Fish oil dosage

High dosages of fish oil supplements increase the risk of side effects, such as bleeding, easy bruising and nose bleeds, whereas low dosages generally have little to no associated side effects. The amount of fish oil one should take depends heavily on the reasoning behind their consumption of fish oil. Dosage should always be discussed with your medical doctor, and should be discusses especially if taking fish oil for a specific medical condition. However, here are some general guidelines for specific fish oil dosages:

The FDA does not have a specific recommended dosage for fish oil. However, the FDA does recommend that an average healthy person (above the age of 5) should not take more than 3,000 mg of fish oil per day. The list above exceeds that recommendation in some cases, and is why the advice of a medical doctor should be followed before determining the proper dosage of fish oil when used for specific medical conditions.

The World Health Organization recommends starting dosages of fish oil at 300 - 500 mg per day, as it is a good idea to start slowly in order to see how your body feels and to ensure there are no adverse side effects or allergies. While starting out slow is a good idea, it is important to note that most of the research praising the benefit of Omega-3 fatty acids is done using dosages of 1,000 mg and up. For example, the American Heart Association recommends a daily dosage of 2,000 - 4,000 mg for high triglycerides, and a daily dosage of 1,000 mg for coronary artery disease. Additionally, some people believe extremely high dosages are effective in treating major issues like depression (4,000 mg), and lupus and arthritis (6,000 mg). If fish oil is being taken for a specific medical condition that suggests a higher dosage than the recommended 3,000 mg per day, it is important to start out slow and work up to the higher dosage. When discussing fish oil dosage with your doctor be sure to bring up starting up slow and seek medical advice on the best way to slowly increase dosage until the desired amount is reached.

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by Alexander Menasaka

References
Aben A, Danckaerts M. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD. Tijdschr Psychiatr. 2010; 52(2):89-97.
Bahadori B, Uitz E, Thonhofer R, et al. omega-3 Fatty acids infusions as adjuvant therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2010; 34(2):151-5.
Belluzzi A, Boschi S, Brignola C, Munarini A, Cariani C, Miglio F. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory bowel disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71(suppl):339S-342S.
Berbert AA, Kondo CR, Almendra CL et al. Supplementation of fish oil and olive oil in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Nutrition. 2005;21:131-6.
National Medicines Comprehensive Database: “Fish Oil.”
American Heart Association: “Fish and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.”
Geleijnse J.M. J Hypertens, 2002; vol 20: p 1493.
Oh R. The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 2005; vol 18: pp 28-36.

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Reviewed by James Beckerman, MD, FACC on February 04, 2012