Can You Take Omega-3s and GLP-1 Medications Together?

About the author: Judy Blatman is OmegaQuant’s consumer health writer. Her blogs tee-up practical suggestions for health, with an emphasis on omega-3s and omega-3 testing, so readers can decide their own path to good health. Prior to her work with OmegaQuant, she had an extensive public relations career, representing dog food, coffee and OTC anti-itch medication, luxury resorts, liquor, and more. Judy’s knowledge about dietary supplements developed during her 16 years spearheading communications for Council for Responsible Nutrition, where she led an award-winning healthy lifestyle consumer education initiative focused on diet, dietary supplements and exercise. Starting her own communications firm during COVID led her back to one of her original career aspirations—writing. She is fond of collecting handbags, playing with other people’s dogs, and binge-watching the latest comedies, dramas and thrillers. Learn more.

 

 

GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA) medications—in layman’s terms, GLP-1s—like Ozempic (semaglutide) or Wegovy (semaglutide), and GIP/GLP-1 Zepbound® (tirzepatide) are revolutionizing the way healthcare providers and their patients approach obesity, weight loss and weight management. But along with benefits, these newer iterations of this prescription medicine category may also raise questions, including queries related to nutrition and supplementation while on a GLP-1.

In this blog, we’ll explore what the current evidence says about taking omega-3s while being treated with GLP-1 prescription medications.

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Can You Take Fish Oil While on Ozempic or Wegovy?

The short answer is yes. There are currently no known contraindications between fish oil supplements and GLP-1 medications. Further, omega-3 supplements have a strong safety profile. Still, it is important to discuss your individual circumstances and take guidance and recommendations from your healthcare provider.

Omega-3 supplements neither replace nor duplicate the benefits of GLP-1 and related medications which can focus on large weight loss goals in relatively quick fashion. Instead, omega-3s can complement those goals by supporting heart health, muscle preservation and healthy inflammation, which are all important considerations during weight loss.

GLP-1 medications can only legally be purchased and taken with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. FDA is aware of unapproved and risky versions of GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 being illegally sold.

Omega-3 dietary supplements are widely available at pharmacies, grocery and big box retailers, health food and specialty stores, and online without a prescription. Stay away from products promising too-good-to-be-true results.   Buy from reputable brands and retailers. The cheapest option may not be the best option; but you can find promotions (e.g., buy one get one free) from brands/retailers.

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Why Nutrition Matters During GLP-1 Weight Loss

Good nutrition always matters—but it is especially important when you are on a GLP-1 medication. That’s because GLP-1s can reduce your appetite, fill you up faster, and slow your digestion down, making meeting your overall nutritional needs an even greater challenge.

While losing weight with a GLP-1, pay particular attention to maintaining adequate intake of healthy fats (e.g., omega-3 fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring), protein (e.g., lean cuts of beef or pork, skinless chicken breast), and fiber (e.g., apples, cooked spinach, lentils—fiber can help with constipation, but too much could make it worse). As you eat less, getting vitamins and minerals may be harder, and supplements (e.g., a multivitamin) can be used to help fill the gaps, but not as substitutes for actual food.

As you lose weight while you are on a GLP-1, if you are not eating enough, not eating healthy, or eating foods that may exacerbate GLP-1 side effects, you could experience critical muscle loss, unstable blood sugar levels, nausea, constipation, exhaustion, and more. This article offers some tips for managing nutrition when you’re on GLP-1s, like eating small, frequent meals. Read more here and here.

Consult with your healthcare provider—for example, a registered dietitian nutritionist—for personalized nutrition advice.

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Can Omega-3s Help Support Heart Health During Weight Loss?

It’s likely too soon to see published research on the role of omega-3s in a GLP-1 population. However, there is a common thread between the fact that many people taking GLP-1 medications are doing so because of obesity, diabetes, or cardiometabolic risk and research studies that show potential benefit from omega-3s in these areas, especially for supporting heart health.

Omega-3s’ origin story began with the scientific hypothesis that omega-3 EPA could reduce risk for thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Since then, that hypothesis has been well-established, and the role of omega-3s in supporting other areas of heart health has been expanded with additional—and extensive—research.

For example, this meta-analysis found omega-3 EPA/DHA supplementation “presents strong evidence that [omega-3] “EPA + DHA supplementation is an effective strategy for the prevention of certain CVD (cardiovascular disease) outcomes,” such as CVD events and Myocardial Infarction (MI). The study further advised that the protective effect appears to increase with dosage, suggesting that “…clinicians and patients should consider the potential benefits of omega-3 (EPA + DHA) supplementation, especially using 1000 to 2000 mg/day dosages…”

This study confirms that low Omega-3 Index levels (i.e., low blood omega-3 levels) are considered an independent risk factor for CVD, carrying just as much weight as smoking or elevated cholesterol levels.

 

More Science Supports Omega-3 Heart Health Benefits

This narrative review addresses the unintended consequences of GLP-1s, including poor nutrient status, muscle loss and metabolic disfunction, then outlines which supplements could help offset those unwanted effects.

Regarding omega-3s EPA and DHA (fish oil supplements), the study authors cite numerous health benefits that have been associated with fish oil supplementation, including improved heart health. They reference this study that says that marine oil supplementation lowers risk for MI, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) death, CVD death and total CVD and that risk reductions appeared to be linearly related to marine omega-3 dose. (Fish oil is the most widely used of the marine omega-3 supplements.)

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What Does the Research Say About Omega-3s, GLP-1s and Muscle Health?

Rapid weight loss can result not only in the loss of fat mass; it can also siphon off lean body mass and muscle as well. That’s one reason why strength and resistance training and other exercise is important while on a GLP-1. Ask your healthcare provider.

There is also scientific research, some of it emerging, that finds that omega-3 fish oil supplements may also have positive impacts on muscle quality, including potentially slowing the decline in muscle mass and function. This study found fish oil slowed the normal decline in muscle mass and function in older adults after six months of supplementation. The study also observed that 4 grams/day of fish oil supplementation significantly increased thigh muscle volume, handgrip strength and 1-repetition maximum muscle strength.

Based on 10 studies, this meta-analysis found moderate evidence for the beneficial effect of omega-3s on muscle mass, especially for those taking supplements at more than 2 gram/day and also that a long period of omega-3 supplementation may improve walking speed. These results led the authors to conclude that appropriate omega-3 supplements may have benefits on muscle mass and performance in an elderly population.

After reviewing these studies and some others, this narrative review points out that omega-3 supplementation may support muscle mass, strength and performance through its anti-inflammatory pathways, promoting skeletal muscle protection. Given that, along with omega-3s’ well-documented metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, the authors state that justification exists for fish oil supplementation during GLP-1RA treatment. While more research is still needed in this population, the narrative review considers that omega-3 supplementation rich in EPA and DHA can serve as a valuable adjunct to GLP-1RA treatment.

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Should You Test Your Omega-3 Levels While Taking a GLP-1 Medication?

Absolutely. The more health data you can obtain about yourself, the better equipped you are to take actionable steps to improve your health. As personalized nutrition gains traction among the medical community and consumers, you and your healthcare providers will be better equipped with knowledge to make decisions about your health based on test results specific to you.

For example, OmegaQuant’s Omega-3 Index tests measure your omega-3 EPA and DHA blood levels, identifying whether your results are optimal, adequate or low. Having this knowledge allows you to take control of your health backed by personal data. In other words: test, don’t guess.

New research finds most people are falling short on the gold standard Omega-3 Index. And if you’re on a GLP-1 treatment, the significant changes in your diet, food intake and body weight may influence your omega-3 status, making this an ideal time to test whether your omega-3 status is optimal, sufficient or risky.

 

Practical Tips for Taking Omega-3s While on Ozempic or Wegovy

• Stick with your fatty fish (e.g., salmon) meals if still well-tolerated—but not fried
• Choose a high-quality fish oil supplement that provides meaningful amounts of EPA and DHA.
• Take your omega-3 supplements with a meal or snack, if convenient.
• Find your preferred time to take your daily omega-3 supplement and be consistent.
• Follow tips to help ensure your fish oil supplements are not rancid; throw them away if they are.
• Be sure to advise your healthcare provider about all the supplements you are taking—including omega-3s—and advise if you make changes in your routine.