Drug & supplement interaction

Fish Oil + Etonogestrel

Etonogestrel brand name: Implanon.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Fish Oil has a moderate interaction with Etonogestrel. Theoretically, taking fish oil with contraceptive drugs might decrease the triglyceride-lowering effects of fish oil.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Fish Oil and Etonogestrel

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

CONTRACEPTIVE DRUGS

Why this applies to Etonogestrel

Etonogestrel falls under CONTRACEPTIVE DRUGS — the group Fish Oil interacts with.

Theoretically, taking fish oil with contraceptive drugs might decrease the triglyceride-lowering effects of fish oil.
There is some evidence that contraceptive drugs might interfere with the triglyceride lowering effects of fish oils.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to know about pairing fish oil with the etonogestrel implant (Implanon): the interaction runs in the direction of fish oil, not your birth control. The hormone in the implant won't be weakened, and your contraceptive protection isn't the concern here. Instead, hormonal contraceptives may slightly blunt how well fish oil lowers your triglycerides.

So if you're taking fish oil mainly to bring down high triglycerides, you might not see quite as much improvement while using the implant. This is theoretical and based on limited evidence, so don't panic or change anything. If lowering triglycerides is a goal for you, ask your doctor or pharmacist to check a lipid panel so you can see how it's actually working for you.

References
  1. Deutch B, Jorgensen EB, Hansen JC. n-3 PUFA from fish or seal oil reduce atherogenic risk indicators in Danish women. Nutr Res 2000;20:1065-77. DOI

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Fish Oil Also Interacts With Other Medications

Fish Oil has 206 moderate, 120 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Etonogestrel one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Fish Oil

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Fish Oil. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Fish Oil or Etonogestrel

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Fish Oil or Etonogestrel, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Etonogestrel

This page covers Fish Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Etonogestrel page lists 175 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate), Activated Charcoal (moderate) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 135 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Etonogestrel page

“St. John's wort is the supplement to understand first if you use etonogestrel (Implanon), because it revs up the liver enzyme that clears the hormone and can leave you with less pregnancy protection than you think you have.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Etonogestrel interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Fish Oil as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 4,777 real supplement products containing Fish Oil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Fish Oil. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Etonogestrel too, on top of Fish Oil — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Fish Oil and Etonogestrel Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Fish Oil
Top 5%

#64 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Etonogestrel
Steady interest

#1,935 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Fish Oil

What is Fish Oil?

Fish Oil
  • High triglycerides
  • Heart health
  • Joint pain and inflammation
  • Brain and eye health
  • Dry eyes

Fish oil provides omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that are best known for lowering high triglyceride levels. The evidence for other heart and health benefits is mixed, and it is generally well tolerated. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially if you take blood thinners or have a fish allergy.

Read the full Fish Oil monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Fish Oil

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Fish Oil — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
206Moderate
120Minor
2,503No known interaction
Moderate

206 interactions

Showing 60 of 206 moderate interactions — see all 206 on the Fish Oil page.

Minor

120 interactions

Showing 60 of 120 minor interactions — see all 120 on the Fish Oil page.

No interaction 2,503 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Fish Oil and Etonogestrel Together: Common Questions

Can you take Fish Oil with Etonogestrel?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Fish Oil and Etonogestrel interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Etonogestrel and Fish Oil?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.