Fish oil is a blood thinner so always talk to your doctor before taking it if you are on any other kind of medication or are taking anticoagulants such as Warfarin (Coumadin) or have any reason to believe you may have a blood coagulation disorder of any kind.
On the other hand, Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil are thought to help the body deal with inflammation and to help thin out the blood which may potentially help prevent blood clots and clumping and to promote better heart health and overall health.
Some critics of health supplements will claim that fish oil thins the blood so it should not be taken with anticoagulants. But then they claim it doesn’t really thin the blood much and does not help with cardiovascular health at all.
They can’t have it both ways. It either thins the blood or it does not thin the blood.
The fact is, there are a number of foods as well as supplements that are widely considered to be potential blood thinners. Related to this is the question: why and when is it important for the blood to be thinned at all?
Many Americans and Europeans have problems with blood clots and coagulation due to unhealthy habits, genetics and unhealthy diet. There are many anti-coagulant drugs today, which are able to inhibit the ability of blood to coagulate or to clot.
The problem is that these anti-coagulant drugs are not able to dissolve existing clots and clumps in your blood vessels. If your heart doctor tells you that you have clots, or if you want your heart to be in tiptop health, he or she may also tell you to look for natural means to help keep your blood thin. One popular way is to take in fish and fish oil capsules.
Fish oils as natural blood thinner
You may well have heard many news stories by now about the many health benefits fish oils can provide. In particular, omega 3 fatty acids are believed by many to potentially support overall heart health. One of the roles that omega 3 plays in our cardiovascular health is as natural blood thinner.
How it Works
Fish oil contains two omega 3 fatty acids mainly responsible for its perceived benefits: DHA and EPA.
How can these fatty acids potentially help to thin out the blood?
– First, omega 3 fatty acids are thought to help prevent platelets from forming clumps and sticking together in the blood vessels.
– Second, DHA and EPA is thought to help in accelerating the breakdown of fibrin, which is a natural compound involved during blood clotting.
If you have thinner blood, you may potentially enjoy a healthier cardiovascular system. Thinner blood means that there might hopefully be fewer blood clots, blockage and artery hardening. If so that in turn might lessen your risk for developing heart attack and stroke, which are primarily caused by artery blockage. This, along with a healthy diet, regular exercise, a reduction in LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase in HDL (good cholesterol) levels may all work together to help promote better heart health and overall health.
Does fish oil work like anti-coagulant medications?
No not really, the anticoagulant properties of omega 3 fish oils are not at par with anti-coagulant medications such as heparin or warfarin. They are, in the first place, natural supplements more than anything and are not prescription medical drugs.
However, taking a gram a day of this supplement can produce a significant blood thinning effect. That’s why doctors warn you not to take fish oil if you are taking anti-coagulant medicines such as Heparin or Warfarin. You don’t want the health food supplement to interfere or amplify the effect of the medicine you are taking. This is another reason why you should always talk to your doctor before taking any kind of supplements.
The higher the dosage of the supplement you take, the more powerful it can potentially act as a blood thinner. Make sure to inform your doctor if you are thinking of taking fish oil supplements and if you are about to have a surgical procedure or if your doctor prescribes you an anti-coagulant medication or any other medicine or protocol.
To summarize, yes, fish oil is a blood thinner. Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil are believed to help thin the blood and thereby to potentially help promote heart health and overall health. With all these in mind, there is definitely a good reason why you should consider including fish oil in your daily dietary intake or supplementation.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease.
These statements are not medical advice and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease.
