Submit

Is omega 3 safe for someone with severe allergies?

On Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Depends on your allergies, meaning you would discuss with your allergy care doctor first. It would be unusual to have an allergic reaction to omega-3 oils themselves but not to the foods that contain them. Known contraindications or adverse events related to ingestion of omega-3 oils are very few. But allergies to certain marine life that contain omega-3s exists (e.g. fish/shellfish) and allergies to the plant foods including nuts that contain the oil are common. So it may be the foods that contain the omega-3s you need to worry about and not the oil itself but because the oil is extracted from these sources there may residue that cause an allergic flare up if you consume them (if you have an allergy to the source). If you have a fish allergy, you may be able to use a vegetarian omega-3 supplement and if you have a plant allergy, use a fish oil supplement. If you are cleared to use one or the other, look for capsules containing 600mgs of omega -3s made up of 360mgs EPA & 240mgs DHA. For the potential health benefits related to maintaining brain, heart, hearing and eye health, take 1 capsule daily if not consuming 2-4 svgs/wk of fatty fish.