Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Cause Side Effects?
A normal dietary intake of
omega-3 fatty acids (through food) is probably free of significant side effects. However, even though they are "natural" products,
omega-3 supplements may cause side effects. For most people, these side effects are merely bothersome. However,
omega-3 fatty acids can sometimes cause serious side effects as well, especially when taken at higher dosages (which is often necessary in order to obtain some of the benefits of omega-3).
Serious Side Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
There are a number of side effects with omega-3 fatty acids that you should report to your healthcare provider and which may indicate that you should stop taking omega-3.
These include, but are not limited to:
- Any signs of bleeding (which may theoretically occur with high doses of omega-3 fatty acids), such as:
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Black, tarry stools; bright red blood in the stool; or vomiting of blood (signs of gastrointestinal bleeding)
- Signs of a hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain), such as vision or speech changes, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, or a severe headache
- High blood sugar (hyperglycemia), usually in people who already have diabetes
- Signs of an allergic reaction, such as:
- An unexplained rash
- Hives
- Itching
- Unexplained swelling
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing.
Some omega-3 fatty acids (the ones found in
fish oil) can also increase
LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol). Of course, dangerous side effects are possible if a fish oil omega-3 supplement contains heavy metals or other toxins, some of which may be carcinogenic (may increase the risk of cancer). This is why it is important to choose a fish oil supplement that has been adequately purified and tested for toxins.
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