Is it OK to take an antibiotic and fish oil at the same time?
DEC 30, 2017
Question:
I've been taking doxycycline (antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections) as a pre-emptive measure for chalazions for about five years. It works. I also take fish oil because of the EPA/DHA (omega-3 fatty acids found in some fish). I was wondering if the doxycycline interacts negatively with fish oil, and if it does can I take algal oil instead of fish oil? I heard fish oil is better absorbed than the EPA/DHA in algae.
Answer:
I know of no adverse interaction between of doxycycline and fish oil. Short term courses of doxycycline are used for chalazion treatment. Occasionally, chronic low dose doxycycline is needed for prevention of recurrent chalazion, especially in the setting of the skin condition called rosacea. However, chronic long-term use of an antibiotic can lead to complications, so please talk with your doctor or ophthalmologist about the safety of your long-term antibiotic use.