Fish oil (FO) for omega-3 EPA / DHA
- What you need to know
Oils from the body of a fish are a natural dietary source of the vitally necessary omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) . EPA is needed to counter inflammatory eicosanoids from omega-6 fats, and DHA (a metabolite of EPA, or obtained directly) is needed for brain and nerve function. These can be obtained in quantity by eating oily fish, grass-fed animal brains, testes, eyes, and/or red/brown algae, or by taking a marine oil supplement.
Choose oil from WILD fish, third-party tested for contaminants
Many of our seas, lakes and rivers are sadly contaminated by industrialization. Oil extracted from fish in contaminated waters therefore require processing to remove contaminants.
Thankfully there are still a few water bodies in the world that are not contaminated to a concerning level. These include the Antarctic (Southern) ocean and the Norwegian sea. Fish from these areas may not need detoxifying to any great length, but should be tested for purity, since there are no guarantees. A legitimate manufacturer should be able to provide a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA), listing EPA / DHA content Peroxide Value (level of oxidation / rancidity), heavy metals (mercury) and microbial presence (E.g. E.coli, staph, salmonella, yeast, and mold). Look for the high standard European EuroFins- or IFOS-compliant oils.
Farm-raised fish in certain areas (E.g. from Chile) are given very high levels of antibiotics to stave off infection. All farm-raised fish are given some level of antibiotics in their feed to counter infections introduced by the overcrowded conditions in net pens.
Farm-raised fish have an unnatural omega-6 rich diet. Now typically ~70% vegetable protein, such as soybean and corn (which are also GMOs). Their former diet consisted of more omega-3-rich fishmeal than they are getting nowadays.
There are 3 different types of fish oil
(1) Non-concentrated, natural triglycerides (TGs); (E.g. Pure Alaska Omega Wild Salmon Oil)
(2) Concentrated ethyl ester (EEs) – “Fish oil concentrate” (E.g. Wiley’s Wild Alaskan FIsh Oil)
(3) Concentrated re-esterified triglycerides (rTGs)
Typical commercial processing method for marine oils
(1) Non-concentrated, natural triglycerides (TGs)
Fish oil is COLD-pressed from fish body flesh or livers. Cold-pressed means the extraction process is done at a temperature under 140°F. Some people prefer the unprocessed, natural TG supplement form, since it is the next best thing to eating fish.
Non-concentrated fish body oil is inherently in nature’s bioavailable triglyceride (TG) form. The TG form is somewhat more bioavailable than processed/concentrated ethyl-ester (EE) forms of fish oil.
EPA / DHA content / ratio in non-concentrated FBO is what nature determined it to be. Depending on the fish, natural FBOs provide a maximum of 90mg EPA / 110mg DHA per 1,000 mg of oil (i.e. 30% potency). E.g. 2-1000mg wild salmon oil capsules contains ~180mg EPA / 220 mg DHA. (for comparison, a 4oz portion of salmon averages about 1 gram of EPA /DHA).
May contain toxins if not from a clean ocean source. If you buy cold-pressed, unpurified fish oil, ensure that it is independently certified.
(2) Ethyl Ester (EE) - "Fish oil concentrate"
Natural TG oil is typically molecularly distilled at lower-than-usual temperatures to concentrate EPA and /DHA 2- 3x. In a process called trans-esterification, the glycerol backbone is removed from the oil’s fatty acids and an ethanol molecule is attached to each of the now free fatty acids (FFAs). This process occurs naturally in the body after digestion. The created ethyl ester (EE) allows for molecular distillation at lower temperatures than usual, creating EPA and DHA concentration levels greater than naturally found in fish. Optimal results that retain omega-3 integrity and do not introduce trans fatty acids are obtained by using 2 stages of distillation, the first at 249F and the second at 284F. Rossi et al, 2011 Other methods of concentrating fish oil are enzymatic processing or CO2 extraction.
Bioavailability of EPA and /DHA in ethyl ester form is a little less than that of TG-form fish oil. i.e. one would need a little more to obtain the same amount of omega-3. One study found EE form to be ~three quarters less bioavailable than TG form, meaning you would need 1.5 times the amount for equivalent dose. Dyerberg et al, 2010
(3) Re-Esterified Triglyceride (rTG)
Recommended brands of fish body oil | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Form | Maint. level serving EPA / DHA | Maint. level Serving Cost (as of Feb 2020) | Independently tested by: | ||
| Seller | /month | |||||
PURE ALASKA OMEGA WILD SALMON OILwww.purealaskaomega.com | TG |  | 180 mg EPA /220 mg DHA (2 -1000mg caps) | Costco Samsclub Amazon | $6.57 $6 $7.80 | 3rd party. Enter your batch# |
KIRKLAND SIGNATURE WILD SALMON OIL• Cold-pressed, Extra virgin extraction process | TG |  | 180 mg EPA /220 mg DHA (2 -1200mg caps) | Amazon | $6.35 | IVO |
WILEY’S WILD ALASKAN FISH OIL• Wild caught | EE |  | 375 mg EPA /125 mg DHA (1- 500 mg cap.) | Amazon | $16.50 | 3rd party |
