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Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Healthy Living / When Omega-3 Fats Can Be Dangerous to Health

When Omega-3 Fats Can Be Dangerous to Health

by Sarah Pope / Affiliate Links ✔

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fats
  • Fish Oil Contraindications
  • Arachidonic Acid Key to Avoiding Omega-3 Supplementation Risks

Omega-3 fats taken as fish oil are popular for many health conditions, but consumed as part of a conventional diet can actually do more harm than good.

omega-3 fish oil capsules on a table

Omega-3 fats are certainly the darling of conventional and alternative medicine alike. Fish oil loaded with heart-healthy “good fats” are flying off the shelves of healthfood stores and are prominently featured on supplement displays in many doctors’ offices.

You can even buy fish oil capsules at Wal-Mart!

Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fats

There is certainly little doubt that omega-3 fatty acids are important to health.  According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, omega-3 fats are:

…significant structural components of the cell membranes of tissues throughout the body and are especially rich in the retina, brain, and sperm, in which docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) constitutes 36.4% of total fatty acids. (1)

Conventional sources like WebMD concur, stating that studies have shown that omega-3 fats can: (2, 3)

  • Lower blood pressure
  • Reduce triglycerides
  • Slow the development of plaque in the arteries
  • Reduce the chance of abnormal heart rhythm
  • Reduce the likelihood of heart attack and stroke
  • Lessen the chance of sudden cardiac death in people with heart disease

Fish Oil Contraindications

While there is little dispute on either side of the medical aisle about the necessity of omega-3 fats in the diet for optimal health, consumers need to be aware that there are pitfalls associated with these good fats. This is particularly true for vegetarians or those who otherwise consume a nutrient-poor Standard American Diet (SAD).

First of all, it is not wise to consume the high heat processed, industrialized fish oils that take center stage on supplement shelves at the store and in doctors’ offices. High heat processing destroys the benefits of fish oils. The delicate omega-3 fats are highly subject to rancidity from heat.

In fact, some would argue that taking fish oil does more harm than good as the good fats oxidized by processing become loaded with free radicals and when consumed regularly can contribute to aging and the development of chronic disease.

Even consumers who make the effort to source omega-3 fats rendered with no heat in the form of virgin high vitamin cod liver oil as prized by Traditional Societies such as the South Sea Islanders studied by Dr. Weston A. Price need to exercise caution.

The omega-3 fats EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can actually contribute to health problems when not balanced by other important fatty acids in the diet.

The Journal of Nutrition Research reports that intake of DHA and EPA is associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke in rats. People on anticoagulant drugs need to be especially careful. EPA and DHA may cause the blood to thin and trigger excess bleeding. (4)

fish oil capsule on a table

Arachidonic Acid Key to Avoiding Omega-3 Supplementation Risks

How does a savvy consumer obtain the numerous health benefits of omega-3 fats DHA and EPA with no downside risks?

The key is to balance the intake of omega-3 fats in whole foods and traditionally rendered oils with the omega-6 fat arachidonic acid (ARA). Foods rich in ARA include meat fats, eggs, and liver. These are the very foods eschewed by conventional dietary sources…the same ones recommending a daily ration of industrialized fish oil!

It is especially important for pregnant women who supplement with fish liver oils to consume meat fats, eggs (yolks), and liver.

The Weston A. Price Foundation reports that cod liver oil containing substantial levels of omega-3 EPA can actually contribute to hemorrhage during the birth process. (5)

This risk is mitigated by arachidonic acid (ARA), an equally important omega-6 fatty acid found in liver, egg yolks, and meat fats. It is not found in any plant-based foods with the exception of moss and algae. (6)

For this reason, pregnant women taking cod liver oil to benefit themselves and their baby must be sure to follow a Traditional Diet during pregnancy and nursing. Just taking cod liver oil as part of a nutrient-poor, ARA deficient conventional diet is unwise.

So bring on those heart-healthy omega-3 fats! Let’s all be sure, however, to consume them as part of a diet that also includes meat, liver, and eggs as wisely demonstrated by chronic disease-free Traditional Societies.

References

(1) Omega-3 Benefits and Supplementation
(2) Fish Oil Supplements for High Blood Pressure
(3) Omega-3 Fatty Acid Fact Sheet
(4) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Increase Oxidative Stress in Rats
(5) Pregnancy and Lactation Diet
(6) Arachidonic Acid Food Sources

More Information

Five Healthy Fats You Must Have in Your Kitchen

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Category: Healthy Living
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: the bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her four eBooks Good Diet…Bad Diet, Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

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Reader Interactions

Comments (74)

  1. Amy Keillor

    Feb 1, 2023 at 9:55 am

    Thank you for sharing this information. I am a home birth midwife and I would love to dig further into this information as it pertains to postpartum hemorrhage. Would you be willing to share the resources with me? I like to include the studies I use when sharing information with clients.

    Thank you

    Reply
  2. MONICA OROSCO

    Mar 8, 2022 at 4:50 pm

    Hi there, how many milligrams of DHA and EPA do you recommend daily? Thank you kindly

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope

      Mar 9, 2022 at 7:52 am

      The amount in a teaspoon of unprocessed cod liver oil is perfect…. around 1000 mg. You don’t want too much as omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated and so should be consumed in small amounts.

  3. Mary

    Jan 29, 2019 at 9:04 am

    I am writing a book about different aspects of my weight loss journey.
    I am writing you to request permission to include content from an
    article entitled “When Omega-3 Fats Can Be Dangerous to Your Health”,
    which was written by Sarah Pope. Thank you so very much, Mary

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Jan 29, 2019 at 6:58 pm

      Short excerpts (less than 300 words) can be used with proper citation. Longer excerpts is not permitted due to copyright.

  4. Autumn W. Meyers

    Sep 2, 2018 at 12:05 am

    How true Omega-3 fatty acids, often taken to boost health, may increase childhood allergies and prostate cancer

    Reply
  5. Lars

    May 2, 2018 at 9:37 am

    I prefer fish and seafood to supplements that are proberbly oxidized. The little ARA you need you can get from milk products, fish and seafood or from LA fatty acid. Why don’t you eat fish and seafood in USA? We live longer in my country and we do not need lousy health advice from USA. SAD is bad. Meat, Liver and Eggyolks No thanks. We have Filbunke, Afil, Filmjölk, Kefir, Youghurt, Onaka and other kinds of soured milk. plenty of fish and seafood in the sea. US food and food advice destroys peoples health.

    Reply
  6. Gracy

    Mar 5, 2017 at 9:27 am

    Instead of taking Omega3’s why dont we stick with any Good diet?
    Lets say Low carb diet. It can balance our hormones.

    Reply
  7. Gracy

    Mar 5, 2017 at 9:21 am

    I started taking Krill oil. It has both Omega3 and Omega6. I never know that ratio can make me sick. Thanks for great stuff. I need to learn much more about Omega3 and 6.

    Reply
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