Your Guide to Fish Oil Dosage

Fish Oil Dosage: How Much Should You Take Per Day?

While a lot of media reports emphasize how important it is that people get plenty of omega-3 fatty acid rich foods in their diet, few bother to explain how much omega-3 is enough. Part of the reason is that currently there is no recommended fish oil dosage.

For most individuals is because there still needs to be a lot more research done to figure out what the true “optimum” dosage of fish oil supplements (especially for individuals with severe neurological problems like Alzheimer’s). ¹ Fortunately, this does not mean that you have to completely guess how much fish oil you need to take each day.

A Simple Guide to Fish Oil Dosage

If you have had no heart problems and are not pregnant, 500 mg a day of fish oil is probably adequate. Still, consulting a healthcare professional is recommended.
If you have had heart problems, 1000 mg of fish oil is a good dose each day. Fish oil supplements significantly reduce the risk of heart attack.² Consulting a physician cannot be overemphasized.
If you are pregnant, you should consult with your doctor about exactly how much fish oil you should take. The right amount of fish oil for both you and your baby partially depends upon your family history.

You may need to do a little bit of experimentation to try and figure out the best dosage of fish oil for you. While the above guidelines should work in most situations, there will always be exceptions. Some individuals naturally require more omega-3s than others.

If you feel that 500 mg of fish oil a day just isn’t enough for you, go right ahead and take up to 1000 mg of EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acids a day.³ Because fish oil has very few side effects, it is extremely unlikely that you will experience any negative health consequences as a result of your decision to consume more than 500 mg of fish oil a day.

One thing you do have to watch out for when it comes to determining how much fish oil you take each day is if you are on or have sensitivity to blood thinners. Fish oil does tend to thin the blood, and if you have had any blood clotting problems in the past, you want to make sure that you error on the side of caution when it comes to determining your fish oil dosage.

Of course, having a history of clotting issues does not mean you should forgo fish oil altogether. Everybody needs at least some omega-3 fatty acids in their diet⁴, and if you aren’t getting enough omega-3 in your diet, you really do need to supplement your diet with fish oil.

You will have a pretty good idea of when you are taking the right dosage of the oil based upon your mood. Fish oil has a subtle but powerful effect on general mood, and if you notice that you start feeling substantially better, you are probably getting all the fish oil your body needs to function optimally. If, however, you are still feeling somewhat under the weather even after taking fish oil for several weeks, it is probably time for you to raise the dose.

Figuring out exactly how much fish oil is best for you can be a little bit challenging. But that doesn’t mean that the process can’t be very enjoyable. Treat it like a game and you will soon figure out exactly how much fish oil you need each day to function at your best.