 |
NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
|
|
|
NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
|
Pharmacy and Medications |
Fish Oil as NSAID11/02/2009 |
Dear Pharmacists,My friends and I are taking Fish oil everyday for the purpose of taking care of our health,especially cardio-vascular health.
Recently, I found out that Omega 3 fatty acid is one of NSAID. If I take Omega 3 everyday for a long time, does it provide benefit or harm to me? Will I suffer the same side effect as that results from taking NSAID for a long time.
Thank you for contacting NetWellness. Fish oil does not belong to the class of drugs NSAIDS. Pain medications such as Motrin are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). However, fish oil may have mild anti-inflammatory effects similar to that of NSAIDS and therefore reduce pain and swelling. Research has shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis who take fish oil can sometimes reduce their use of pain medications such as NSAIDS.
Fish oil may be beneficial for a wide range of conditions when taken in the recommended amounts. It is most often used for conditions related to the heart and blood system. Fish oil is effective for lowering fats called triglycerides which are associated with heart disease and untreated diabetes. Researchers believe that fish oil can reduce triglyceride levels by 20% to 50%. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil seem to be able to expand blood vessels, and bring blood pressure down. These fatty acids also prevent the blood from clotting easily. As a result, fish oil is possibly effective for preventing heart disease and heart attacks.
The side effects you experience with NSAID use are different than those for fish oil. The most common side effects of fish oil when taken in the recommended amounts include belching, bad breath, heartburn, nausea, loose stools, rash, and nosebleeds. Taking high doses of fish oil is possibly unsafe. Taking more than 3 grams per day might keep blood from clotting and can increase the chance of bleeding, reduce the body’s ability to fight infection, and increase levels of the "bad" LDL cholesterol in some people. Thus it is important to realize that the amount taken per day is key rather than how long you take fish oil.
Submitted by: Sadika Ali. PharmD Candidate 2010. The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy.
|
Carmen M. Hadley, RPh, CSPI Clinical Instructor Central Ohio Poison Center Nationwide Children’s Hospital College of Pharmacy The Ohio State University |
|
|
Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) 
|