If you have had a heart attack, your doctor may suggest taking aspirin and DHA omega3 fatty acids. Both of these have anti-clotting activity. But, even though aspirin is an over-the-counter drug, you should never begin an aspirin regimen without consulting your doctor. There are too many adverse effects.
Those effects include an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and enteric coatings do not seem to reduce the risk. If you are taking warfarin, you should not take aspirin, unless a physician says so. The risk of bleeding is increased by combining the two drugs. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen further increase the risk. Aspirin also inhibits the absorption of vitamin C.
A total of 3000mg of EPA/DHA daily has been proven safe, with no increased risk of intestinal bleeding. Positive results have been seen in studies that combined taking aspirin and DHA, but results have been just as positive for EPA/DHA supplementation alone. In other words, you may not need the aspirin. Always follow your doctor's advice, but if you experience stomach upset from the therapy, talk to him or her about switching to just omega 3 supplementation.
Fish oil supplements do not cause stomach upset. If the oils are molecularly distilled to remove odor and taste, you don't even get the fishy burp. Some manufacturers speak against molecular distillation, but it is the only choice for a truly safe supplement. There are too many contaminants in un-distilled oils.
If you are a relatively healthy person, an omega 3 supplement will help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and possibly Alzheimer's. The supplements are beneficial for relieving depression, anxiety, joint pain, varicose veins and hyperactivity. They may even make you smarter. Fish is brain food, after all.
Taking aspirin and DHA or omega3 supplements alone is not recommended for people about to undergo surgery. Prolonged bleeding has been seen. The anti-clotting activity is a good thing for the heart and the brain, but not so good when the body needs to form clots to stop bleeding.
Aspirin interacts with a wide variety of drugs. It interferes with the activity of certain diabetes drugs, immunosuppressant drugs and other anti-inflammatories. No drug interactions are associated with omega3 supplementation, but always tell your doctor about any supplements that you are taking and talk to your pharmacist about possible drug interactions.
Taking aspirin and DHA is not a good idea, unless your doctor orders it. DHA/EPA combination supplements are a good idea for everyone.
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