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“Old Wang, you can’t supplement fish oil randomly. Be careful not to hurt your liver too much!” In the vegetable market, Dr. Li happened to meet Old Wang who was buying ducks and talked about health matters.
“Old Wang, you can’t supplement fish oil randomly. Be careful not to hurt your liver too much!” In the vegetable market, Dr. Li happened to meet Old Wang who was buying ducks and talked about health matters.
Today is the end of summer, the weather is getting cooler, Old Wang wants to make a braised duck meal for his family to nourish their health. Old Wang, over 60 years old, used to be a technician at a factory before retiring. Normally, Old Wang pays great attention to health, especially after hearing that fish oil is good for cardiovascular health, he chews two pieces every day, hoping to better protect his blood vessels.
So today when he bumped into Dr. Li, Old Wang wanted to ask, as he recently felt uncomfortable in the liver area, if it was related to taking fish oil. “Dr. Li, I take fish oil every day, and my liver has been feeling a bit uncomfortable lately. Is it related to fish oil?” Old Wang asked with some concern.
Dr. Li nodded, “It’s possible. Fish oil is good, but if you take too much, it can indeed burden the liver. The DHA and EPA in fish oil have anti-inflammatory and blood lipid-lowering effects, but they can also increase the metabolic burden on the liver.
Especially with long-term excessive intake, it can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, and even cause fatty liver.” Old Wang was surprised, “What? Taking fish oil can cause fatty liver? This is the first time I’ve heard of it!”
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Dr. Li smiled and explained, “Indeed, many people think fish oil is a healthy supplement, the more you take, the better. But in fact, if you supplement too much fish oil, especially exceeding the body’s needs, it will not bring more benefits but may instead overwhelm the liver due to excessive intake of fatty acids.
In your case, it’s best to reduce the intake of fish oil promptly and see if the symptoms improve.” Old Wang nodded, feeling regretful that he didn’t inquire more before blindly supplementing nutrients, and hastily asked, “Dr. Li, are there any other things I should avoid? Are all supplements not safe?”
Dr. Li patted Old Wang’s shoulder and said, “Not all supplements are problematic, but you do need to be careful. Besides fish oil, you also need to pay attention to combinations of certain medications and foods, consuming them with fish oil may increase the burden on the liver.”
Dr. Li continued to explain, “For example, taking anticoagulant medications like warfarin together with fish oil requires special caution. Fish oil itself has anticoagulant effects, and if taken together with anticoagulant drugs, it may increase the risk of bleeding.
Also, certain anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, if taken together with fish oil for an extended period, can exacerbate the metabolic burden on the liver and may lead to liver damage.” Upon hearing this, Old Wang became more nervous, “So, can I still continue with the fish oil? Do I need to stop?”
Dr. Li shook his head, smiling, “It’s not necessarily to stop, but you need to control the amount, and it’s best to consult a doctor before taking it to see if your body condition is suitable for continued supplementation.
Fish oil itself is beneficial, moderate consumption benefits cardiovascular health, but the key is ‘moderate’. Also, it’s best to avoid taking it with certain medications to prevent increasing the burden on the liver.”
Old Wang sighed in relief, but still felt uneasy, “Then, are there any other foods that can harm the liver when consumed? Do I need to be careful during normal times?” Dr. Li nodded and continued, “Some foods, when consumed together with fish oil, might also increase the burden on the liver. For example, high-fat, high-cholesterol foods are easy to cause fatty liver by themselves.
If combined with fish oil, the liver’s metabolic burden will be heavier. Particularly fried foods, fatty meats, animal organs, etc., should be consumed in moderation.” Old Wang frowned and muttered, “Oh, I do really like fried foods, no wonder my liver hasn’t been feeling too good recently.”
Dr. Li laughed and said, “Indeed, these foods are not good for the liver by themselves, adding fish oil, your liver needs some rest. Also, alcohol is a big enemy, drinking alcohol is harmful to the liver itself, and adding fish oil to the mix increases the risk of liver injury.”
Old Wang chuckled, “It looks like I’ll have to change my tastes in the future, eat less fried foods and fatty meats.” Dr. Li nodded and continued, “In addition, foods with excessively high sugar content should be consumed in moderation, especially refined sugars.
Sugar is metabolized in the liver, excessive intake can lead to insulin resistance, thereby causing fatty liver. Especially for someone like you who already has some metabolic issues, controlling sugar intake is even more crucial.”
Old Wang listened with some anxiety, realizing he had been eating sweets without restraint. Now it seems he needs to cut back. Dr. Li further added, “In general, nutritional supplementation should be balanced, not blindly following trends.
Many people hear that fish oil is good and start taking it daily, then end up harming themselves. You should supplement according to your own body condition, and not blindly pursue ‘more is better’.”
Old Wang nodded repeatedly, realizing he had indeed been lacking in moderation before, blindly supplementing nutrients, almost ruining his health. However, Old Wang suddenly thought of a question, “Dr. Li, what should I do now? Do I need to go for a detailed examination to see if there are any problems with my liver?”
Dr. Li agreed, “That’s a good idea. Your symptoms have hinted at the possibility of liver issues, so it’s best to go to the hospital for a liver function test, to see if there are signs of fatty liver or other liver damage.
Based on the results, the doctor will provide specific advice, such as whether you need to stop fish oil supplementation, or adjust your diet and lifestyle.”
Dr. Li added, “At the same time, you can also take some liver-protecting measures under the doctor’s guidance, such as eating more foods rich in antioxidants like tomatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables, all of which aid in liver repair and protection.”
After hearing this, Old Wang finally felt some certainty. He decided to go for a comprehensive check-up at the hospital within the next few days to ensure his liver’s health. At the same time, he planned to adjust his diet, eat less greasy foods, control sugar intake, and truly focus on a scientifically sound diet.
Therefore, Old Wang returned home carrying the ducks, silently determined to prepare the braised duck with less oil today, paying attention to healthy eating. After this conversation with Dr. Li, he finally understood that supplementing nutrients requires moderation, not blindly following trends, and that health is the most important aspect.
Do you have any opinions on this? Feel free to discuss in the comments section!
Reference:
[1] Zhang Luofei. Some medications should not be taken with certain foods[J]. Wealth and Prosperity, 2024(3):77-77
