Slightly Elevated Blood Pressure. Taking Wild Salmon Fish Oil Supplement. Recommend A Better Supplement

Posted on Fri, 25 Oct 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 Answered on

Thu, 21 Nov 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I've been taking a Wild Salmon Fish Oil Supplement...a friends told me I should find a better supplement though because the one I take has 1000 mg of fish oil but only 107 mg EPA and 93 mg DHA. Can you recommend a better one and how much should I take every day? I am healthy, 65, with slightly elevated blood pressure but no other problems.

Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (5 hours later)

Brief Answer: There are many alternative sources. Detailed Answer: Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX Though there is no clear cut consensus on the amount of daily intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, it is a general recommendation to take a product that provides 700 to 1,000 mg of EPA and 200 to 500 mg of DHA daily in the smallest number of pills. The three principal omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The main sources of ALA are vegetable oils, particularly canola and soybean oils; flaxseed oil is richer in ALA than soybean and canola oils but is not commonly consumed. ALA can be converted, usually in small amounts, into EPA and DHA in the body. EPA and DHA are found in seafood including fatty fish (e.g., salmon, tuna, and trout) and shellfish (e.g., crab, mussels, and oysters). Do not take more than 3 grams daily of omega-3 fatty acids from capsules without the supervision of a health care provider, due to an increased risk of bleeding. For adults with high blood pressure, scientists generally recommend 3 - 4 grams per day, but you should only take under the supervision of a health care provider. Hope I have addressed your query. Happy to help further Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar