After six months of high-dose fish oil, the protective antioxidant in red blood cells drops back down, and the cells become more easily damaged by oxidation — and the higher the dose, the worse it gets.

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Evidence from Studies

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n-3 fatty acids induce oxidative modifications in human erythrocytes depending on dose and duration of dietary supplementation.

Cohort Study

Human

1996 Sep

After taking high doses of fish oil for 6 months, your red blood cells run out of a key antioxidant (alpha-tocopherol), making them more likely to get damaged by oxidation—and the higher the dose, the worse it gets.

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No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

n-3 fatty acids induce oxidative modifications in human erythrocytes depending on dose and duration of dietary supplementation.

Score: 33

DOI: 10.1093/AJCN/64.3.297

Similar Assertions

After one month of taking high-dose fish oil, your red blood cells temporarily get more of a protective antioxidant called alpha-tocopherol, which helps them resist damage from oxidation.

96%

People who take the highest dose of fish oil for six months end up with more oxidized fat in their red blood cells than those taking a low dose — even if they started with the same level of protection.

88%