If you know me, you know I am a huge believer in fish oil, and I typically take 3 tablespoons (42 grams) per day. It helps my joints, my heart, my blood pressure, my recovery from workouts, and the list goes on. I am also a very discriminating food and supplement shopper. So, let’s discuss some of the things you should be looking for when buying fish oil.

The Important Ingredients

“Fish oil” is the oil you get from wringing out a fish. Insightful, right? People focus on how much fish oil they get, but that’s not the important factor. When you buy fish oil the health benefits are coming from the omega-3 fatty acids, which only make up a percentage of the total volume. Usually, in a 1000mg capsule, this means 180mg EPA and 120 mg DHA. All you really need to know about EPA and DHA is that they are what you want, in as large a quantity as possible, when you buy the oil of a sea creature. Virtually all non-DHA-specific formulations will contain more EPA than DHA, but that’s OK. There is some research out there that claims men need more DHA than women, so I personally try to find a formulation with a higher percentage of DHA in it, but DON’T stress about it. The important thing is just taking a high potency dose, and taking it regularly. The people who will say that you need to be super nit-picky about how much of each omega-3 fatty acid you get are usually trying to sell you their own formula.

To summarize: Buy for the EPA and DHA, not just “fish oil” in general

Serving Size

Don’t let the label fool you into thinking you’re getting more than you actually are.

Consider the following formulations:

Formula #1: 1 serving = 1 1000mg capsule contains 180mg EPA and 120mg DHA

Formula #2: 1 serving = 3 1000mg capsules contain 500mg EPA and 300mg DHA

Which is the higher potency formula?

I hope I’m not insulting anyone’s intelligence here, but “serving size” throws people off a lot when they are unfamiliar with how to read nutrition labels. Often the first thing people will look at is the potency without even referencing the serving size section to see what constitutes a serving. Here is another example:

Carlson Fish Oil Liquid Label

The above label is from the Carlson Fish Oil Liquid that I take. So, is it potent stuff? At a glance, it appears so, right? Not so fast…

The serving size is a teaspoon, which is 4 grams. This means that the serving on the bottle is equivalent to 4 capsules. So, it appears that this stuff is really just right on par with the typical 180/120 capsules. Why am I knocking my own preferred product, you ask? Well, the liquid lends itself to a higher dose at a cheaper price – they don’t have to encapsulate it, which makes it more of a bulk commodity, which we all know comes at a reduced price. And, Carlson oil is very strictly purified and is much easier to take than 40 capsules. That’s my reasoning.

Biotest Flameout Label

The above label is from a product called Flameout. It’s made by Biotest, and is a pretty good product. 3 weeks worth costs 35 bucks, which is a little pricey for me, especially since I would take more than the recommended dose. Their product is different because they jumped on the research about DHA and put MUCH more DHA in their formula than any other I have seen. If you want a good-sized dose with minimal capsules, it might be worth a try.

Price

You should be able to get a very high dose, if desired, for $30 or less per month. That’s the price point that I don’t like to go above.  Places like Costco actually sell some decent high-potency capsules, and all of their stuff is at a good price. Trader Joe’s also sells a good high-potency capsule that I take with me on vacation, or when I can’t get my hands on a bottle of NOW high-potency fish oil pills.

Potent, Numerous and Cheap

How Much to Take?

That depends on you. Fish oil, when stringently purified (most of them are) isn’t toxic. You could 3 slices of pizza that contain 50 grams of saturated fat without toxicity, so why not 50 grams of fish oil? Fact is, many populations such as Inuits and earlier humans ate diets brimming with omega-3s taken from sea mammals, fish, and the bone marrow and brains of many a land dweller. There’s nothing in the stuff that hasn’t been around for millions of years, except for impurities in poor-quality formulations. Ultimately, you’re body will absorb as much as it can, and the rest might, well, leak out of you. If your underpants get a little oily, you’ve hit the upper limit of your tolerance. Gross-yes-but deadly, no. Larger doses are going to have a much stronger effect on joint pain, inflammation and muscle recovery from exercise. Be conservative, aggressive, or experimental with your dosing. Your choice.

Bears: Also a Good Source of Omega-3

Brands to Trust

I trust Carlson, Nordic Naturals, NOW Foods, and any brand with the USP label. I’ve also taken a few others that maybe I shouldn’t have trusted, but I’m still alive and kickin.’ I’ve also taken Harp Seal Oil, which is illegal in the U.S. and was probably made by poachers in their bathtub. Live and learn.

Many products get USP verification on their fish oil, so go for that if possible, and choose a product that has been through a strict filtering process to remove Dioxin, PCBs and mercury, all VERY BAD things that are unfortunately polluting the waterways and ending up in sea creatures.

So go forth with the knowledge that once you take enough Omega-3s, you too will saturate your cells and become a “good source of omega-3.” Thankfully, we’re at the top of the food chain.