Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements: The Authoritative Guide

With the myriad fish oil supplements on the market, many health-conscious consumers are naturally confused. Rather than providing them with greater choices, the sea of choices only serves to muddy the waters. Many people aren't able to separate fact from hype and research from marketing. The purpose of this guide to help you understand fish oil supplements so that you can find the best one for you and, more importantly, steer clear of the worst kinds!

I am a nutritionist and health enthusiast. I have been studying fish oil for over 10 years, ever since my father passed away from a heart attack and I started looking for natural ways to maintain a health heart. For the past 5 years, I have maintained a blog about omega-3 fish oil where you can read hundreds of studies on the benefits of fish oil for various health conditions. Because of how authoritative my site is on the subject of fish oil, Google has ranked me #2 for the "fish oil" search, right below Wikipedia!

Fish oil is great for health because they contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are fats, but good fats that are essential for health. There are 2 major kinds of omega-3s: Eicosapentaenoic Acid, or EPA, and Docosahexaenoic Acid, or DHA. Both are crucial for health.

The role of Omega-3s in the body is to reduce levels of inflammation. By contrast, Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation. Omega-6s are found in abundance in vegetable oils. In order for the human body to function properly, the ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s needs to be around 1:2. However, the typical Western diet can see levels as high as 1:20, or 10 times the necessary level! The result is excess inflammation in the body.

More often than not, this inflammation is not even apparent. Low levels of inflammation continue to accumulate in the body until one day when an acute condition develops. This undetectable inflammation is called silent inflammation, because there are no symptoms for a very long time.

Furthermore, the human brain is about 60% fat, the majority of which is DHA. For this reason, omega-3s are also important for proper brain function.

Various government agencies, from the FDA to the EPA, frequently tell us about the dangers of consuming too much fish. Whether farmed or wild, we run the risk of exposure to a great many toxins from polluted waters. Mercury, PCBs, dioxin, heavy metals like arsenic and nickel — the list goes on and on. All of our favorite fish, from salmon to tuna, are susceptible. And guess what? For the same reason, fish oil supplements are at risk too.

Fish oils definitely inherit some of the problems from fish, i.e. contamination from polluted waters. But that's not the only issue they suffer. In fact, fish oils supplements are very different from most vitamins and supplements in their susceptibility to problems.

The following is a comprehensive list of what can go wrong with fish oil supplements:

1. Toxins - I mentioned this already, but it deserves to be at the top of the list. As you probably know by now, fish are very susceptible to pollutants.
   
2. Impaired Bioavailability - Many fish oil supplements are purified, thankfully, via a process called molecular distillation. However, in the process of purification, the omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil are converted from their original triglyceride form (TG) into what's called an ethyl ester (EE). The problem? EE fish oils are less bioavailable in the body, meaning they're often absorbed much more slowly, if at all!
   
3. Oxidation - Because fish oil is an oil, it is prone to going rancid from being exposed to oxygen. But fish oil is much more sensitive than most other oils, so there is a greater chance of this happening. If it's too hot or too cold, the omega-3s can be rapidly degraded. How do you know if a fish oil has been oxidized? Fish oil should never actually smell fishy, but if it does, you can know for sure it's been compromised. Throw it out!
   
4. Low Concentration of Omega-3s - The concentration of a fish oil represents the % of omega-3 fatty acids compared to the total amount of fish oil. For example, if a 1 gram capsule contains 300 mg of omega-3, that's a 30% concentration. While pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplement can have anywhere from 55-90% omega-3 concentration, some supplements can have as little as 10%! Not only is this an incredibly inefficient way to get your omega-3s, but it also makes you wonder what else is in there!
   
5. Synthetic Vitamins in Cod Liver Oil - Many people take Cod Liver Oil supplements because of the additional Vitamins A and D that are highly prevalent in cod. However, did you know that in some countries, cod liver oil is permitted to actually not have any cod at all? It's true, and fish like sole are used in its place. The problem? These fish don't naturally have the same vitamins in them, so the "cod" liver oil manufactures add synthetic vitamins to compensate!
   
6. Overpriced - The prices for fish oil vary broadly. You definitely don't want to be taking a fish oil that's on the lower end of the spectrum, but you can definitely be paying excessive prices for fish oils.