We all know how bad rotten fish smells. And nobody wants to end up smelling like an old fish, even if it is for the sake of our health.
Will Fish Oil Make Me Smell Fishy?
There are normally two areas in which people worry when it comes to concerns about fishy odour concerns – actual fishy body odours, and fishy taste or after-taste from taking a fish oil product.
1. Fishy Body Smell
I can understand your concern if you think a fish oil supplement will give you any kind of ‘fishy body smell’. There is no evidence that taking a supplement with fish oils will change your body odour in any way. So fish oil and smelly skin do not go hand in hand.
Some people experience a little diarrhoea or digestive discomfort initially but this usually subsides fairly quickly anyway. So smelly gas after taking fish oil is not impossible but shouldn’t last.
2. Fishy Smelling Capsules Or After-taste
I’ll warn you now though – some fish oil capsules do smell. But that’s why you should avoid those products like crazy. It’s exactly the same as fresh fish. If you pull a fresh fish straight out of the ocean, it smells of that salty fresh ocean smell that you get when you’re at the beach. In other words it smells clean and fresh.
Old and decaying fish smells ‘fishy’. And exactly the same principle applies to fish oils. Fresh oils simply do not smell or taste bad.
So the same goes for after-taste or burping fish flavor – it shouldn’t happen if the oil is fresh. Research has actually shown sufficient quantities of omega three can cut down levels of bacteria in the mouth. So rather than have fishy breath – omega three can actually stop bad breath.
The Key Is Freshness
Fresh oils not only smell good, in that ocean fresh way, but fresh oils mean you’re getting the benefits of the omega three fatty acids.
An oil that does not smell good may not actually be ‘off’, but it certainly doesn’t give a great indication that the manufacturer has taken any care during the production process.
You can, and should, try the ‘smell test’ on any fish oil supplement you buy.
Smell one of the capsules. But don’t just smell it, cut the capsule open to release the oil inside. Because some manufacturers will coat capsules to stop the bad oil odour coming through. Don’t get too close if you bought a cheap and nasty brand though.
Also watch our for unexpected ingredients in fish supplements – it’s not uncommon to see flavourings or fragrances to disguise the lack of freshness of a product.
In Conclusion
Any reputable manufacturer should provide plenty of information about exactly where their product comes from, and the standards they apply when making it.
Make sure any fish oil products you buy are as pure and fresh as possible, and you shouldn’t have any problems with fish smell.
Disclaimer: Any statements here are not medical advice, nor have they been evaluated by the FDA. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The reader is responsible for consulting with their own health professional on any health matters raised or opinions expressed.