Say goodbye to fish burps

You know that fishy burp flavor you get after taking fish oil (omega 3) supplements? Here’s why it happens: When fish oil pills are broken down and digested quickly while still in the stomach, you have a higher chance they will give you the fish burps. Things that delay their breakdown until it is past the stomach can help.

Here are some things that can help:

• Quality is important. The way a nutritional supplement is formulated is as important as the ingredients. According to nutritionist Jonny Bowden, PhD., “Cheap fish oil is just as likely to be rancid as cheap fish.” He advises to break open a capsule, and “if it smells like rotting fish, it’s rancid.” This is why Dr. B prescribes Eye Promise EZ tears here. The brand is trusted by doctors (including Dr. B) and is effective.
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• Don’t keep your supplements at room temperature with your other vitamins. Instead, keep them in the freezer. Cold fish oil breaks down in the stomach more slowly, allowing it to pass into the intestine before getting absorbed. This reduces the fishy aftertaste.
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• Enteric Coating: fish oil made with this coating can prevent them from being digested until they reach the small intestine.
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• Take with meals, and split up the dose. The presence of food helps delay the breakdown of the pill and help slow the digestion. Splitting your daily dose in two also reduces the amount the stomach has to digest at one time.
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• Take them with foods containing digestive enzymes such as lipase, which is an enzyme that breaks down the fat that causes the fishy reflux. These foods contain digestive enzymes: Avocados, pineapple, papaya, rice bran, kefir, and honey are just a few. Or you can take a lecithin capsule with the fish oil. Lecithin is a soy-based product that emulsifies (dissolves) fat. It is inexpensive and will minimize the fishy aftertaste.

Want to know more about how fish oil helps dry eyes? Check out Dr. B’s article: Fish Oil For Dry Eyes.