Fish Oil

[Brian Negrotto]

I have heard a few people talking on these boards about fish oil affecting your blood's clotting. I am preparing to go on another deployment in January and being a free bleeder is not a quality I would like to have over there. Any thoughts or insight?

[Eric Zborowski]

I have been taking 15g total EPA/DHA for over a month now. I cut myself cooking once and had no trouble with clotting. I am only speaking from personal experience, but I don't thing you should have to worry about it unless you are taking ungodly amounts of fish oil. The only thing you can do is keep taking your oil and wait till you accidentally cut yourself. Then you will know how the oil is affecting you personally.

[Andrew Schechterly]

I think you're safe... unless, of course, you take your fish oil intravenously.

[Harrie Weidenbacher]

Another way you can tell if a substance is affecting your clotting is if your gums start bleeding a lot when you brush your teeth, when they ordinarily don't. I've never had a problem from fish oil, but I have from St. John's Wort.

[Frank E Morel]

Originally Posted by Harrie Weidenbacher

Another way you can tell if a substance is affecting your clotting is if your gums start bleeding a lot when you brush your teeth, when they ordinarily don't. I've never had a problem from fish oil, but I have from St. John's Wort.

gums Are not an accurate measure of clotting or bleeding issues.. it is something to consider But since gums swell due to mild form of gingivitis,excessive/ prolonged mouth breathing and the mucosa is dried out, or even stress. Swollen gums will ALWAYS BLEED when brushed or flossed.

OP, Regarding fish oil and deployment.. if your that worried about, buy yourself a piece of mind by not taking it. Heart rate and BP goes thru the roof when you have just realized that your injured.. and those factors affect bleeding flow.

Staying away from ASA aspirin will serve you wisely as that actually prevents clot formation.

I just find it funny that alot of people are concerned about taking fish oil and its impact on bleeding, yet they either dont know about or concerned that otc like motrin or aleve impact bleeding at alot higher rates.

[Harrie Weidenbacher]

That's a good point, Frank, and true. Thanks for elaborating on it.

[Brian Negrotto]

Originally Posted by Frank E Morel

I just find it funny that alot of people are concerned about taking fish oil and its impact on bleeding, yet they either dont know about or concerned that otc like motrin or aleve impact bleeding at alot higher rates.

I'm glad I could make you laugh but I'm not a medical professional. The reason I'm active in this message board is to learn. Quite frankly, I have a lot to learn in the entire fitness realm. Having said that, no, I didn't know that motrin did that. Thanks for the info. Next question I have I'll be sure and shoot it your way so you can have a chuckle.

[Frank E Morel]

Originally Posted by Brian Negrotto

I'm glad I could make you laugh but I'm not a medical professional. The reason I'm active in this message board is to learn. Quite frankly, I have a lot to learn in the entire fitness realm. Having said that, no, I didn't know that motrin did that. Thanks for the info. Next question I have I'll be sure and shoot it your way so you can have a chuckle.

I didnt mean funny as in HAHA but as in funny strange. Brian, your post isnt the first with this concern over the years here, and trust me, the answers have been, well, out there.

Most of the studies looking at fish oil and bleeding influences looked at ranges 1-4 grams. These studies noted some changes but nothing of serious impact.
Now if your doing the megadose thing.. then your on your own... I have yet to see any studies that look at the two. Remember even alcohol influences bleeding times dramatically. I have seen more bleeding problems rated to Booze than anything else.

Now on a side note... Not knowing where your going but given the statistics on Traumatic Brain Injuries from Exploding Ordnance Blasts .. including prolonged concussions. I personally would think hard and slow about taking something that could make a complex like that worse despite the possibility of nothing could happen * make sense? shrug.gif
I guess comparing it to fall down a flight a stairs and smacking my head and bleeding to death as a civvie is somewhat high. But being a grunt and being exposed to possible mortar blasts, Arty fire, Grenade Blasts, or Ied blasts and having my bell rung really hard is an occupational hazard that is rather high on the Richter scale.

[Devon Bautista]

just wondering... anyone got any suggestion on what kind of fish oil is good. By this I mean pure... in one of the videos in the journal they talk about a test where you Break open 4 or 5 fish oil capsules in shot glass and put in freezer – if in 5 hours you can put toothpick through its probably okay... but i dont feel like paying to try this and fail. If anyone has a good suggestion let me know

[Frank E Morel]

Originally Posted by Devon Bautista

just wondering... anyone got any suggestion on what kind of fish oil is good. By this I mean pure... in one of the videos in the journal they talk about a test where you Break open 4 or 5 fish oil capsules in shot glass and put in freezer – if in 5 hours you can put toothpick through its probably okay... but i dont feel like paying to try this and fail. If anyone has a good suggestion let me know

Devon... you got five posts so i will be gentle.. search the nutrition pages for fish oil, your going to find a mountain of threads on the subject several asking your very question.