By the time you finish reading this, you will have a clear understanding about how to choose a fish oil that is safe for you and your family. You’ll know how to find a supplement that will dramatically improve your health, not harm it. So let me give you the simple facts about fish oil purity.
What do we mean by fish oil purity?
Purity usually refers to whether the product contains traces of contaminants or impurities. It can also refer to the freshness of the product.
Let’s look at the impurities first.
The contaminants often found in oily fish are mercury, lead, PCBs and dioxins. PCBs are chemicals that can lead to behavioural and developmental problems in children, as well as cancers. Dioxins can cause cancer too, and heavy metals like lead and mercury can affect the central nervous system and the kidneys or liver.
Most of the oily fish we eat, and that are used to make fish oil supplements, are species such as salmon, mackerel and tuna. These are all excellent sources of the important omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult for manufacturers who use these species to guarantee fish oil purity. This is because these species are the fish most likely to contain contaminants.
This is for two reasons. Firstly, they are often caught in waters such as the North Sea, which can contain these contaminants. Secondly, they are high up the food chain, meaning the contaminants get concentrated in their bodies and oil because the creatures they eat are themselves contaminated.
So the type of fish used to make supplements can have serious implications for the purity and safety of the capsules.
Now let’s look at freshness as an indication of fish oil purity.
If the fish oil you take is not completely fresh, the oil will start to oxidise. When this happens, you increase your intake of free radicals, the molecules that damage cells and help to cause aging, disease and illness.
To test the oxidation level, a supplement should be tested in registered laboratories. What you are looking for is the COA (certificate of analysis), which should be freely available on the manufacturer’s website or promotional material. Two oxidation components should be listed: the anisidine value and the peroxide value. The scores should be as low as possible. A total oxidation score of less than 20 is desirable.
So how do you choose a supplement that can guarantee fish oil purity?
Look for a product made from fish caught in clean waters, such as the New Zealand fish hoki. This is caught in the Southern Ocean, which is largely free of contaminants.
The oil should also be molecularly distilled, not simply filtered. Molecular distillation is a complicated process which removes any tiny trace of contaminant that might find its way into the product.
Next, check out the freshness of the product by examining the manufacturer’s COA. If you can’t find a COA, don’t buy the product! Any good supplier should be prepared to publish the results of tests that prove the purity of their product.
So there’s some food for thought when you are shopping for fish oil supplements. If you would like more information about , please visit my website to see more of my research and to find out about the products I use daily myself.
My name is Therese Samson and I promote natural approaches to health and well-being for the whole family at , where you’ll find out about the many ways omega 3 fish oil can improve heart, brain, skin and immune system health.
Market Potential for Hospital Services, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices in US
The US, with its healthcare spending crossing US$ 2.2 Trillion in 2007, represents the most important healthcare product and services market in the world. And according to “Market Potential for Hospital Services, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices in US”, the new research report, the potential and opportunities in this market are expected to increase several fold in the next five years. ( http://www.bharatbook.com/Market-Research-Reports/Market-Potential-for-Hospital-Services-Pharmaceuticals-and-Medical-Devices-in-US.html )
This report provides factual insight supplemented with statistical overview on the past, present and future market. It studies the entire structure, composition and working of the US healthcare sector and describes the potential of hospital services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the market. This report discusses the demand, market size and future prospects of nearly every major sector, like cardiovascular, diabetes, musculoskeletal, oncology, wound care management, cosmetic surgery, dental health, and in vitro diagnostics, in the US healthcare market. It identifies key opportunities and roadblocks that will affect the future direction of the market.
“Market Potential for Hospital Services, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices in US” thus serves as a guide for healthcare service providers/drug manufactures/investors who are planning to enter the US healthcare market as it helps in identifying and analyzing market opportunities that will suit their business needs and profiles.
Key Findings of the Report
* Total healthcare spending in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% between 2007 and 2012. * Around 43 Million people are expected to be above 65 years of age in the US by 2012, thereby increasing the prevalence of several chronic diseases. * Around 122 Million Americans are expected to suffer from cardiovascular diseases by 2012, leading to direct expenses of over US$ 414 Billion. * The US, with over 19 Million diabetics by 2012, is expected to fuel the growth of the diabetes drugs and monitoring devices market. * Driven by target-based therapies with negligible side effects, the US oncology market is amongst the fastest growing sectors in the healthcare industry. * The aging baby boomers, coupled with an increasing incidence of hip and knee fractures, are expected to strongly drive the musckoskeletal market. * Driven by a need to look young and attractive, both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures are becoming highly popular.
Key Issues & Facts Analyzed in the Report
* Evaluation of past, current and future market trends. * Market evaluation by type of disease. * Discussion on the major drivers of the healthcare market. * Identification and evaluation of the opportunities created by the market. * Analysis of major challenges for the market.
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Vitamins are substances that are necessary for every multicellular organism. These are required for development and growth of your body. Starting from the stage of conception, these are required in a particular quantity. Intake of vitamins is needed to make your body work properly. These are present in food you eat.
Some vitamins are Fat Soluble and some are Water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins get stored in your body for couple of weeks or may be a month. These can be used when your body requires them. Whereas water soluble vitamins are stay for a shorter time. These enter your bloodstream and remaining which is not used by your body are excreted when you urinate. Therefore it is better to take these vitamins regularly in small quantities. , D, E and K are Fat soluble and gets stored in liver whereas all categories of Vitamin B and Vitamin C are Water Soluble. Your body requires different vitamin for different reasons.
Deficiency of any Vitamin can cause relative disease to your body. Also, excess intake of any Vitamin can also cause problems. It may lead to Vomiting and diarrhea. These should be taken in appropriate quantity. A human Body cannot produce Vitamins itself. It gets through the food we take. Every different type of food provides a different type of vitamin.
Vitamins are partly destroyed and are partly excreted. Daily intake of necessary vitamins is useful for the body. Vitamin A is essential for bones, skin and curing night blindness. Vitamin B is needed for digestion of carbohydrates and therefore keeps heart stable. Vitamin C is required for teeth, bones and gums. This Vitamin also helps in fighting with any kind of infection emerging in your body. Vitamin D is very important for children. They get suffered from Rickets due to deficiency of this vitamin. The main source of vitamin d is sunlight, spinach and other vegetables. Vitamin E helps in healing up of the wounds. Vitamin K is useful in making the blood clots which further helps to stop the bleeding.
Every Vitamin has a different role to play in a n human body. But while taking these vitamins, the quantity to be taken should be kept in mind because their deficiency as well as their excess causes problem. These should be taken in adequate quantity according to the requirement of the body. Age also plays a vital role in deciding the quantity to be taken.
Author giving you to best information about tips like vitamins tips, eye care tips, hair solutions, and many more.
By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll have an excellent idea of what to start looking for with the best fish oil supplements.
What are the best fish oil supplements to go with? I get asked this question often, so I decided to dedicate this brief article to answering the market’s demand for relevant information on this topic.
Purity
When looking for fish oil supplements to buy, it is important to consider the purity of the oil. What do I mean by purity? Before a fish’s skin is pressed for its oil, it has lived in the ocean for a time. During its life, certain impurities like mercury can accumulate. While this is entirely normal, it’s not at all desirable because of the concerns that surround mercury poisoning. You’ll want to make sure that the fish oil supplements you consider have been put through a process known as “molecular distillation”. This process reduces impurity levels to near zero and makes the fish oil supplements safe to ingest.
There are four standards of purification levels fish oil supplements must pass through in order to be deemed safe enough to ingest. These standards are:
• International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) • Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) • European Pharmacopoeia • Norwegian Medicinal Standard
Ideally, the fish oil you consider should have standards greater than, or equal to, all four of these standards depending on where you are buying your fish oil supplements from.
When looking for the best fish oil to buy, you also should check the supplier’s Certificate of Analysis. This is an official statement of the measured impurities in the particular fish oil supplements you’re looking at. You’ll want to aim for fish oil supplements that offer verified, non-detectable levels of pollutants. Certain oceans are known for having low pollution levels due to the absence of commercial activity in nearby areas. When choosing fish oil supplements, you’ll want to verify where they were made. Bonus points should be given to companies that manufacture their oil from fish in the South Seas. Freshness
Freshness is extremely important when considering the best fish oil supplements to buy. What people don’t often realize is that as fish oil sits unused, or is manufactured poorly, it can become oxidized and can actually negate what you’re aiming to accomplish.
When you purchase fish oil supplements, the first thing you should look for is the company’s Certificate of Analysis and verify the measured oxidation levels. You should look for the word “TOTOX” on the certificate which is an abbreviation for “total oxidation”. It is comprised of two numbers and it is important to make sure that both of these numbers are present on the certificate as some companies try to show the better of the two and pass the product off as “safe” while the other number that you don’t see is off the charts. If these numbers are near zero, the product is completely safe to ingest. Also, fish oil supplements should never have any rancid odors or smells. If this is the case, avoid that product completely. The acceptable standard for TOTOX scores are typically 19-24. Anywhere in this range is acceptable, although if you can find products lower than 19, the better off you are.
It is also noteworthy to look at whether the purity the fish oil supplements was verified by external sources. While this is not essential, it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Transparency
Have you ever had that feeling while browsing a website or visiting a store that the owner wasn’t being 100% honest with you? You may have asked some tough questions that forced the owner to reveal his hand of cards and all of a sudden he’s trying to get rid of you like you have the plague. Well, the chances are the owner had something to hide. I’ve seen this kind of behavior quite frequently with different companies. You’ll always want to purchase fish oil supplements from a company that is transparent. The ideal company will document everything so consumers can have their concerns addressed. All of their certificates, customer testimonials, research results and ingredients are publicly posted on their site or inside the store to review.
Customer Testimonials
Simply put, no one wants to buy a product that can’t offer some excellent, credible customer testimonials. No one speaks better truth than one customer to another. When considering fish oil supplements, work with a company that can prove customer satisfaction to you by showing you several examples of testimonials. The testimonials should be genuine and specific.
Price
Many times companies that cannot substantiate their claims about purity and freshness will charge up to twice as much for their product. “Why do they do that?” you ask. One would think that the worse a product is, the less expensive it would be. That’s exactly why they do it. It’s called “perceived value”. If I tell you the price is low, you’ll think it’s a bad product. If I tell you it’s expensive, you’ll think it’s a premium product. This is an old marketing trick that’s been used many times very effectively. Our minds tend to equate spending more money with achieving higher quality. Often, higher prices mask hidden downsides. Don’t fall for this. Your health is far too precious.
To learn more about the premium fish oil supplements I use daily, please visit my website today.
Ken Corley is an avid supporter of using all natural approaches to every facet of life; from the food we eat, the treatments we use, to the way we exercise. Ken enjoys introducing others to the all natural products and supplements he supports and uses daily at:
Visit his site to learn more about the all natural fish oils, supplements and vitamins that he uses at:
By the time you finish reading this, you’ll have a great understanding of what makes pharmaceutical grade fish oil the safest and most effective fish oil on the market, and why it can be unhealthy to choose otherwise.
The term “pharmaceutical grade fish oil” was coined by Dr. Barry Sears, a staunch advocate for rigorous testing and experimenting involving high doses of ultra-pure omega 3 supplements. His research and findings are nothing short of amazing, and make a very compelling case for the daily use of long-chain omega 3 fatty acids in the diet.
Health Food Grade Fish Oil
This type of fish oil is the kind seen on the shelves in stores. It’s important to know these are not pharmaceutical grade omega 3 oils because of the way they’re manufactured. Often they contain high amounts of toxic chemicals like PCBs, dioxin and mercury which are all extremely toxic to human beings.
As fish exist in the wild, the amount of toxins their skins absorb is directly related to the pollution levels in their regions of the ocean. Often, the manufacturers of health food grade oils don’t do the best job at making attempts to purify them or extract them from good fish sources.
The fish oil supplement standards in the United States are dangerously lax and “allow manufacturers to put whatever they want on a product label as long as it doesn’t promise to cure or prevent a particular disease” (Sears p 95). This is disconcerting to say the least. Over-consumption of health food grade oils can quickly lead to nasty side effects like cramps, GI issues, mercury poisoning and exposure to carcinogens like PCBs and dioxin.
Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil
Based on the downsides of health food grade fish oil, you probably clearly see the need for a purer alternative. What makes an omega 3 oil “pharmaceutical grade”? Simply put, you can define an omega 3 oil as “pharmaceutical grade” once it passes ultra-stringent purity standards. These standards require impurities to be measured and verified by a third party and the results printed on a Certificate of Analysis for public view. Pharmaceutical grade fish oil also needs to be comprised of more than 60% total omega 3 fatty acids and have impurities so low that they’re either nearly, or completely undetectable in order to qualify.
Many different companies who cannot substantiate their purity claims will mark up their products with “pharmaceutical grade” on the labels in an attempt to sell more products. It’s important you see through this, and first check for the company’s Certificate of Analysis. If the company you’re working with cannot, or will not provide this information for you then something is very wrong. Most companies that offer pharmaceutical grade oils have their Certificate of Analysis proudly posted on their websites to prove their claims. For your reference, and I hope this isn’t too scientific, here are the standards that need to be followed in order to consider a fish oil pharmaceutical grade:
• Total Long-Chain Omega 3 Fatty Acids: More than 60% of the total fatty acids • Mercury: Less than 10 parts per billion • PCBs: Less than 30 parts per billion • Dioxin: Less than 1 part per trillion
So you can see, pharmaceutical grade fish oil standards are literally thousands of times more stringent than the requirements for standard health food grade oil, and it is the adherence to these standards – verified by the Certificate of Analysis – that allows an omega 3 oil to be considered pharmaceutical grade.
Now that you’re armed with this knowledge, it’s time to make your move and start doing some smart shopping for fish oil. You know what to look for and you know what to avoid, and always remember that the Certificate of Analysis is your proof of purity and guiding light to choosing the right products.
To learn more about the pharmaceutical grade fish oil I use daily, please visit my website today.
Ken Corley is an avid supporter of using all natural approaches to every facet of life; from the food we eat, the treatments we use, to the way we exercise. Ken enjoys introducing others to the all natural products and supplements he supports and uses daily at:
Visit his site to learn more about the all natural fish oils, supplements and vitamins that he uses at:
Do you know what the most effective appetite suppressants on the market are? In recent years there have been various products on the load loss market, all claiming to suppress your appetite, but after all majority of these merchandise had some extremely bad and dangerous side effects.
I will recommend you here some necessary pointers that you want to keep in mind when shopping for your next appetite suppressant:
100% natural ingredients – This suggests that no dangerous chemical substances allowed. You need to play it safe and invest your money in a totally natural product.
Medical backing – A pill that you are shopping for must have smart and acceptable medical proof that it very works. It’s continuously smart to work out what sort of analysis has been done on the pill itself or on the most ingredient of an appetite suppressant.
Real appetite suppressant – You would like to form positive that a pill has real appetite suppressing abilities. That suggests that no fat binder, no fat blockers, no fat burners etc. What you ought to do is check if the main ingredient of a pill has smart appetite suppressing properties. Take for example Hoodia Gordonii and its outstanding ability to suppress your appetite.
No side effects – That’s right individuals, you don’t need ANY surprises with these sorts of pills. Many appetite suppressant manufacturers claim that their product does not have any side effects – don’t believe all, that may no be true at all. You ought to continuously request opinions of other people.
Needed certificates – Company that manufactures an appetite suppressant pill can build sure to get all the desired certificates in order to prove that ingredients inside pill are authentic and sensible quality. For example, common certifications for Hoodia Gordonii pills are Certificate of Analysis, CITES and Organics Annex Certificate.
Guarantee in case you’re not satisfied – Company ought to give you with substantial money back guarantee (in case you’re not glad), for instance half-dozen months may be a good money back guarantee. That approach you’ll have enough time to attempt the appetite suppressant and see if it works for you or not.
Cost – If you wish smart quality, then you have to pay good price. Therefore, expect to pay a minimum of $forty-$50 per pack for a good appetite suppressant. Whoever offers you these pills for $twenty or lower, run faraway from them!
I am positive that by now you ought to have much better idea concerning the best appetite suppressants. If you have above mentioned points in mind the subsequent time you are shopping for your appetite suppressant pill, you can’t fail.
Want to find out more? Check out this website now:
People have great advantage from the intake of the . Diet supplements are made with natural ingredients and contain all the nutrition which body require.
There are diet supplements to loose weight such as the Acai berry. It is one of the best diet supplement with which people get benefited from. It is popular because many people experience significant improvement in their health disorder.
Acai berry diet supplement is popular because it help people who want to loose weight as it contain fiber which help the body to flushing out the build up of toxins in the colon, clear out and improving overall health.
Acai berry is also known for antioxidants with nutritional values exceeding amount that red grapes. It improves the immune system and boosts the energy level and increase the metabolism. It also helps to nourishing with vitamins and minerals.
Acai berry contains the fatty acid which helps in maintaining cholesterol and improves the cardiovascular health. It is source of iron and calcium and vitamin A, B, C and E.
Clinicallix is one of the effective diet supplements which immensely help in weight loss. These diet supplements totally work without stimulants or harmful substance.
It can help the person to loose weight with the course of the right diet and exercise plan. The diet supplement available in the market to loose weight is packed with all the vital ingredients.
Diet supplements helps to speed up the metabolism, decrease appetite and increase energy. The Diet supplements help to detoxify the body and cleanse the systems for optimum performance.
Hoodia is another Diet supplement it is beneficial to loose weight. This diet supplement is made of the natural Herb called as hoodia gordonii which grows in South Africa Kalahari deserts.
This diet supplement is taken with good diet program, an exercise routine and by drinking plenty water which will help in make the body slim and healthy.
An average vegetarian diet will not provide all the nutrition that requires a body it may not supply recommended vitamins and minerals.
A diet supplement can help you fill the gaps and protect you against the certain disease and health conditions. A diet supplement is natural or synthetic have the same effects however the natural organic form might be better absorbed and be more effective like synthetic Vitamin E.
Some diet supplements helps in lower down the cholesterol which are made up of green tea they also help in reducing the weight increase the body thermogensis result in burning the calories and fats.
It also helps in cancer defense extracts limit cell replication and make the general health.
If you want to , i highly recommend you check out Proactol. It is a natural fat binder that can help you lose weight naturally. Check out my in depth for more information.
Let’s face it. If you go shopping for omega3 oils, you will see that there are a number of choices. Basically, that’s because there are a number of different omega-3 fatty acids. Here’s a look at the different ones, where you’ll find them and the health benefits associated with each.
Alpha-linolenic Acid—ALA
Also known as 18:3 (n-3), because of its 18-carbon chain and three double bonds, it is the shortest of the long chained polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. It is still considered, by some, to be the only “essential” omega-3, because the body can elongate it to form the others.
The problems with relying totally on the elongation process are these:
It is inefficient; only a small percentage is converted
ALA, itself, is needed by the body; conversion to the other fatty acids will only occur after the body’s needs for ALA have been met
Even though they are polyunsaturated, too much fat in the diet contributes to health problems.
Omega3 oils that provide ALA include those derived from vegetables and seeds. Good sources include canola and olive oils. Peanut, sunflower, grape seed and cottonseed contain none or almost none. Corn oil contains too many omega-6s to be considered a good choice, because omega-6s compete for conversion and contribute to inflammation.
Docosapentaenoic acid—DPA
Not too much is known about DPA. It is an intermediary in the conversion of ALA to EPA and then to DHA. It is found in some coldwater fish and other marine life. It is believed to contribute to the overall cardiovascular health seen in the Greenland Eskimos. Alaskan salmon may contain some. A fish called the New Zealand hoki is a good source. Other omega3 oils do not contain DPA.
Eicosapentaenoic acid—EPA
EPA is essential for the formation of various hormones and cellular membranes. It is beneficial in treating depression, both alone and when combined with DHA. It has been recommended for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and Huntington’s disease. One researcher, Ralph Holman, states that both EPA and DHA are important to the brain. DHA is needed to support the brain’s structure, he says. EPA is needed to support its function.
Other health benefits associated with omega3 oils containing EPA include superior cardiovascular function, a reduction in systematic inflammation and possibly a reduced risk of cancer.
The only dietary sources of EPA are some types of fish and seafood, although a small amount is found in some varieties of edible seaweed or kelp. Dried Wakame kelp, for example, contains about 10mg per tablespoon.
Docosahexaenoic acid—DHA
The benefits of DHA are mentioned above, although research indicates that it may be even more beneficial than EPA for some purposes, particularly for cardiovascular health. The only dietary sources are fish and seafood. Marine algae contain some and are being grown as a vegan source of the important nutrient.
There are other things that you could learn about omega3 oils. What you have read about here is just the tip of the iceberg.
Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily. Visit her site to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.
It never fails… You may be disappointed to learn that the only DHA food sources are some types of fish and seafood. Unlike other nutrients which are abundant in a variety of different foods, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is limited in the food chain.
Fish get it by eating certain kinds of marine algae and by eating smaller fish. Seaweed, which is a kind of marine algae, and kelp have been suggested as vegan alternatives for Docosahexaenoic acid, but the amount that is in a serving of kelp is very small, if it is present at all.
Wakame kelp, for example, is a source of Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, a different omega-3. There is no doubt that wakame is healthy. It provides a variety of different micronutrients, including fucoxanthin, which research indicates may help burn fatty tissues.
But, in order to get 200mg of EPA, you would need to eat about 50 grams or 22 tablespoons of dried wakame. People usually only eat a couple of tablespoons in soups, salads and side dishes.
Some types of marine algae are being grown by supplement manufacturers in bioreactors. These algae are not to be used as DHA food sources, but to be included in supplements and used to fortify other foods. For example, fortified infant formulas and baby food probably contain marine algae or nutrients derived from it.
There’s another conundrum that people run into when trying to include more Docosahexaenoic acid in their diet. Manufacturers don’t list the amount that is in a specific piece of fish. Even finding information on the internet concerning the DHA-content of specific species is difficult, if not downright impossible.
You can find out how many total omega-3s are in a specific species, on the average. For example a serving of salmon should provide 1100mg of omega-3s. But, are salmon good DHA food sources?
They are considered one of the better choices for omega-3 consumption. But, the amount in each filet will vary. Even the season during which it was caught will make a difference.
No one is saying don’t eat salmon. As long as you buy Alaskan, the populations are strong and the flesh is free of mercury. The fish contains a great deal of other nutrients, including Astaxanthin, a unique antioxidant responsible for the pink color. Some researchers hail Astaxanthin as a longevity nutrient.
But, ultimately, when it comes to DHA food sources, you never know what you are getting. Some experts recommend that the optimal intake would be around 500mg per day of Docosahexaenoic acid, about 1000mg of total omega-3s and at least 200mg of Eicosapentaenoic acid. These recommendations are considered by some doctors to be the minimum intake during pregnancy, because the nutrients are essential for normal fetal development
Now that you know this, the only way to insure that you are getting enough to prevent chronic diseases and improve your overall health is to take a dietary supplement. Purified fish oil or a natural triglyceride that contains no contaminants is the best choice. The DHA food sources are just not that “consistent”.
Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily. Visit her site to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times. Fish and seafood are arguably the best omega-3 sources in the world. But, for many reasons, people may be concerned about eating fish and seafood on a regular basis.
That’s probably one of the reasons that so many people take fish oil supplements. It is the biggest selling dietary supplement in the US, according to surveys. It’s more popular than green tea, ginkgo biloba or ginseng. Only standard multi-vitamins are better sellers.
But, are people really getting what they are paying for? Are they getting the best value for their money? Would it make more sense just to eat a little fish every day?
As long as you stay on top of the consumption advisories for fish that are high in mercury or other contaminants, then including seafood in your diet is a good choice. It is usually lower in total fat than other meat choices and it provides a variety of different nutrients. But, if you want to be sure that you are getting enough EPA and DHA to meet your body’s daily needs then a fish oil supplement is the best choice.
The amount of total omega-3s in seafood varies, as does the DHA and EPA content. Although you need both and some ALA, too, the best omega-3 is probably DHA.
DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid is found in large quantities in the brain and in the back of the eye. Numerous studies have shown that fish oil lowers total blood triglycerides and increases the blood content of HDL (good) cholesterol. At least one study has shown that DHA has a greater effect on those two health factors than EPA.
In studies concerning depression, DHA has been more effective than EPA, but the greatest benefits have been seen when both DHA and EPA are given to depressed individuals. So, the best omega-3 for depression is a fish oil supplement rich in DHA and EPA.
What about other types of supplements? Well, flax seed provides only ALA, which means it is not a “complete” supplement. Marine algae provide only DHA. So, it’s not complete, either.
The better fish oils provide DHA, EPA and the lesser known DPA or Docosapentaenoic acid, which is believed to be important to good cardiovascular health. That’s truly the most complete supplement that you can get. ALA is found in a number of different foods. So, supplementation is really unnecessary.
In terms of getting value for your money, the best omega-3 supplement is one that is rich in DHA. Looking at the grams of DHA per bottle and looking at the cost per bottle will help you determine value for your money.
You’ll also want to be sure that the supplement you choose is free of contaminants, such as mercury or PCBs. The better manufacturers post a copy of an independent laboratory analysis proving the supplement’s purity, freshness and nutritional content.
So, while seafood is the best omega-3 source, a supplement is a better choice for most people. It’s a more affordable and simply an easier option for insuring you are well nourished.
Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily. Visit her site to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.
