I just started taking fish oil capsules a few days ago -- 1 900mg capsule per day, and I made sure they were enteric coated in order to get down in my gut -- and today I started having D while I was at work. Has anyone out there experienced similar side effects when you first started taking fish oil capsules?
Fish oil supplement side effects?
- Thread starter JDTM
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My son takes one capsule of Krill Oil per day (not sure amount per capsule), the package says the dosage should be two to three per day but everytime we try to bump it up to two, his stools become noticably softer. If we pressed ahead with two, his body would probably adjust but, haven't really wanted to push it...
I take fish oil lemon flavored liquid. Sounds bad, but I don't notice any fish taste from this. The lemon does a nice job of covering up. I haven't noticed any negative side effects from the liquid, even the common dreaded fish burp has not shown up. I think most take the enteric coated capsules to avoid the fish burp.
Cat-a-Tonic
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I've been alternating between fish oil and krill oil capsules for awhile now. I don't do the enteric coated ones, just regular gel capsules. I take them just before bed so no fishy burps (or if there are while I'm sleeping, my hubby hasn't said anything about it!). I didn't notice any change in bowel habits when I started taking them and I seem to tolerate them fine. Several people have mentioned bruises - I have always bruised easily, my whole life, so fish oil doesn't seem to make a difference for me there either. After seeing the thread a little while ago about sardines, I started eating them a few times a week, and sardines do give me fishy burps sometimes but not enough to bother me (I eat them at work sometimes though so my co-workers may be bothered, but then again I haven't heard anything about that either!). If you have issues with fish oil, perhaps try eating oily fish like sardines. Or if you can't or don't like fish, try switching to a more expensive brand of fish oil, or try krill oil (flax oil is a good alternative too). My understanding is, with fish oil, you get what you pay for. The more expensive ones tend to be much higher quality. Maybe there's some chemical or filler or whatever in the particular fish oil capsules you're taking that isn't agreeing with you? Just a thought.
David
Co-Founder
Those of you with fish oil burps, are you taking enteric coated fish oil? The only IBD related study I've found to have really good results with fish oil used enteric coated fish oil which is supposed to reduce the good ole fish burps.
It is surprising at how well the lemon flavoring masks the fish oil taste, at least with the project I take. It doesn't leave an after taste at all.
A little over a decade ago I worked in the health food industry. I recall that at one time a customer inquired if we would manufacture him a lemon or citrus flavored fish oil product for distribution. By this time I had become pretty good friends with the guys and gals working in R&D. And as I learned that friendship could be problematic at times as when experimental favoring projects came up there was a good chance someone from R&D would be knocking on my door asking if I would taste a whipped up sample. As I used to joke, makes perfect sense, bring the strange new product to the IBD sufferer to see how he reacts. :ybiggrin:
A few fish oil samples tasted well at first, and then, well, the aftertaste was less than desirable.
I personally went with the enteric coating, just because I was under the impression that it would be more effective if it made it down to the small intestine and didn't dissolve in the stomach. Hadn't really thought much about the burps. That said, I've read a bunch about taking fish oil in conjunction w/ vitamin D3, and the supp I'm taking for vitamin D is a tablet (which I presume dissolves in the stomach). David, do you have any opinion on this? Should I be going about this differently, or do you think this is fine?
Haven't got all my levels back from my most recent blood test yet (folate, B12, etc.), but I had a physical the other day and the doc said that my vitamin D levels were low, and to start supplementing with 2000IU daily.
Haven't got all my levels back from my most recent blood test yet (folate, B12, etc.), but I had a physical the other day and the doc said that my vitamin D levels were low, and to start supplementing with 2000IU daily.
David
Co-Founder
JDTM, I'm not really sure, maybe someone else knows. I think the best way to tell if it's working to continue to get those vitamin D levels tested as you supplement. If they start increasing, you're in business. If they stay low, then adjust as necessary. When they said your vitamin D levels were low, what was it specifically? 2000iu is a good start but you'll want to see if you plateau before you hit the optimal range and have to go with a higher dosage to get you over that hump. Once again that involves regular testing of levels.
I agree with David. From what I've read, the best way to figure out if the vitamin D3 tablets are being absorbed is through testing.
Also thought this a nice article about what works and what to avoid doing when looking to supplement with vitamin D3, along with testing.
"Getting vitamin D right"
http://blog.trackyourplaque.com/2010/01/getting-vitamin-d-right.html
Also thought this a nice article about what works and what to avoid doing when looking to supplement with vitamin D3, along with testing.
"Getting vitamin D right"
http://blog.trackyourplaque.com/2010/01/getting-vitamin-d-right.html
David, don't quote me on this because I might get it wrong, but at a glance I seem to remember that my level was 17 (17 what exactly, I'm not sure), and he said that I should be at least at 30. Keep in mind that I like my primary care doctor, he's a good guy, but this was my first physical and I didn't know what to ask. He just said to start with 2000IU daily.
With that said, I have a follow-up with him in 2 months, and I'm waiting for results on another blood test that I had done with the GI (iron and B12). When you say "regular testing," how often are we talking? Once a month? More/less?
Beach, thanks for that link. Maybe I should have picked up gels instead of tablets. Hmmm.
With that said, I have a follow-up with him in 2 months, and I'm waiting for results on another blood test that I had done with the GI (iron and B12). When you say "regular testing," how often are we talking? Once a month? More/less?
Beach, thanks for that link. Maybe I should have picked up gels instead of tablets. Hmmm.
I like the gels, JD. Very small, easy to swallow. But I started on one that is 5000 iu, since I live in Missouri and was just coming out of winter (working during all the daylight hours in the winter) and since our bodies don't absorb as they should anyway. I will find out what my level is on my next blood draw, will let you know then.
David
Co-Founder
JDTM, you DEFINITELY want to be above 30. More like, at minimum, 50. I've been emailing back and forth with Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council. We were talking about Crohn's Disease and Hypercalcemia in this email but what he said is pertinent to what you asked:
So get your vitamin D tested every 3 months or so.Dr. Cannell said:
Yeah, sadly it does seem that D3 tablets are a rip off. And since it appears most do not test, I'm sure many out there are taking D3 tablets, thinking they are raising their vitamin D levels, when they are not.
Hmmmm... So, back to the fish oil thing, I kept having awful D until yesterday I finally had enough and stopped taking the supplements to see if it had anything to do with anything. Yesterday was a bust, and I was still having problems (frequent, yet unproductive movements w/ a lot of mucus), but today I'm starting to feel better. I've only gone twice, which is pretty much normal.
That said, now I'm starting to wonder... I've read that some people do have diarrhea as a side-effect when they start taking fish oil, and although I'd like to keep taking the stuff if it is beneficial overall, perhaps I should probably have started at a considerably lower dose? Fish oil takers, did you start slowly or did you just jump right in? Starting to think that 900mg pills daily wasn't the brightest idea. :/
That said, now I'm starting to wonder... I've read that some people do have diarrhea as a side-effect when they start taking fish oil, and although I'd like to keep taking the stuff if it is beneficial overall, perhaps I should probably have started at a considerably lower dose? Fish oil takers, did you start slowly or did you just jump right in? Starting to think that 900mg pills daily wasn't the brightest idea. :/
David
Co-Founder
JDTM, are you taking a high quality brand or some generic cheapo made of "100% salmon oil! and radiator fluid? Do you normally have trouble absorbing fats? Starting at a lower dose as you mention and/or trying a different brand may help.
The stuff I'm taking is GNC, and I made sure that it was enteric coated... but honestly, I couldn't tell you if it's reputable stuff or not. Just dipping my toes into the wonderful world of supplements! I'm guessing that the fat thing could potentially be contributing to my issues, but I'm not 100% convinced that's the problem. (I can eat peanut butter sandwiches, or sandwiches with mayonnaise, so I don't think that's necessarily it.) With that said, however, I think I'll give it a break for a bit and then maybe try again when I'm feeling better; maybe I'll with 300mg capsules and see what happens, and perhaps step it up as I go along. I sure hope I can take these things eventually, otherwise I hope I know somebody who wants a half-year supply of fish oil capsules! 
