Can taking too much omega 3 fatty acids be bad for you?  Research over the past 20 years has suggested that the fats found in fish are life savers and can dramatically improve the general health of people with many chronic diseases.  Yet, research that will be coming out in the journal Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology by noted fatty acid expert Dr. Alexander Leaf of Harvard Medical School has found a sub group of individuals who could be severely harmed by the use of omega 3 fatty acids.   

People with advanced congestive heart failure (CHF) have depressed blood flow and see healthy heart tissue turn to scar tissue which can lead to irregular heartbeats and sudden cardiac death. Omega 3 fatty acids work by reducing the function of hyperexcitable cells which is good for most people but deadly for people with CHF.  This finding means that anyone with CHF, chronic angina or poor blood flow to the heart should see their doctor and possibly avoid supplementation or high omega 3 foods such as fish. Better yet, get tested and look deeper into the fatty acid composition of your red blood cells such as the Carbon Based Corporation RBC Fatty Acid tests.