Fish/Flaxseed Question

[lukeduke]

Tara,

I am currently taking 3000 mg of Fish Oil and 3000 mg of Flaxseed Oil. I am doing this to get both the Omega 3 Oils and the Omega 6 Oils. I also am taking 4000 IU of Vitamni D daily. Am I overdoing it by taking the Fish Oil and the Flaxseed Oil like I this?

Thanks,

[Sequoia]

Tara,

I am currently taking 3000 mg of Fish Oil and 3000 mg of Flaxseed Oil. I am doing this to get both the Omega 3 Oils and the Omega 6 Oils. I also am taking 4000 IU of Vitamni D daily. Am I overdoing it by taking the Fish Oil and the Flaxseed Oil like I this?

Thanks,

I'm not Tara, but I'll give you my layperson's understanding.

The only contraindication I know of is that both fish oil and flaxseed oil act as blood thinners. If you're taking other supplements that do the same thing, or if you're taking blood-thinning prescription medications, or are on aspirin therapy, you might be putting yourself at risk for internal bleeding.

By the way, we don't really need to supplement Omega 6 fatty acids; they're abundant--even overabundant--in most people's diets. Flaxseed oil is also an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which is why most of us take it.

[lukeduke]

Thanks for the input. When I gave blood the other week, I started bleeding from the place the needle was several hours later. I'll see what Tara says and then I'll probably drop down to just the Fish Oil.

[Sequoia]

Thanks for the input. When I gave blood the other week, I started bleeding from the place the needle was several hours later. I'll see what Tara says and then I'll probably drop down to just the Fish Oil.

It may be several days before Tara is here again. The bleeding you describe is not normal; it's an indication your blood is too thin (not clotting properly).

I urge you to call your doctor, and to stop all blood thinners (fish oil + flax oil) until your blood returns to normal (as determined by testing). After that, you can try re-introducing fish oil at a lower dosage and see how you do, if your doctor approves.

Please take this warning to heart. You could be at risk right now for hemorrhagic stroke and other serious bleeding incidents.