Let’s talk Fish Oil | Arthritis Information

I've been hearing a lot of anecdotal stories online and in real life of the benefits of fish oil to help RA and I'm convinced to try it. This article from the arthritis foundation says the amount taken must be large:

"How it’s used: Fish oil comes as a liquid and in softgel capsules. The usual dose is about three grams, or 3,000 milligrams (mg), total of EPA/DHA (the key ingredient in fish oil) per day. Be sure to check the labels: the capsules may say "1,000 mg of fish oil," but will have varying percentages of EPA and DHA. If they contain 300 mg, you’ll need to take 10 capsules a day. Look for high potency capsules so you don’t have to take so many. A month’s supply costs about ."

Does anybody know it it's safe to take that much fish oil? The capsules I have have 300mg total of EPA/DHA, so I would have to take 10 to 20 a day every day.

I am currently taking 20mg/week of mtx, 400mg hydroxyquine (plaquenil)/day and 5ml folic acid.

My next rheumy appointment isn't for 2 months and I'd rather not wait that long to discuss it with her if I don't have to.

Any other information, cautions or advice would be also welcome. Thanks in advance.
Whoa, that's a lot of fish oil! I only take 3 capsules a day. I started it for the cardiovascular benefits, but later found out about its anti-inflammatory properties. I can't imagine taking that much though. As it is I worry about mercury in the fish oil, but I hope the benefits outweigh any risk.

I would do further research on that dosage!
Hillhoney39031.6124074074"This article from the arthritis foundation says the amount taken must be large" The AF usually gives good advice. Why don't you call them and double check the dosage? I'm not worried about the mercury content, since a quick google shows a vast majority of agreement that fish oil supplements contain only trace amounts. Here's what the Food Standards Agency has to say about it:

October 2005
SURVEY OF MERCURY IN FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS
Summary
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has conducted a survey to establish the
concentrations of mercury in a range of commercial fish oil dietary supplements.
This work follows a previous survey by the FSA of in imported fish and shellfish,
UK farmed fish and their products, which highlighted that some larger predatory
fish accumulate higher levels of mercury.
Key Facts
• Total mercury was measured in 100 samples of fish oil dietary supplements,
including cod liver oil, halibut oil, tuna oil, salmon oil and shark oil.
• Only nine samples in the survey contained detectable levels of mercury. There is
no regulatory limit for mercury in dietary supplements or fish oils.
• Dietary exposure estimates based on the levels found showed over 500 capsules
would need to be consumed per adult per day, in addition to the rest of the diet,
before the safety guideline for mercury intake is exceeded.
• The levels of mercury found in this survey do not pose a risk to consumer safety.

It's true I have only begun to research it, but that's good advice, Marian. I always try to back up anecdotal iformation with hard core research if I can. I will share all the info I find, if people are interested.

Gimpy - I stumbled on a fish oil 'semi' recommendation on the website for the CDC!

I bought 1000mg caps from Costco that would be only 3 a day.( I think if you take too much fish oil you will get heartburn and the trots. You can just cut it out and you will be ok.) I quit taking 1000mg because I could taste and smell 'fishiness' constantly... I don't like fish very much especially the 'stinky' ones.

Maybe I'll try again.

Recent research indicates fish oil may really be helpful for RA patients. summary of the research at: http://arthritis.about.com/b/a/257431.htm I"ve been taking fish oil for several months and have been able to cut back on NSAIDs at the same time. I hated the fishy smell too! Found some that are "odorless" and they really are!

I just bought a new bottle of fish oil softgels. They are 2400 mg. and the recommended dosage is 2 per day. There are 200 in the bottle and it only cost me .99. So that's a 100 day supply.

I should have thought about the milligrams before I over-reacted. I had just never heard of taking 10-20 pills a day! Those are some pretty low milligrams you have, and expensive too.

I take mine at night, along with most of my supplements. If there's a fishy smell or taste, I've never noticed it. Thanks for the info about mercury - it makes me feel better about taking it.
There seems to be some confusion here over the milligrams of the pill vs the milligrams of helpful fatty acids in the pill. I'm still reading up on this stuff, but the general consensus among research is you must take about 3 grams of the essential omega 3's per day. The Omega 3s are the combined EPA and DHA contained in the pills. The 1000mg pills I have contain 180mg EPA and 120 milligrams DHA, which equals 300 milligrams essential fatty acids. Therefore, in order to consume 3 grams of these omega 3s I must consume 10 of these pills a day. Every research paper and article I've read so far has been very clear on this. The other 7 grams of fish oil are inert for our purposes.

So the size of the pill is not what matters, but the content of the EPA and DHA. Some brands may have a higher EPA/DHA content (I'll be looking for one of those!).

It did seem like a lot to me at first until I researched the omega 3 content of fish. A 4 oz portion of wild chinook salmon contains the same amount of EPA/DHA Omega 3s as my 10 pills. Also, 2 small cans of sardines contains about the same amount as 10 of my pills (check the labels).

Flax seed oil and other vegetable based oils containing Omega 3s were once thought to have the same benefits, but it turns out they are only about 1/10th as effective as actual fish oil.

I've only scratched the surface of my research into fish oil, but so far everything I've read about it is incredibly positive in regards to being helpful to RA, and unlike many other supplements much research and controlled studies have been conducted looking into its benefits. That link posted by grdnldy has been very helpful, although I haven't yet finished reading all the sublinks.

I don't think getting the runs or anything is a huge concern. Even 10 pills are only 10 grams of fat (about half of what is found in a Big Mac, plus they are the healthy kinds of fat) and you're supposed to take them spread out over the day (about 3 times a day). Also, I haven't noticed any fishy smell or burps or anything like that. Maybe it depends on the brand you buy? I buy Webber Naturals for most vitamin and mineral supplements. It's a reliable reasonably priced brand, but maybe only in Canada.

Gimpy-a-gogo39032.5209490741Okay I see what you are saying. I checked my capsules and each one has 432mg. of EPA and 288mg. of DHA, for a total of 720, so for 3000mg. I would have to take between 4 and 5 softgels. So if I doubled my dosage to 4 pills a day at a cost of 16 cents a day, my monthly cost is only .56. Not too bad!

I think I will take advantage of all your hard work and research, LOL, and go ahead and take 4 a day. Thanks for clarifying it for me.
I was told by my nutritionist to be careful with the capsules because they go rancid. She recommendes Carlson's Cod Liver Oil. I take the one in Lemon Flavor. Each tsp has 1100 mg of Omega 3 Fatty Acids.(500 DHA, 340EPA 40 ALA) I keep it in my refrigerator. The taste is very light and lemony....not fishy at all.I learned, too, that the gel caps smell "fishy" when they have gone rancid, so it's good to buy your fish oil at a place where there's a high turnover. I vaguely remember reading somewhere to stay away from liver oils because that's where a lot of the toxins are. I'm unsure about that, though.

I have a question for those that use high doses of fish oil (I am now taking 3 grams EpA/DHA daily), which is do you find it more effective to take it all at once or over 3 doses in the day? Or does it make no noticable difference?
Keep on truckin'...

Hey, just wondering, how does the Sweet Mary Jane help you? I have had RA for 10 years at least and I am very tired of being in pain every day of my life. don't wish to try the toxic crap the tradional MDs are pushing, and fish oil, glucosamine, etc. dont' cut it anymore, if they ever did (placebo, anyone? except Steve Martin. oops, dating myself

I don't think the improvement from taking fish oil is a placebo effect, since several double blind studies have shown significant evidence that the benefits of taking it are clinical. The omega 3s inhibit the production of the harmful white blood cells sort of like a lot of RA medications do. (I never understood why people poo-poo the placebo effect anyway---isn't getting better just through the power of your mind a good thing?).

Many studies have been done about the medicinal benefits of mary jane for many medical conditions. Here is a report from medical news which looks at MJ specifically in relation to RA:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=333 76

You will have to cut and paste that url into your browser, and remove the space between the 3 and the 7. This message board corrupts poted urls with spaces.

Living in BC you can imagine access to MJ is much more prevalent and casual than in the US. I know many people with RA and FM who use it to ease the symptoms of their conditions. Many states in the US have experimental medicinal MJ programs, maybe yours is one of them?
Gimpy-a-gogo39036.4200578704Marijuana, like all plants have been placed on this earth does have a proper use.
The plant has many wonderful healing properties when used as a tea, an extract etc. To smoke the plant and inhale its fumes is a misuse as smoke of any kind is harmful to the body, mainly the lungs.
The damage becomes permanent in a habitual smoker. Like the person that claims to have smoked since the age of six.
Something to think about Echo.
AJ
Yes, I'm still researching fish oil. I found this reference to the use of cod liver oils in one study:
Oils derived from marine fish oil all contain LC n3 PUFAs. Standard fish oil is extracted from fish bodies and typically contains EPA 18% and DHA 12% w/w. Until recently, this was available only in capsules, but now a bottled preparation is available in Australia. Cod liver oil is widely available as both bottled oil and in capsules. It contains approximately 10% EPA and 10% DHA, and so it is also a good source of LC n3 PUFAs. However, at anti-inflammatory doses cod liver oils, which are rich in the fat-soluble vitamins A and D, contain more vitamin A than recommended intakes. Although the amount does not cause symptoms of toxicity, similar doses have been associated with reduced bone density and increased risk for hip fracture in epidemiological studies [28]. This is not a problem with fish body oils, which contain very little of these fat-soluble vitamins.

I have been taking 10 1000mg of fish oil (containing 3gr EPA/DHA) for about a week now with no diarhea or other noticible side effects. I'll keep you posted! I'm no doctor or scientist, but I can't help but wonder if this recent news is not somhow linked to what makes taking fish oild beneficial for people with RA
http://www.scenta.co.uk/scenta/news.cfm?cit_id=1335305&F AArea1=widgets.content_view_1

I've been taking big doses of fish oil now for about 3 weeks, so far with no noticable effect (except that it took my blood a little bit longer to clot when I went for my last blood test). I intend to keep taking it for another 3 months, as there is a "loading" period which can be up to 3 months. I'll keep you posted!
Tahks so much for all the data. I have started and stopped fish oil many times because I got so confused as to what I was doing. This clarified it for me. I thinl I will also start it and let you know how I am doing.One problem I have had in the past is the size of the capusules. Any suggestions?

Hi,

I am allergic to seafood so I take flaxseed oil capsules that contain the same kind of omega-3 oils as most fish oils, they don't taste or repeat on me but I got the one a day capsules and they are huge! Next time I'm going for the two a day ones because I take drugs morning and night anyway... Just a thought if you can't take the fishy stuff!

Hi KT297, Unfortunately it has been found that flaxseed does not provide the equivalent in omega3 fatty acids as once believed. Flaxseed oill contains a different kind of omega 3 called ALA, which the body converts to the helpful EPA/DHA, but only at a rate of about 10%, so if you are using flaxseed oil as a fish oil substitute you are only getting 1/10th of it's benefits. It goes something like this:

Fish oil versus Flaxseed oil
Q. What is your opinion on fish oil supplements, and why not just take flaxseed oil since it has omega 3s? How much is needed to take daily?
A. There are several Omega 3 fatty acids. They are named ALA (alpha linolenic acid ), EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid). ALA is found in flaxseed oil whereas EPA and DHA are found in fish oils. ALA is able to convert into EPA and then into DHA, but this takes several enzymatic steps in the body, and not everyone efficiently converts ALA into EPA and DHA, particularly with aging. So, the bottom line, I prefer fish oils to flaxseed oil, although a small amount of flaxseed oil is also good to take.

(I got this Q and A on a random site, but I've read this information on multiple sites, some scientific, some not). It's a real bummer if you are allergic to seafood. I am not a vegetarian but I do try to limit my intake of animal food products, so I am always on the lookout for a vegetarian fish oil equivalent, but so far I have been unable to find one.

I don't have any suggestions about the size of the tablets, except to investigate if there is a fish oil product which is not packaged in gel caps. Perhaps a liquid form?

Hi,

I know flaxseed isn't as efficient as fish oils but it is an alternative...I can't have any fish or fish oils, last time I ate fish I had anaphylaxis and ended up in hospital overnight so I was recommended to take flaxseed oil instead. The reason the capsules are big is because you have to take a bigger volume of flaxseed oil to get the benefit you would have from fish oils. NB some fish oils you take give you less omega-3 than flaxseed oil so I think it's a tricky one! Also make sure that your capsules (whichever you take) have been manufactured without exposing the oil to oxygen, it might say on the packaging that they're manufactured under a nitrogen blanket or something like that. Apparently exposure to oxygen can affect the omega-3's...

KTb

Hi,

Does anyone know if there has been research on whether there is any difference between the omega-3s in flaxseed
oil compared to the omega-3s in ground flaxseeds?
Also I am about to start taking hemp seed oil - has anyone tried this or have information on any trials etc with this & RA.

lol there are times i wish mj was proscribed for arthritis...

a good fish oil brand is Carlsons.. get mine at the vitamin shopee

they also have a liquid version which is delicious

Mark, I don't know where you live but it's worthwhile to investigate whether there is a Compassion Club in your area. I don't know what they're called in the States, but they are MJ dispensaries for people with medical MJ needs (you get a perscription thingy from your doctor). At a low cost they provide you with MJ, and MJ cookies and stuff. The one in Vancouver has won awards!

On another note, I found this article in the news this morning regarding fats in relation to rheumatic diseases. It's more or less like the last one I posted, but easier to understand...
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=57913

no , unfortunatly the states are way behind canada as far as the medical mj goes but It would help I am sure.. I hate arthritis...

I am trying to take one day at a time and not get filled with fear.

Do ya'll rub the fish oil on your feet or the parts that hurt? I think, I use to talk to someone with RA that done that, but says the relief did not out weigh the smell Hi - hemp seed oil is not marijuana - it is legal in many countries & I am wondering if anyone has tried it.
It is supposedly higher in omega 3's than flaxseed but it seems to be a relatively new product. Any feedback would be great.
Hi y'all,

I can't take most meds for RA and have been taking fish oil for a couple years. It really does help. Carlson's and Barleans seem to be the brands most recommended. I take the liquid instead of the caps due to having trouble swallowing so many large caps. Also, one should switch from just fish oil to cod liver oil in the winter, related to the vitamin D needed for the shorter days. I also grind flaxseed fresh in a coffee grinder and add to many foods. I have to use natural and alternative therapies to control RA. If anyone is interested I'd be glad to tell you what supplements I take. auntiannie
Hi Auntiannie - I would be most interested to hear about your natural treatment for RA - I feel these these things are worth trying and for some people they can bring about some improvement and would be interested to hear your story.I would totally be interested in what you use. I posted a thread here about CAM (complimentary and alternative medicine) but I didn't get much bites.

Okay, I have my ears poised to my computer moniter.
I too would be interested in what supplements you take.
I had a stroke 10 years ago and I just about fully recovered so, I am sooooo lucky. I started taking flaxoil ( ten years ago) . ( Barleans every day.
I have never had a stroke again. However, Even though I ve been taking a tablespoon every day I ended up with RA this last April.
So, the fish oil is probably the better of the two for RA.

Barbara
[QUOTE=marian]
Gimpy - I stumbled on a fish oil 'semi' recommendation
on the website for the CDC!

I bought 1000mg caps from Costco that would be only 3 a day.( I think if
you take too much fish oil you will get heartburn and the trots. You can just
cut it out and you will be ok.) I quit taking 1000mg because I could taste
and smell 'fishiness' constantly... I don't like fish very much especially the
'stinky' ones.

Maybe I'll try again.
[/QUOTE]
Marian. I think taking fish oil is a great idea and i have also started taking it
for the inflammatory effects. I also got that horrid fish taste and i was
burping it up all day. Someone suggested to take it at night before bed with
a bit of something in the stomach. Now, I have no problems taking it. Try
this and see if it helps. Let me know.   Here is yet another article (about a new book) stressing the roll of essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3's, in our diet.
http://www.theeveningbulletin.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17567 338&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=6

I don't know how this all fits together in terms of RA, but I also have ADHD and oddly enough I recently read that for unknown reasons people with ADHD have been found to be lacking Omega 3's. However, no one knows what the connection is. Makes you wonder, though...

any one take   emu oil caps?

I have never heard of these. Can you tell me more about them?
I too take fish oil for my RA. My doctor recommened that I freeze it. This would stop any burping or after taste. It works great for me and I don't have the after taste or the burping. I take 1000mg 3 times a day.

Here is another article expounding the use of fish oil vs. nsaids for RA from the Health Sentinel:
http://www.healthsentinel.com/org_news.php?id=113&titl e= Fish+oil+tackles+arthritis+and+heart+disease&event=o rg_n ews_print_list_item

And exerpt reads: "The group taking the fish oil was found to have a much greater remission rate of the disease than the no fish oil group. “The proportion in remission at 3 years was greater in the fish oil-compliant group (72% vs. 31%).”

That's a huge difference!

Please remember the amount of fish oil must contain 3 grams of EPA/DHA combined. That is why I have to take 10,000mg of fish oil a day!

I have been taking fish oil for about a month now with no noticable difference, but apparently you have to take it for about 3 months before it starts working.

Good luck, fish oil eaters!
Gimpy-a-gogo39063.5253935185It's Fish Oil time again, RAers!
Okay, I've been taking high doses of fish oil for 2 months now and lately I have noticed an increase in energy and a decrease in toe pain, however, my knees and elbows are still problem areas.
Whether this improvement is due to fish oil, the meds I take, or my exercise regime ("REGIME", ha! More like a sporadic "how close am I to the pool right now?" random event), I can not say.
As it's supposed to take about 3 months to really kick in I'll keep you posted.
For all you mercury fearers, here is an article from Medical News Today entitled:

Benefits Of Eating Fish Clearly Outweigh Risks
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=60200

I took 6000 mg of fish oil for 2 1/2 years and it helped a lot. Instead of taking pred 5 or 6 days a week I averaged less than 1. The pain was much better and the stiffness was gone. However, last summer it all of a sudden stopped working. I had no problems from the fish oil except a bit of a fishy smell. I'd trade the smell anytime for the pain and stiffness.I posted this on another thread, but I decided to also post it here because my idea for this thread was that I would take the fish oil and report on my progress. So here is the post:

Hey anna,
That's cool. After taking massive doses of fish oil for almost 3 months I've noticed a startling improvement! My right knee has been in a terrible condition for at least half a year and it has suddenly calmed down (to the astoundment of my physiotherapist). The pain is almost gone! I have hardly any swelling, and my rhuemy has downgraded my RA to "mild". I am near remission! Of course, I am also doing other things like avoiding meat, exercising, and staying on my meds, but I am convinced the fish oil has been a big help, and really worth the expense and the inconvenience of taking 10 extra pills a day. I hope it works as well for you!

Hey Go-Go!

(you never said what to call you
You mentioned the ADHD - I have a theory on this. :-) Chronically ill people are almost always low on glutethione - the body's master detoxifier. Glutathione is the stuff they give you in hospitals when you have an adverse reaction to drugs and they want your kidneys and liver to function again. There is some Nobel Prize nominated research linking esential fatty acids with a sulferated protein to help build glutethoine in the brian. The EFA that works the best for this is Flaxseed oil.

I have a 'recipe' for this that I swear helped me.

Pip

http://www.arthritistrust.org/Articles/Essential%20Fatty%20A cids%20are%20Essential!.pdf

I just grind my own flaxseeds and put it in bread and on my oatmeal and hot
cereal. Is there a certain dose that you have to take in if you use it fresh?lorster39098.8884027778
According to the research it has to be combined with the protein to get the benefits of building glutathione. This prize winning research says that this can even reverse cancer. I was skeptical, but one lady on the RB says she has Xrays that show bone lesions reversing. Normally I would take a post like that with a grain of salt, but I've been watching her for a while and she seems straight up and reasonable at all times. I believe her.

The 'recipe' which is in that link was a bit modified by the lady I told you about.

It is 1/2 cup cottage cheese or plain yogurt.

1 Tlbs flaxseed oil - cancer patients use 2 Tlbs.

1 Tlbs ground flaxseed

1 Acidophilous capsule (this replaces good gut flora for AP'ers)

Apples or fresh fruit to taste

I've read that you are not supposed to go over 3 Tlbs of ground flax a day, but only on one site so I don't know for sure that the last part is true.

Hope this helps,

Pip
I recently read about a study done at Johns Hopkins that said that large ammounts of Omega-3 used in combination with NSAIDs could actuallly cause clotting problems and increase the risk of stroke. Has anyone else come across this kind of information from any other sources besides Johns Hopkins?
Mayo Clinic has a substantial page on fish oil/omega 3. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fish-oil/NS_patient-fishoil

This bit discusses the risk of high dose fish oil: "Several large studies of populations ("epidemiologic" studies) have examined the effects of omega-3 fatty acid intake on stroke risk. Some studies suggests benefits (86-88), while others do not (80;89-91). Effects are likely on ischemic or thrombotic stroke risk, and very large intakes of omega-3 fatty acids ("Eskimo" amounts) may actually increase the risk of hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke (92). At this time, it is unclear if there are benefits in people with or without a history of stroke, or if effects of fish oil are comparable to other treatment strategies."

"Eskimo amounts", LOL. I think I'm safe, no seal blubber where I shop.
This from Univ. of Maryland's Alternative/Complementary Medicine reference pages: "Omega-3 fatty acids should be used cautiously by people who bruise easily, have a bleeding disorder, or take blood-thinning medications because excessive amounts of omega-3 fatty acids may lead to bleeding. In fact, people who eat more than three grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day (equivalent to 3 servings of fish per day) may be at an increased risk for hemorrhagic stroke, a potentially fatal condition in which an artery in the brain leaks or ruptures." Excellent reference site. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/Omega3FattyAcidscs .html

It's hard to search, NSAIDs + omega3 brings up a ton of articles on people lowering their NSAID dosage due to the anti-inflammatory props of O3 but nothing about taking them both at the same time. I looked on my NSAID (Lodine) PI sheet to check for interactions but found none.
Lynk39098.9686921296
well...it sounds valid then....if one is taking alot of nsaids and alot of omega-3s...it could very well be problematic...It is something to think about..

Maybe it is something to mention at the doctors office..at least ask what the safe doseage ranges are for the two when used concurrently...

good links...lynk..I have tried OmegaXL for my neck pain, which I have had for years, from old football injury. This product is the most potent Omega 3 blend on the planet! 1 capsuel = between 200 to 300 Omega 3 fish Oil capsules. Reduces & Elimintes Pain, Disomfort and Inflammation! Arthritis, Asthma, Diabietes, Cardiovascular Disease, and many many more. You can get a FREE BOTTLE just pay for shipping.
www.painfree4u.com This product really worked for me. I use OmegaXL - the most powerful Anti-inflammatory Available. 1 capsule = between 200 to 300 Omega 3 fish Oil capsules. I know 100's who are getting great results with this product. You can order FREE BOTTLE, just pay for shipping. www.painfree4u.com I haven't had time to read through all the posts for this topic so please forgive me if I repeat what's already been said. I've been taking and researching fish oil for years. I've found what works best for me is 10,000 mg of Carlson's or Nordic Naturals.  The liquid Carlson's is probably the best but I can't handle the taste so I take the capsules.  Freezing them helps with the fish smell and after taste. I also rotate back and forth between brands because it seems like they lose their effectiveness if I stick with one brand for too long (probably my imagination).   I know a someone with RA and this fish oil product helped reduce and eliminate pain and inflammation of RA. If you would like to talk with this peraon you can email me. mectrade3@yahoo.com Hey RA Peops,
This is my 3 month follow up of taking massive amounts of fish oil daily, along with my plaquenil and weekly mtx. I think it's working! Of course, it's hard to know what exactly is making a difference, but when I went to physiotherapy this week my therapist was amazed at how the swelling had all gone from my knee after only seeing me a week before. It had been subsiding for months but the last stubborn bit just went *poof*.
Also, today I was at RA self management school and there was a women there with pretty bad established RA that nothing was working for (except remicade worked for 16 months and then she had a really bad reaction to it). In the bathroom she told me the only thing that works for her is fish oil. She takes four "big" pills a day and notices if she forgets to take them. I'm not sure how much EPA/DHA is in a "big" pill, so I can't tell you that.
So I guess, IMO, fish oil is worth the money and hassle as a complement to conventional RA meds. Go fish oil!
Gimpy-a-gogo39120.6806134259Hey Pip and anyone else who is interested. I called the Webber Naturals people who make the fish oil I use. The info line people said the oil contains no Vitamin D or Vitamin A, as the oil is made from the body of the fish and not the liver. D and A come from the liver and that is why cod liver oil is not an acceptable substitute. I take fish oil every day; it really helps quite a bit with RA, and also with menstrual issues. I take the enteric-coated 1000mg capsules. No fishy aftertaste, and allegedly higher absorption. I stopped taking it for a few months last year and OMG I noticed a difference!!! Our Dr. suggested my hubby and I take the fish oil about 3 yrs ago after my hubby had a mini stroke. We've taken 21,000 mgs a week ever since. I havent noticed any after taste or smell from either of us. I take mine 3 times a day, dh twice a day. Doesn't really matter the Dr. said. I'm wondering if I should up my dosage for my Fibro and Osteo? I'll ask when I go back at the end of Aug. Good research Gimpy!
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