Fish oil and fish oil
Fish oil and fish oil
There are many companies that offer fish oil on the market. The prices differ a lot, which is also the case for the quality. To make a good decision the following things are important to look at/keep in mind:
- The dosage is particularly important. Take a qualitatively good and high-dosed oil, so that you easily get more than 1.25 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day. Otherwise it is difficult to get a good fatty acid balance.
- The Totox value of the oil is also a very important factor. The Totox value indicates the degree of oxidation of the fish oil. The higher the Totox value, the more rancid the oil is (at one point even toxic). The international organization for producers and manufacturers of omega-3 oils, GOED (Global Organizastion for EPA and DHA omega-3) recommends an upper limit of the Totox value of 26. The EU recommends an upper limit of 30. An oil with a really low Totox value does not taste like fish and you also have little or no trouble with 'burping up'. In addition, an oil with a very low Totox value is purer and therefore even more effective. So preferably choose an oil with a Totox value lower than 8.
- How effective is the oil. Is a good fatty acid balance achieved? Is a measurement offered?
- The chemical compound of EPA and DHA often concerns the so-called ethyl esters, while a high-quality product contains triglycerides, such as in the fish itself which improves the absorption in our body.
- It is important that stabilizers such as vitamin E complex (mixed tocopherols) have been added to the fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are sensitive to oxidation and due to this can quickly become rancid (and therefore even unhealthy / toxic) if no good anti-oxidant has been added.
- Supplements are often offered in encapsulated form. That is unfavorable in terms of the quality of the fish oil. The capsule must be melted around the oil and oxidation occurs in that process, with all the consequences. Due to the afore mentioned reasons, fish oil in a bottle is far preferable.
- The oil must be purified from PCB’s, dioxins, etc.
- We also think sustainability is important. Is overfishing taken into account (MSC quality mark)?
- How is the ratio of EPA and DHA fatty acids in the oil? DHA is the building material for your brain / nerves and cell membranes. EPA is the anti-inflammatory fatty acid. Your body has problems converting EPA into DHA, while converting DHA into EPA can be done easily. Furthermore, DHA is needed in far more processes than EPA, therefore is is favorable if the oil contains more DHA than EPA.
We have chosen the Pure Arctic Oil from Eqology, because it scores very well on all the above points (for example a Totox value of 4 to 6) and in addition, this brand offers a number of other benefits as described under the heading 'Why fish oil?'. It is not the cheapest supplement, but as far as we can judge it is by far the most effective. One of the things that we especially like is that you can actually measure your fatty acid balance very easily (just at simple home bloodtest) before the start of using the fish oil and again after you have used this fish oil for some time. Very handy .