Vitamin D, Fish Oil and NOACS? - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Vitamin D, Fish Oil and NOACS?

Coco51 profile image
29 Replies

Hi folks. On GP advice, and following the example of many lovely people on this forum, I take Vitamin D as one of my daily supplements. (The others are Vitamin C and Magnesium). I'm also taking Apixaban and other meds for BP and AF. I've noticed on the Vitamin D container label it says that the Vitamin D is derived from fish oil. Now, I believe fish oil has anticoagulant properties, so is it OK to take it with NOACs or will it significantly increase the danger of bleeding? We're told to avoid Ibruprofen and Aspirin for that reason. Can't find anything addressing this online.

Any thoughts anyone?

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Coco51
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29 Replies
Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper

You’d have to check with a pharmacist who are usually very helpful or GP - all I know is I had to stop my high strength fish oils but you can eat the fish itself. Some vitamin D replacements come in gel capsules so wonder is the vitamin D possibly in fish oil in the caplets. I’ve just finished a 7 week high dose prescribed course from my GP and just told to continue with over the counter ones, wasn’t told dose or to get tablets or gel caps etc - I’d just check your personal position first incase there’s another reason not to take them.

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toAfibflipper

Good advice thank you. I'm thinking I might get a version of vitamin D made without the fish oil. But it's a shame to miss out on the benefit of fish oil without some risk/benefit analysis. Beginning to wonder if I'm overthinking this!

Afibflipper profile image
Afibflipper in reply toCoco51

I don’t think so, I’m the same. One minute fish oils high strength are great to protect the heart now we can’t take them (at first I thought super healthy stuff I’ll do it all (now ooh no don’t do that!) Better safe thinking than sorry you didn’t - enjoy your day x

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575

I have always taken a fish oil capsule and still do. I also take vitamin D. I eat a lot of fish . No one has suggested I stop since starting anti coagulant

Jennifer53 profile image
Jennifer53 in reply toPeony4575

Your anti coag will be prescribed based on your inr on fish oils. You will need to contact your clinic if you stop the fish oils

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply toJennifer53

Thanks for that wasn’t aware I thought I was just on the bog standard 60mg Edoxaban and dose would only be changed if my weight fell below a certain point . I have been taking exact same omega 3,6&9 capsule for decades so unless they stop making it will carry on . I thought INR checking was only a thing on Warfarin . Learning all the time

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toPeony4575

I don't think inr is measured for NOACs, so I was told. Just kidney and liver function annually. Inr is for warfarin.

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer in reply toPeony4575

It is. DOACS work on a different part of the clotting process.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply toJennifer53

INR is only relevant for those taking Warfarin. No measure of coagulation factors is tested for those on DOACs.

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575

The mechanism by which aspirin and other anti inflammatory Ed can cause bleeding is totally different than fish oil. Problem is if aspirin caused a bleed when you are taking an anti coagulant obviously the bleed as with any major bleed becomes much more serious . If fish oil was a big problem there would be a lot of information online

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toPeony4575

Good point. There are a few accounts of small studies (75 patients) saying bleeding more likely with Vitamin D, but they don't mention in what form the D comes in. No headlines!

Egjournals.lww.com/bloodcoagu...

And plenty more on benefits of D for preventing thrombosis

intechopen.com/chapters/76246

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply toCoco51

Thank you for that !

john-boy-92 profile image
john-boy-92

I take dabigatran and I've been taking vitamin D and fish oil for years. I've had colonoscopies, cut myself clearing scrub in a nature reserve, but other than when a clip gave way on a scar after the removal of a 20mm flat polyp, bleeding has not been a problem.

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply tojohn-boy-92

Good news. Thank you.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire

Plenty of vit D supplements are made from sheep's wool. You need to check that your vit D supplement from fish oil does not contain large amounts of vit A as well. It is not a good idea to get vit D from cod liver oil ( as was prescribed in 50s when I was a kid) as the proportion of vit A is too high. There is a lot of confusion between anti coagulants and anti aggregants in substances that have blood "thinning " properties. Most are anti aggregants ie they stop platelets clumping together whereas anti coagulants prolong the time it takes for the blood to clot. Many people take a fish oil supplement without a problem when on anticoagulants. The important thing is not to take too much. Usually up to 1000mg a day is considered safe.

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toAuriculaire

interesting distinction between anti-coagulants and anti-aggregants. Thank you. And yes 1000 is what I take.

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toCoco51

Sheeps' wool is a new one for me!

ozziebob profile image
ozziebob

And here's some more good news about maintaining Vitamin D serum levels at the higher end of the range ... medscape.com/viewarticle/98...

You might need to join Medscape to read the article, but it's free, and I've had no follow-on issues after joining.

Highly recommended reading.

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toozziebob

Thank you, very interesting. I wasn't going to give up on the D, just try to find another source than fish oil.

Gumbie_Cat profile image
Gumbie_Cat in reply toCoco51

I got Vitamin D capsules from Viridian, as I have liked their supplements in the past. I stuck to the government recommended 400IU. (They do higher ones.) It is a vegan product (though I’m not vegan) - and the D3 is extracted from lichen! (That stuff must soak up the sunshine.)

ETA - my daughter mentioned getting a spray, a bit like the magnesium sprays. Most of those are made by Better You I think. (Just checked and it’s an oral spray, lanolin derived.)

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toGumbie_Cat

Thank you. The health shop has these. But the price! I might give them a try though...

Gumbie_Cat profile image
Gumbie_Cat in reply toCoco51

I think I shopped around and got a cheaper price via Amazon.

Belle11 profile image
Belle11

I used to take fish oil until I got AF and was put on an anticoagulant, rivaroxaban. Just occasionally I've tried fish oil again, but noticed each time that scratches and cuts did seem to bleed a bit more if I add the fish oil back in, so had to stop again. I do eat plenty of oily fish though for omega 3s.

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toBelle11

Funnily enough I have been taking the fish oil based VitD for years. But I hadn't noticed that effect. I will monitor it. Thanks

Belle11 profile image
Belle11 in reply toCoco51

How much EPA and DPA in your supplement? I always used to take a high dose of just fish oil and a multi vit and mieral before AF struck. I do take a vitamin D with vit K2 as well as a multi now, but not the fish oil.

etheral profile image
etheral

Read a few articles in medical

etheral profile image
etheral

Journals that linked vit D to increased incidents of afib in those who already have it. Out of an abundance of caution, I have stopped taking it. etheral

Coco51 profile image
Coco51 in reply toetheral

Wow. Which studies do you mean? I saw a few which prompted my question, but they were quite small.

etheral profile image
etheral

These were small also. I believe they were in the New England Journal of Medicine ad Journal of the American Medical Association.

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