Which fish oil supplement?
Created on 7/21/2008
N's doctor recommended that she take a fish oil supplement on a regular basis, and she has been doing so for some time. The product she buys is of very high quality, but is more expensive than many similar fish oil supplements on the shelf, and N wonders whether she might get as much benefit from the lower-priced supplements.
There are a wide variety of fish oil supplements on the market and many, but not all, are of high quality. When deciding on which product to purchase it's very important to read the product label, specifically looking for information on purity and potency. Only consider those products that clearly state they meet or exceed established standards of purity (not just the company's standards), preferably those that have been tested by independent third parties. Specifically, it's best to identify products that clearly state they have been tested and found to be free of contaminants such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins.
As regards potency, look for the content of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), important essential fatty acids found within fish oils (the term "essential" is used because these fatty acidas are important for health, yet cannot be manufactured within the body and so must be obtained through the diet). The typical recommended dose of fish oils is based on the total content of EPA and DHA, and is generally about 2,000 mg. Thus, 1,000 mg of both EPA and DHA, or 1,500 mg EPA and 500 mg DHA, or any combination of the two that gets you 2,000 mg of these essential fatty acids would likely be appropriate. Finding a highly concentrated product means you'll need to take fewer pills or teaspoons of liquid to get your 2,000 mg each day.
However, it's very important that you discuss the use of fish oil supplements, in fact any supplement, with your doctor first. Fish oils do appear to be beneficial for most of us, but they also may "thin" the blood, thereby increasing the potential for bleeding. This could be very important for people on blood-thinning medication, or for anyone about to undergo surgery.
I have long recommended the Nordic Naturals brand of fish oils because I am impressed by the emphasis on purity of their products, as well as the wide range of concentrated fish oil products they offer (I have no affiliation with the company). That said, there are many fish oil products on the market that could be of benefit to you. Your doctor may have a recommendation that best fits your specific needs. In addition, you can visit the web site www.consumerlab.com to review data on the many individual fish oil supplements, and other products, they have tested for purity and potency. Access to the information is not free, but the annual subscription of about $30 might prove a good investment if you spend a lot of money on vitamins and supplements each year.
I hope this helps, N! Be well.
Dr. Russ
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