Fishing for Fish Oil Supplements for Heart Health

You may have come across the famous American Heart Association statement that “Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the hearts of healthy people and those at high risk for or suffering from cardiovascular disease since the publication of the scientific statement in 2002. The market simply went crazy with thousands of fish oil supplements claiming to be the best. As a consumer, the key question is how to decide which is the right fish oil supplement that would actually help you reduce the risk of heart disease.

If you’re like most people, you’d be looking for convenience: can I go to Sam’s Club or Walmart and buy a 6-month supply of a fish oil supplement? I started looking for fish oils based on the American Heart Association recommendation of at least 1 gram of EPA + DHA (the two most common omega-3 fatty acids in fish) per serving. To my surprise, I went through all the bottles at the major chain stores and found nothing that met the requirements. Right there I had to take a step back and educate myself a lot more.

I made a list of the requirements for choosing a suitable fish oil supplement. First of all, it was looking for transparency. If someone advertised by saying secret formula or proprietary formula, this was an indication for me to stay away from them. There are many of these on the market where the ingredient label simply says “Marine Lipid Extract” without any further details. I made it a point to stay away from these.

I started looking for reputable organizations that are vendor neutral to educate myself. I found some reputable non-profit organizations that are willing to help educate consumers. One such organization is the DHA / EPA Omega-3 Institute led by Dr. Holub, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph. He is an expert in the field with his research program focused on dietary omega-3 fatty acids from fish / fish oils, resulting vegetable oils and nutraceuticals, as well as functional foods for human health and the prevention / management of cardiovascular diseases and others. chronic disorders. You can ask questions on their website and get reliable answers from experts.

Another valuable resource is the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS). IFOS is a global program that provides a service to consumers and industry groups that promote the use of omega-3 products in all countries of the world. As a trusted source for third-party validation, the IFOS program conducts tests for the omega-3 supplement industry and reports findings following a classification system for fish oils and cod liver oils. IFOS, through Nutrasource Diagnostics Inc. (NDI, with its certified and accredited reference laboratory partners) tests consumer ready fish oil products submitted by the manufacturer.

Finally, it’s worth looking at the reviews from ConsumerLab, which is an independent testing lab that tests most of the national health supplement brands. I bought your 2008 report for the Omega-3 Fatty Acids / Fish Oils Supplements Guide and this lists the best omega-3 fish oils with a clear ranking of purity, concentration, and freshness (oxidation levels).

Based on my research, any fish oil supplement you choose must meet the following criteria:

Transparency and truthfulness in labeling: The label must clearly specify the nutritional information. The amounts of EPA and DHA must be explicitly specified. The ingredients should specifically indicate the type of fish used to extract the oil. Commonly used fish include anchovies, sardines, salmon, etc.

Manufacturing process: It is not necessary to be a scientist to distinguish the manufacturing process. Look for molecular distillation as a very important keyword. In addition to the process itself, look up the specifications of the manufacturing facility. For a product to be labeled pharmaceutical grade, the manufacturing must take place in what is known as a GMP facility, the same type of facility used to make prescription drugs with strict quality controls. Therefore, having a product that is “pharmaceutical grade” and “molecularly distilled” is very important. Products made close to the source of the fish generally tend to capture maximum freshness. For maximum absorption, the natural triglyceride form (the form of most fats we normally eat) is ideal.

International standards: We talk a lot about standards. Standards are set to protect consumers. Fish oil quality standards do not exist in the United States. However, we can look for standards set by other nations, such as the strict Norwegian Medicinal Standard (NMS) and the European Pharmacopoeia Standard (EPS) that guarantee quality products by setting maximum tolerances on peroxides, heavy metals, dioxins, furans and PCBs. .

Guarantees and awards: Fish oil is so common that we can easily identify the market leaders and reputable companies that have won internationally recognized awards are recommended. These could be awards from ConsumerLab ratings, socially responsible business awards, environmental responsibility awards, or even direct endorsements from nonprofits like American Heart or American Pregnancy Associations.

Omega-3 Research: It is also helpful to see which brand is commonly used in all the various clinical trials conducted by various research institutions (academic) to study the benefits of fish oils so that you know that this is a trusted company / brand where researchers and doctors trust. Similary.

Don’t break the bank: As a final note, you don’t want to spend a fortune. Anything that costs no more than $ 10 – $ 20 per month (or a maximum of $ 20 – $ 30 per month for concentrates) is a reasonable price to pay for a product that meets all of these requirements.