Best Fish Oil

Buying guide for Best fish oil

Fish is an excellent source of omega-3s, essential fatty acids that help promote heart health. However, not everybody consumes a lot of fish on a regular basis, and doing so can come with its own health problems. That’s where fish oil supplements come in.

Supplements provide the same omega-3 fatty acids in a convenient capsule that you can take daily. These have become extremely popular in recent years, but as more and more manufacturers have jumped on the fish oil bandwagon, it’s become harder to pick out the quality fish oil from the subpar imitation. Some unscrupulous manufacturers mislead customers about the amount of omega-3s in their supplements, and some have even been known to put rancid products on store shelves.

Studies suggest that fish oil can help reduce the risk of cancer and degenerative disorders and help keep the brain functioning at an optimal level.

Why take a fish oil supplement?

The omega-3 fats found in fish are fatty acids that the human body cannot make, so we must consume them through diet. These fats have all sorts of beneficial effects on our bodies, including lowering blood pressure and decreasing the risk of heart disease. However, few people today are getting enough omega-3s through diet alone.

Part of the reason is that fish are often contaminated with mercury or other harmful substances, which can cause severe health issues that outweigh the benefits of the fatty acids.

Taking a fish oil supplement is a simple way to add some more omega-3s to your diet if you’re reluctant to consume more fish. These supplements can contain the same contaminants found in fish, but reputable manufacturers make sure that their products are purified before reaching store shelves.

Ideally, fish oil should be fresh when consumed. We discuss storage tips in our guide to help our readers extend the shelf life of their fish oil in order to get the best benefits of adding it to their diets.

When we research fish oil, we advise consumers of the benefits of including the supplement in their diets. We note that fish oil is rich in omega-3 fats which are known to be beneficial to the circulatory and cardiovascular systems.

Consumers want to know about the flavor of fish oil, which is typically mild. When factoring this into our assessment, we note that taking fish oil may result in burps with a fishy taste.

Some fish oils have various types of certifications that indicate they are sourced using sustainable practices. We discuss this in our guide, as we understand that the sustainability of products is important to many consumers.

Fish oil is most commonly found in supplement capsule form. However, some brands offer liquid fish oil. We take this into consideration, advising consumers who have difficulties taking pills to consider liquid form.

During our research, we assess the purity of the fish oil supplements we consider and check to see whether they are tested by trusted labs for various contaminants such as mercury.

When we choose fish oil products to recommend to our readers, we look at features like omega-3 content, pill size, and package content.

Consumers want to know how many capsules of fish oil are required as a recommended daily dosage. This is a consideration we think about when we put together our guide.

We check the omega-3 content per dosage of the fish oil products we recommend. We note that the recommended minimum daily dosage is 500 mg.

We understand that some consumers have various digestive side effects when they begin taking fish oil supplements. We take this into account during the research process.

Fish oil factors to consider

Purity

If your fish oil isn’t pure, you could be getting the same contaminants that are often found in fish today. Consuming too much of these can cause a number of health problems, so it’s important to make sure that the fish oil you choose is pure.

Independent testing: You can’t always rely on manufacturers to be honest about this, so you'll want to go with a product that has been tested by an independent lab for purity and potency. United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are two organizations that certify supplements, and you might see one of these seals listed on the product label.

Certificate of analysis: If you don’t see any indication of independent testing on the label, you can ask the manufacturer for the certificate of analysis (COA). This should show the precise ingredients and quantities, as well as any contaminants found in the supplement as verified by an independent lab. If the manufacturer refuses to show you the COA, you might want to choose another product.

Freshness

Fish oil can help to decrease inflammation in the body, but if the oil is rancid, it can have the opposite effect and even cause more health problems. Stay away from fish oil that smells like rancid fish. That’s a good indication that the oil has gone bad.

It’s also important to store your fish oil properly in order to keep it from going bad after you’ve purchased it. Read the bottle carefully to see if the fish oil needs to be refrigerated. If not, store it in a cool, dark place. Excessive heat or sunlight might cause the capsules to go bad more quickly.

Dosage

There are two factors to consider when you’re looking at dosage.

Omega-3s per serving: How many omega-3s are in a single serving? DHA and EPA are the most popular omega-3s, and most fish oil supplements contain both. Most experts recommend a minimum of 500 mg per day, and people who are at risk of heart disease might want to take more. Consult with your doctor before taking a fish oil supplement so you can find out which dosage is right for you.

You'll also want to check the dosage on the nutrition label rather than the marketing material. Sometimes manufacturers advertise a certain number of milligrams of fish oil – the amount of liquid as a whole – instead of the amount of omega-3s in the supplement.

Number of capsules per serving: The other factor you have to consider when looking at dosage is how many capsules you have to take per serving. It isn’t uncommon for one daily serving to be two or three capsules. The softgel capsules are pretty easy to swallow but might still be a challenge if you have trouble taking pills.

Sustainability

If you’re concerned about the environment, you might want to look for fish oil that has been verified by the Marine Stewardship Council or a similar organization. This tells you that the fish oil has been sustainably sourced and the company doesn’t employ any harmful fishing practices in order to obtain the oil. This type of certification is usually noted on the product label.

Taste

Ideally, your fish oil won’t have much of a taste. A common problem with taking fish oil supplements is they cause fishy-tasting burps. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy way to avoid this. The best you can do is read customer reviews to see how much of a problem this is with the supplement you’re considering.

Fish oil prices

When choosing fish oil supplements, you want to pay attention to the price per daily serving as opposed to the overall price. It’s important not to confuse price per serving with price per capsule. You often have to take more than one capsule to get the full daily serving of omega-3s.

Most fish oil supplements range from about $0.20 to $0.50 per serving, with most falling around $0.38 per serving. As with most supplements, a higher price is not necessarily an indication of a better product.

It’s important to consider the price along with the other factors mentioned above to make sure you’re getting a high-quality product that will give you the health benefits you want without the side effects you don’t.

Tips

• Start small. You might want to begin with a single capsule per day, regardless of the stated serving size, and work up from there. Taking too much fish oil when your body isn’t used to it can cause gastrointestinal problems.

• Take fish oil with meals. Taking your fish oil supplements with food can reduce the likelihood of fishy burps later.

• Try liquid supplements. If you struggle with taking pills, look for a liquid fish oil supplement instead.

• Freeze the fish oil. Some say that freezing fish oil supplements helps to minimize any undesirable side effects.

Sardines, mackerel, and anchovies are the most common sources of fish oil.

FAQ

Q. Are there any side effects to taking fish oil?

A. Some people experience mild diarrhea and stomach discomfort when they first begin taking fish oil. If this happens to you, it’s a good idea to back off a little until your body adjusts to it and then increase the dosage again. The side effects should go away once your body is accustomed to the fish oil. If not, visit your doctor.

Q. Is it safe to consume fish oil during pregnancy?

A. Yes. In fact, many prenatal vitamins have some DHA and EPA in them. These omega-3s can help your baby’s neural development and may help protect against certain health conditions. As always, it’s important to make sure that the fish oil you choose is pure and doesn’t contain any heavy metals or other contaminants that could be harmful to your baby.

Q. Is krill oil the same as fish oil?

A. Krill oil shares some of the benefits of fish oil, but it is derived from small crustaceans instead of fatty fish. Like fish oil, krill oil is high in omega-3s and can help promote heart health and reduce inflammation within the body.