Use:
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid. These substances will not directly treat the symptoms of PCOS. Fish oil is shown, however, to reduce both cholesterol and blood pressure, lowering your chance for heart attack, stroke or other cardiac event. This is important because of the increased risk for heart disease that exists in women with PCOS.
Safety:
Fish oil is quite safe and is generally well tolerated. You should speak with your doctor about taking this supplement because of the potential for drug interactions. Patients who are taking blood thinners like aspirin, lovenox, coumadin or heparin should not take this medication because studies have shown a slightly elevated risk of bleeding.
There is some evidence that taking fish oil supplements, now commonly added to prenatal vitamins as DHA, can be beneficial in pregnancy. You should speak with your physician to ensure that it is safe for you to take while pregnant.
Dosage:
You can get the recommended amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids by consuming two servings of fish each week. If you don't like fish, you can also get these antioxidants by eating tofu, soybeans, walnuts and canola oil. There are over-the-counter supplements available; current recommendations by the World Health Organization are for 0.3 to 0.5 mg of EPA/DHA (both rich in omega-3 and omega6) and 0.8-1.1 grams of alpha-linolenic acid each day.
