Fish Oil and Cholesterol Medicines — The Facts
Omega-3 fatty acids are not metabolized by the liver and are easily absorbed and used by the body. If a patient is tolerating a cholesterol medicine, there is no reason to avoid fish, fish oil, or an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. A 2000 study by the University Department of Medicine at the Manchester Royal Infirmary in the United Kingdom observed that giving omega-3 supplements to patients already taking the statin, simvastatin, was not only safe, but lowered triglycerides further than achieved with the simvastatin alone.