If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you
should not use omega-3 fatty acid supplements without first talking to your
healthcare provider.
Blood-thinning Medications
Omega-3 fatty acids may increase
the blood-thinning effects of aspirin or warfarin. While the combination of
aspirin and omega-3 fatty acids may actually be helpful under certain
circumstances (such as heart disease), they should only be taken together under
the guidance and supervision of your healthcare provider.
Cyclosporine
Taking omega-3 fatty acids during cyclosporine therapy may reduce toxic side
effects (such as high blood pressure and kidney damage) associated with this
medication in transplant patients.
Etretinate and Topical Steroids
The addition of omega-3 fatty
acids (specifically EPA) to a drug regimen of etretinate and topical
corticosteroids may improve symptoms of psoriasis.
Cholesterol-lowering Medications
Following certain nutritional
guidelines, including increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet
and reducing the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, may allow a group of cholesterol
lowering medications known as "statins" (such as atorvastatin, lovastatin, and
simvastatin) to work more effectively.
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
In an animal
study, treatment with omega-3 fatty acids reduced the risk of ulcers from
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). More research is needed to
evaluate whether omega-3 fatty acids would have the same effects in people.