Missing a fish oil dose
Last Updated Aug 2007
Q: Hi, Dr. Sears,
My husband takes one tablespoon of your fish oil daily to help him control his
asthma and allergies. This dose keeps his ratio between 1.5-3, like you specify.
He's been doing this now for approximately five years, and since starting, he has
not had to use his asthma pump more than once or twice (he used to use it daily
during allergy season and physical activities). Also, his allergies used to cause
him to be very moody and slightly depressed. Your fish oil has changed all of that
too. My only question is could it be possible that by missing only three or four
days of his OmegaRx, all of the benefits he was getting are gone? This may sound
silly, but I swear I can tell when he has missed his dose for a few days. His mood
changes, his allergies appear, his depression comes back, his asthma returns, his
patience disappears, and his energy goes away. I haven't been wrong yet! But is
this REALLY possible? Also, could he become so dependent on it that he goes into
withdrawal?
Thanks, Leeann
A: Dear Leeann,
The half life of the fish oil is two days. This means that after two days, the
levels of the EPA and DHA in the blood have decreased by 50 percent, and by four
days the blood levels are only 25 percent. The return of your husband's allergies
is in line with the rate of loss of EPA and DHA in the blood. He will simply need
to take EPA and DHA at his current dose levels for the rest of his life to keep
these conditions under control. This is no different than if he were taken a drug
to treat the same conditions. Drugs only work while you are taking them at the
right dosages. The same is true for EPA and DHA.