It’s important to note first that there is no upper limit to the amount of omega-3s you consume, so keep packing your meals with these healthy fatty acids!
mbg’s own director of scientific affairs, Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, puts it this way: “Just like there are no ‘upper limits’ for carbs or protein, omega-3s are healthy fats.” for which assigning a ceiling for the general population makes no sense According to science, there is no reason to tiptoe around omega-3 fats any more than you would tiptoe around avocados or olive oil “These are healthy fats that deserve a prominent place in every dietary pattern.”
When it comes to supplements, there’s technically a ceiling on how much EPA and DHA we should be getting, but it’s much, much higher than you think (and not a concern at all at clinically effective doses).
Clinical research has revealed that it is safe to take up to 10 grams (10,000 milligrams) of EPA and DHA per day—that’s more than 20 times the minimum recommended intake (ie, two servings of fish per week equals about 500 milligrams of EPA plus DHA per day). For context, most fish oil supplements offer 250 to 1,800 milligrams of EPA and DHA per daily serving, which means you would have to take 10 to 40 servings per day to reach potentially dangerous levels (i.e., a ridiculously high amount).
Speaking of the purported health concerns surrounding omega-3s, let’s address the concern that taking a fish oil supplement can result in thinning of the blood and reduced blood clotting. While evidence shows that omega-3s naturally have a positive biological effect on platelets, blood thinning is not a concern at the dosage provided by omega-3 supplements, or even the outrageously high (but completely safe) intake of 10 grams per day, for that matter.
Eager to address this fish oil folklore, Ferira explains that the last 30 years of epidemiological and clinical trial research demonstrate, from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses, that there is no increased risk of bleeding.
“Even if you wanted to be incredibly conservative and apply a random safety factor of two, and achieve a daily maximum of 5 grams (5,000 milligrams) of EPA plus DHA, those are not the omega-3 levels that supplements provide. Period.” Ferira points out. .
That said, anyone with personalized bleeding considerations and/or taking blood-thinning medications should speak with their health care provider before adding an omega-3 supplement to their daily routine (outside of a abundance precautionary).
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