Ultimate Omega®, Lemon

What studies found on fish oil / omega-3

Evidence against Each of the 3 human studies of omega-3 supplements in gout found no difference - no serum urate change in a 24-week trial (Stamp 2022, n=40), no difference in flares in a 28-week placebo trial (Abhishek 2022, n=60), and no flare association for self-directed supplements (Zhang 2019, n=724) - though all 3 were small or not designed to test efficacy.

Studied dose: 4 g omega-3 a day to 6.2 g fish oil a day.

• Stamp LK 2022, BMC Rheumatol. Randomized open-label pilot trial, 40 people, 24 weeks. In people with gout, serum urate change did not differ between the fish oil and no fish oil groups.
• Abhishek A 2022, Rheumatol Adv Pract. Randomized placebo-controlled feasibility trial, 60 people, 28 weeks. The number of gout flares, flare duration and time to first flare were similar on omega-3 and placebo.
• Zhang M 2019, Arthritis Rheumatol. Case-crossover study (online cohort of people with gout), 724 people, 2003 to 2012. Omega-3 supplements were not associated with flare risk (OR 1.01), while 2 or more servings of omega-3-rich fish were associated with lower odds (OR 0.74).
• Gencer B 2021, Circulation. Meta-analysis of randomized cardiovascular outcome trials, 81210 people, Weighted mean 4.9 years. Omega-3 supplements were associated with a 25% higher risk of atrial fibrillation (HR 1.25), and the risk was higher in trials using more than 1 g a day.

Safety: A 2021 meta-analysis of 7 trials (81,210 people) linked marine omega-3 supplements to a 25% higher risk of atrial fibrillation, higher at doses above 1 g a day (PMID 34612056). In Stamp 2022, 4 people on fish oil reported stomach side effects. Talk to your doctor before starting a supplement, especially if you take allopurinol, febuxostat or colchicine.