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.