Fish Oil Supplements and LDL hike? - High Cholesterol Message Board

Brendap · 05-12-2005, 12:14 PM

I have been reading about the possibility of fish oil supplements raising LDL. I know it also raises HDL, thereby, possibly leaving a healthy ratio - however, my Dr. said that if my LDL goes up he would increase my Lipitor from 10mgs. to 20 mgs. My last test was a LDL rate of 133. I know that doesn't seem very high - but I have Subclavian Steal Syndrome and I can't afford even a modest 133.

My last figures were:
TC 211
HDL 63
Tri. 76
LDL - 133
ALT 47
LDL/HDL ratio 2.11

I walk a fine like with the ALT also -- so if fish oil is raising that also - I don't want to overdo it.

I eat ground flaxseed in my cereal every morning and take 2 fish oil capsules daily (or a total of 360 mg. EPA and 240 mg. of DHA in these two capsules).

I DO NOT want to increase my Lipitor to 20 mgs. Does anyone know if the flaxseed and fish oil are possibly doing more harm than good?

Thanks,
Brenda

mg_health · 05-12-2005, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendap

I walk a fine like with the ALT also -- so if fish oil is raising that also - I don't want to overdo it.

I've been taking fish-oil (Omega-3) pills for years now and they've only improved my results (modestly). However, none of my liver enzyme tests were affected by this intake at all.

My liver enzymes were also, at one time, in the 40s. After taking Milk Thistle pills, they're now in the low 20s.

So, I don't think fish oil pills would impact your liver enzyme results.

Is your AST much lower than your ALT, and if so, by how much?

mg_health · 05-12-2005, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendap

I eat ground flaxseed in my cereal every morning and take 2 fish oil capsules daily (or a total of 360 mg. EPA and 240 mg. of DHA in these two capsules).

That sounds like a lot - I only take one 1-gram fish oil pill a day. Maybe you're taking too much? Two fish oil pills along with a flax seed diet maybe too much omega fatty acids for your body.

Brendap · 05-12-2005, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mg_health

Is your AST much lower than your ALT, and if so, by how much?

My AST was 19 and ALT 24 in October, 2004. This past blood test did not include an AST figure...but this latest test did show a rise in LDL and ALT (as posted above) - along with a slight increase in TC.

To respond to your remark that maybe two fish oil capsules are too much -- the recommended dosage on the bottle is 2 pills per day, and the combined dose of these two pills is 1 gram. So I am only taking one gram per day of fish oil.
Thanks,

Brenda

Uff-Da! · 05-12-2005, 07:17 PM

When I first tested high for cholesterol, my doctor told me to take three grams of fish oil caps a day, or flax oil caps if I was too bothered by fish oil burps. From what I've read elsewhere, as well, flax oil is only second best to fish oil. If it were me, I'd drop the flax oil first before decreasing the fish oil.