Fish oil is indeed a very healthy nutrient that our body craves, but there are some Excessive Fish Oil Side Effects that you also must know about because you may unknowingly be harming your health. Let’s know this in detail.
Excessive Fish Oil Side Effects: What You Need to Know Before Taking Another Pill!
Fish oil is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and these omega-3 fatty acids our body doesn’t produce on its own, we need to fulfil the body’s requirement of this nutrient from our food sources, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) & docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are those two omega-3 fatty acids which are found in Fish oil.
Fish oil is indeed very beneficial for our health in all aspects, its fatty acids properties reduce the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases, as it lowers cholesterol levels in our body, but being so beneficial doesn’t mean that we can consume it in excessive amounts, as we all know that consuming too much of a good thing can also be very dangerous towards our health. In this article, we will list some scientifically proven side effects of excessive fish oil that you must know about before taking your next fish oil supplement.
8 truths about the consumption of excessive fish oil side effects are as follows:
1. Bleeding
One of the major side effects people often see is bleeding from their gums and nose, it occurs when people take an excessive amount of fish oil supplements in their diet as studies say that consuming high amounts of fish oil can activate blood clots and this can result in bleeding from the nose and gums.
There is one more important point to note for the people if they are taking any blood-thinning medicines then they are advised not to consume the fish oil supplements as it can cause bleeding from the nose and gums.
2. Low Blood Pressure
It’s very well known to many people, but even if you don’t know then we want to inform our readers that fish oil is known for its tendency to lower the blood pressure in our body. The omega-3 fatty acids found in it tend to lower the blood pressure in our body and this tendency can cause problems for those people who have low blood pressure problems.
Fish oil lowers the diastolic and systolic blood pressure in our body and it also lowers cholesterol and triglyceride content in our body as well.
You may also read 6 Proven Yoga Poses For Preventing Hypertension
3. Increase in Blood sugar level
Fish oil supplementing can be dangerous for diabetes patients as it tends to increase the blood sugar level in our bloodstream. Omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil can increase the blood sugar level which can cause harm to diabetes patients.
4. Causes Diarrhea
Diarrhea is the most common side effect of fish oil to date. It is shown in the NCBI studies that supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids can cause diarrhoea if taken in an excessive amount. Not only Diarrhea it can also cause digestive health issues due to the excessive consumption of all those supplements which contain omega 3. Just like Fish oil, there is flaxseed oil which is a very popular alternative of Omega-3 fatty acid content, and it can also cause Diarrhea.
5. Causes Acid reflux
Acid reflux, heartburn, nausea, belching and indigestion are some health issues that can occur due to the large consumption of fish oil supplements because it is a high source of fat which causes these problems, so it is advised for people who are suffering from these can shift to other sources for omega-3 fatty acids or they can reduce the doses of fish oil.
6. Promotes Insomnia
Insomnia is a disease in which we feel trouble falling asleep, or are not able to get enough proper deep sleep, and fish oil is primarily known to promote sleep quality but if we consume too much of it, then it can give the opposite effects to us, not only it will disrupt the sleep but it will also elevate the level of anxiety in our body, and this leads to insomnia disease.
7. Boosts Vitamin A toxicity
Fish oil supplements are basically a rich source of vitamin A, and excessive consumption of fish oil can generate vitamin A toxicity in our body, if the level of vitamin A increases in our body then it can lead to liver health issues like liver failure and liver infection and it can also cause us brain oedema issue. It is also found in the studies that excess amounts of vitamin A can cause nausea, joint pain and rashes on the skin kind of health problem.
You may also like Vitamin B12 Deficiency Diseases
8. Risk of Hemorrhagic stroke
We all know that fish oil is the healthiest nutrient source which is very beneficial for our heart health, as it lowers cholesterol levels in our body. However, the excess amount of fish oil in our body can increase the chances of hemorrhagic stroke (brain diseases or brain stroke ) in our body.
Note- These studies have been conducted on animals only, but not on humans so we don’t need to fear it but precaution is better than cure we all know that, so it’s better to stay on the safe side.
Is it safe to take multivitamins and fish oil together?
According to Dr Mercola’s website, it is stated that fish oil is very healthy for our chronic health, as it prevents heart health, and helps in better absorption of vitamins and minerals in our body, other benefits of taking multivitamins with fish oil will slow down the ageing process, it enhances the cognitive function of our brain, improves the joint health of our body, improvises our immune health as multivitamins are a rich source of vitamin A, B, C and E. Multivitamins contains vitamin B6, B12, and folic acids improves our cardiovascular health and fish oil will improve the better absorption of all these vitamins in our body.
Hence, it is completely safe to take multivitamins and fish oil together.
[ Disclaimer: This is for our readers that the information provided in this article does not come from specialists or doctors, so we strongly advise you to please consult the doctor before making any decision about your health. ]
Wrap Up
In conclusion of this articles, we got to know how bad it can be if we consume an excessive amount of fish oil supplements, and how it can harm our health, we have also discussed whether is it safe to take multivitamins and fish oil together or not, we hope that you have got the information that you were looking for.
FAQ’s
What happens if you take too much fish oil?
taking too much of fish oil can lead us to so many health problems such as it cause you bleeding from nose and gums, lower blood pressure, increase blood sugar level, cause insomnia, cause diarrhea, cause acid reflux, and vitamin A toxicity in our body.
Is too much fish oil bad for kidneys?
fish oil is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and these fatty acids are linked with the lowering the chances of chronic kidney diseases, so it fine if you consume small amount of fish oil, but taking in excessive amount can surely damage the kidney functioning.
How much fish oil is OK per day?
Fish oil contains both the omega 3 fatty acids called as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) & docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in it and there combines unit of approx. 250 to 500 mg of fish oil is enough for a man to stay active and healthy for a long period of time.