Essential fats are called “essential” because your body can’t make them. There are several different omega-3s, but the majority of research has focused on three: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Let's explore the best omega 3 and discuss if supplements or eating fish is better. 

Key Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s are involved in a wide range of functions throughout your body. They are also used therapeutically in a wide range of conditions such as anxiety, depressive disorders, ADD/ADHD, cardiovascular health, bone and joint disorders, mental health & cognition, and skin issues, to name but a few. Unfortunately, Omega-3s are the fourth most common nutritional deficiency in Canada (after Vitamins A & D, and Magnesium). In light of that, it’s safe to say that we should all be upping our intake of omega-3s - but how do you know how much you should be getting?

How To Ensure You're Getting Healthy Doses of Omega 3's Per Day

Is Consuming Fish or Fish Oil Supplements Better?

The standard recommendation for omega-3s for general health maintenance is 500-1,000 mg. However, when you get into therapeutic dosing, many naturopaths recommend far higher doses — 3.5 grams being a good average. However, you should only take a therapeutic dose under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner. 

You’d have to consume an awful lot of fish if you were to try to obtain these doses through diet alone; however, you can easily get this dose with fish oil supplements in convenient capsules, softgels or liquid forms. 

To put things into perspective, consider this: it’s estimated that wild Atlantic salmon provides 1800mg of omega-3s per serving, while halibut provides 927 mg, and rainbow trout provides 711 mg. That would represent almost 5 servings of trout in one day to get the recommended dose of omega 3's for overall well-being, that’s a lot of trout!

Bioavailability of Omega 3s Found in Supplements & Fish

The ballparks mentioned above aside, the truth of the matter is that it’s extremely difficult to accurately determine how much omega-3s are present in a given fish. Both marine and freshwater fish oil can have wildly varying concentrations of EPA and DHA — these can vary anywhere from 0.7% to 15.5%, making it next to impossible to know how much you’re getting in your food. 

This is a real problem because, while omega-3s can be used for a variety of applications, each of these applications requires a specific dose to yield the intended results. Supplements on the other hand state these percentages and doses on the bottle so you know how much you're getting, and the best omega-3 supplements also break down the exact EPA and DHA doses per serving. 

The Disadvantages of Consuming Fish: Toxins Often Found In Fish

There is also the question of toxicity. Unfortunately, eating certain kinds of fish has become a major health concern due to the amount of heavy metals and other contaminants such as PCBs, PBDEs, dioxins, and chlorinated pesticides in water, sediments, and the food they eat (which we then consume by extension). Add to this the fact that many species of fish — several of which are staples of our diet — have been shown to have increasing levels of methylmercury (another wonderful by-product of climate change), an extremely toxic substance that forms when mercury comes into contact with bacteria, and which fish and seafood consume.

Key Advantages of Consuming Omega 3 Supplements

In stark contrast to the fish themselves, a good quality fish oil supplement will provide you with ultra-clean nutrition, devoid of toxins and heavy metals thanks to a process called molecular distillation.

What is Molecular Distillation?

Molecular distillation is the same process that is used to make herbal tinctures. They use alcohol to extract the fat-soluble active ingredients. In this case, the process starts with fish oil, to which alcohol is added, and then distilled. This eliminates any heavy metals, PCBs, and impurities from the fish oil, as well as separates most of the saturated fat, which makes for a better concentration of EPA and DHA. It also ensures there are no harmful contaminants and trans fats in the oil. An additional advantage of molecular distillation is that it doesn’t use high heat, so no harm is done to the oil.

Understanding Standardization

A high-quality fish oil supplement should also be standardized. This is important because, while omega-3 supplementation is great to help maintain general health and wellness when you’re using it therapeutically, you need concentrated EPA and DHA – and even more importantly, you need precise doses of each of these. Opting for a fish oil supplement with standardized EPA and DHA takes all the guesswork out of trying to figure out how much of each you’re getting. This also means more therapeutic preciseness and, better results (i.e. more bang for your buck!)

Omega 3 Supplement Varieties: Forms, Formats & Potency

Fish oil supplements abound and are a practical way you can reap all of the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. They’re available in a variety of formats, from enteric coated capsules to veggie caps and mini gels, as well as in a variety of fun and delicious liquids and emulsions that even the pickiest of kids will like!

Shopping Tips For Buying Quality Fish Oil Supplements

When choosing your fish oil supplement, be sure to pay attention to purity, freshness, potency, added nutrients, bioavailability, sustainability, and cost. As with all things in life, no two things are created equal, so you must do your homework and select the Omega-3 formula that best caters to your particular needs.