Can You Take Fish Oil While Intermittent Fasting?

Fish oil supplements are a popular way to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to provide a range of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, improving brain function, and reducing inflammation. However, if you’re following an intermittent fasting diet, you may be wondering whether it’s safe to take fish oil supplements during your fasting period. Here’s what you need to know.

Key Takeaways

• Fish oil supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids that can provide numerous health benefits, including promoting heart health, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• If you’re fasting for gut health, consuming fish oil supplements may disrupt your gut rest and break your fast.
• Fish oil supplements do contain calories, roughly nine calories per gram, which can break your fast if you’re cutting all calories during your fasting window.
• However, fish oil supplements won’t trigger an insulin response or break ketosis, making them safe to take during intermittent fasting if your focus is on controlling insulin levels, autophagy, or ketosis.
• Consult with your doctor before making any changes to your supplement routine, as they may still recommend fish oil supplements despite the potential to break your fast for the benefits they provide.

Calories

Fish oil supplements do contain calories, usually around 9 calories per gram, which can add up if you take multiple capsules throughout the day. If you’re following a strict fasting regimen where you consume zero calories during your fasting period, then taking fish oil supplements would break your fast. However, if you’re following a more flexible approach, where you allow for a small number of calories during your fasting window, then taking fish oil supplements may be okay.

Insulin Response and Ketosis

Fish oil supplements are made up of pure fat, so they don’t contain any carbohydrates or protein. This means they shouldn’t trigger an insulin response or affect your state of ketosis. If you’re fasting primarily to achieve these goals, then taking fish oil supplements shouldn’t break your fast.

Gut Health

If you’re fasting for gut health, then taking fish oil supplements may not be the best idea. While they don’t contain any carbohydrates or protein, fish oil supplements still need to be digested and absorbed by the body, which can stimulate the digestive system and disrupt your gut rest. If you’re aiming to give your gut a break during your fasting window, then it’s best to avoid fish oil supplements.

Should You Take Fish Oil During Intermittent Fasting?

Ultimately, whether or not you should take fish oil supplements during intermittent fasting depends on your individual goals and preferences. If you’re following a strict fasting regimen where you consume zero calories during your fasting window, then taking fish oil supplements would break your fast. However, if you’re following a more flexible approach and allowing for a small number of calories, then taking fish oil supplements may be okay, as long as you’re not fasting for gut health.

It’s important to note that if you’re taking fish oil supplements on the recommendation of your doctor, you should continue to do so unless instructed otherwise. Always speak to your healthcare provider before making any changes to your supplement routine or fasting regimen.

FAQ

• Can fish oil supplements break my fast?

Fish oil supplements contain around nine calories per gram, which can break your fast if you’re following a strict fasting regimen where you consume zero calories during your fasting period. However, taking fish oil supplements may be okay if you follow a more flexible approach and allow some calories.

• Do fish oil supplements affect insulin levels or ketosis?

Fish oil supplements are made up of pure fat, so they don’t contain any carbohydrates or protein. That means they shouldn’t trigger an insulin response or affect your state of ketosis. If you’re fasting primarily to achieve these goals, taking fish oil supplements shouldn’t break your fast.

• Can I take fish oil supplements if I’m fasting for gut health?

If you’re fasting for gut health, there may be better ideas than taking fish oil supplements because these supplements still need to be digested and absorbed by the body, which can stimulate the digestive system and disrupt your gut rest. So if you aim to give your gut a break during your fasting window, then it’s best to avoid fish oil supplements.

• How many fish oil supplements can I take per day?

The recommended daily dosage of fish oil supplements varies depending on the individual and the product. Therefore, it’s important to follow the instructions on the supplement label or consult your doctor for guidance on the appropriate dosage.