Fish Oil Supplementation - EPA & DHA

[caznp]

I have a patient who may have IGA nephropathy vs. thin basement membrane renal disease. For this, she is prescribed 6000 mg (combined) DHA/EPA. She is nursing a 23 month old. Is there any risk to the baby given the high dosage?

In advance, thank you very much for your attention.

[admin]

Caznp:

I doubt there is much risk IN THIS SITUATION, as the volume of milk produced by the mom (23 month postpartum) is probably quite low, hence the clinical dose of DHA in milk would be low as well. If this were a 2 month postpartum situation, I would be concerned with this dose.

Tom Hale Ph.D.

[hmc]

Hi, Im taking 1000mg of EPA daily as well as prozac 30mg-Im breastfeeding my 8 month old only twice a day now-would the fish oil have an effect?
thank you

[cpride]

Dear hmc,

EPA is an omega 3 fatty acid that is commonly found in human milk. Taking EPA supplements does increase the amount of EPA in human milk. EPA may prolong bleeding time; therefore, observe for bleeding and bruising especially if you are taking other medications that can prolong bleeding such as aspirin or ibuprofen. The recommended dose is 159 mg to 563 mg daily. You are taking about twice the recommended dose. We do not have long term data on the effects of EPA, but since your child is older and not breastfeeding frequently, the amount of EPA the baby would be exposed to probably would not be excessive.

Sincerely,
Cindy Pride, MSN, CPNP
TTUHSC InfantRisk Center

[hmc]

Thankyou for the reply; I have a further query; Ive been taking the EPA since my baby was born, to help with mood. I breastfeed exclusively for 6 months. Since it can be found in human milk, I assumed it was ok to take. I took it while pregnant too. Is this a risky supplement to take, apart from the prolonged bleeding ? Im taking a very high quality supplement.thank you.

[admin]

HMC:

My advice, particularly while pregnant, is to use low to moderate doses on any supplement or vitamin. Don't exceed about 600 mg per day of EPA. Once you go to higher doses, then the risks increase. What's worse is that we don't really know all of the risks associated with higher doses of EPA, particularly in pregnant women.

With vitamins and minerals, moderation is ALWAYS the smart thing to follow, particularly while pregnant or breastfeeding.

Tom Hale Ph.D.

[msthomas]

Is fish oil better than krill oil?