How to Choose the Best Fish Oil Soft Gels‏

How do you choose the best fish oil soft gels? Here are ten tips that will help you find the very best fish oil product.

1. Buy fish oil from online vendors, or if you buy it from a brick and mortar store, make sure they stock in a refrigerated case. Like any other kind of oil, fish oil can go bad if it's stored in heat and humidity. Rancid fish oil causes fishy burps and sometimes diarrhea. Online vendors turn over their stocks quickly, usually acting as link from the manufacturer direct to you, so their products don't have a chance to go bad.

2. Avoid products that list "marine liquids" as an ingredient. Another term for this is "fish juice." These protein-rich compounds go bad much faster than the omega-3 essential fatty acids you are looking for.

3. Make sure any product you buy has at least 500 mg of DHA plus EPA in every capsule. It's the DHA and EPA you're really looking for. If a 1,000 mg capsule contains at least 500 mg of the desired omega-3's, there's not enough room left for marine liquids, even if a manufacturer fails to list them.

4. Buy enteric coated fish oil capsules. An enteric coating keeps a capsule from opening in the stomach. Instead, it releases its contents in the small intestine, where they are actually absorbed. Especially when you take your fish oil between meals, the enteric coating makes sure that you get more of the essential fatty acids you need from the product by keeping them from being broken down by the acid in the stomach.

5. Don't buy a product just because it is listed as "lead-free" or "free of PCB's." In a recent study of the 40 most popular brands of fish oil in the USA, only one product had detectable levels of these contaminants, and it was a product for pets. You don't need to pay extra for basic, good product.

6. Don't pay extra for "pharmaceutical grade" fish oil products. There isn't any official standard that makes one product pharmaceutical grade and excludes another. The one omega-3 product that is only sold with a prescription, Lovaza, is actually less absorbable and provides fewer omega-3's that over-the-counter products that cost 50 times less.

7. No product is "tested in FDA-approved laboratories." The FDA does inspect and approve factories, but different agencies approve the laboratories that test fish oil, usually a state or province.

8. "Molecularly distilled" usually means the fish were chopped up and boiled in hexane to capture the oil, the hexane then allowed to evaporate and leave the fish oil behind. A trace of hexane inevitably gets into "molecularly distilled" omega-3's.

9. The cost of getting your daily dose of 1,000 mg of DHA and EPA together can cost anywhere from US $0.10 to US $1.50 if you buy fish oil, and up to US $10.00 a day if you buy a "pregnancy formula" made with microalgae--which will never contain the EPA needed to fight inflammation (only fish oil and krill oil contain EPA). Krill oil usually costs about 5 times as much as the nutritional equivalent in fish oil--and krill oil is not, as sometimes advertised, a vegan product. Tiny shrimp-like krill are animals, too.

10. Cod liver oil is a terrific source of vitamin A and vitamin D along with omega-3's, and all your need is one teaspoon a day. However, most people react with "yuck" when they take a daily swig of this potent oil. Fish oil, on the other hand, is tasteless and stays fresh in the bottle without spreading odor through your refrigerator. Fish oil is simply the most effective and least expensive way to get your daily omega-3's.

I, personally, take a twice-daily dose of what I consider to be the best fish oil soft gels on the market today.   Visit my web site, now, to learn more about this superior-quality supplement that I wholeheartedly, recommend.

What Are Omega Three Fatty Acids?‏

By now you have probably heard that omega three fatty acids are essential for good health. But what's special about a fatty acid being omega-3? And what does it mean for a chemical to be an omega three, anyway?

The -3 designation of the essential fatty acids in fish oil is nothing but a shorthand way chemists use for saying that the molecule can be activated at the the third carbon from one end. When our bodies slice and dice essential fats to make hormones, the itty bitty  -3 molecules get turned into hormones that regulate inflammation.  Additionally, the slightly larger -6 molecules get turned into hormones that cause inflammation, and the largest -7 and -9 molecules get turned into skin protectants and stored fat, respectively.

The important thing to remember is that the omega threes are what every cell in your body needs to keep inflammatory processes in check, and the omega-6's are what every cell in your body needs to generate the inflammation that activates the immune system or cleans up damage in neighboring tissues.

Both the "3" and "6" forms of essential fatty acids are essential for human health. Sometimes the omega-3's are referred to as "good" and the omega-6's are referred to as "bad," but that is only because our diets contain so much more omega-6 fat than omega-3 fat, about 20 times as much, actually. 

The oils used to fry foods and to make packaged foods are almost pure omega-6, inflammatory fat. Every time we eat a Hostess Twinkie or we chomp down on a bag of chips, we flood our systems with the fats that fuel inflammatory processes that keep us constantly just a little sick, and eventually make us very sick.

Even when we consume healthy plant oils like flaxseed oil, there is still so much omega-6 fat in the product that the net effect is keeping our bodies inflamed. Only highly concentrated sources of the inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty aids like fish oil can reverse the effects of bad diets loaded with fried foods, fast foods, and snack foods that come in cellophane wrappers.

You don't really absolutely have to supplement your diet with fish oil. It would also work never to eat another potato chip or candy bar or fried chicken dinner ever again. Cutting out trips to Burger King, Long John Silver's, and McDonald's for the rest of your life would be necessary, too. But if you can't always eat the way you should, taking fish oil helps make up for the inflammation generated by your dietary indiscretions and helps reverse the diseases caused by chronic inflammation.

You should also be sure to choose a high quality supplement that has been processed to maintain optimum purity and freshness. If you'd like my well-researched recommendation for the fish oil with omega three fatty acids I take everyday, please visit my web site. 

What's The Best Child Dose of Omega Three Fatty Acids?

Let's face it! Omega-3 essential fatty acids can make an amazing difference in a child's growth and development. This is particularly true of a brain-building nutrient known as docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA for short. That's why it's important to determine the best child dose of omega three.

This healthy fat is the basic building block of the protective linings of cells in the retinas of the eyes and the brain. It makes up about 40 percent of all the polyunsaturated fat in a healthy brain and 60 percent of the polyunsaturated fat in the retinas. It forms a protective lining around eye and brain cells and, along with a nutrient known as phosphatidylserine, keeps cells from undergoing a process called apoptosis, which removes them as if they were injured.

This nutrient also helps nerve tissue absorb the vital amino acids glycine, choline, and taurine. It helps the eyes concentrate the blue pigment rhodopsin, which enables both fine vision and night vision.

Getting enough DHA makes a huge difference for a child starting even before birth. In one famous experiment, Dutch scientists measured the amount of this chemical in umbilical cord blood at birth for 300 children, and then followed their progress to age eight. Of course, the only way that umbilical cord blood contain this essential nutritional substance was that the mother consumed it (or her body made it from a kind of plant fat called ALA) while she was pregnant.

The children whose blood contained the most docosahexaenoic acid had better eye-hand coordination. They had more fluent speech. They learned how to play with a ball at an earlier age and they learned how to tie their shoes at an earlier age. They were less likely to have been diagnosed with ADHD. 

A pregnant woman's body can make docosahexaenoic acids from the alpha-linolenic acid in flaxseed oil and some other healthy plant oils, although at least 80% of the plant oil is lost in the process. The more estrogen in a woman's bloodstream, the more efficient this conversion process. It's just a lot better to get the docosahexaenoate from microalgae (which contain this n-3 fatty acid but not the anti-inflammatory substance called EPA) or from fish. 

Women who are pregnant are getting their healthy fatty acids for two and need up to 5,000 mg per day. It's a lot less expensive to use a high-quality fish oil rather than a high-quality microalgae, although either one will provide the needed nutrients, and fish oil will both build growing brains and fight inflammatory conditions.

Even after a child is born, however, omega-3's continue to do their work. Babies who get at least 350 mg of omega-3 per day in their formula begin to talk a few weeks earlier. Toddlers and kindergarten age children who get their omega-3 essentials are less likely to act out, lose focus, fuss, and fidget.

Up to 1,000 mg of omega-3 essential fatty acids per day is appropriate for children aged 1 to 8. You don't have to train your child to swallow capsules, however. The easy way to get the right dose is to measure it in fish-oil enriched gummy bears. It's natural to react with "eww" when you see mention of fish oil and gummy bears, but modern distillation processes take the fishiness out of the fish oil and let fruit flavors come through. Keep the process of getting needed nutrients fun and flavorful and the right dose will come naturally! 

Make no mistake about it! Determining the best child dose if omega three fatty acid isn't difficult once you have the right information.  If you'd like my well-researched recommendation for the quality supplement I, and my family, take, please visit my web site.

How To Determine What Is The Healthiest Dose of Omega Three Fish Oil

If you’re trying to determine what is the healthiest dose of omega three fish oil, you may not get much help from experts. They seem to disagree when recommending a dose which reaps optimum benefits. Oftentimes, recommendations will be based in favor of the manufacturer that is paying for the “expertise.” But don’t let that discourage you. Anyone who is interested in taking essential three fatty acids can find the dosage that will give them the best results.

But before you determine the right dose, you have to find a product of superior quality. You see, not all these fish oil supplements are created equal. It all comes down to the processing method used to extract the fish oils.

One of the more common processes uses steam to extract the essential fatty acids from chopped up fish. Unfortunately, along with the fatty acids, juices known as “marine liquids” are released. They wind up in the supplement along with the omega-3s. The problem with this liquid is that it has a tendency to spoil as it sits on the shelf at the store or in your medicine cabinet.

Taking these fermented capsules can often result in fishy burps, farts and breath, and sometimes even diarrhea.

Needless to say, there is no such thing as a healthy dose of a fish oil supplement which includes “marine liquids” on the ingredient label.

Fortunately, steaming fish to extract omega-3 fatty acids isn’t the only process used by manufacturers today. There is a new and improved process which some companies are using to avoid generating undesirable byproducts, while producing the purest, most effective fish oil.

Believe it or not, the process begins on the fishing boats themselves, immediately after catch. Rather than transporting the fish to a manufacturing facility, they are chopped, placed into a vat containing carbon dioxide (CO2) and then pressurized to five times above normal sea level pressure. Under this level of pressure, the carbon dioxide works as a natural solvent which extracts the fatty acids from the fish.

Maintaining a temperature of approximately eight-six degrees Fahrenheit insures that the chemical makeup of the fatty acids remains unchanged.

Once the pressure is returned to normal the carbon dioxide reverts to a gaseous state and all that is left is pure omega three fish oil.

The healthiest dose of this type of fish oil product is a minimum of 1000 mg per day. Typically, that translates into two capsules of this high-quality fish oil.

You can adjust the dosage if you are trying to achieve specific health results, such as relieving joint inflammation or muscle pain. In this case, you can take up to 20 capsules a day which is about 15,000 mg.

Furthermore, some people use fish oil to control appetite for weight loss. Taken between meals, a dosage of 5,000 mg per day can help to keep your appetite in check.

Using a supplement of the highest quality in the healthiest dose can help to produce the best results while making sure you don’t have to deal with unpleasant digestive side effects. That’s why it pays to do a little research to make sure you’re getting the best value for your money.

My own personal research has resulted in a high quality supplement which I take on daily basis to control joint inflammation. Click here if you'd like to benefit from my recommendation.

How to Find the Ultimate Omega Fish Oil Product

Let’s face it. There are tons of supplements out there claiming to be the ultimate omega fish oil product. But how can you be sure these claims are true? Well, it’s not difficult to locate what you need if you have some basic guidelines.

First of all, you want to be sure that whatever you are planning to take is not going to make us sick. Suppliers wouldn’t be allowed to promote fish oil supplements that have been shown to cause serious. However, that doesn’t mean some brands won’t cause digestive discomforts.

The truth is, there are a variety of brands that contain marine liquids, also known as “fish juice.” The problem with this stiff is that they are unfiltered and consequently, can spoil while they sit on the shelf of the store or the cabinet where you keep your medicines.

So, if you’re shopping for the ultimate omega fish oil product, be sure you avoid any supplement which contains “marine liquids.”

The next thing you want to look for in an omega three fish oil product will be potency. You need adequate amounts of DHA and EPA to get the desired benefits for brain and cardiac health, as well as, keeping inflammation in check.

Some brands offer 300% of the desired EPA and DHA. You can expect them to cost more, but even at twice the price, you’re getting a good deal.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the prices of more commonly-used brands sold in the U.S.

You will find the price range of a bottle of omega-3 essential fatty acids derived from fish to be about $7.00 for 150 capsules of Spring Valley Fish Oil, available at Walmart, to approximately $245.00 for a 30-day supply of the prescription version known as Lovaza.

The recommended minimum daily dose is 1000 mg. The price breakdown comparison range of this dosage is $0.20 for the Carlson brand to about $32 for the prescription, Lovaza.

Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega Soft Gels will cost you $49.95 per bottle. While this sounds more expensive than the $7 brand you get at Walmart, it is actually less expensive when you take the fatty acid content into account.

The next factor to consider when looking for the ultimate omega fish oil product is freshness.

It’s difficult to know how long a product has been sitting on the shelf of your favorite drug or health food store. You also can’t be sure if these products have been protected from heat and light. That’s why it you may want to consider ordering your fish oil capsules directly from the manufacturer. This is an excellent way to ensure freshness.

Contamination from toxins is the next factor to be aware of. Many omega three fish oil products are made from anchovies and farmed salmon. You may find these sources to contain high levels of PCBs. Other potentially-problematic sources of fish oil are herring, sardines and albacore tuna which have a tendency to absorb mercury.

Fish sources, such as hoki, which are harvested from the cold waters of the South Pacific, are known to have especially low levels of contaminants.

The last factor to consider is whether or not the product is “natural” as opposed to artificial. Artificial fish oil products are made in an attempt to prevent attacks from bacteria during storage. While the fish oil starts out “natural” it is then turned into artificial esters through a process of boiling in alcohol.

There are two problems associated with artificial esters: 1) they are difficult to digest and, 2) as much as 45% of the healthful DHA an EPA essential fatty acids are lost during the boiling process. When in doubt, “natural” is always better.

So there you have it! Some simple guidelines to follow when looking for an ultimate omega fish oil supplement. If you’d like a short cut, I’m happy to give you my well-researched recommendation for the quality brand I take my self.

Omega Three Gel Caps for Health and Fitness

Most people believe that omega three gel caps of fish oil are perfect for getting the essential fatty acids the human body needs to keep inflammation in control, and they are absolutely right. However, most people don't know that omega-3 gel caps of the highest quality fish oil can also help them build muscle and lose weight.

One of the coaches of the Canadian Olympic hockey team is former University of Texas physiologist named John Berardi. Dr. Berardi tells his athletes to take fish oil capsules practically like tiny snacks, between every meal and after workouts.

Fish oil helps build muscle by stopping inflammation at just the right time. Athletes work out hard to build muscle. The fibers in the muscle that give it power are broken down when they are stretch to their limit. The muscle itself uses the energy it has stored in the form of glycogen as it performs maximum output.

Building stronger muscle requires replacing the fibers that have been broken down by resistance exercise, but the fibers can't be breaking down and building up at the same time. Omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish oil put the breaks on inflammation so the muscle can rebuild itself with stronger fibers. They also help the muscle absorb the right amount of water to make "pump you up" material glycogen from glucose, but not so much water that the muscle is inflamed.

Fish oil also fights fat.

The human body is hard-wired to seek fat. Once we finish growing and reach physical adulthood, we don't need quite as much protein or quite as much of certain amino acids. We do need at least a little fat as an energy supply and to cushion muscles. At least a little fat is necessary to fill in the curves and contours of an attractive body.

There are lots of different ways to get enough fat to satisfy your appetite for fat. One could eat a stick of butter. Or down a double order of fries. Or maybe just pop a couple of capsules of fish oil.

A double order of fries might have 1,000 calories. A double dose of fish oil has about 20.

Omega three gel is the supplement most people who are serious about exercise overlook. It helps pump up muscles the same way creatine does. It helps prevent soreness and inflammation after workouts. And it helps serious exercises overcome the appetite that can set diet plans awry.

I, personally, take 3 to 5 omega three gel caps every day to extend the benefits of my daily exercise routine and boost the effectiveness of my weight loss efforts.

The Interaction Between Omega 3 Fish Oil and Digestion

There is a common side effective produced by the interaction between omega 3 fish oil and digestion that many people are familiar with: flatulence and fishy burps. But what these people may not know is that these unpleasant digestive side effects can be eliminated if the supplement they are taking is free of commonly-occurring impurities. These impurities are generally classified as "marine liquids."

These liquids are created when the fish are steamed as a way to extract their oil. As everyone knows, oil and water don't mix and if the manufacturer is too hurried to separate and eliminate the unwanted liquid, you end up with a "fish juice" that tends to ferment once its placed inside a capsule.

It's not just the fermentation that causes problems. These sealed liquids also become rancid. Some of the cheapest brands of fish oil will have a noticeable odor...something similar to dog food.

If you are taking a normal dose you won't need to worry about becoming sick with vomiting and diarrhea as a result of the contamination. However, it's likely you'll experience fish burps and farts.

Now, not all brands of fish oil will be tainted by "marine liquids." It will depend on how the fish oil has been processed.

One of the more powerful methods for preventing the contaminating mixture of marine liquids and fish oil is to soak ground-up fish in a bath of solvent called hexanol. Then the contents of the solvent bath are put through an evaporative process which leaves behind generally-pure omega three essential fatty acids.

While there is usually no danger of contamination from the toxic solvent, there is a much better process for extracting unwanted marine liquids.

A method known as CO2 extraction is now being implemented by several fish oil supplement producers.

One company, Xtend-life of New Zealand, subjects their catches of cold-water fish to pressurized carbon dioxide. Under extreme pressure, CO2 becomes a liquid which is capable of dissolving the essential fatty acids known as EPA an DHA. At the same time, mercury and other heavy metals, along with water, are left behind.

So what happens to the CO2? Well, The carbon dioxide is extracted into a holding chamber and the pressure returned to normal. Once again under normal pressure the liquid CO2 returns to a gaseous state, leaving behind the purified fish oil.

Not only does this process result in the highest quality fish oil, but the carbon dioxide can be retained and utilized again at a later date.

This is a highly-sophisticated process that not many producers have mastered for their production. Fortunately, for those that do, they are able to provide their customers with a burpless product with a high concentration of beneficial nutrients. In the end, you get more value for your dollar and don't have to deal with the results of a bad interaction between omega 3 fish oil and digestion.

Ultimately, if you want the best outcomes, you have to select the right product.