However, if you are like me and many others out there, the worst thing about taking a fish oil supplement is that you end up either burping it up regularly or even worse, getting heartburn.
Fortunately, I have come up with three simple things that you can do when taking fish oil and one thing that you want to make sure NOT to do when using fish oil!
Before we get started on what you can do to stop fishy burps and fish oil-related heartburn, I first need to mention one thing: do not use “deodorized” fish oil!
The first thing most people do when they get heartburn from their fish oil and burp up a fish taste in their mouths is to run out and buy a deodorized fish oil. This is a huge mistake.
The problem is fish oil is “deodorized” by being treated with high levels of heat. This actually takes the odor away by destroying the natural EPA and DHA in the fish oil (1). If you did not know, EPA and DHA are the fatty acids responsible for all the benefits of fish oil.
Just remember that any fish oil treated higher than 180 degrees Celsius will end up with serious damage to its EPA and DHA (1). Any fish oil that has not been deodorized to that degree will still have at least some “fishy” taste or smell to it. As a result, you simply cannot deodorize your way out of fish oil burps or heartburn.
Fortunately, below I have included 3 ways you can reduce and even eliminate fish oil burps!
When refrigerated, fish oil starts to solidify, much like any other oil. I must admit I do not know exactly how this works, but when you take refrigerated fish oil, it seems to drastically reduce and even eliminate any burps or heartburn associated with it.
I have recommended this to dozens of individuals now and every single person has said this home heartburn remedy works out like a charm. Try it out!
This method is especially effective if you take you refrigerate your fish oil. What you will find is that if you take a few refrigerated tablets with your food, immediately before eating, you are practically guaranteed not to get heartburn or fishy-burps.
Fish-oil related heartburn is always at its worse when you take the oil warm and on an empty stomach. Be sure to have it before you eat your food rather than after; as if you eat it after the oil does not mix as readily with the stomach’s contents, leading to more fishy burps and heartburn.
A standard fish oil is actually only 20-30% DHA/EPA. In other words, 1 pill which is typically 1,000 mg in size only contains 200mg-300mg of EPA/DHA (the fatty acids in fish oil that we want). You can buy concentrated versions of fish oil which have 2-3x amount of EPA and DHA per pill.
This way, if you take 2-3 fish oil tablets a day, you can simply switch over to a concentrated fish oil tablet and drop to 1. You usually have to buy these online, but being able to drop down from 3 tablets a day to a single tablet really does reduce instances of heartburn and fish-burps.
Fish oil is a highly effective supplement that does not need to cause heartburn or burping. Be sure to avoid highly-deodorized fish oils, the valuable fatty-acids in fish oil can be destroyed in the deodorization process.
Instead, opt for a concentrated blend of fish oil. Put it in the refrigerator and only take it with food, particularly right at the beginning of your meal. By following these simple methods, you can stop fish oil heartburn effortlessly!
References
1. Fournier, V., et al. Degradation products formed from long-chain PUFA during deodorization of fish oil. Lipid Technology. 2007; 19(1): 9-11.
