Update On Fish Oil Supplements- Are You Getting What You Pay For?

July 31, 2008 by GiGi

Welcome back!

I just received an update from Consumer Labs regarding new testing they’ve done on fish oil supplements.

I won’t go into all the benefits of fish oil supplements – I’ve already done that here: Fish Oil Supplements, so if you’re looking for some basic information, read that post first.

Personal aside: I recently had my cholesterol checked and the total cholesterol came back a little high, but I was told that was because my good cholesterol (HDL) was very high, so it boosted the total cholesterol count. It’s possible to have borderline-high total cholesterol numbers with normal levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol balanced by high HDL (good) cholesterol.My actual ratio of good to bad was very good! I made the comment, “Guess that Fish Oil is working, huh?” and she said “Absolutely!”

According to the new testing, it’s the amount of EPA and DHA concentrations you need to worry about, not the total fish oil amount. For example, the bottle may state 1000 mg. of fish oil, but the actual part of that is important (EPA and DHA) will be much less. The size of the pill or soft gel doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting a higher dose.

500 mg. of combined EPA and DHA is considered a high dose.
300 mg. is considered a moderate dose.
110-150 is considered a low dose.

Check the label of your fish oil. How does it compare?

Things you need to be aware of:

Fish oils are best tolerated when taken with meals, and, if possible, should be taken in divided doses.
Be aware that cod liver oil is not always a good substitute for fish oil supplements as it may be high in vitamins A and D.
The most common side effects are fishy smelling burps and diarrhea.
The only significant safety concerns regarding fish oil involve its apparent “blood thinning” effect. On this basis, fish oil should be used only under a physician’s care by people with bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, those taking strong prescription blood thinners, such as Coumadin (warfarin) or heparin, and those expecting to undergo surgery.
If you take blood pressure lowering medication, be aware that fish oil may further lower blood pressure.
High doses (over 3 grams per day) of fish oil may suppress the immune system. Unless medically necessary, such doses should be avoided, particularly by immunocompromised individuals.
Contrary to earlier reports, fish oil does not appear to adversely affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

I’m happy to say my Carlson Super Omega 3 passed the test with flying colors.

Carlson Super Omega 3

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Comments

5 Responses to “Update On Fish Oil Supplements- Are You Getting What You Pay For?”

cathy on August 1st, 2008 7:23 am

Interesting. I started taking fish oil supplements a few months ago for various reasons, and I’ve been very happy with the results. The brand I’m using has 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA, so I guess it’s on the low side. Looks like I should try another brand once I’m through with this bottle. Thanks for posting this info!
Tom Parker on August 9th, 2008 4:36 am

I’ve just got back into taking my Omega 3s. My current brand (which I’m very happy with) contains 210mg of EPA and 150mg of DHA so falls into the moderate dosage band. I’ve also started taking Zinc and Magnesium tablets before bed and the improvement in my quality of sleep is immense.
GiGi on August 9th, 2008 6:17 am

Thanks for tip about Zinc and Magnesium, Tom. I’ll have to explore that further – I definitely could use some help in the sleep department!
Wilhelm on August 22nd, 2008 6:06 pm

Thanks for the information. I am interested in everyting related to fish in a healthy diet. A lot of people do not eat fish at least once in a week.
Matt - Resveratrol Supplements Review on June 8th, 2009 12:34 am

Yes, I also check that the fish oil I’m taking has a good amount of DHA and EPA (when comparing prices also), and I also sometimes rotate between fish oil supplements and flax seed oil, another way to get omega 3’s. Also, I wish that most companies will declare the fact that they test their fish oil for content as well as for mercury for some assurance of purity and lack of pollutants. but yes, fish oil is essential for anti aging benefits for both heart and mind.