Suggestions for fish oil supplements?

[schmok]

So the lack of credit worthy sources of data in the world of supplements drives me crazy.  Taking a fish oil (EPA/DHA) supplement has been suggested by my GP so I have been scouring the depths of the internet looking for a legit supplement.

How do you all verify your supplements?

Mark

[reilli]

I order most of my natural supplements from Swanson Vitamins. I get the Virgin Salmon oil from them, it's not Swanson brand but that's were I order it. I take it and give it to my dogs as well.

[schmok]

Thanks for the suggestion!
What made you go with Swanson?

[Richardg8092]

I used to work in the industry, so I hope my post might be of some benefit here.
The lowest grade (and most common and cheapest) is the 1 gram capsule containing 180/120 EPA/DHA

Look at the label - if you see 180 EPA & 120 DHA per cap, then it doesn't mater how much or how little you pay - because after 180/120, all you are paying for is 'branding' - not product quality. Huge supermarket & pharmacy chains buys tonnes of these at a time and sell them REALLY cheap. They are exactly the same 180/120 product that you can buy from a Boutique Health Food Shop in a prettier or more 'professional' looking container at 50 times the price. But the fact is, if it's 180 /120, then it's 180/120 - end of story.
 
If you have been prescribed fish oil for cardiac, or arthritic / inflammatory  conditions, get ready to take TEN of these 180/120 caps every day for ever.   That's quite an ask.

The next jump in quality (and price)  will feature the wording 'molecularly distilled' on the label.
Without boring people to tears with the actual process, it means the fish oil is, let's say, 'filtered' to concentrate the DHA & EPA and remove heavy metals and other contaminants. THIS is the type of fish oil that you want to take.

Now your last decision will be either  "double strength molecularly distilled" or "triple strength molecularly distilled".
The beauty of the triple strength mol dist - is (although it's a whopping big capsule), you only need to take one each morning and one at night to get a really whopping therapeutic dose of the EPA/DHA actives.            

All the online stores like iHerb have plenty of good options to choose from.
But what you're looking for is a label that states something like: "Each capsule contains molecularly distilled fish oils Equiv. EPA 540mg & Equiv. DHA 360mg.
Once you've found those high EPA & DHA numbers, then the price becomes about brands again, not quality.

Although this might appear to be a lot of footwork, it can be simplified down to "molecularly distilled, highest level of EPA & DHA per cap at the cheapest price".  
Fish Oils is one of those supplements that you FEEL working, too. You will know if your eczema is gone or your joints aren't aching anymore.  It motivates you to keep taking your daily doses.   Good Luck!

Last thought: you can also get fish oil as oil (usually cheaper than the caps) - but despite the natural orange or lemon flavor that they add, it is the most PUTRID tasting, horrible slimy substance known to humankind. You'll just be left feeling nauseous for hours after every dose.  Go for the capsules.

[Richardg8092]

Thanks Chicken.
It could have just as easily been a one line answer "molecularly distilled fish oils Equiv. EPA 540mg & Equiv. DHA 360mg"

But when I've got a couple of strong coffees in me, I can get on a rant...

[whatapain]

Mayo recommends a dose of no more than 3 grams per day. Side effects can occur above 3 grams or less depending on the patients condition.

Richard has good advise when saying that the oils need to have the metals removed as fish generally has a high level of metylmercury and the organic compound of mercury, that remain in the oils, in lesser quality brands.

A big problem being found now is that Harvested fish tend to have high amounts of "other pollutants" that are being found upon testing.
As a supplement the QA is not well regulated, and although "distilled" (a general term) many pollutants will remain in the oils: Some even potentiated due to the heating processes.

Many physicians are backing off on recommendations for OTC fish oil supplements, changing to the more regulated medicinal form. There is a big push back from the insurance companies about this as it increases cost.

Nutritional groups advise that patients should refrain from OTC supplements and change to eating fish products 2 times a week. Dietary intake allows for the ingestion of DHA EPA and also ALA. ALA is also found in fish oils in a limited form and is converted to DHA or EPA in the body during digestion.
Multiple research studies show that dietary recommended intake may be enough to give the protection that supplemental usage does. This provided that dietary intake is of good quality foods.

Rare but recent, you will begin to see Omega Fatty acids in Oils being released that are derived from other food grade items. Specifically Orange Juice Eggs and Algae.
Not all physicians are on board yet, but as more publications are released, I suspect there will be a trend in physicians changing to "algae" caps or "seaweed"
The public just do not like those words.
++++Although you would be surprised how many of the American staple foods have some type of seaweed or algae in them...

Funny to read this as I had been working a bit recently with the safety and efficacy of omega 3 oils in another product...

Not sure if this helps but here is the webs most popular photo about eating fish... Literally.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/image...zCdcV7oAEG

[Richardg8092]

Great additional info, whatapain.
Of course, there is to more to say about Fish Oil - the good, the bad, and the unknown - than we could ever fit into a forum topic.
 
I agree with Mayo's dosage recommendation of up to 3gm/day - assuming they mean 3gms of EPA+DHA  (not just 3 x 1 gram caps of 180/120).
Yes - it has yet to be discovered why eating oily fish a few times a week offers so much more benefit than taking fish oil caps daily (clearly there's more to fish meat than just EPA&DHA).

ALA conversion from flaxseed oil - at bests it's limited, and in the real world we consume way too much omega 6 and enzyme competition and blah blah blah...
(Getting too sciencey here - I can feeling people nodding off )

Yes to Algae and seaweed - I also think we'll see more use of Krill too - so abundant and the little critters are comparatively clean.

We neglected to mention the cautions with bleeding etc. too.
I'm assuming schmok's GP took all of those factors into account.
If the doctor had have recommended Fish Oil  - followed by "...and you can buy it at reception as you leave" I would have been suspicious.
But if it was a recommendation of "Fish Oil would be good" without being followed by a discussion about dosage....then that  just gets me annoyed.

Hmm...I can only see my choices as 'suspicious' or 'annoyed'.     Clearly, what I need is another coffee.

[reilli]

I went with Swanson's many years ago from a review and have never been sorry. Have tried others and not been as happy with them.

[schmok]

Richard,
The GP was good not to try and sling a recommended product (definitely suspicious) however she was also vague about dosage. To add insult to injury, a change to my diet was also suggested but i was not given any specifics about what to change. Ay caramba!!!

I appreciate all of the info!

After some research, I've decided to give WHC UnoCardio X2 a go...

[Richardg8092]

After some research, I've decided to give WHC UnoCardio X2 a go...

After some research ?
My friend, you are underselling yourself !
You have clearly done a HEAP of research - which has resulted in the finding of a fabulous product in the WHC UnoCardio.
Congratulations - I feel confident that both you and your (lousy advice ) doctor will be thrilled with the changes in your numbers.

So happy for you.

Cheers,
R.