Best Fish Oil Supplements

Why Take Fish Oil Supplements?

According to many leading health experts, including the American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic, evidence strongly suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish and fish oil can lower triglycerides, slow so-called hardening of the arteries, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of stroke. The Mayo Clinic rated fish oil an “A” on its ability to fight high blood pressure, reduce triglycerides, and reduce the risk of heart attacks. These are all great reasons to eat more fish or take fish oil supplements!

The American Heart Association recommends that adults eat two servings of fish each week, choosing from among such fish as tuna, mackerel, salmon and trout, for maximum health benefit.

If you hate the taste of fish, or you’re concerned about all the reports about toxins found in fish, then fish oil supplements can provide the same benefit as eating fish without the bother of cooking and consuming the actual fish itself.

Choosing the Best Fish Oil Supplements

You can find fish oil supplements in supermarkets, health food stores, and websites. Searching among them for high quality products can be challenging. Here are some guidelines for choosing the best fish oil supplements.

Know Where the Oils Came From

Look for statements from the manufacturer attesting to the type of fish used to create the supplement. So-called ‘species specific’ supplements will list fish such as salmon as the source of the oils. Be sure that a specific fish is listed, and not just ‘ocean fish’ or another generic term. Products that do not list the specific types of fish used may be hiding the fact that the oils were generated from discarded fish products or inferior sources of oils. Cod, mackerel, and salmon are all acceptable sources of fish oils.

The location where the fish were caught also affects how many toxins the fish consumed during its lifetime, and how many toxins pass through the fish along to you. Unfortunately, toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury and others have invaded the waters of the world to such a degree that it’s nearly impossible to find pristine waters. The purest waters of the world exist in Alaska, Norway and New Zealand. Hence, many researchers believe that fish oils produced from fish captured in these water are superior to fish caught elsewhere, since even before being processed they contain fewer chemicals. Fish from these waters are also believed to contain higher amounts of beneficial Vitamin_A and Vitamin D. The manufacturer should state on the product label the origin of the fish used to create the supplement.

Purified Oils

Lastly, consider whether the manufacturer removed contaminants from the oils. Research shows that many fish oil supplements contain high levels of toxins such as mercury and PCB’s. Choose brands that promote processing via a method called molecular distillation. This method appears to be the best to remove the majority of toxins from the fish.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on name brands to find the best fish oil supplements. The Environmental Defense Fund includes a chart on their website listing fish oil producers and products and rates them by how well they conform to strict standards for safe levels of contaminants. You may be surprised to find several budget brands on the list rated ‘green’ for conforming to the very strictest testing standards. Some very affordable brands maintain excellent quality standards.

Krill Oil

No discussion of fish oil supplements would be complete without mention the new kid on the block, krill oil. Krill are actually tiny crustaceans that look a lot like shrimp. Because krill feed directly on plankton and not on other fish, their tiny bodies contain fewer toxic chemicals that big ocean fish used to make supplements.

Krill oil contains as much or more omega-3 fatty acids as traditional fish oils, but it also contains an extra ingredient. Krill contains astaxanthin, an antioxidant. Krill get it directly from the tiny algae they eat. Antioxidants reduce cellular damage. Many experts believe this protects against cancer and other diseases. For those who want a supplement that provides not only omega-3 fatty acids but also antioxidants, krill oil may be a good choice.