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Omega 3 Side Effects
Minimal and Easy to Overcome
What are Omega 3 Fatty AcidsOmega 3 Side Effects are extremely mild and almost nonexistent for most people and should not deter you from adding these healthy substances into your diet. Omega 3 Fatty Acids are 'essential' fats that you need every day. Omega 3 Fatty Acids contribute to the health and flexibility of every cell in the entire body and also have anti inflammatory and antioxidant actions that help to fight the effects of aging and contribute to overall health. While Omega 3 fatty acids used to be abundant in our diets in the forms of free-range beef, chicken, eggs and wild game, unfortunately modern feed lot animals and their products have little to no Omega 3 fatty acids. So, in order to enjoy the Benefits Omega 3 Fatty Acids bring to your health, you must make a conscious effort to add them to your diet in the form of healthy free range animal products or supplements. There is just simply no other way to get them in the abundant amounts that our bodies thrive on. Gastrointestinal Omega 3 Side EffectsThe most common form of omega 3 fatty acid supplements are fish oil supplements which cause many people to get a fishy taste in their mouth or to burp up a fishy taste for some time after taking them. This can be reduced by taking the fish oil supplements with food or by freezing the supplement pills before taking them. This allows them to get into your upper intestine before the outer coating dissolves and decreasing the chance of you tasting the fish oil again. Gastrointestinal upset or stomach upset are common side effects of fish oil that can mostly be avoided by taking your supplements with food. When Omega 3 Fatty Acids Go Rancid Many mild but common Omega 3 Side effects are due to using low quality supplements in which the oils have gone rancid. In the case of Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplements, quality DOES make a difference and lower quality supplements may have oils that are of lower quality, have not been extensively tested for purity or contain oils that have been exposed to the air and have gone rancid. This can cause omega 3 side effects such as:
- Metallic or bad taste in the mouth
- Dry Mouth
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Feeling 'achy' or simply feeling worse after taking them
If you notice any of these side effects, then the FIRST thing that you should try is to switch brands to one of higher quality. But please consider getting higher quality supplements from the beginning because supplements that have gone rancid may not only lead to unpleasant side effects, but can cause a 'PRO-Oxidant' effect in your body. Pro-oxidation is the OPPOSITE of what anti-oxidants do and entirely defeats the many reasons that you would want to take Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the first place! The fact that the above Omega 3 side effects are almost NEVER seen in clinical trials, but that they are seen regularly by people taking them is because the supplements used in clinical trials are ALWAYS fresh and of the highest quality without added fillers and substances that can cause allergies or reactions. This is done on purpose to avoid these side effects of fish oils. It makes sense that for YOU to avoid these side effects, you should do the same thing as the researchers instead of simply purchasing the least expensive ones in the local drug store. So make sure that you are using a high quality Omega 3 Supplement that comes from a reputable company that packs their oils from a fresh source and uses good manufacturing processes to keep oxygen from reaching the oils and causing them to go rancid. Taking Vitamin E with your fish oils can also negate any of these pro-oxidant effects, as well as having a 'Synergistic' effect with the Omega 3's, each one helping the other to work better. Serious Omega 3 Side EffectsSerious Omega 3 Side Effects are extremely rare and nearly always occur in those on blood thinning medications or who have serious illnesses to begin with. The main problems that occur are: |
