Bruera, E., Strasser, F., Palmer, J. L., Willey, J., Calder, K., Amyotte, G., & Baracos, V. (2003). Effect of fish oil on appetite and other symptoms in patients with advanced cancer and anorexia/cachexia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 21, 129–134.
Patients were given a daily dose of up to 18 gel capsules, including
The study was conducted at a Canadian acute palliative care unit and the inpatient and outpatient units of a cancer center.
The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Patients could not take 18 large capsules every day; the mean was 12 per day, with five patients in each group dropping out.
A strong trend was observed toward improved appetite in both groups. With the fish oil group, a trend existed toward less tiredness, but no significant change existed with appetite, weight loss, or calories.
Side effects of fish oil capsules included belching and fish oil taste.