Here
are a few simple rules to follow in order to choose the highest quality
fish oil supplement:
- The
fish oil must contain Omega-3 fatty acids, not just "fish
oil." Remember, it is from the Omega-3 fatty acids that we receive
health benefits.
- The
supplement should list the total amount of EPA
and DHA on the label. You want to get a supplement where
the total of the EPA and DHA adds up to the total amount of oils in
the product. If there is only 350 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids but the
capsule is 1,000 mg, what kind of oil makes up the missing 650 mg?
The closer to the overall capsule size, the better.
-
The oil should be pressed only from the flesh of the fish.
Some supplements are pressed from heads, tails, or internal organs.
You wouldn't eat these parts on a fish if you were obtaining your
Omega-3 fatty acids via the food source. Thus, you shouldn't want
a supplement made out of the inedible parts of the fish either.
- The
fish used for the oil should be health screened and disease
free. This means the manufacturer needs to know where their fish is
coming from and must assess the fish before including them in their
processing plant.
- The
fish oil should not have been molecularly distilled.
Molecularly distilling oxidizes and alters the natural form
of the oil. Sometimes the oil is molecularly distilled to
remove toxins. However, the fish should not have been contaminated
in the first place and so should not have required molecular distillation.
If the fish in the supplement required molecular distillation, you
have to ask how polluted the fish oil was before the distillation
and decide if you really want to put that low quality of fish oil
in your body.
In addition
to label checking to ensure quality, product contamination affects
the quality level of fish oil supplements, and is a common concern.
A particular concern is the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), dioxins and heavy metals
such as mercury. It is common knowledge
that fish contains mercury and mercury in high levels is detrimental
to health. However, recent studies failed to find detectable levels
of mercury in products of fish oil that were analyzed. Additionally,
significant levels of PCBs and dioxins were not found either. It is
believed that mercury was not found in detectable levels because most
mercury in fish is concentrated in the meat, rather than the oil.
Another reason for the undetectable levels of mercury is the distillation
process that the fish oil supplements undergo. This process removes
contaminants, such as heavy metals and other toxins. Therefore, while
product contamination is a legitimate concern, it is not one that
needs to be considered too deeply.
Another
important factor regarding the quality, and safety, of fish oil is
whether or not the fish oil is rancid. This is a legitimate concern
and one that is increasingly worrisome. Tests in 2009 showed that
an alarming number of sampled fish oil capsules contained "oxidative
byproducts," which indicate that the fish oil is degrading and
becoming rancid. While fish oil that is not rancid promotes heart
health and numerous other health benefits, rancid fish oil
has the opposite effect, actually promoting heart disease and other
chronic illnesses. The reason rancid fish oil is such a concern
is because fish oil begins to oxidize as soon as it is extracted from
the fish. The oil then begins to go rancid within days, though the
majority of labeled fish oil supplements indicates that the capsules
are good for three to four years. Further, because the oil is enclosed
in capsules, consumers are not able to tell whether or not the fish
oil is rancid. Fortunately, there is a solution to the issue of rancid
fish oil. Fortifying fish oil with anti-oxidants, especially
vitamin E, prevents oxidation. It is imperative then that
manufacturers use the most effective form of vitamin E-gamma and delta-rather
than the less effective (and less expensive) alpha tocopherol.
Knowing
that it is highly possible for fish oil capsules purchased to go rancid
very quickly, it is imperative that you ascertain the quality and
safety of the fish oil that you purchase. There are some easy and
effective ways to do this. Testing your fish oil capsules is an effective
measure of whether or not they rancid. Bite into the capsule. It should
taste fresh and slightly fishy. If it tastes bad or has an extremely
fishy taste, it is rancid. Throw the entire bottle away and do not
buy that brand again. To increase your odds of receiving capsules
that are not rancid, check the label closely and choose a brand that
uses d-gamma and d-delta forms of tocopherols (vitamin E). These help
to prevent oxidation and rancidity, so brands using these more expensive
forms of vitamin E are more likely to be good when you bite into that
capsule to check. Do not buy the cheapest brand of fish oil. It might
sound more appealing to pay a few dollars less, but it isn't worth
it in the long run. If the brand is significantly less than other
brands, chances are it uses the lesser quality vitamin E and does
not adequately prevent against oxidation and rancidity.
To emphasize
how important this is we will state this again - it is imperative
never to take fish oil supplements that are rancid. The purpose of
the fish oil is to better your general health and help prevent serious
illness. Consuming rancid fish oil will do just the opposite.
You
will find more information like the above article at the following
web site:
http://www.fishoilbenefit.net/
