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Will Omega 3 fish oil help IBS?

Everyone has heard of the general health benefits associated with Omega 3 fatty acids both for physical and mental health, but what about irritable bowel syndrome, can fish oil supplements make a difference? The difficulty with IBS is that no two people will respond in the same way to the same substance so it is impossible to tell how someone with IBS will respond to fish oil. On saying that, research has indicated that fish oil may indeed prove beneficial for some types of digestive disorders, including IBS.

Why fish oil?

Some research has shown the positive effect that fish oil can have on irritable bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory disease of the colon. In one particular study by Belluzi et al, 59% of the patients suffering from Crohn’s disease who took fish oil supplements daily were still in remission after a year. This would suggest that fish oil can have a beneficial effect on the digestive tract. However, it should be noted that Crohn’s disease is not related to IBS, they are very different conditions albeit they both happen to have an affect on bowel movements.

So why might fish oil help IBS? Fish oil contains the essential Omega 3 fatty acids such as Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are not readily available in anything other than oily fish and fish oil. Our bodies need these fatty acids but cannot produce them so we have to source them from the diet. Apart from the fact that we all need these fatty acids just to survive, the health benefits they offer could equally apply to IBS as to any other condition.

For example, the essential fatty acids in fish oil have powerful anti inflammatory properties which could help reduce any intestinal inflammation present in the gut and anywhere else in the body. They also boost the immune system and help the blood to flow more efficiently throughout the body and improve the functioning of the body in general. Taking fish oil supplements daily can also significantly reduce stress, anxiety and depression and as stress and anxiety can exacerbate IBS symptoms, fish oil may act in a natural way to reduce stress, improve mood and ultimately help alleviate the symptoms of IBS.

What are the side effects?

As with any supplement, there is always the possibility of some side effects and the most common ones reported with fish oil are fishy burps and stomach upsets. As fish oil is a lubricant, people with diarrhoea predominant IBS should introduce it slowly and increase the dose over time if no adverse effects are experienced.

Although fish oil is generally considered safe to take by everyone, it is probably best to speak to your doctor before taking it for IBS just so that your full medical history can be taken into account and you can be sure it is an appropriate treatment for you.