side effect of the Fish Oil itself.
When you get Fish Oil softgels or liquid from a supplement company, you’ll want to call the company before buying any to verify their quality. Most companies that have at least mediocre quality will use Molecular Distillation with their Fish Oils because that is currently the only safe way to remove all trace contaminants of any heavy metals (including Mercury and PCBs among others). Molecular Distillation is basically the industry standard for even moderate quality products.
However, if you get fresh fish, there may be some Mercury or other heavy metals… but that’s another story. Supplements are much more carefully regulated and restricted than food products.
February 9th, 2011 at 9:28 am
What do Fish Oils or Borage Oils do for our health?
Food molecules nourish our cells so that they get to work and help the body repair and restore itself on a cellular level. Fish oil is an Omega 3 Fatty acid. Flax Seeds also contain Omega Fatty acids. So, plant sources are available.
Our cell walls are made out of “Fatty Acids” otherwise known as lipids. When you eat man made hydrogenated oils, such as Wesson oil, margarine, Kraft foods, Coffee Mate etc, it actually interferes with your cell wall structure by stiffening your cell walls.
Now, what is the affect of stiffening your cell walls? Well, it keeps antioxidants from weaving through your cells to prevent premature rusting or aging of your cells. Thus, it increases early cell death and contributes to heart disease.
When you eat fatty acids, which are in nuts, seeds, avocados, fish oils etc… Fatty Acids take the bad fat by the hand and will help lead it out of the body and also contributes to proper cell structure. Thus, you support your body on a cellular level with that one vital nutritional component.
When looking and comparing fish oil products, Nordic Naturals has the highest quality fish oil. It is expensive because they don’t tolerate any metals in their product. I know there are fish oils that have the mercury contamination take out, but they did not remove the aluminum in many cases or all other metals. Nordic naturals removes ALL metals.
A less expensive alternative is Omega oil from flax seeds. Anyway, steer clear of the one nutritional component takes care of everything mentality. There are five systems that need to be addressed.
These five systems are:
The immune system
The defense system
The endocrine system
The autonomic nervous system
The elimination system
Now let’s take a look at what cells need in order for all five systems of the body to achieve balance:
Fatty Acids (Primarily Omega 3′s)Vitamin/Minerals (Not synthetic)Enzymes (Categories are digestive and systemic)Flora ( Bacteria to aid in digestion that our antibiotics destroy on a regular basis)Carbohydrates (The 8 identified carbohydrates for cell commands and recognition)Phytochemicals (Pigments identified in raw plant foods that are recognized by the National Cancer Institute). All come from raw fruits and vegetables and natural yogurt cultures etc and since it takes 53 peaches to get the same vitamin A from 2 peaches in 1950… we are deficient and need to supplement.
LLJames
February 9th, 2011 at 9:36 am
It’s important to get a quality pharmaceutical grade fish oil product. Check http://www.iherb.com for Natural Factors RX-Omega 3 capsules.
February 9th, 2011 at 10:22 am
I went to a naturl doctor and she advised me that most sold in places like Wal-mart our body can’t digest some of the products.
February 9th, 2011 at 10:31 am
Fish oil is one of my FAVORITE supplements (though it is not an herb
). I am an herbalist in private practice and I own a retail herb and supplement store, so I work with a LOT of people. The only side effect I have seen is that super sensitive people will sometimes get a fishy burp here and there, though if you are using a good quality oil that is rarely a problem. I use Pure Encapsulations with most of my clients with *excellent* results for everything from rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis to depression and eczema. If someone has high blood pressure and is on a blood thinner, I have them track their B.P. a little closer and have found that sometimes people can reduce or even get off their meds (Working with their prescribing MD, of course) My MD feels comfortable with his patients on 10 grams a day, and there is clinical research out there with dosages safely used up to 18 grams a day. So in short, fish oil is extremely safe, as far as I have seen. As for the mercury content, any EFA supplement worth taking will be carefull filtered to remove any traces of mercury. Just dont buy the economy bottle at Wal-Mart or CostCo…..
February 9th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Humans can be allergic to any substance. Fish oil if ransend, that is spoiled with bacterial or other contaminantes can be allergic. Frank Gruber Chiari
Why ask a herbalist, animal products are normally out of our area of competance!