Omega-3 and contraindications: are there any?

Rather than contraindications, we are talking about (positive) interactions.

The side effects of Omega-3s have a very low incidence: they only affect a small percentage of people who take them (between 0.1 and 1%) and usually involve mild digestive problems.

Yes, we can say it: Omega-3s are very well tolerated by our body!

The active ingredients contained in natural supplements can even work hand in hand with some drugs, and enhance their effectiveness or limit their side effects. Although these interactions are usually positive, it is essential that they are always controlled and monitored: for this reason we recommend that you start taking them only after consulting your doctor, especially if you are taking the drugs on this list.

Blood thinning drugs
Do you take medications such as aspirin or warfarin? Then you should know that Omega-3 fatty acids can enhance their effect and increase the prothrombin time , a parameter that measures the effectiveness of the clotting process.

The combination of aspirin and Omega-3 can therefore be useful in the treatment of some disorders, such as heart disease, but must always be supervised by a doctor.

Cyclosporin
Good news: Taking omega-3 fatty acids while taking cyclosporine may reduce some side effects (such as high blood pressure or kidney damage) that may occur in transplant patients.

Etretinate and topical steroids
If you suffer from psoriasis, you should know that the combination of Omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA, with a therapy based on etretinate and topical corticosteroids can help relieve your symptoms. Ask your doctor for advice.

Drugs that lower cholesterol
Here, too, we have good news for you: according to some nutritional guidelines, the effectiveness of statins (a group of drugs used to lower “bad” cholesterol, such as atorvastatin, lovastatin or simvastatin) can be enhanced by increasing the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids introduced into the diet, since doing so reduces the ratio between Omega-6 and Omega-3 .

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
You may already know that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause damage to the stomach lining. Well, research on animals has shown that taking Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of ulcers. So we are waiting to see if they have the same “protective” effect on humans.