Fish Oil Supplements

Fish Oil Side Effects: 4 Tips To Avoid Them

written by Vin Kutty

comments 228 comments

fish oil side effects

OK – you tried fish oil because it’s good for you.

Now youā€™re experiencing some minor fish oil side effects.

This is normal.

Especially if you just started taking fish oil for the first time.

The most common fish oil side effects are belching and fishy aftertaste.

List of common fish oil side effects:

  • Fishy burps or belching
  • Stomach upset
  • Bloating
  • Indigestion
  • Unpleasant taste in mouth

List of uncommon fish oil side effects:

  • Skin rash
  • Back pain
  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Minor infection

All of the side effects listed above are temporary.

Do not take fish oil supplements if you are allergic to fish or soy.

Why soy? Because some of the other ingredients in the pill may be made from soy. OmegaVia does not contain soy.

If you notice difficulty breathing, hives, swelling of tongue, lips or throat, get emergency medical help at once. These are signs of allergy. You may be having an allergic reaction to fish oil or something else that you just ate.

How common are these fish oil side effects?

Most people will notice burping or belching when they first start taking fish oil. This can be minimized if you take your fish oil with food. It also helps if you take only one pill per day at first and increase the number of pill gradually.

  • About 30% of people taking fish oil pills will experience one of the minor fish oil side effects.
  • About 4% of people stop taking fish oil because of side effects.
  • About 3% experience an unpleasant taste in their mouth.
  • About 8% experience an upset stomach.
  • About 2% experience back pain.
  • About 3% experience minor flu like symptoms.
  • About 5% experience minor infection.

In a clinical study, 41 people took 6 fish oil pills a day for almost 3 years. Of the 41, only 3 dropped out because of the side effects.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is safe to take 3 grams (usually 3 pills) per day.

If you take blood-thinners or anti-coagulants like CoumadinĀ®, talk to your doctor as high doses of fish oil can act as a natural blood-thinner.

Overall, fish oil side effects are minor and harmless. Benefits of taking fish oil supplement far outweigh any of the side effects.

4 Tips to reduce fish oil side effects

  1. Take only ultra-concentrated fish oil. One ultra-concentrated fish oil pill has as much Omega-3 as three regular fish oil pills. With ultra-concentrated fish oil, you get more benefits with fewer pills. And fewer pills mean fewer side effects.

    Shopping tip: How do you know if your fish oil is ultra-concentrated?
    Look at the Omega-3 content. It should be above 75 or 80% Omega-3. Most fish oils sold in retail stores are not ultra-concentrated. Retail fish oils are usually only 30% Omega-3. The other 70% is miscellaneous fat that is not listed on the product label. Some retail fish oil can be as high as 50% Omega-3 but the other 50% is just fat.

  2. Start small. If you are just starting to take fish oil, take one pill per day. After a few weeks, increase dosage to two per day to feel more benefits. If your body is not used to fish oil, taking too many pills at once can cause diarrhea.
  3. Take with meals. This always helps with reducing side effects like burping and belching. Some people also find that freezing the pills reduces burps.
  4. Buy Enteric-coated fish oil. Enteric coating prevents the pill from dissolving in the stomach. The pill stays intact well into the intestines. Once fish oil is in the intestine, you canā€™t burp it back up.

Bottom-line: you may experience some minor fish oil side effects but there are ways to reduce the effects. The overall benefits of fish oil are so great that it is worth understanding and coping with the occasional small discomforts.

Sources:
GISSI Prevenzione Trials
Medline Plus ā€“ US National Library of Medicine

228 Comments

Join the conversation

    • Hi Theresa – no. Most fish oil pills contain no soy bean oil whatsoever. However, most fish oil supplements contain some Vitamin E as a preservative. Sometimes, this Vitamin E could be made from soy. There may be other ingredients made from soy, but most (almost all) fish oils do not contain oil from soy.
      – Vin Kutty

  1. Combining Fish Oil supplements with added B Complex vitamins and Vitamin D help with slight to moderate depression. Fish Oil has been used for many years to help with depression symptoms. I’ve never had any side effects from Fish Oil ever.

  2. I started taking Omegavia fish oil pills about three weeks ago. I started with two per day and after a week increased it to four per day but due to side effects I reduced back down to two per day (figured I rushed the increase). But during the last week (while I’ve been back down to two per day) I’ve noticed a lot of mouth sores, especially on my tongue, and I’ve had a sore throat that seems to last forever. I was sick with a cold and figured the sore throat was from the cold, but most of my other cold symptoms went away except for the sore throat and now the mouth sores. Could this be a side effect of the fish oil? I stopped taking it as of last night so see if these symptoms will resolve, then I plan to start again to see if they come back. I feel like I’ve had some good benefits from the fish oil already and would really like to continue taking them, but the sores are really annoying.

    • Hi Cadie – what side effects did you notice at 4 per day?

      Mouth sores are not commonly reported side effects of fish oil. Everyone is different, so it’s impossible to tell whether the sores had anything to do with the fish oil. But I would do exactly what you’re doing. Stay off for 2 weeks. Then start back up for 2 weeks. And repeat. If you can get the sores to come up and go away by starting and stopping the pills, then you will have your answer. Otherwise, there simply is no way to know. Make sure you’re taking a good multivitamin to rule out B-complex deficiencies.

      – Vin Kutty

      • Thank you for your response! At 4 per day I noticed diarrhea. Is that common? Meanwhile the mouth sores are gone and I’m anxious to try again, but I’m gonna wait out the full 2 weeks. How long do you recommend taking 2 per day before increasing to 4 per day?
        Thanks again!

        • Hi Cadie – diarrhea is not a common side effect. Your body may not be producing enough lipase enzyme. Once your body realizes it needs to make more, it will make more. But for now, back off from 4. Stick with 2 per day for at least 2 weeks before going to 3 and then 2 more weeks before going to 4.

          – Vin Kutty

    • Hi Carolyn – possibly, but it is unlikely. What happens if you stop taking it? If the problem resolves then you have something to go off of. If you are eating a lot of fiber or beans etc. this could be an issue. If oils are causing gas, then your gut and digestive system may not be functioning as well as it should. I suggest you look into and slowly transition into a paleo or whole foods diet.

      – Vin Kutty

      • Hi Adiza – OmegaVia is not indicated for eye pain. Please consult with your doctor if you are experiencing this symptom.

  3. I have been taking 1200 of fish oil, and 1000 units of that is Omega 3. It is considered “burpless”. However, I think that since I started taking this brand, I have had gastrointestinal problems. I also have IBS so it could be that is the problem; or, now I am thinking that maybe its the brand! and the amount of omega 3. Its a “once a day” supplement.

    • be very careful, my mother ended up in the hospital with severe pancreatic issues due to fish oil pills, and it wasn’t a very high dose either. try red yeast instead, it is gentler on the organs.

      • If you do not want to take fish oil pills (for whatever reason), then I suggest you attempt eating wild-caught cold water fish a few times a week. And reduce your consumption of vegetable seed oils – soy, canola, corn oil etc. that are high in Omega-6 fats.

  4. I had minor stroke, am taking 1000 mg fish oil with šŸ˜Æ mg aspirin and 75 mg clopidogrel, is it ok?

    • Hi vgjv – I would increase your Omega-3 dosage. Usually, 1000 mg fish oil has about 300 mg of Omega-3. That’s OK if you 20 years old and healthy. But if I had a stroke, I’d be taking 3000 mg of Omega-3 per day. Get more concentrated fish oil. I’m only commenting on the fish oil dosage – not allowed by law to give medical advice about clopidogrel since it is a prescription given to you by your doctor. So check with him/her. However, combining low-dose aspirin with fish oil is a good idea – reduces inflammation very well.

  5. I am post menopausal. For the last two years I have been on bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone)from a compounding pharmacy. The HRT has helped with hot flashes, mood, and vaginal dryness. However, I am now having significant pain (burning) with intercourse to the point of not being able to have sex, even when using a lot of lubricant. I have seen my dr., who says my exam is normal and I just need to relax.

    Could Omegavia help?

    • Hi Isb – OmegaVia may or may not help. But what will certainly help is a different doctor who listens to what you’re saying.

      One or two Omega-3 pills a day will certainly keep you generally healthier, but I cannot give you medical advice since I am not a doctor.

    • your problem with your personal place trouble is something i suffered with for 2 years…..Ill tell you now I saw all kinds of dr.s and had many test and pictures,,,It turned out to be statins…yep..statins ..I took all the different(all) kinds of them and the drs were like ok then try this one over and over…..After I stopped the statins all the swelling itching and pain went away and never came back….Dont wait years like I did,,get off your statins right away!creastor,lipitor.vitorin,to name a few.Ill bet your special place problems will stop too,

  6. I’m taking fish oil 1500 from GNC about four weeks, for the last two weeks started with a lot of marks in my legs looks like a mosquitos bites and itching a lot. Is this side affect of the fish oil? This is a rash very bad itching every day and night and I can’t fall sleep, I take medication for allergies is not help me.

    • Hi Cristina – for some people, fish oil can produce a skin rash. This is very rare. But the only way to say that this product caused it is to stop taking the product for two weeks and let it clear your system. See if it goes away. Then start taking it again to see if the rash returns. If it comes back, then you can say with a bit more certainty that it was the product.

    • Cristina:
      I have the same problem, but have not been able to pinpoint what was the actual cause. Someone suggested today to check into the fish oil having the possible side effect and came across your post. Did stopping the fish oil help your rash and itching? I was going to stop with my dose tonight if this seemed to help your symptoms.
      Thanks!

  7. I’m using GNC Vitamin A 10,000 IU ( Fish Oil ) for my skin. I have acne. I’ve been talking it almost 3 months, i feel a little pain in my lower back , is it because of Vitamin A ?

    • Hi Sunny – I’d go easy on the Vitamin A supplements. High doses of Vitamin A without proportional amounts of Vitamins D, E and K is not a good idea. Animal fats are the best ways to get Vitamin A. An occasional Vitamin A pill – may be once a week, will keep you from going deficient. I don’t know if your lower back pain is from Vitamin A. You’ll have to consult with a doctor.

      Besides, I doubt that much Vitamin A will do anything for your acne. Want to get rid of acne? Get rid of sugar, wheat and dairy from your diet. Fish oil will reduce the redness in your skin, but by itself, it will not get rid of acne. Only a diet change will.

      • Thanks Vin for your detailed reply, I already reduce the sugar and sometime i use dairy product like milk or yogurt. I suffered Cystic acne and used all kind of medicines then my doctor asked me to steam twice a week.
        Now I’m thinking to use mud mask.

        I’m confused on wheat, you meant i not eat any kind of bread, can you suggest a diet.

  8. hello vin, last year i started using salmon oil capsules. it is nice stuff but it has a small side effect . my face and body colour changed. many freckels in my face. now i stopped using the salmon oils. please tell me the cause of it.

    • Hi Razi – too much salmon oil can sometimes cause your skin to become slightly orange from the astaxanthin, but that is rare and only happens if you consume dozens of pills per day. I have not heard of increased freckles from using salmon oil or fish oil.

  9. Can the arctic fish tablets be taken along other medications such as Plavix,concord,lipitor etc.Also with garlic ginger acv and lemon juice with honey.

    • Hi joj – this is a medical question since you’re asking about prescription drugs. You need to check with your doctor. We have many customers who take OmegaVia with their statin drugs – there have been no issues reported by our customers. After all, fish oil is food. No issues with garlic, ginger and honey. Lemon juice will delay or negate enteric coating of fish oil sometimes.

  10. A few months ago I was diagnosed with Panic and Anxiety Disorder. It was recommend that I start taking Fish Oil. I started with Nature Made @ 2400 mg a day and recently switched to a higher EPA version in Nordic Naturals. Even when I started taking the fish oil I noticed a weird craving sensation at the time of my dosage almost “out of my head feeling”. I have found that I am very sensitive to medication. I also would get a bump of energy and increased strong heart rate a few hours after the dosage. I have decided to taper off of the fish oil this week and see how I feel. How long is a good evaluation period? Two Weeks?

    • Hi Rob – it takes about 2 weeks for EPA to clear your system, but even a week is OK. I would caution you against assuming it is caused by Omega-3. There could be several issues causing this. Check with your doctor too, as these may be symptoms that should be part of your official diagnosis. I would also highly, HIGHLY recommend that you look into a Whole-foods-only (similar to Paleo) diet. Also see this: http://www.omegavia.com/supplements-for-depression-anxiety/

  11. I was taking 4,000 mg of fish oil daily for a few years — and feeling great. I had no colds, a reduction in my arthritis, and a general good feeling. However, my white blood cell count came back elevated (at 16). I cut out the fish oil and my white blood cell dropped significantly, but is still slightly elevated. I noticed my first colds in a few years. The doctor suggests that I may have a virus, although he is surprised it hasn’t surfaced earlier. He suggests the possibility of a cancer, but is still looking into it, although he admits my outward health is excellent (I work out all the time). I’m 64 years old, by the way.

    Here are my questions (1) Does fish oil affect white blood cells (for good or evil)? (2) Can fish oil mask a virus? Thanks.

    • Hi Mark – I am not aware of fish oil or Omega-3 affecting white blood cells. Or masking viruses. Taking fish oil merely reduces a inflammation and allows your cells to function the way they were meant to, assuming you were operating under deficiency before you started taking fish oil. Being healthy certainly gives you some added immunity to viruses, but this may or may not have anything to do with Omega-3. You may have just been healthy, lucky or have had sub-clinical viral infections.

  12. I was taking Pulse Omega 3 Pure Fish Oil for almost 21 daay but has to stop as i began to notice an unusual nausea feeling. 1 week after the feelings are not clear yet.

  13. will 2400mg of enteric coated fish oil with omega 3 fatty acids make my breath so bad my room smells awful i also take1000mg of flax seed oil a day at the same time i mean my bedroom stinks it didnt start till i started this regimen i have had my teeth cleaned and no cavities help please my breath stinks even after brushing and mouthwash

    • Hi Ray – sounds like you need to stop taking the fish oil you’re taking. Give it a break for a couple of weeks. Then start over with a different brand. Possibly at a lower dose.

  14. I’ve been taking Nature Made fish oil for only a few days and have been experiencing more gas than usual. Any recommendations has to reduce this side effect? Switch brands? Thanks for the help!

    • Hi Kristen – if you took some digestive enzymes with lipase, it may be better. But the other option is to take a much stronger Omega-3 (pharma grade) which will allow you to get all the Omega-3 with a lot less oil. Less oil probably means less gas in your case.

    • Hi,
      My 13 year old son has started taking 4 good quality capsules a day to help with mild depression. He’s been taking them for about a month now but shortly after starting them he has been complaining of a horrid taste at the back of his throat (not a fishy taste, more of a mouldy taste).
      Have you heard of this before…?

      • Hi Karen – change the product he’s taking. I haven’t heard of anyone complaining about moldy taste, but it could be old fish oil. Also, fish oil alone won’t cure depression. You need to start with a completely new diet, lifestyle changes, exercise, proper sleep, medications, therapy, and may be some supplements. Throw everything at it, not just fish oil supplements.

  15. Does the minor side effects you have listed eventually go away? I have IBS and am a new customer to Omegavia. Have only been taking one pill a day for two days. Right away I have every one of the minor symptoms listed..just wondering if the side effects go away after body adjusts and generally how long might that take?

    • Hi Jennifer – fish oil side effects are usually minor and temporary. However, since you have IBS, you may be extra sensitive. I suggest you stop taking the pills for a couple of days and start again and see if the symptoms come back. If they do, it is probably best to back off to every other day or every third day. Other options are to switch to OmegaVia EPA 500, which is a smaller pill with a smaller amount of Omega-3, so it may be less upsetting. Regardless of the product you take, it may be best to take it with the largest meal of the day.

      On a separate note, your IBS may be diet-related. Talk to a profession (who gets it!) and it may involve gluten elimination and an anti-inflammatory diet. More here: http://www.eat-real-food-paleodietitian.com/paleo-diet-and-ibs.html

  16. Hi there! I just bought Barlean’s ultra fish oil pills and am nervous about trying them for the first time. I take a multivitamin and a b complex daily and also an anti anxiety medicine called buspar at a very low dose. Do you know of any side effects with taking that combination? I’m nervous to start taking the fish oil but I’ve read of such amazing benefits that I would love to make it a daily habit to take fish oil! Any information on this would be great and hopefully ease my mind a bit about taking something new. I sometimes get anxiety taking new pills, that’s why! Haha

    • Hi Lori – there are no issues at all with combining a multi and b-vitamins with fish oil. I’d check with your prescribing doctor about the Buspar. Since you mentioned anxiety, I think it is even more critical to get Omega-3 and magnesium in your diet.

  17. I just read on my Blackmores Fish Oil capsules that they r odourless but I still suffer from the horrible taste in my mouth and intergestion.Why if odourless no fishy aftertaste.

    • Hi Michelle – you may need an enteric coated product. If your oil tastes ‘horrible’ as you put it, it may be a bit rancid. Get something purer and fresher.

      • Hi Isabel – high red blood cells is an independent health issue that needs doctor supervision. If you haven’t already sought medical help, please do so. Regardless, your body’s daily need for Omega-3 is still present and you must provide your body with Omega-3 EPA and DHA either through food or supplements. The dosage you mention is likely from 2 or 3 softgels. I suggest you start with one capsule per day with your doctor’s approval and then go up to 2 or 3 per day if there are no issues.

  18. Hi,
    Doctor has suggested to take Omega -3 fish oil 1gm to lower my cholestrol level, but as I am vegeterian so I am scared of the smell. Will that be ok if I use Omega-3 flax seed oil instead of fish oil or One of my friend suggested to take Red Rice yeast. If the fish oil is beneficial for my body I will take it but I wanted to know your suggestion.

    • Hi Sia – sorry, but your doctor is wrong. Fish oil will not lower cholesterol, at least not significantly. The key reason to take fish oil is not to lower cholesterol, but to lower triglycerides and inflammation. You can do the same with algae DHA oils that are readily available. They are 100% vegetarian. Don’t use flax as a substitute – it does not work.

  19. I recently took fish oil by spoon twice. Both times burned tongue. No other side effect. I’m trying to increase omega-3 to help with PMS. Is this burning a side effect or allergy?

      • I too have sores on my mouth and tongue and just started taking the fish oil yesterday. I’m going to skip the next week to determine if the fish oil was the cause.

          • Hi Sukesh – discontinue for a couple of weeks and resume again to see if the side effect returns. You need to do this 2 or 3 times to confirm that the side effect was caused by the fish oil and not something correlated.

  20. Hi!
    I’m contacting because I have read comments about Omega 3. Shortly my story: I have psoriasis and five years ago it really flared up in my joints so I couldn’t exercise anymore and two years ago patches started appearing on my skin and under nails. But about a year ago I started taking a new natural Omega 3 product from North- Europe that was suggested to me and now for all practical purposes my psoriasis is gone. I would like to know how you measure Omega 6/3 effect and ratio due to its importance? I use a blood test which shows the
    ratio and several other data analyzed by leading laboratories. For example my first test ratio was 8,4:1, second after four months 3,4:1 and third a year later 1,6:1. It`s would be nice to know your opinion.

    • Hi Riho – this is great! I wish more people would follow your example. Your Omega-6 to 3 ratio has been steadily improving, so I am not surprised that you are noticing fewer inflammatory symptoms like psoriasis and painful joints. Typically, results like yours can only be achieved if you combine increased Omega-3 from diet and supplements along with a reduction in Omega-6 from seed oils. I assume you’ve done both.

  21. Hi. I’m taking fish oil for the first time ever. I’m a 35 year old with psoriasis, eczema, and I’m medicated for depression. For the first 3 days I took one pill a day with food. Just two nights ago ( the fourth day) I started taking 2 with meals. The second day of taking two I experienced the fishy burps and upset stomach. Will this subside or should I decrease intake?

    • Hi Jewel – given what you’ve described, I suspect that you have a lot of inflammation. Depression, eczema and psoriasis, all have one thing in common – inflammation. One pill a day is better than nothing. But I have no idea how much Omega-3 you’re getting per pill. You may want to consider another brand with more Omega-3. I suggest getting 2000 to 3000 mg of Omega-3 per day. But also drastically changing your diet – eliminate sugar, sweets, juices, soda, flour, refined grains, processed food and especially all vegetable see oils except olive and coconut oil. Look into probiotics and fermented foods. I highly recommend finding an integrative or functional medicine practitioner to help you get inflammation under control. If burping is an issue, try enteric coated products.

  22. Hi Vin Kutty!
    Thank you for answer and yes, I`ve done both. By the way my brother-in-law has completely gotten rid of his asthma and allergies (peanut, cucumber, apple, grass …) through a same natural product he’s been taking for some 9 months now. I decided let you know a little more about this test which is available for everybody. This is a simple dry blood-spot test for home sample collection. Leading laboratories analyze the sample to determine your fatty acid profile as a reflection of your diet. It takes less than a minute to complete, and you can access your results online anonymously after about 20 days. The BalanceTest identifies levels of 11 fatty acids in the blood with 98% certainty. You will learn your blood levels of omega-3 and your ratio of omega 6:3 for balance, plus receive report to increase your health and dietary awareness. There are six datas about body balance:
    1. Your Protection (Fatty Acids Profile Value)
    2. Omega-3 (EPA+DHA) Level
    3. Omega-6 (AA)/Omega-3 (EPA) Balance
    4. Arachidonic Acid (AA) Formation Efficiency
    5. Cell Membrane Fluidity Index
    6. Mental strength Index
    Certainly there are much more information.

  23. I just had a blood work-up and was told that my cholesterol is too high. My doctor said I could take Zocor or 1000mg of fish oil twice a day for 3 to 6 months. Which is better and more effective? Which would you say has the least amount of annoying side effects? And most important, which would you say works better? Thanks for your help. New territory for me. I am 56 and a little overweight and trying to get it under control.

    • Hi Mary – Zocor (a statin drug) and fish oil do different things. Zocor is a stain drug that reduces cholesterol. Fish oil contains Omega-3, an essential nutrient. Omega-3 is not optional. Omega-3 supports healthy inflammation response and if you take 3000 mg Omega-3 per day along with a healthy diet and exercise plan, it can help maintain healthy triglycerides. Triglycerides are different from cholesterol and many scientists believe that they are even more telling of future heart health incidents. Fish oil, being a food, has fewer side effects. You need to make your decision with your doctor, but my choice would be fish oil, exercise, and strict elimination of sugars, sodas, juices, processed foods and flour.

  24. USANA Biomega III is the best fishoil I’ve taken in my life! It’s pharmaceutical grade and doesn’t have bad smell. It has lemon oil extract that when you burp, it literally tastes like lemon. Plus it contains 1 gram of DHA, EPA, and of course, Omega-3!

  25. Hi!
    You must measure Omega 3 effect and Omega 6:3 ratio due to its importance! By the way- if you hold ratio 3:1 or lower then all life style diseases (skin diseases, asthma, allergies, diabetes 2, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and so on) are disapeared.

  26. Hi, I had some leftover liquid fish oil in my refrigerator – about a tablespoon – & I drank it. It tasted pretty bad, but I figured it was only a small amount. Ever since then, about two weeks, I’ve been experiencing light diarrhea. What can I do to “cure” this? I started drinking kambucha, will that help?

    • Hi Julie – I’ve never heard of someone experiencing two weeks of diarrhea from taking a tablespoon of old fish oil. Granted, if it tasted bad, it was probably rancid. But any gastric side effect of taking rancid fish oil should be temporary. It should not last two weeks. I suggest you go to your doctor and get this looked at. Kombucha may help, but check with your doctor first.

  27. I TRIED SEVERAL BRANDS OF FISH OIL. ALTHOUGH I FEEL VERY ENERGETIC while on fish oil, I feel extremely hungry and could eat a house and still be hungry. i sometimes get these symptoms while not on fish oil , but when fish oil its much much worse

    • Hi Yankel – it is unusual for fish oil to to trigger hunger. Usually, fats and proteins moderate hunger…and starch and sugar trigger it. Is it possible that you are eating more carbs/sugar at the same time?

      • I agree, i feel the exact same way. I STARTED TAKING THEM YESTERDAY AND A COUPLE HOURS LATER I WAS EATING EVERYTHING I COULD ORDER AND GET IN MY HOUSE!! I woke up and felt soooo hungry it was unbelievable because.i.never eat breakfast and i just ate at 12am, meanwhile i woke up at 5 am. Im eating righg now still feel hungry. I ate a normal amount of food before pills but more on some days because.im an athlete.

  28. I recently started taking 1/1200mg of omega 3 fish oil, skipped a day then took the next…partnered with a D-3 vitamin. I woke up with stiff joints ( every joint on my body ) and a stiff neck with swollen neck lymph nodes. I also am itchy, like hives popping up and itchy on my ankles and feet. I looked at the bottle and these vitamins are both expired2012. Could all the above be side affects from taking these? This is day two with these symptoms. Thank you for your help.

    • Hi ready4bed – skin reactions are extremely rare side effects of fish oil. However, itchiness, swollen lymph nodes and stiff neck are not recognized side effects of fish oil, but we are all unique and we all react to things differently. Vitamin D3 does not cause these reactions either.

      The first thing I would do is toss the expired bottles of pills. I’d also check with your doctor because the symptoms may have nothing to do with either of these supplements and could be an indication of something else.

  29. Hi, I’ve been taking fish oil for almost a year now and just recently I discovered that fish oil can go rancid. Anyway the one I been taking has this fishy smell inside the bottle, I tried the ” bite and taste” test and while its not particularly revolting it does taste fishy but not enough to make me vomit. I have another bottle that I had just bought I did the same test on it but I realized that its got an orange flavor which masked the taste and smell, but definitely taste better than the old one. Now I’m contemplating on throwing the one that smell and taste fishy and well I hate the idea doing that since that would mean money down the drain. Though I’m not sure if it’s normal for a fish oil to taste and smell fishy, I would appreciate any answer you might have. Thank you.

    • Hi Mark – if the fish oil is old and improperly stored, then yes, it can go rancid. It could also have started going rancid before you bought it. The retailer may not have handled the product properly or the manufacturer may not have used the freshest oil. The best way to prevent this problem is to make sure you get an IFOS 5-star rated fish oil. IFOS is a third-party fish oil testing program that publishes test results for everyone to access freely. Google IFOS Consumer Report and select any of the 5-star rated products. At least this way, you will be getting a product that was high quality at the time of testing.

  30. Hi!
    Natural Omega 3 oil (fish and olive oil+D vitamin) I use can hold in the dark cabinet until two years unopened but after opening in the fridge forty five days.

  31. Hi!
    Natural Omega 3 oil (fish and olive oil+D vitamin) I use can hold in the dark cabinet until two years unopened but after opening in the fridge forty five days.

  32. I am taking fish oil for two days Two spoon per day, and I am feeling pain in my stomach. Is it because of the fish oil?I thought fish oil is good for the stomach. Now I am confused…

    • Hi Sitora – it could be the fish oil or something else. Get medical help if it is serious. Fish oil occasionally causes digestive issues in some people. If your doctor clears you for taking more fish oil, start with a lower dose and see if that works.

    • If you have gallstones or you have problem with gall then solve the problem and start with fish oil again.

    • Hijhaky – if it was indeed the fish oil that caused the rash (a rare side effect in some people), it will go away in a few days. I would not give up on taking Omega-3 or eating fish! If you want to supplement, try another brand.

  33. Hi, I have been taking a brand named DeepSeaPharma Krill Omega, which was recommended by our family doctor. Since I started taking one pill pr day I have noticed that I get stomach pain and that my stomach is bloated. I stopped for a while and then a few days ago I started again and it happened again. I really need the fish oils but I feel very uncomfortable and don’t know what to do.

    It is 500mg which contains Omega3+D-vitamin -NKO Krill

    • Hi Silvia – it is likely that the oil is rancid. I would suggest another product. You should discuss with your doctor about options.

  34. Hi,

    First of all, I would like to thank you for this very informative website and your responses. Also I would like to comment that I will be visiting my doctor about this condition later on this week, however, I’d like to get your opinion as well Vin.

    I have taken Fish oil on and off for years now (currently I am 35 yo male), and have never had an allergic reaction to it, nor have I ever been allergic to fish or seafood. In addition I have had no allergic reactions to anything in my life that I can recall, except for opiates (Think oxycodone / percocet, vicotin etc.). In the past I took 2-3g a day of Sam’s club over the counter triple strength enteric coated fish oil (1g per pill) for many months at a time.

    Fast forward to May of 2014 after not taking fish oil for around a year I made the decision to begin taking it again, albeit a more reliable source (I did lots of studying on IFOS and IKOS website as well as professional and consumer reports) to find the best available source for oil.

    My first trial was with Krill Goldā„¢ 1000mg by NutriGoldĀ® 1 pill a day. All was going well for about 2 weeks until I got a sporadic itchy rash / hives on my legs and arms and extremely itchy concentrated rash on my inner thighs (legs) right at my groin region. I was confused at first and thought I may be having a reaction to the summer heat or something else. To be safe I stopped taking the Krill oil immediately and in 5 – 7 days the rash cleared up and my skin was fine again.

    Initial warnings (albeit personal) told me that it was something in the Krill that I was allergic to. I waited a month to begin taking a Omega-3 supplement again to ensure that it was not something else causing these symptoms.

    Went back to the drawing board and after some more researching I decided to switch back to Fish Oil since I have had great success with that in the past. After researching IFOS and independent third party test sites, I decided to go with your OmegaVia Pharma-Grade Fish Oil, Enteric Odorless/Burp-Free, 60 Capsules. 1105 mg Omega-3.

    Once again after two weeks of taking 1g (1 pill) per day I am back to having hives (itchy rashes) on my arms and legs and a very concentrated rash right at my waist line and inside legs (groin area) as well as the feeling that it is affecting my left eye as well (rash).

    I am very confused and may be thinking that it is either due to the bio-availability of the pharma grade fish oil (equally with the bio-availability of the krill oil) being greater than the over-the-counter product I was taking before or, with the capsule itself (however the krill oil capsule was made of different ingredients and i do not think the bovine gelatin would do it as I am not allergic to red meat)? Possibly the Plant Tocopherols?

    I do not think it is due to the fish oil being in Ethyl Esters form (as the krill oil is not and I have taken Ethyl Ester fish oil before). Since there are very minimal ingredients in the Omegavia fish oil I am very confused as to what it could be.

    – I would like to add that I do use chewing tobacco and am a *heavy* drinker. I average 2-4 alcoholic beverages 3-4 times per week.

    – I would also like to add that I have just come off of using an anti-depressant (citalopram 20mg per day, roughly for 8 months) 2 weeks before the start of using the Omegavia fish oil and was taking it daily during the consumption of the Krill oil.

    – History of high blood pressure (but not severely high and high LDL cholesterol (300+ range since my early 20’s).

    – I have not had a history of skin rashes or allergies before perse; but have had mild skin irritations in the past (very infrequently)

    – Lastly I run 15 – 30 miles per week and cycle 20-40 miles per week; very active.

    Sorry this is so long but I wanted to be as informative as I could and thank you for your time looking at this! -Jake

    • Hi Jake – it is possible that you have developed an allergy to fish oil. A very small fraction of the population has the skin reactions you mentioned. It is usually not serious and it goes away with time. My suggestion is to go off the product (please call our customer service folks if you’d like a refund) and try re-introducing other sources of Omega-3 – lots of wild salmon. Do it now before the Copper River run salmon ends. Or other fish. See if you notice anything. Then try a different supplement with a different Omega-3 profile – may be our EPA 500 item. Take one pill every 3 days. Or take a low-dose Omega-3. You will have to play detective with the help of your doctor. That’s the only way to get to the bottom of it.

  35. Vin,

    Unfortunately I figured you would advise to quit. I will speak with my Doctor today in the hopes that I can use a daily anti-histamine or some alternative product. Thank you for your reply.

  36. I m taking triple strength omega complex of gnc with omega-3 1275 mg, omega-6 180 mg and omega-9 150 mg for weight loss along with low calories food,lemon green tea and walk 45 min morning and 45 min evening, Is the dose of omega3-6-9 correct?, should I also take multivitamins? I stop all sugar sodas. I also taking pills for blood presuure and my fasting sugar is also high that’s why I want to lose weight, my bmi is 29.8 I should lose 10 kg weight to delay diabetes millatus, can u give any suggestion?

    • Hi assia – fish oil, low-calorie diets etc wont help you lose weight. Although omega-3, green tea and walking are fantastic for several other reasons. Yes, take a multivitamin.

      Stop all sodas, sugar, sweet anything. Stop juices, fast food and refined grains – anything that contains flour. eat a lot of real foods like vegetables, meats, seafood, eggs, meats, fruits and nuts. Worry about WHAT you eat instead of HOW MUCH.

      Weight loss pill don’t work. What you eat does.

  37. Does fish oil 1500 that in GNC store cause fat? I took that for 14 days which is one pill a day , so that mean I took 14 pills. I got increase wight in short period about 25 lb during two monthes and the increasing still going. So what I’m going to do? Let me know and share me your experince please.

    • Hi Zee – no, the GNC Fish Oil 1500 will not make you fat. If you have been drinking sodas, juices, and eating sweet stuff, it is probably what’s causing most of the weight gain. Just to be safe, have a doctor check your thyroid and other metabolic markers.

  38. I am having some issues that I think might be related to fish oil. It’s vey embarrassing but what I have could be described as sticky bowels. There is a bizarre metallic odor as well.

    I have been taking 6 capsules daily of Now Super Omega EPA, a total of 6000 mg fish oil or 3600 mg omega 3 fatty acids. I am wondering if this is causing these symptoms?

    I am a 50 yr old female, 5’6 130 pounds. I am an athlete (weightlifter and runner) and was told to take 3-4 grams of omega 3s a day. My symptoms are only a recent problem and I have been taking this much fish oil for a while now. Is it possible the pills have gone bad? The expiration date says 2016. Or is it a cumulative effect of just taking too much? Should I decrease the dose or cut it out altogether?

    • Hi Anya – based on my experience, it is unlikely that this is due to the fish oil, assuming you don’t have issues digesting fats. Even if you have issues digesting fats, this is not what would happen. My guess for a dietary culprit is gluten. It is the poorly digested, highly inflammatory and very sticky (gluten is sticky like glue) protein from wheat that ‘comes out’ making things a bit sticky.

      I suggest going off the fish oil for a couple of weeks. No harm will be done. Then see if the condition improves. If the problem resumes when you restart the fish oil regimen, then you can say with better certainty that it is indeed the fish oil. Then try taking a lower dose along with supplement that provides lipase enzymes – plenty of them on Amazon.com to see if that helps fat digestion.

      Please keep your doctor informed in case the metallic odor is an indication of iron/blood. It may just be something in your diet other than fish oil, but until you have ruled out something more serious, don’t assume it is just diet related.

      • Hello Vin,

        Well I did an experiment, cut out the fish oil for a few days, the symptoms went away. Then I started back on them, this time only two a day, and the symptoms came back. So I took them out again and the symptoms disappeared. So obviously I have an intolerance to fish oil even in small amounts. I had the same problem with another brand so switched to this brand and was able to take for a couple years without problems. I guess I will have to get my Omega 3 in another way which will be hard because I don’t eat any type of fish or seafood.

        • Hi Anya – looks like you got some answers with your experimentation. Try Omega-3 eggs – that may be an option.

  39. I have been taking fish oil for a few weeks
    Skin is yellow-orange

    Take 1 a day is it normal? I thought I was getting a tan.is it normal?

    • Hi Deb – fish oil cannot make your skin yellow-orange. However, taking astaxanthin supplements or eating a lot of beta-carotene (carrots etc.) can give it an orange hue. If it lasts, go to your doctor to rule out anything serious.

  40. After reading all the comments above, I realize my major problem is addiction to sugar. How does a person break that? I have successfully gotten off wheat and gluten but can’t seem to resist the sugar, to the point of “sneaking” it. Help!

    • Hi Olivia – lots of people are addicted to sugar. It’s not an imaginary disease. And it’s not in your head. Try Diane Sanfilippo’s program. This link normally works but it seems to be glitchy now: http://balancedbites.com/sugar-addiction-detox
      I do not agree with most of what she has to say about Omega-3 but she is totally right on this subject.

      Sugar detox is not fun but worth it. And it is very easy to go back to old habits.

  41. Hi,

    May I please ask a serious question?, When I sometimes take Nordic Naturals cod liver oil “Nordic Naturals Arctic-D Cod Liver Oil 237ml”, about 30 minutes after taking it, I start to feel really dizzy and bad.

    Any idea on why that is please?.

    Thank You.

    • Hi Tom – I don’t know why that is. But I suggest you talk to your doctor about it. I suspect your doctor will simply ask you to stop taking the product. On the surface, it is the simplest way to stop the problem. But Nordic Naturals is a good company and they have other products you may want to try. Call up their customer service line and see if they can help you choose something else.

      • Hey Vin,

        Thank You very very much.
        May I please just ask you one more question regarding fish oil?

        Yeah, Nordic is one of the best out there, but could it be possible that the other Omega’s (Omega 6 & 9 ) in the product may be causing the negative effect?. Each 5ml contains a total of 5000mg cod liver oil, BUT that 5000mg also includes the other omegas 6/9/etc. There’s only ‘1260mg Omega 3’ per every 5ml out of the 5000mg.

        So, could it be the other Omega’s (non 3) could be causing the negative effects?. Also, the negative effect only happens when I take more than 5ml.

        But also, when I took 5g of MorEpa Platinum, I did not get any negative reactions. (problem is it’s was too expensive)

        And, even with Eskimo 3 Brainsharp, when I took more than 5ml I got the same negative effects as the cod liver listed above.

        So may I please ask you, please could you give your input on this please?, Thank you very very much.
        Thank you. šŸ™‚

        • Hi Tom – Omega-9 is harmless…actually it may be really good for you. Omega-6 is harmful in excess but it is essential for survival. If you eat a lot of Omega-6, you would get fat and develop inflammatory conditions. But neither should cause you to have immediate side effects. Still, may be you should try Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega in liquid form…it has less 6 and 9.

          • Hi Vin,

            OK, Thank you. But, could it be the Vitamin A,E or D in it causing the dizziness/bad vision if I take over 5ml?

            Thanks.
            (Note: MorEPA platinum included Vitamin D also, but did not cause any negative effects (dizziness/bad vision), but the Nordic Naturals Cod Liver oil & Eskimo 3 brainsharp.)

            Thank You.

  42. Hi,

    May I please ask a serious question?, When I sometimes take Nordic Naturals cod liver oil “Nordic Naturals Arctic-D Cod Liver Oil 237ml”, about 30 minutes after taking it, I start to feel really dizzy and bad.

    Any idea on why that is please?.

    Thank You.

  43. Hello, i am making a diet and i lost 28 kg does the product Jamieson omega 369 is good for me or not … some friend told me that it reduce belly fat is that right

  44. Thanks for an informative website. The information about taking fish oil with other fats is helpful. I notice most of a difference when I take it with a little coconut oil and avocado oil.

    Two questions, if you have time to answer them:

    1) I like the idea of taking high-EPA fish oil, and I see that your company offers that product, but was wondering if it’s available in liquid form (for those who’d rather take it by the spoonful, and avoid capsules)?

    2) On your page about krill oil, you mentioned that one benefit of krill is that it provides EPA and DHA bound to phospholipids. I’m curious if taking a spoonful of lecithin (which is also high in phospholipids) along with fish oil might have a benefit?

    • Hi Nils – we don’t have a high-EPA liquid product. I don’t think there is a liquid EPA-only product available, but there are many that are higher in EPA than DHA.

      Taking a spoonful of lecithin with your fish oil will have absolutely no additional benefit. The Omega-3 has to be bound to the phospholipid on a molecular level. Krill oil provides this superior molecularly bound Omega-3, but the concentration of Omega-3 in krill oil is so low that it is a waste of your time and money, in my opinion.

  45. HI Vin its a very good site very helpful

    I have used Brain Wise Syrup
    DELICIOUS OMEGA-3 SMOOTHIE TO HELP MAINTAIN ACTIVE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND EYE FUNCTION
    BrainWise tackles these problems by using the WisdOM-3ā„¢ process to emulsify the finest fish oil with prebiotics and a mouth-watering blend of 8 different fruit purees and juice concentrates to produce a ā€˜smoothieā€™ like fruit cream.

    In fact BrainWise contains all of the beneficial antioxidants from a full handful of the fruit that goes into making every teaspoonful.

    Thatā€™s why we say BrainWise provides effective nutrition, made easyā€¦for kids!
    Effective

    High in EPA and DHA Omega 3s
    Antioxidant content of a handful of fresh fruit
    No artificial flavours, colours and sweeteners
    Contains prebiotics to support friendly bacteria
    Emulsified by WisdOM-3
    Easy

    Delicious real fruit taste
    No fishy aftertaste
    Mix in juices or water
    Recommended daily intake:

    BrainWise – AGES 2-4 Take 1 teaspoon (5ml) daily.
    AGES 4-12 Take 1-2 teaspoons (5-10ml) daily.
    ADULTS Take 2-4 teaspoons (10-20ml) daily.
    BrainWise can be taken directly from the spoon or mixed in with water, fruit juice or milk.

    Nutrient Average/5ml serving
    Total Omega 3 fatty acids 600mg
    Eicosapentaeonic acid (EPA) 250mg
    Docosahexaeonic acid (DHA) 190mg
    Total Anthocyanins 15mg
    Natural Mixed Tocopherols 12.5mg

  46. I would love to be able to take Omega-3s and eat seafood, but whenever I take fish oil, even at low dosages (1,000 mg once a day), it’s like my body cannot process them. My sweat and urine will reek of fish and I get super nauseous. Anyone know why that might happen and what I can do to get my body to digest fish oil?

  47. I just started taking fish oil supplements. My granddaughter has severe fish allergies. Will this have any affect on her while she is around me?

    • Hi Sarah – if you are taking whole fish oil capsules, there should not be any issues. When there is an allergy, you are reacting to a PROTEIN. Since fish oil has no protein and is all FAT, there is little risk of allergic reaction.

  48. I just started taking fish oil supplements. My granddaughter has severe fish allergies. Will this have any affect on her while she is around me?

    • Hi Sarah – if you are taking whole fish oil capsules, there should not be any issues. When there is an allergy, you are reacting to a PROTEIN. Since fish oil has no protein and is all FAT, there is little risk of allergic reaction.

  49. Good morning!

    I’ve been seriously in a ‘change my life for the better’ place since I was diagnosed with borderline high blood pressure and put on low dose b/p meds two years ago….working out now 6 days a week, learned to run which I love, never drink soda, fried foods virtually gone from my life save the occasional treat meal, very little bread, crackers, chips….lost 60 pounds since February 2012. Total CHOL was initially 216, then 211 six months later, then got my follow up call from my recent labs yesterday saying it is now 218….said all your labs are normal with your cholesterol “a smidge high” at 218. Her nurse was just very sweet and matter of fact and said to call with any questions. In the past my doctor said just keep up with the diet and exercise lifestyle changes and it will go down; it came up a little….but she is not concerned obviously.

    I am considering starting fish oil…just wondering…ok to take with b/p meds? I read that fish oil can lower b/p…….but I was hoping it would be ok…HCTZ 25 mg and Lisinopril 5mg, each once a day…very low dose and under control. Would just love to see my total CHOL under 200.

    Endless thanks…..

    Caroline

    • Hi Caroline – if we were neighbors and were talking over our fence, I’d tell you things that I cannot share on this forum. This means you need to connect some dots. Some of the things I’d say would include:
      1. It is quite normal for healthy middle-aged women to have total cholesterol in the 200 to 240 range. People with higher cholesterol live longer. Not my opinion. Fact.
      2. Total cholesterol is a somewhat useless number because it is a mish-mosh of numbers that are supposed to be both high and low. More here: http://www.omegavia.com/cholesterol-when-to-panic/ and http://www.omegavia.com/fish-oil-cholesterol/
      3. I get worried when I hear that people have sworn off fried foods – to me, this implies fat-phobia…and that’s very 1990s. For the last 20 years, the scientific evidence against low-fat diets has been consistently crumbling. Turns out not all fats are bad. Turns out not all SATURATED fats are bad – there are a few kinds. I eat butter and bacon generously.
      4. People worried about blood pressure ought to pay a lot more attention to potassium than sodium, specifically, increase potassium consumption thru foods.
      5. I really like that you’ve cut out soda, bread, crackers and chips. Excellent! Replace grains with vegetables.
      6. Yes, fish oil is OK with all the meds you mentioned.
      7. I would not want my CHOL under 200 (see #2 above) but my triglyceride under 100 and my HDL over 50. Focus on TG and HDL and how to get that under control….but that’s just me.

  50. Good morning!

    I’ve been seriously in a ‘change my life for the better’ place since I was diagnosed with borderline high blood pressure and put on low dose b/p meds two years ago….working out now 6 days a week, learned to run which I love, never drink soda, fried foods virtually gone from my life save the occasional treat meal, very little bread, crackers, chips….lost 60 pounds since February 2012. Total CHOL was initially 216, then 211 six months later, then got my follow up call from my recent labs yesterday saying it is now 218….said all your labs are normal with your cholesterol “a smidge high” at 218. Her nurse was just very sweet and matter of fact and said to call with any questions. In the past my doctor said just keep up with the diet and exercise lifestyle changes and it will go down; it came up a little….but she is not concerned obviously.

    I am considering starting fish oil…just wondering…ok to take with b/p meds? I read that fish oil can lower b/p…….but I was hoping it would be ok…HCTZ 25 mg and Lisinopril 5mg, each once a day…very low dose and under control. Would just love to see my total CHOL under 200.

    Endless thanks…..

    Caroline

    • Hi Caroline – if we were neighbors and were talking over our fence, I’d tell you things that I cannot share on this forum. This means you need to connect some dots. Some of the things I’d say would include:
      1. It is quite normal for healthy middle-aged women to have total cholesterol in the 200 to 240 range. People with higher cholesterol live longer. Not my opinion. Fact.
      2. Total cholesterol is a somewhat useless number because it is a mish-mosh of numbers that are supposed to be both high and low. More here: http://www.omegavia.com/cholesterol-when-to-panic/ and http://www.omegavia.com/fish-oil-cholesterol/
      3. I get worried when I hear that people have sworn off fried foods – to me, this implies fat-phobia…and that’s very 1990s. For the last 20 years, the scientific evidence against low-fat diets has been consistently crumbling. Turns out not all fats are bad. Turns out not all SATURATED fats are bad – there are a few kinds. I eat butter and bacon generously.
      4. People worried about blood pressure ought to pay a lot more attention to potassium than sodium, specifically, increase potassium consumption thru foods.
      5. I really like that you’ve cut out soda, bread, crackers and chips. Excellent! Replace grains with vegetables.
      6. Yes, fish oil is OK with all the meds you mentioned.
      7. I would not want my CHOL under 200 (see #2 above) but my triglyceride under 100 and my HDL over 50. Focus on TG and HDL and how to get that under control….but that’s just me.

  51. Will omega-3 products cause problems for someone with severe acid reflux (burps etc.)? Is Omegavia safe to take if you have acid reflux? I need the positive side of taking Omega-3, but I have severe acid reflux and dread any fish burps and nausea and becoming sick. Is it safe for me? I wish there was a sample to try. The acid reflux I have was caused by the tubes in my throat during a very long neurosurgery. I had to have 4 surgeries in 3 years and longest was 14 hours (removing benign, cranial brain tumor). I get sick if I eat the wrong foods (anything fatty, greasy, some diary, any junk foods, chocolate at night, no “cream of” anything soups, pizza, spaghetti sauce – any type of tomato sauce, no acid foods and several other things etc.). If I don’t watch what I eat, I’ll have non-stop vomiting and diarrhea for 3-4 hours. I’ve become so sick that my diet is very careful because the price is high. I eat lots of vegetables, some carbs and good grains (carbs – oats, rice etc.) and such. I can eat graham crackers and some cereals. I’m careful with proteins – I eat lots of chicken and some fish (expensive), but no beef or pork. I haven’t had things like french fries in 7 years – the effect of eating that is horrible so I adjusted quickly. What do you think? Will this omega-3 cause problems for someone with severe acid reflux?

    • Hi Karen – there seems to be a LOT going on. More than just reaction to tubes in the throat during surgery. I suggest you work with a functional medicine or integrative medicine MD. Regular doctors won’t know how to deal with this. Having said that, I honestly don’t know how you will react to OmegaVia. Everyone’s different. We have customers with acid reflux and they haven’t reported any issues.

  52. Will omega-3 products cause problems for someone with severe acid reflux (burps etc.)? Is Omegavia safe to take if you have acid reflux? I need the positive side of taking Omega-3, but I have severe acid reflux and dread any fish burps and nausea and becoming sick. Is it safe for me? I wish there was a sample to try. The acid reflux I have was caused by the tubes in my throat during a very long neurosurgery. I had to have 4 surgeries in 3 years and longest was 14 hours (removing benign, cranial brain tumor). I get sick if I eat the wrong foods (anything fatty, greasy, some diary, any junk foods, chocolate at night, no “cream of” anything soups, pizza, spaghetti sauce – any type of tomato sauce, no acid foods and several other things etc.). If I don’t watch what I eat, I’ll have non-stop vomiting and diarrhea for 3-4 hours. I’ve become so sick that my diet is very careful because the price is high. I eat lots of vegetables, some carbs and good grains (carbs – oats, rice etc.) and such. I can eat graham crackers and some cereals. I’m careful with proteins – I eat lots of chicken and some fish (expensive), but no beef or pork. I haven’t had things like french fries in 7 years – the effect of eating that is horrible so I adjusted quickly. What do you think? Will this omega-3 cause problems for someone with severe acid reflux?

    • Hi Karen – there seems to be a LOT going on. More than just reaction to tubes in the throat during surgery. I suggest you work with a functional medicine or integrative medicine MD. Regular doctors won’t know how to deal with this. Having said that, I honestly don’t know how you will react to OmegaVia. Everyone’s different. We have customers with acid reflux and they haven’t reported any issues.

  53. you said Bottom-line: you may experience some minor fish oil side effects but there are ways to reduce the effects.

    Have good quality fish oil….. But mints cant help the terrible “poo” taste in my mouth. Even did with food. Some ideas pleassssssssse.

    • Hi Jim – take enteric coated fish oil. If enteric coated fish oil still gives you fishy burps, take a Betaine HCL pill along with the enteric coated pill.

  54. I have been taking Wild Salmon and Fish Oil, Life Brand for about 2 weeks, I take one softgel capsule 3 times a day with my meal. Suddenly I have developed severe dizziness, diarrhea, daily headache and feeling nausea.

    Could this be the result of the capsules? I have IBS, high blood pressure controlled with medication, the same for under active thyroid.

    Thanks for any help you can offer.

    • Hi Phyllis – it sounds like you may need medical help from your doctor, since you have some medical conditions and are taking Rx meds. It’s also possible that you have rancid product. Either stop taking it completely or go down to just 1 pill per day.

  55. I have been taking Wild Salmon and Fish Oil, Life Brand for about 2 weeks, I take one softgel capsule 3 times a day with my meal. Suddenly I have developed severe dizziness, diarrhea, daily headache and feeling nausea.

    Could this be the result of the capsules? I have IBS, high blood pressure controlled with medication, the same for under active thyroid.

    Thanks for any help you can offer.

    • Hi Phyllis – it sounds like you may need medical help from your doctor, since you have some medical conditions and are taking Rx meds. It’s also possible that you have rancid product. Either stop taking it completely or go down to just 1 pill per day.

  56. Krill oil made me oily (back, scalp, face) and made my sweat and oil smell really bad and eventually made me really itchy, everywhere. I stopped after 10 days. Awful!

  57. Krill oil made me oily (back, scalp, face) and made my sweat and oil smell really bad and eventually made me really itchy, everywhere. I stopped after 10 days. Awful!

  58. I started to take fish oil but after a week , i am starting to have vaginal bleeding and my pelvis hurts, this could be a side effects of the fish oils? Thank u

    • Hi Janciny – these are not side effects of fish oil. Please have it checked with a doctor right away.

  59. I started to take fish oil but after a week , i am starting to have vaginal bleeding and my pelvis hurts, this could be a side effects of the fish oils? Thank u

    • Hi Janciny – these are not side effects of fish oil. Please have it checked with a doctor right away.

  60. I started taking fish oil with omega 3 once a day and a statin drug for high cholesterol, and high trygleserites. my problem is I am so gassy its embarrassing. I take with food at night. my stomach hurts all the time, and feels soooo bloated. help please

    • Hi Joyce – this may or may not be caused by fish oil. To rule it out, stop for a week and resume and watch for these symptoms to return. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times before you confirm that the pill is causing this issue. Your body ought to be able easily digest the fats in one pill. If you are having digestive issues, try taking it with digestive enzymes that contain lipase. If lipase makes it better, talk to an integrative physician about why you may have enzyme insufficiency. Just a thought – work with a doctor to rule out any other possible digestive issues.

  61. I have an allergy to salmon. I want to take fish oil for its wonderful benefits, but is there any way to be sure I’m not getting salmon? Salmon is the only fish I am allergic to.

    • Hi Kristin – most fish oil supplements clearly state what fish the oil comes from. If the oil is from salmon (pretty rare) they will say so on the label. This should be a reliable way to tell.

    • Hi Raju – fish oil is not a drug. You may discontinue at any time. However, if you were noticing any benefits from taking it, those will probably go away in a few weeks. It’s an experiment worth doing to see if there are any noticeable changes.

    • Hi Raju – fish oil is not a drug. You may discontinue at any time. However, if you were noticing any benefits from taking it, those will probably go away in a few weeks. It’s an experiment worth doing to see if there are any noticeable changes.

  62. Hello, I started Omega 3 on Wednesday, 3 days ago, I felt a very strange feeling on my face the next day, looked in the mirror a saw large red hives, shaving was a huge mistake.

    Buy Friday night they have subsided, still took 4 Omega 3 pills ( 2 in am, 2 in pm), it’s Saturday night and mt face has once again broken out in hives. I noticed the skin on my cheeks was very flaky…

    Going to stop the Omega 3 to see if my face clears up… If it does I will start again by consuming only 2 pills daily ( 1 am, 1 pm).

    Anyone have these symptoms ???? Thank you….

    • Hi Lawrence – you may be reacting to something in the oil besides the Omega-3. You body NEEDS Omega-3 to survive. It’s the other stuff that tags along that might be causing your issues.

  63. Hello, I started Omega 3 on Wednesday, 3 days ago, I felt a very strange feeling on my face the next day, looked in the mirror a saw large red hives, shaving was a huge mistake.

    Buy Friday night they have subsided, still took 4 Omega 3 pills ( 2 in am, 2 in pm), it’s Saturday night and mt face has once again broken out in hives. I noticed the skin on my cheeks was very flaky…

    Going to stop the Omega 3 to see if my face clears up… If it does I will start again by consuming only 2 pills daily ( 1 am, 1 pm).

    Anyone have these symptoms ???? Thank you….

    • Hi Lawrence – you may be reacting to something in the oil besides the Omega-3. You body NEEDS Omega-3 to survive. It’s the other stuff that tags along that might be causing your issues.

  64. I purchased Wiley’s Finest fish oil and there is no % next to how the fish oil is broken down. How do I know whether it’s above 75 or 80% and pharmaceutical grade or just good enough to use? I was told by the Sprouts market worker it’s the best they have.

    This is how it reads on the box:
    Purified fish oil 4500 mg
    EPA 440mg
    DHA 220mg
    Other omega 3 fatty acids 240mg
    Omega 9 – 600mg
    Omega 7 – 220mg

    • Hi Taylor – this will fee like math class.

      EPA + DHA + Other Omega-3 = total Omega-3 = 900 mg
      Total oil per serving = 4500

      900/4500 = 0.2 or 20% Omega-3. So, not 75 or 80%. But Wiley’s Finest is a good product. It certainly is not the most potent (or best) product that Sprouts has.

  65. Hi I was wondering why the fish oil pils are a dark brown colour and not like the usual clear capsule you get with other brands of fish oil?

    • Hi Jamie – we coat our capsules with an ‘enteric’ coating that helps reduce fishy burping and repeats. The enteric coating is made from seaweed and is natural. This coating makes the capsules a bit opaque and darker.

  66. I’ve been taking fish oil to deal with depression and I also have been dealing with sinus congestion in the head, not the nose. When I take fish oil, I feel my sinus congestion loosen and sometimes feel movement in the brain/head area. Is this normal? Is it because my omega 3s were so low and my brain is healing?

    • Hi A.J. – I have not seen any published science about Omega-3 having an impact on sinus congestion. My opinion is that Omega-3 does not have much to do with it.

  67. Hi i am 59 and for first time for 8 weeks I have been using Holistix Salmon oil omega 3. 3 pills a day. After 3 weeks I had a tingle and a skin burn on my upper legs. This has got worse and is now spread to my lower back sometimes in my neck. If I apply antiseptic cream it disappears for hours just to come back. I am elergic to iodine. Could the omega pills maybe got something to do with this.

    • HI Willie – switch brands. You don’t have to buy our products, but I think you will find your symptoms may get better with another item.

  68. Hello. Every fish oil I have tried causes me to get cystic acne… How do I determine a fish oil that wont cause breakouts? Or will they all break me out if the kinds I have tried do?

    Thanks!

    • Hi Amber – try a smaller dose of a more purified Omega-3. May be try our EPA 500 product. But if you have acne, chances are that your diet and gut are seriously off course, and acne is just a symptom. Reduce or eliminate sugar, dairy, and wheat for a month or two and see what happens. Instead of supplements, eat real foods – mostly veggies, seafood, eggs, grass-fed meats, fruits. In other words eat stuff that was alive last week.

  69. Hi there,

    Last week I started taking fish oil tablets, took one for 4 days consecutively (I think they were 1500mg), sustainably sourced.

    Since then I have had an all over itch and rashy skin when touched, have been feeling very tired/faint, and also have had a periods of breathlessness, wheezing and coughing. Two days ago my lower body started feeling very very achy in the joints, which went away overnight. Though now this achy feeling has shifted to my upper body. It really hurts to move, lift etc and codeine that I take for my usual back problem isn even helping with this achy pain at all.

    I went to an emergency doctor assuming they might give me medication but all hey did was prescribe me some antihistamines which has helped with itching but not breathlessness or achy joints.

    What are your thoughts on this? I might go back to my regular GP as I am still feeling very poor. I’m not taking the capsules any longer.

    Thanks for your help in advance!

    • Hi av – if you suspect that these symptoms are connected to or caused by the fish oil pills, then the obvious thing to do is stop taking them. If the issues were caused by the product, then the symptoms should go away in a couple of days. There is no way to know for sure it was caused by the pills, unless you are willing to experiment with yourself (with your doctor’s supervision, of course) by going off the product for a couple of weeks, one for 4 days and then watching for symptoms to return. If you do that 2 or 3 times, you can be more certain that the symptoms are caused by the product. Frankly, it may be far easier to just eat some wild salmon a few times a week. If you want to continue to supplement, try another higher quality brand (doesn’t have to be OmegaVia – there are a few other good ones), at a much lower dose, more infrequently.

  70. I once took super omega 3 capsules ( a forever living product). After 3 days, I sniffed too too too too too too much! with flu-like symptoms! I could not figure out what the problem was but decided to abandon the capsules! After about 3 years, i took chia seeds( 2 tables per day for 4 days! I again sniffed too too too too too too much! I googled to find out the ingredients of chia seed only to find a very high content of super omega 3!. Apart from the sniffing and flu-like symptoms, chia seed did me so so well! I feel i cant abandon this product yet it looks like i am very allergic to omega 3. Please advise me what i can do to reduce the effects(sniffing).

  71. i start taking fish oil 1 week ago, reason is high colestrol. i;m taking 2 pills perday.
    i notice my stools are black. Any advice for this sir. thank you.

    • Hi Steven – fish oil does not lower cholesterol. It will lower inflammation and triglycerides. Talk to your doctor about change in stool color.

    • Hi Tony – nothing uniquely dangerous about taking fish oil that is a little past its expiration date. It just means that the oil is likely to be rancid. It could also cause some temporary digestive distress.

  72. Hello,
    My Dr. put me on Lovaza 1GM cap. I have been having awful bloating and abdominal discomfort. Is this a normal issue? I started Citrucel, and prebiotic, nothing is helping.
    Thank you for your time.

    • Hi Gigi – your doctor or pharmacist are the right people to counsel you on side effects of statins. But if you start citrucel and prebiotics suddenly or in large doses, that can cause bloating and abdominal discomfort.

  73. GIVEN 4,000 UNIT FISH OIL DAY BY A DOCTOR. BLEW UP LIKE A BALLOON-GAINED 20 LBS OF BLOAT & THIS OCCURRED BACK IN DECEMBER 2016.
    DOCTOR REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
    STILL BLOATED BUT HAVE LOST JUST A BIT OF THIS BLOAT BY TAKING MILK THISTLE 4X A DAY. STILL HAVE LOTS OF THAT FISH OIL STILL IN MY SYSTEM.
    WHAT ELSE CAN I TAKE TO GET RID OF THIS “STINKY” SMELL.

    • Hi Sandi – if your body is unable to digest fats properly, talk to your doctor or nutritionist about taking digestive enzymes with your Omega-3. Taking Omega-3 is not reported to cause weight gain. Milk Thistle can help with liver function, but I do not know whether it can help with bloat or weight gain. Omega-3, whether you want it or not, does not stay in your system for more than a couple of weeks. This is why most people take it regularly.

    • Hi Rita – yes, this is enough, assuming you are not trying to address a specific issue. Each of your fish oil pills has 500 mg of Omega-3. So taking 2 will give you 1000 mg Omega-3 per day. This is good enough for most people.

  74. I really want to take fish oil pills. I’ve tried with just one, but it gave me such diarrhea I had to stop. šŸ™ My gall bladder was removed and perhaps that complicates the situation. Any suggestions?

    • Hi Kim – yes, if you have had your gall bladder removed, taking supplements that are oils will be a challenge. Please talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking fish oil with lipase enzymes.

  75. I take 1000 mg of fish oil daily…My 3 year old granddaughter sleeps with me…I noticed she wakes up in the night scratching…Shes alergic to fish…do you think the fish oil in me is affecting her?

    • Hi Sharon – I don’t think her allergic reaction is due to you taking fish oil. Fish allergies are due to some proteins in fish. First, there is no protein in fish oil capsules and it is not possible for protein molecules in your digestive tract to transfer to her skin. I suspect it is something else in the bed. But have a doctor look at the situation to be safe.

  76. I was diagnosed with mild blepharitis and advised to take a omega 3 supplements. I started at 2000 mg a day about 8 weeks ago and Iā€™m taking about 6 x 1000mg a day now. Throughout Iā€™ve had itching on my face and scalp which I didnā€™t associate with the Omega 3 but on increasing the dose this week to 6000mg a day the itching is now all day and intense. I was also taking too high a dosage of Vitaimin A which I stopped last weekend and yesterday I stopped the Omega 3. If I am allergic how long will it take for the symptoms to stop and would the lower dosages explain the intermittent itching? Iā€™ve been eliminating things from my diet, changing skincare products etc to try and find the source of the itching and only the Omega 3 is left as a possible source!

    • Hi Angela – please discuss any side effects with the doctor who diagnosed you. If you allergic to an ingredient in your supplements, it may take a few days for it to clear. My suggestion would be to try a higher quality, more potent Omega-3 supplement that gives you more Omega-3 per pill. It does not have to be OmegaVia, but one that has 1000 mg of Omega-3 per pill instead of 1000 mg of oil. Higher purity Omega-3 may not give you the same side effects. I would also strongly suggest you visit with a nutritionist to help clean up your diet. I would guess that there is a LOT of room for improvement in the diet, especially the TYPE of fat, the amount of refined grains, dairy and sugar.

  77. I have been taking fish oil capsules for 6 months. My hair is not dry like it was prior to taking the pills BUT – this sounds silly – my fingernails are now ridged and scaly. I can peel layers off.
    Has anyone ever had this complaint?

    • Hi Mary – ridged or scaly finger nails is not a known side effect of fish oil. It is worth talking to a doctor about it because it may be a symptom of something that needs attention.

  78. I just started taking Spring Valley Omega-3 from fish oil 520mg per serving, one a day, for about a week now. All of a sudden, what I thought could have been mosquito bites, a bit higher than my ankles, are hives. The one on the left leg is large and raised, about dime sized, and on the right leg there are scattered dots and raised. Also have quite a few dime sized ones on my torso, mainly the stomach area. Could this be associated with a fish allergy? I don’t eat much fish, just prepared tuna and occasional pub fish, but have never eaten Anchovies, Sardines, Mackerel and/or Herring, which appear on the label. My mom has a severe shellfish allergy, but I’ve read that food allergies aren’t generally passed down. Needless to say, I am stopping this supplement, at least until I can pinpoint this outbreak, if ever…thanks for any advice you can provide.

    • Hi Tracey – have this checked by a doctor. It may be allergies to the product or allergies to something else that you are not aware of. That your mom has shellfish allergies does not mean you will be allergic to fish. But, yes, stopping the supplement now is a good idea. You still need Omega-3, preferably from food or another source.

  79. I am taking fish oil from last 10 days one capsule of 1000mg per day with meal. From day one i faced bloating. It got severe so I stopped taking capsules and had to consult a gastrologist.
    Now i want to start again. Any thing I need to take care to avoid bloating and gas?
    Secondly for how many days should i take it considering i am 35 yrs old male and taking it mainly for dry eye issue.?

    • Hi Anil – we suggest you follow your doctor’s recommendations. Minor and temporary digestive distress is occasionally reported with high dose Omega-3 supplementation. However, for one 1000 mg capsule to trigger severe symptoms suggests that there may be other issues – quality of product, ability to digest fats, etc.

      As for length of supplementation, that depends on whether you change your diet. If you improve your diet to be more anti-inflammatory (less sugar, grains, flour), then you may not need Omega-3s. If no change to diet, you need to think of fish oil supplementation as a long-term thing.

      • Thanks Vin. Really appreciate!!

        Quality of product – could be a reason.
        Ability to digest fats – dont think so as I can easily digest butter and refined butter (ghee).
        By the way I’ve started again to take capsule which I had stopped due to bloating. This time I’m taking antacid in the morning and Yakult after dinner. As I said I take omega 3 with dinner.

  80. I just started taking nature made burpless omega-3 from fish oil. 66g EPA + DHA. Only been a few days. But the stomach issues I have been having stink literally. 1200mg of omega-3. Should I stop for a week or so? Or just keep going and eventually it will go away? Thanks

    • Hi Carl – stop for a week or two and then resume to see if problems return. If you repeat this process a few times and problems return every time, then you should think about other ways to get your Omega-3, possibly starting with seafood.

  81. I was wondering does starting a higher dose of fish oil cause mild dizziness?
    I ask because I started of taking ultimate omega 1280 for my health probelms I am 21 the right side of my heart is enlarged, I have enlarged fatty liver and my triglycerides are mild high. I was taking it for that reason and I went up and started taking ultimate omega 2x (2,150 mg) because my triglycerides where still mild high. While starting my first day later in the day I started to feel mild dizziness. I take other herbs and vitamins as long as a beta blocker, I take my blood pressure a few times a day and itā€™s all in normal limits. Can increasing the fish oil cause the dizziness or is it something else ?

    • Hi Luis – dizziness is not a noted side effect of taking Omega-3. Any dose up to 3000 mg Omega-3 per day is safe per US FDA and up to 5000 mg per day per European guidelines. You are nowhere near those levels. However, since you are under medical care, please check with your doctor about how to proceed. On a separate note, fatty liver and high triglycerides can be controlled by elimination of sugar, flour, juices, and processed foods. Of course, exercise helps too.

  82. I purchased omegavia capsules but it is giving me severe headache i take 1 capsule a day.previously i was using vivanaturals but that did not lower my triglycerides but increased that is why i switched to omegavia

    • Hi Murali – if you suspect OmegaVia is causing headaches, please discontinue immediately. Please contact our customer service if you would like a refund. Ideally, you need to cycle on and off a few times to confirm that headache is indeed related. Discontinue use for a week and then take it once. See if you develop a headache. Then, discontinue use for another week and try again. If you do this 3 or 4 times, you will know for sure. The plan for triglyceride management is a sugar-free diet that is low in flours, processed grains etc. + exercise plan + 3000 mg of Omega-3 per day.

  83. i am very gassy after i take Norwegian cod liver oil, but it feels like a relief. Is having gas a negative thing or is this normal?

    • Hi Dalai – gas is an unusual side effect for fish oils. Gas is usually caused by fermentation of soluble fibers. Fish oils are fats and typically do not cause gas or fermentation.

    • Hi Jimbo – only if the fish oil is flavored with mint flavor. Or if you’ve recently eaten something minty.

    • Hi Marty – I can’t think of anything to stop itching from krill oil. If you are allergic to it, then you need to stop taking it. Switch to a high potency Omega-3 supplement made from fish. You don’t have to buy our brand…any good, third-party tested brand is fine.

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