A specific prescription of doctors is that adults can use mini fish oil pills in addition to their diet to help lower blood triglyceride levels. As a dietary supplement, adults and children can take fish oil tablets in addition to other vitamins.
In this blog we will explore the uses, benefits, side effects and warnings that comes with the mini fish oil pills.
Uses of Mini Fish Oil Pills
Mini fish oil pills are typically derived from the oil of small fish like Anchovies, Sardines, or King Mackerel. Hypertriglyceridemia is the term for high blood levels of triglycerides, a type of fat. Certain prescription fish oil medications, such as Lovaza, Omtryg, and Epanova, can lower extremely high triglyceride levels when taken orally.
The usual dosage for these products is 4 grams per day. Although some over-the-counter fish oil small capsules may also be beneficial, these goods are lower in omega-3 fatty acids than prescription fish oil supplements. To achieve the same results as prescription fish oil, people would need to take up to 12 capsules of fish oil supplements per day.
Benefits Of Mini Fish Oil Pills
1. Open Blocked Blood Vessel
Taking fish oil pills decreases the rate of blood vessel re-blockage by up to 45% when taken for at least 3 weeks before an angioplasty and continued for one month after.
2. Involuntary Weight Loss
Fish oil pills help involuntary weight loss in people who are very ill (cachexia or wasting syndrome). Taking a high dose of fish oil by mouth seems to slow weight loss in some cancer patients. Low doses of fish oil don’t seem to have this effect.
3. Prevent Kidney Damage
Kidney damage caused by the drug cyclosporine can be treated using fish oil capsules. Taking fish oil seems to prevent kidney damage in people taking cyclosporine. Fish oil also seems to improve kidney function in people who recently rejected a transplanted kidney and are taking cyclosporine.
4. Reduce Risk of Nausea
Fish oil reduces nausea and vomiting that are caused by an infection of the intestines. Taking fish oil pills during pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of the child having nausea and vomiting from an infection of the intestines.
5. Prevent Heart Failure
Consuming higher amounts of fish oil from foods has been linked with a lower risk of heart failure. Eating 1-2 servings of non-fried fish per week is recommended. It’s too soon to know if taking fish oil supplements helps prevent heart failure. However, taking fish oil supplements by mouth might reduce the risk of death or hospitalization in people who already have heart failure.
6. Lower Blood Pressure
Taking mini fish oil pills seems to slightly lower blood pressure in people with moderate to very high blood pressure. It’s not clear if it helps people with slightly high blood pressure or those who are already on blood pressure-lowering medications.
7. Reduce Liver Fat
A lot of fat builds up in the liver in people who drink little alcohol. Taking fish oil pills might reduce liver fat and improve liver health in people with fatty liver.
Side Effects Of Mini Fish Oil Pills
Common side effects of consuming mini fish oil pills include:
- Fish consumption more than once a week increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which causes vision loss.
- Fish oil supplements or fatty fish may increase susceptibility to irregular heartbeats.
- Some individuals may experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, indigestion, or nausea.
- Fish oil has blood-thinning properties due to its omega-3 fatty acids, which can increase the risk of bleeding, especially when taken in high doses or combined with blood-thinning medications.
- Certain fish oils, particularly those derived from liver oils (like cod liver oil), can contain high levels of vitamin A, which can be toxic in excessive amounts.
- In some individuals, fish oil supplements may slightly increase LDL cholesterol levels.
Warnings
When considering taking mini fish oil pills, there are several important warnings to be aware of to ensure safety and effectiveness:
- If you have an allergy to seafood oil, soy, seafood, or shellfish, you should avoid using fish oil.
- If you have any health concerns, discuss them with your physician or pharmacist before consuming fish oil.
- Inform your physician if you now have or have ever had diabetes, bleeding issues, low red blood cell count, or anemia, an irregular heartbeat, a pancreatic illness, thyroid that is not functioning properly; or illness of the liver.
Conclusion
Most people can probably safely take 4 grams or less of fish oil per day. Bleeding risk may increase if above 3 grams are taken each day. Nosebleeds, loose stools, and heartburn are among the adverse effects of fish oil. These problems can be mitigated by freezing or taking fish oil supplements with meals.
