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Fish oil supplements: finding the one that's right for you
Better Nutrition, March, 2005 by Minh-Hai Tran
A practical strategy to check for rancidity is to simply smell the fish oil. If there's a strong fishy odor, the product is probably rancid. It is recommended that you store fish oil capsules in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Refrigeration may not be necessary since the softgel capsule helps protect the oil from exposure to air (oxygen exposure accelerates oxidation). Even so, to be on the safe side, many manufacturers recommend refrigeration once the bottle is opened. All liquid fish oils require refrigeration upon opening.
Contraindications
Fish oil supplements generally produce few or no side effects at doses of 3 grams or fewer per day. Since fish oil has a slight blood-thinning effect (one of the proposed mechanisms for its heart-protective benefit), supplementation may increase the risks of bleeding, easy bruising and nosebleeds. Concomitant use of blood-thinning medications or herbs may also increase risks of bleeding. Supplementation with fish oil (along with other blood-thinning medications and supplements) should be stopped before surgery.
References:
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6. Groff JL, Gropper SS. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, 3rd Edition. 2000; Wadsworth/ Thompson Learning.
7. Fritsche KL, Johnston PV. Rapid autooxidation offish oil in diets without added antioxidants. J Nutr. 1988 Apr; 118(4):425-6.
8. Pedersen HS, Mulvad G, Seidelin KN, Malcom GT, Boudreau DA. N3 fatty acids as a risk factor for haemorrhagic stroke. Lancet. 1999; 353:8123.
Minh-Hai Tran is a registered dietitian and certified clinical nutritionist. She graduated from Texas Christian University's nutrition and dietetics program in 2001, and she will earn her master's degree in nutrition from Bastyr University in June.
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