subject: Best Fish Oil Supplements - Tips to Find Them [print this page] Author: Lauren Casey Author: Lauren Casey
If you want the best fish oil supplements, there are several things that you need to look at. The label of ingredients is one of them. The Certificate of Analysis or COA is another. You might also want to consider where you get the best value for your money. This article goes into a little detail about those three things. On the label of ingredients or "supplement facts", you will see the amount of oils that are in each capsule. Most of the better brands contain about 1000mg per capsule. Of those oils, only a portion is omega3 fatty acids. The health benefits of this type of supplement have to do primarily with the amount of omega3s that are provided. While too much fat in the diet is bad, too little omega3 fat may be even worse. So, it is important for the manufacturer to list the total amount of omega3s provided. There are a number of different omega3 fatty acids. The ones that we know the most about are EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid). The importance of another one called DPA (Docosapentaenoic acid) is being evaluated. The best fish oil supplements provide all three, because it is believed that the three of them work together to provide the benefits that are seen in the area of heart health. The supplement facts on the back of the bottle do not always indicate the amount of the individual fatty acids that are present. To get the most benefit to the brain and the greatest blood triglyceride reduction, a large amount of DHA must be provided. That's according to clinical studies. If the label does not reflect the amount of DHA that is present, check the manufacturer's website for a certificate of analysis or COA. Manufacturers of the best fish oil supplements have a COA conducted by an independent laboratory to measure the amount of each omega3 that is present in a capsule, as well as the amount of contaminants like mercury, lead, arsenic, dioxins and PCBs. This laboratory analysis can also measure the amount of oxidation that occurred before the oils were encapsulated. No contaminants should be detected at levels in the parts per billion or trillion. Even tiny amounts of mercury can build up in the body and cause health problems. In the best fish oil supplements, the level of oxidation is very low. Because of that, there will be no fishy tasting burps and you don't have to worry about consuming free radical molecules. Heavily oxidized oils contain a lot of free radical molecules. And, those molecules are one of the causes of cellular aging. You get the best value for your money when you choose a supplement that provides the highest percentage of DHA per capsule. 28% DHA is the highest that you will see on the market. In other words, each capsule provides a minimum of 280mg of DHA. So, that's how you find the best fish oil supplements. It just takes a little bit of research.About the Author:
Lauren Casey is a consumer advocate and a dedicated researcher who has been on a search to find the best nutritional supplements available. After extensive research, she has found an exceptional nutritional supplement that is now a part of the foundation of her own health program. Visit her website at http://www.omega-3-guides.com to discover what she personally recommends and why.
