How to Recognize the Safest Fish Oil Supplement

With the important of taking a quality omega 3 product, many people want to know what is the safest fish oil supplement. The truth is there are ways to distinguish between a poor and excellent product. And you may be surprised to learn that price is not always a determining factor.

The following guidelines are intended to give you a solid basis for choosing the fish oil supplement which will give you the most benefits.

1. Reduced amounts of omega 3 essential fatty acids tend to be present in less expensive brands.

Because it’s always wise to read product labels, you are apt to find that some of the cheapest brands of fish oil derived from cold water fish have about 1/3 of the EPA and DHA typically found in the more expensive brands. So, if you’re thinking you’ll just purchase twice the amount, you’re really not doing yourself any favor.

2. Even if the label reads "molecularly distilled" you can’t be sure of quality.

It’s important to be aware that not all distillation processes are the same. Some fish oil providers use a process which involves crushing the fish and then immersing the mash in a chemical solvent bath of fish fat and hexane. The mixture is then drained and put through an evaporation process which leaves behind the oils rich in omega threes.

Now, the manufacturers who employ this process take great pains to ensure there are little to no traces of solvent remaining in the fish oil. However, rather than taking that chance, there is a much better process which uses carbon dioxide in a pressure chamber.

During the pressurization process the carbon dioxide works to dissolve the fat. When this is complete, the pressure is reduced leaving behind pure fish oil.

Even though this is not a true molecular distillation process, it still produces a fish oil of superior quality.

3. If you see "marine liquids" on the label you can count on fishy burps.

A common problem associated with fish oil supplements is flatulence and fish burps. This condition isn’t caused by the oil but by the fishy liquids that are left behind during processing. Although the amount of these liquids is usually minute, they have a tendency to rot or ferment in the supplement capsule. These rotted substances interact with your digestive system which then produces the aforementioned gas.

Even though these spoiled liquids probably won’t result in vomiting or diarrhea, they are still bad enough to make things unpleasant. So you can see why it’s important to make sure the fish oil supplement does not contain “marine liquids.”

4. You must be sure to avoid certain ocean-borne contaminants at all costs.

There is a harsh reality we must face when it comes to our oceans. Over the recent past they have become contaminated with industrial contaminants. While this contamination is present in all our oceans, there is a higher concentration found in the coastal waters of the northern and southern hemispheres. So if the water is contaminated it stands to reason that any marine life living in these waters will also be contaminated.

Some of the more common toxins found in fish and other marine life pulled from these waters include PCBs, polyvinyl chlorides, chlordane, dioxin, mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic.

This is why it’s important to try to buy fish oil products which have been made from fish caught in the cold waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is also best to look for products made by companies that maintain and go beyond standards set by their governments. This means rigorous testing for all the above-mentioned toxins, as well as, salmonella and E.coli.

5. Supplements made from krill have their own unique drawbacks.

If you weren’t aware, krill are tiny shrimp-like creatures found in the extreme-most northern and southern latitudes, living alongside the floating ice packs. As they feed, they sink down the sides of the ice, excrete their waste and then rise again to the surface. As such, any krill-based supplement you take should be made from those krill gathered in nets at the surface.

The drawbacks associated with omega-3 supplements made from krill result from the likelihood of contamination. A lot of these microscopic marine creatures carry potentially-toxic levels of fluoride in their tiny shells. Furthermore, krill-based supplements are often more expensive than fish-based products despite the fact they contain a lot less EPA and DHA.

So there you have it! It isn't difficult to figure out what is the safest fish oil supplement when you have a foundation of basic information. You can also take advantage of a short cut courtesy of my well-researched recommendation.

What Everyone Should Know About a Prenatal Fish Oil Blend

If you’re expecting a baby the chances are you haven’t given much thought to a nutrient called docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. But this substance can be critical during pregnancy to keep inflammation in the mother at bay, as well as, help support critical brain development in the baby. And the best source of this healthful nutrient can be found in a special prenatal fish oil blend.

The truth is everyone can benefit from the omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids present in a quality fish oil supplement…not just pregnant mothers and developing infants. The DHA and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) contained in this dietary supplement is derived from the algae consumed by the fish.

Now, there is another way to get both these essential fatty acids that involves the body converting a third nutrient called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA . Many people accomplish this by taking a flax seed oil supplement. Unfortunately, a sizeable percentage of the nutritional value of ALA is lost as the body makes the conversion. That is why it makes better sense, especially during pregnancy, to get these fatty acids from an animal source rather than a plant source.

So why is this such a big deal during pregnancy?

Well, scientists from the Netherlands conducted an extensive study on 300 umbilical cord blood samples to quantify levels of marine-derived DHA. Then the babies who supplied the samples were followed over the next eight years as they developed. There were specific findings relative to those babies who received the highest levels of this healthy fat while they were growing in their mother’s womb. These findings included:

· Better ability to stay on task and remain focused. Less likely to exhibit behaviors associated with ADHD and ADD

· Well-developed eye-hand coordination enabling them to tie their shoe laces or catch a ball

· Better overall verbal skills confirmed through higher scores on verbal comprehension tests

· Displayed a resistance to a common childhood eye condition known as amblyopia

But you may be surprised to learn that benefits derived from this essential addition to a prenatal diet can be evidenced long before a child turns eight. Abbot Laboratories funded studies which revealed that toddlers who received a formula containing docosahexaenoic acid in addition to another nutrient known as arachidonic acid were more likely to speak their first words by the age of 14 months.

So as you can see, the right kind of fish oil supplement can make a significant difference in the health and development of children before and after birth. Taking the right supplement over the course of your pregnancy can produce benefits for your child all through their early developmental years.

If you'd like to learn more about how a quality prenatal fish oil blend can boost the health of your developing baby now and in the future, please visit my web site.

What Are the Benefits from Fish Oil?

Fish oil is the source of the "good fats" that help our bodies keep inflammation in check. It is one of the few natural nutritional supplements which even the United States FDA admits there are rock-solid science-based benefits. And the benefits from fish oil can not just fight inflammation and help maintain your cardiovascular health, they can also help you lose weight, fight infections, and keep your mind sharp.

The benefits from fish oil are so obvious that Big Pharma has tried to capture them in a patented medication called Lovaza. But Lovaza actually is not even the most bioavailable form of fish oil, and you don't need a prescription to use this amazing addition to your daily diet to support good health. Let's start with some of the uses of fish oil that you probably haven't heard about.

Fish Oil Can Help You Lose Weight

Dr. Kate Claycomb is a researcher at the USDA-ARS Grand Forks Human Nutrition Center in North Dakota in the United States. For a number of years she has been studying the interaction of fish oil with two hormones, insulin and adiponectin. Both of these hormones play an important role in how our bodies maintain our weight.

Most of us are familiar with insulin as the hormone that activates cells to receive glucose sugar from the bloodstream. It is actually about 300 times more efficient at activating cells to store fat. In a condition called insulin resistance, bloodstream glucose levels rise so high that cells shut down their sugar receptor sites to avoid being flooded with glucose. They do not shut down their receptor sites for fatty acids. The pancreas senses high blood sugar levels and responds by making even more insulin. Cells in the liver and muscles and fat mass sense high insulin levels and become even more resistant to sugar. In the meantime, however, the extra insulin makes fat magnets out of belly fat, priming them to store every available calorie. You don't actually gain weight unless you overeat, but most of us do.

Adiponectin is a hormone that causes cells to burn fat rather than sugar. It keeps the liver from releasing stored glucose into the bloodstream through a process called gluconeogensis. This interrupts the process of insulin resistance in addition to causing the body to burn more calories. Thinner people have more adiponectin in circulation. Fatter people have less.

Just in late 2011, Dr. Claycomb announced findings of years of research that confirmed that fish oil increases the amount of adiponectin in the bloodstream and interrupts the process of insulin resistance. Both actions reverse weight gain and support weight loss. One of the key findings of Dr. Claycomb's research was that these actions are supported by the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) fats in fish oil. These are the fats that are found in fish oil that are not found in flaxseed oil or microalgae.

Fish Oil Can Help You Gain Muscle

Dr. John Berardi is Canadian fitness trainer and also a professor of physiology. He has coached Olympic swimmers in Texas and the Olympic hockey team in Canada. For over a decade he has advised all of his athletes to take 1 or 2 capsules of fish oil after workouts to enhance muscle growth.

The process of building muscle actually requires a certain amount of inflammation, but only for a short time. The muscles have to be exercised so that fibers break down and are replaced by stronger, thicker fibers over a period of about 48 hours. It is important not to interfere with the process of breaking down these fibers ("pain") while you are still in the weight room. But it is equally important to quench the process of inflammation after a workout so the muscle can take in water, glucose, and amino acids and begin to rebuild itself.

Fish oil stops inflammation during the recovery phase. It reduces muscle pain after workouts, and because it fights insulin resistance, it also helps muscles "pump up" as they are properly fed. For a short time after a workout, the muscles are about 50 times more sensitive to insulin, which helps them absorb both glucose, which combines with water to make the glycogen that "pumps" the muscle, and the amino acids to rebuild the fibers that power the muscle. Athletes who take fish oil put on muscle more easily.

Again, it is the EPA in fish oil that makes a difference building muscle. The fatty acids in flaxseed oil and microalgae do not work the same way.

Fish Oil Can Enhance Brain Health

Bipolar disorder is an especially difficult disease to treat. In bipolar disorder, the mood swings from depressed to manic and back again. Antidepressant drugs tend to trigger mania, and antipsychotic drugs tend to trigger depression. Medical science has made major strides in treating the condition, but sometimes drugs just don't work.

About 10 years ago, Harvard University researchers started using fish oil to help control the depressive phase of bipolar disorder. Over 100 clinical studies over the last 10 years confirm that fish oil has a role in managing the condition. It is more useful in treating depression than mania, but this helps people who have bipolar disorder stabilize with fewer meds.

But you don't have to have bipolar disorder to use fish oil to benefit your brain health. The docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in fish oil helps the brain produce brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This protects neurons in the brain from mechanical injury by high blood pressure and from chemical injury by free radicals. It helps neurons continue to make the chemicals that allow signals to pass from neuron to neuron in the brain, helping the brain filter extraneous sensations from important sensory data, and ensuring that information reaches the centers for executive judgment where decisions are made.

DHA is found in microalgae as well as fish oil. In fact, microalgae are a more potent source of DHA than fish oil. However, they also cost about five times as much as fish oil and they don't provide the EPA that prevents inflammation. That is the reason doctors recommend fish oil rather than microalgae for brain health.

Fish Oil for Cardiovascular Health

The best known application of fish oil in natural health is supporting cardiovascular health. Fish oil fights the inflammation that can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and stroke.

A little inflammation is actually a good thing. Inflammation activates the immune system. Inflammation constricts blood vessels to prevent loss of blood when we are injured. Inflammation raises blood pressure when it begins to go too low.

The problem most of us have, however, is that we have too much inflammation rather than too little. The fundamental reason is the standard modern diet. Processed foods contain enormous amounts of omega-6 essential fatty acids, the kinds of fatty acids every cell in the human body can use to make pro-inflammatory hormones, and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, the kinds of fatty acids every cell in the human body can use to make anti-inflammatory hormones. Both kinds of fat are essential, but the problem is that most of us get about 20 times as much omega-6 fat as omega-3 fat. Even healthy plant oils (with a few exceptions, such as chia and flaxseed oil) contain more omega-6 fat than omega-3 fat. Using more healthy plant oils actually makes the imbalance worse and worse.

Fish oil provides the omega-3's that fight inflammation and help keep arteries open. Fish oil that is combined with a chemical called ubiquinol (a form of coenzyme-Q10) is even better. The ubiquinol is immediately available to help the cells in your heart and in the linings of your artery use oxygen efficiently. Then the omega-3's in fish oil help your arteries relax so more blood can flow and deliver the oxygen cells need.

The Low-Down on Lovaza

If you live in the United States and you watch television at all, it is hard to avoid advertisements for a prescription fish oil called Lovaza. This drug is a form of fish oil that has been sent through a chemical process called esterification to make it shelf-stable. Many over-the-counter brands of fish oil are sent through a similar process so they will keep. Your body has to break down the esters, however, to release the fish oils in both Lovaza and certain brands of fish oil.

There is absolutely no doubt that Lovaza will do what it is advertised to do, lowering high triglyceride levels. We won't tell you to stop using Lovaza if that's what your doctor orders. But if you aren't using Lovaza yet, please consider using fish oil from companies like Xtend-Life. Natural fish oil does the same thing as Lovaza, and it's about 50 times less expensive.

The Best Way to Get the Benefits of Fish Oil

There are several really good brands of fish oil on the market. Probably the best value, however, is a product made by a company in New Zealand called Xtend-Life.

Xtend-Life makes its fish oil from a sustainably harvested Pacific cold water fish called hoki. The fish are immediately cleaned and refrigerated after catch, and then the oil is extracted without the use of chemicals. Every lot is tested for possible contamination—and if there is any, the product is not used. And because the company cares about every customer getting the very best result, the company makes different combinations of fish oil with other supplements that benefit good health.

Fish oil is fundamental to almost every program of nutritional supplementation. Buy the best fish oil to get the best results.