Is it safe to take fish oil supplements to prevent high cholesterol? high cholesterol runs in my family. i don't have it yet, but i was considering taking fish oil pills to reduce my chances of developing high cholesterol. is this a good idea?

Yes : Yes when taken per the instructions on the medication.

Generally : Generally fishoils at high doses of 2000-4000 mg per day can lower your triglycerides, but do not really decrease your bad cholesterol nor increase your good cholesterol. You should consult with your doctor. See my guide on taking statins.

In : In general, at conventional doses, fish oil supplements will not reduce your cholesterol level. However, they reduce your risk of a future heart attack or dangerous heart rhythm. You should discuss these issues with your family doctor.

Not really: Krill oil and fish oil are the new snake oil, both are high in omega 3 fatty acids which are extremely fragile. Omega 3 fish oils reduce triglycerides by impairing the liver's ablility to make them. However the oxidative stress caused by fish oil actually raises LDL cholesterol. Some day we may use the phrase "this is just more fish /krill oil" or "here comes the fish/krill oil salesman".

Yes, but: Fish oil is used frequently to raise good cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides. Side effects include easy bruising and bad "fishy" breath. While i used fish oil regularly, a recent trial did not show much benefit to using fish oil. Bottom line: consider multiple approaches, not just fish oil to lower your numbers.