Posted by Larry Hoover on November 3, 2003, at 11:05:36
In reply to fish oil woes, posted by oeps7 on November 3, 2003, at 10:43:48
> Hi everyone. I have been taking fish oil in capsule form about 6-7 capsules a day with food. For 1 1/2 months now. It does work well.
When you say "works well", just what do you mean by that? I'm curious how it works for you.
> I have a problem with bloating up from it though and feel like I gain weight. Twice I have had MAJOR stomach problems from taking it. I am afraid to resume taking fish oil again but don't want to miss the benefits. Any advice?
> MaryQuick thoughts:
Cut the dose. Take it every other day. Try a different brand. Check for freshness codes before you buy.A single gram of fish oil has roughly seven calories in it. Gaining weight, literally from the fish oil, is unlikely, though bloating is certainly an unpleasant experience. Don't take it all at once, or reduce the dose altogether. You may also benefit from GLA (as in evening primrose and borage oils), taken at a ratio of one gram GLA-source to five grams fish oil.
You don't have to take it every day. Your body absorbs it as it's available, so that your tissues get the net effect of the average consumption over an extended period.
Rancidity in the fish oil can definitely cause digestive upset. To check your own supply, just cut one capsule open. It is OK if it smells a little bit fishy, but if it smells gross, discard the remaining fish oil, and buy fresh. Omega-3s are routinely removed from the food supply by food processors because of the rancidity issue, to extend shelf life. Omega-3s are perishable, and there's no way to restore palatability once they've gone too far.
Maybe you'd do better just eating fish. 100 grams of salmon has around one gram of omega-3. Similar for sardines or herring.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:276074
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031023/msgs/276078.html