Is there a definitive Omega fish oil product?

If you were looking for the latest omega fish oil product, would you recognize it if you found it? Clarifying the features of the best products helps you find the right brand.

If there’s one thing we all look for in foods and supplements, it’s that we don’t expect them to make us sick. There are no brands of fish oil that can make anyone seriously ill, but there are brands that can cause an upset stomach. Any product that contains marine fluids, which is a fancy term for “fish juice,” is something to avoid. These unfiltered liquids contain non-omega fats that can go bad while the product sits on the health food store shelf or in your medicine cabinet or pantry.

Another characteristic of good omega fish oil products is potency. Some brands contain 300% more of the DHA and EPA that we all need for brain health and to fight inflammation. If a product costs twice as much but contains 300% more DHA and EPA, it’s still a relative bargain.

In the United States, the cost you pay for a bottle of omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish ranges from about $7 for 150 Spring Valley fish oil capsules at Walmart to about $245 for a 30-day supply of the version prescription drug known as Lovaza. The price you pay for 1,000 mg of available omega-3 fatty acids (the minimum recommended daily dose) ranges from $0.20 for the Carlson brand to around $32 for Lovaza.

Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega Soft Gels that retail for $49.95 per bottle are actually less expensive than the $7 bottle you can buy at Walmart when you factor in fatty acid content. It may be less expensive to take one capsule of a product that sells for a higher price per bottle than it is to take a handful of “cheap stuff” capsules.

What else would you look for in the ultimate omega fish oil? Freshness is a key consideration. You want to make sure the capsules are protected from light and heat. A good way to get the freshest product is to order directly from the manufacturer.

It is also important to avoid contamination in fish oil. Anchovies and farmed salmon are especially rich in PCBs. Albacore tuna, sardines, and herring tend to accumulate the most mercury. However, South Pacific fish species such as hoki tend to be especially low in contaminants.

Ultimately, the most effective product should be “natural” rather than an artificial ester. Natural sources can be made into esters by boiling them in alcohol. This converts the oil into a form that won’t be attacked by bacteria while the product is stored before sale, but these processed esters are also difficult to digest. Up to 45% of the beneficial DHA and EPA in fish oil is blocked when the oil is converted to an ester.

Make no mistake about it. Finding the best omega fish oil supplement is not difficult once you have the right information. If you would like my well-researched recommendation for the quality supplement I take, please visit my website.