Any products – medications or nutritional supplements – require compliance with the conditions of administration. At the same time, we strive to find out specific points for ourselves:
- How many capsules at a time?
- How many times a day?
- Before, after, or during meals?
- Are there any contraindications or side effects?
- Will an overdose be dangerous?
First of all, we hasten to note that pregnant women or breastfeeding women should definitely consult a doctor. Only he must either display a personal reception schedule Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), or recommend postponing the course.
Dosage
For babies fed on mother’s milk, this substance is not necessary, because milk contains all the necessary nutrients. An exception is special chewing gum or gelatin figures intended for young children. But adults and children over the age of twelve are recommended to take one capsule three times a day. If yours is Omega-3 prescribed as an aid in the fight against cardiovascular diseases, depression, memory or attention disorders, it can be two capsules. In any case, do not be lazy to read the instructions specifically for your bottle of capsules.
The vast majority of manufacturers recommend taking Omega-3 with meals. Some prescribe in the instructions a recommendation to use it thirty minutes before a meal. But, if you remembered about the healing capsule after you got up from the table, it will still not be too late to swallow it – after all, the digestion process is still ongoing.
The total duration of one course is one month (sometimes you can see the term “four weeks”). Therefore, a break of the same duration is also required – that’s how much time is needed to fully reveal the effect. And to begin the next stage, you should meet with your doctor again. He will decide the question of its feasibility and when it should be started.
Contraindications, side effects, interactions with other medications
We emphasize once again that the decision to start taking any substance, even if it is not a drug, should be made together with your doctor. Yes, a specialist is unlikely to recommend using Omega-3 for those who:
- allergy to polyunsaturated fats and its components;
- tuberculosis;
- thyroid and related diseases;
- cholelithiasis or urolithiasis;
- acute and chronic nephritis;
- hemophilia and bleeding tendency;
- increased levels of vitamins A and/or D in the body.
We hasten to note that none of the Omega-3 manufacturers stated in the instructions for their drugs about restrictions on driving motorcycles, vehicles or other serious machinery when taking capsules.
But does the drug have any side effects? The maximum that doctors observed when using it was allergic reactions to its components. Although sometimes gastrointestinal disorders occurred (belching with a fishy odor, nausea, bloating, diarrhea or constipation). Acne or eczema was less common.
There is more lack of information regarding interactions with other medicinal products than information itself. Most of the disclaimers are of the nature of “we did not receive such data.” Thus, due to the lack of clinical experience, it is not recommended to prescribe Omega-3 simultaneously with fibrates. Also, the administration of PUFAs in parallel with Warfarin did not cause hemorrhagic complications, which was what the researchers feared.
Overdose
No serious incidents were reported. And how can one “achieve” it, if sometimes doctors deliberately doubled the daily dose of Omega-3. The only thing doctors can say on this matter is only to express their assumptions. Therefore, based on the experience of the effects of PUFAs on the human body, it is possible that they can cause allergic reactions and discomfort in the digestive organs. If the patient wants to get rid of these symptoms, it is recommended to reduce the dose. And in case of exacerbation of side effects, therapy will be symptomatic, local.
Application features
As already noted, pregnant or lactating women should consult their doctor regarding the use of Omega-3. He knows the characteristics of your body. And only he must decide on the advisability of taking PUFAs and the dosage, since there is no experience in using them during pregnancy. There is also no data on the excretion of components into breast milk, which is why doctors rather avoid recommending this remedy to breastfeeding mothers.
Finally, we would like to emphasize two truths that should be adhered to with any drug – medicinal or not: be sure to follow the reservations and recommendations set out in the instructions specifically for your drug. If you have any doubts or no answers to your questions, do not be lazy to consult your family doctor.
