Fish oil has not been proven to help gout.

More Info: Though fish oil has not been proven to have any effect on gout, the supplements will help to address possible nutritional deficiencies that may be contributing to the occurrence of gout.

Does Fish Oil Cause Gout?

Foods that contain high levels of purines can cause gout attacks including certain fish such as anchovies, sardines, carp, cod, haddock, halibut, herring, mackerel, pike, redfish, salmon, sole, trout, and tuna.  Because some of these fish are used in the preparation of fish oil supplements, it would seem that you would actually be increasing your purines intake, which would lead to an increase incidence of gout.

The reason that this is not the case is that the high purine level is found in the meat of the fish.  In addition, fish oils are purified and molecularly distilled.

How to Choose Fish Oil Supplements

There has been some controversy over the safety of fish oil supplements because some of the fish used are known to have high mercury levels, polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides.  This does not seem to be the case with fish oil supplements, but keep in mind not all fish oil supplements are created equal. 

Be sure to buy pharmaceutical grade, purified, and molecularly distilled supplements.