4 Quality Control Checks Before Buying Fish Oil Supplements
Filed Under Anti Aging Supplement, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, DHA and EPA, Fish Oil Supplements, Main Content, Omega 3 Fatty Acids | Leave a Comment
Before you buy fish oil, take a few minutes to read this article. If you are not careful about the quality of your supplements, then you could be wasting your money or even damaging your health. You need to be sure that the supplement is free of contaminants, has low oxidation levels, has high omega3 content and has good anti-inflammatory activity. This article covers how to determine those things.
Checking For Contaminants
It is simply not good enough for a company to “say” that their products are free of mercury and other contaminants. They should be able to “prove” it. In order to do that, they can have testing conducted by an independent laboratory to obtain an official certificate of analysis or COA.
A copy of the COA should be posted on the manufacturer’s website. If you don’t see it, don’t place the order. It just doesn’t make sense to buy fish oil that costs as much as $60 per bottle, when there is no guarantee of purity.
The COA will list mercury, PCBs, dioxins, lead, arsenic and a variety of other toxins that are known to pollute our waters and our fish. On the line next to each contaminant, it should say “not detected”. Molecular distillation can insure low contaminant levels, but some naturally occurring oils are safe enough to take “as is”. No distillation is required.
Finding Out About Oxidation
Oxidation will also be listed on a COA. You should not buy fish oil that has a high level of oxidation. It has to do with how fresh the oils were when they were encapsulated. If the total oxidation level is over 17 MEQ/KG, then you will get fishy tasting burps and there is a risk to your long-term health, because oxidized oils contain free radicals.
If you currently have some supplements in your home, you can check for oxidation by cutting one open and “sniffing”. It should not smell like rotten fish or an artificial flavor like lemon. Companies often add lemon, lime or another flavoring to mask the taste and smell of rancid oils.
Determining Omega3 Content
The omega3 content will also be listed on the COA. Some manufacturers list it on the label, as well. Others list only the amount of oils that are in each capsule. Not all of those oils are omega3 fats. You want to be sure to buy fish oil that provides at least 500mg of omega3s per 1000mg of oil.
The manufacturer should also list the amount of individual fatty acids (DHA, EPA and DPA) that are in each capsule. DHA is the most important to the brain and has more triglyceride reduction activity than EPA.
Judging Anti-inflammatory Activity
The manufacturer can pay to have their supplements scientifically tested for anti-inflammatory activity. Most companies, particularly those in the US, don’t bother. Companies in the US are not allowed to mention the anti-inflammatory activity of the supplement, because that would be a medicinal benefit.
If you buy fish oil that has been proven to have a high degree of anti-inflammatory activity, there will be benefits to your joints and every cell of your body, because inflammation is one of the causes of cellular aging.
Valerie Rosenbaum knows that taking omega 3 fish oil supplements is the easiest and most effective way to improve your health. Visit her site now to discover the pure, fish oil product she uses and recommends: http://www.TakingFishOil.com
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3 Simple Benefits of Fish Oil For Healthy Living and Disease Prevention
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There are benefits of fish oil to the brain, joints, skin, immune system, eyes and digestive system. This article touches briefly on those, but focuses primarily on the benefit to the heart. Numerous studies have been conducted over the years. Each one provides a little more information. Here’s what researchers have seen.
Blood Pressure Reduction
Exactly how or why fish oil benefits blood pressure is unknown. But, several studies have shown that increased intake of omega3 fatty acids, which are abundant in the oils of fatty fish, has a positive effect on hypertension.
For many years, the benefits of fish oil have been ascribed to the omega3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. But, recent research indicates that it is not just the omega3s that provide the benefits seen in older people that commonly eat fish and their oils. One thing that researchers have looked at recently is the increased blood levels of the antioxidant selenium in people that eat a great deal of fish.
The natural triglycerides would contain selenium, but the distilled esters would not. The antioxidant would be destroyed by the heat.
Triglyceride Reduction
How fish oil benefits blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels is better understood. Omega3s are good fats. They are of a higher density that floats through the bloodstream and picks up very low density particles of cholesterol.
The low density particles “sink”. They become oxidized by free radical molecules and build up inside the arterial walls. So, the fish oil benefits include a reduced risk of hardening of the arteries, the most common form of age-related heart disease. Several studies indicate that DHA has a greater triglyceride reduction capacity than EPA.
Anticoagulant Activity
Many of the benefits of fish oil are ascribed to its anticoagulant activity. Anticoagulants “thin” the blood and prevent the formation of clots. This reduces the risk of both heart attack and stroke. The fish oil benefits have not always been obvious in clinical studies, but most researchers agree that increasing your omega3 intake may help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Other Possible Benefits of Fish Oil Supplements
Nutrients that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity have been shown to reduce the risk of several forms of cancer. Omega3 fatty acids and the natural triglycerides from fatty fish have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.
Benefit has been seen in inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s. But, basically, all of the cells of the body would be benefited, because inflammation and oxidation are two of the causes of cellular aging.
Research has shown that fish oil benefits the brain, may relieve depression and improve conditions like ADHD. Studies in Canada are currently ongoing concerning the protective benefits for the brain. Hopefully, this supplement will reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related dementia.
There is a wide range of quality among the supplements on the market. It is worth your while to do a little research about the manufacturer, before you buy. In order to safely get the benefits of fish oil, you need to shop for freshness and purity, as well as a high percentage of omega3 fatty acids.
Valerie Rosenbaum knows that taking omega 3 fish oil supplements is the easiest and most effective way to improve your health. Visit her site now to discover the pure, fish oil product she uses and recommends: http://www.TakingFishOil.com
Some Fish Oil Capsules Are Better Than Others - Find Out Why
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All fish oil capsules have some amount of anti-inflammatory activity, because of the essential fatty acids they contain. But, recent studies have shown that a fish oil capsule containing 500mg of natural triglycerides from the New Zealand hoki fish has anti-inflammatory activity equivalent to that of aspirin, which is more than double what is seen with a “regular” supplement.
Manufacturers have choices when they decide to sell fish oil capsules. They can choose what species of fish to use and decide whether or not to distill and concentrate it. If it is distilled the result is called an ester. If it is not distilled, it is called a natural triglyceride.
For many years, the use of molecular distillation was the best choice, because it concentrated the omega3 fatty acids and removed impurities like mercury. Now, it seems that the natural form has more anti-inflammatory activity, but since the concentration of omega3s would be lower, other health benefits would be lost.
There is a third choice. A fish oil capsule can contain 500mg of natural triglycerides and 500mg of concentrated esters. In that way, the omega3 content is higher than what is found in most supplements, but the anti-inflammatory activity is left intact.
Why a fish oil capsule containing the natural triglycerides would have a higher level of anti-inflammatory activity is unknown. Sometimes, it is impossible to isolate a single component of a naturally occurring substance that is responsible for its medicinal activity. Sometimes, it is a combination of all of the naturally occurring nutrients that is responsible.
For example, researchers have tried to find the compound that is responsible for the health benefits of red wine. When they identified resveratrol, they believed that had it. But, later studies showed that it could not possibly be resveratrol, alone, that was responsible for the health benefits, because the amount in the wine was far too low.
It has been difficult to explain the anti-inflammatory activity of fish oil capsules, too. Researchers have tried to identify what biological pathways are affected by omega3 fatty acids. It is known that bio-chemicals produced from omega3s have less inflammatory activity than those produced from omega6s. But, that would increasing omega3s in the diet would only have the affect of modulating inflammation.
If it has a high degree of anti-inflammatory activity, a fish oil capsule can relieve aching joints and protect the cells of the body from the negative affects of chronic inflammation. Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel are improved through the use of fish oil capsules.
There are benefits to the heart, as well, because inflammation is involved in atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis improve when a person takes a fish oil capsule. But, all of these benefits are dependent on the anti-inflammatory activity.
Manufacturers can have their fish oil capsules tested for anti-inflammatory activity. The better manufacturers publish the results on their websites. Of course, testing costs money and most manufacturers are not willing to pay the price. So, this is not something that you will commonly see. If you want the best, it pays to look for it.
Valerie Rosenbaum knows that taking omega 3 fish oil supplements is the easiest and most effective way to improve your health. Visit her site now to discover the pure, fish oil product she uses and recommends: http://www.TakingFishOil.com
Taking Fish Oil Supplements? - Which Are the Best?
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Fish oil supplements provide polyunsaturated fatty acids known as omega3s, which are essential to human health. But, not every fish oil supplement provides the same amount of omega3s. The label does not always reflect the amount that is in each capsule. Consumers can easily become confused.
This article should help clear up some of that confusion. Think of it is a shopping guide. It should help you find the safest and most effective fish oil supplements on the market. Either the label or the information on the manufacturer’s website should answer these questions.
What is the Omega3 Content?
The typical fish oil supplement contains 1000mg of oil in a gelatin capsule. The percent of omega3s that is present varies greatly, depending upon the species of fish that the oils are derived from and even the season of the year, during which the catch was made.
The manufacturer should list the minimum amount that will be present in each capsule. The better ones provide at least 500mg of omega3 fatty acids per capsule. You need to look at the label carefully, because some manufacturers list the amount that is provided by 2 capsules, a commonly recommended dosage.
What is the DHA Content?
Of all of the omega3s, we know the most about DHA. A fish oil supplement should provide a minimum of 260mg of DHA per capsule or 520mg per daily dose.
Studies have shown that DHA lowers triglycerides more effectively than EPA, the other well known omega3. It has a high degree of anti-inflammatory activity and is the most abundant fatty acid in the brain.
Fish oil supplements that provide a high dose of DHA can help relieve depression, improve ADHD and possibly protect the brain from age-related Alzheimer’s and dementia. Studies concerning that are currently being conducted in Canada.
What Are the Company’s Standards for Purity and Freshness?
A fish oil supplement may contain mercury and cancer-causing PCBs. There are no world-wide regulations concerning the amount of contaminants that may be present in a capsule. The better companies voluntarily adhere to the standards set by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the International Fish Oil Standards or their own higher standards.
Manufacturers that adhere to the highest standards have their each batch of fish oil supplements tested for impurities and publish that information on their websites. Freshness can be measured by measuring the amount of oxidation that has occurred. Oils with a high degree of oxidation will cause fishy tasting burps and increase your intake of free radicals, a cause of cellular aging.
What is the Anti-inflammatory Activity?
A fish oil supplement that contains a combination of natural triglycerides and concentrated esters has more anti-inflammatory activity, according to recent studies. So, if you are hoping to reduce pain and stiffness in your joints or simply reduce the effects that chronic inflammation has on the cells of our bodies, you want to look for that winning combination.
The best fish oil supplements provide numerous health benefits to the heart, brain and all of the systems of the body. Now, you know how to do your comparative shopping.
Fish Oil Reviews and Other Ways to Choose the Best Omega 3 Supplement
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In fish oil reviews, consumers talk about the benefits that they have noticed in everything from relieving joint pain to improving ADHD. Sometimes, it is hard to believe that a supplement can do that much. But, it’s all about increasing your nutritional intake.
Recommendations for the ideal diet are continuing to change. But, at the top of almost everyone’s list is increasing your intake of fatty fish. Fish provides a number of different nutrients, but omega3 fatty acids are among the most important.
Salmon is great, but most people really can’t stomach it every day. Even if they could, scientists suggest that eating that much of the same type of fish could be bad. The best suggestion is to vary the type of fish that you eat.
Choose species that do not swim in the north Atlantic, because those are some of the most heavily polluted waters. Farmed salmon is the worst choice in terms of contaminants and nutrient value.
In many fish oil reviews, consumers talk about the fishy tasting burps that they have experienced, as well as how to prevent them. Many people suggest keeping the supplements in the freezer or refrigerator. But, if you choose a supplement with low levels of oxidation, then you won’t have the burps, at all.
Oxidation has to do with the freshness of the oils when they were encapsulated. Everyone from the fisherman to the supplement manufacturer must be involved to insure that as little oxidation as possible occurs. You can judge the freshness of capsules that you currently have by cutting them open. If they smell “fishy”, then a lot of oxidation occurred during processing.
You can find out about oxidation before you buy, too. The better supplement companies have the oils evaluated by an independent laboratory. The laboratory provides them with a Certificate of Analysis or COA. The manufacturer’s website should contain a copy of the COA.
When consumers talk about reduced pain in fish oil reviews it is due to the anti-inflammatory activity of the oils. All fish oils seem to have some degree of anti-inflammatory activity, but the natural triglyceride form has more than the concentrated esters, according to a recent study.
But, when you read fish oil reviews concerning improvement in ADHD, depression or anxiety, the reason is the DHA content. DHA is a specific omega3 that is abundant in brain cells. The DHA content in the natural triglyceride form is not very high.
In order to provide the best of both worlds, some manufacturers have started to blend the natural triglycerides with the concentrated esters. That way, you get a good does of DHA and a high degree of anti-inflammatory activity.
Other health benefits that you may read about include improved digestion, relieve of skin conditions and improved cholesterol levels. A substantial amount of evidence indicates that increasing your omega3 intake can help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Those are things that you might not read about in fish oil reviews. But, it’s nice to be aware of them.
Valerie Rosenbaum thinks taking omega 3 fish oil supplements is the easiest and most effective way to improve your health. Visit her site now to discover the pure, fish oil product she uses and recommends: http://www.TakingFishOil.com
