Has anyone ever recommended that you take a fish oil supplement for support of a health condition or for daily foundational nutrition? If so, this article can help you determine whether a fish oil supplement could benefit your wellness routine as well as answer some of your burning questions, such as:

  • How beneficial is fish oil?
  • When is the best time to take fish oil?
  • Can I take fish oil at night?
  • What is fish oil good for?
  • What is the difference between fish oil and omega-3s?

Why take a fish oil supplement and what is fish oil good for?

Health experts frequently recommend a fish oil dietary supplement to support a healthy nutritional foundation or to help improve or reduce this or that. This is because fish oil supplements are an excellent source of two essential omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Although both the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association currently recommend consuming at least 1-2 servings of fatty fish (high in omega-3s) each week, that might not be enough for maintaining good health. New findings show that to achieve a desirable amount of EPA and DHA in your cell membranes, these long-held dietary recommendations might fall short – instead, three fish meals per week plus additional fish oil supplementation daily might be the most beneficial.1

EPA and DHA are important for overall health because they offer a host of health benefits, such as:

  • Promoting cardiovascular health*
  • Maintaining normal cholesterol and triglyceride levels*
  • Helping maintain already normal blood pressure*
  • Promoting joint health*
  • Supporting a weight management program*
  • Promoting eye health*
  • Supporting a healthy respiratory system*
  • Benefitting mental focus*
  • Helping maintain muscle mass in older adults*
  • Promoting healthy immune function*
  • Supporting a positive mood*

Although the body can make EPA and DHA from alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), it does so inefficiently, which means this process does not provide the amount of omega-3s needed for good health. Therefore, these essential fatty acids need to be obtained from diet, supplementation, or a combination of the two.

What are some of your questions about fish oil?

Before you choose a fish oil supplement, let’s answer some of the questions we frequently receive from our customers.

1. Where do omega-3 fatty acids come from? What foods have omega-3? 

Omega-3 fatty acids typically come from the oil of cold-water fish, such as anchovies, sardines, mackerel, salmon, lake trout, and other “oily” fish. However, some omega-3 fatty acids can be extracted from certain types of algae or extracted from krill, a small crustacean that makes up part of the diets of penguins, as well as whales, seals, and other aquatic mammals. Precursors to EPA and DHA, such as ALA, can come from nuts, seeds, and seed oils, but the body’s conversion to EPA or DHA is not always easy to achieve.

2. How much fish oil should I take?

According to a 2019 study,1 in order to consume an optimal amount of fish oil, you would need to eat at least three servings weekly of “oily” fish in addition to supplementing daily with about 500 mg of EPA and DHA. Alternately, if fish is not a part of your normal diet, then you should take a fish oil supplement daily that contains at least 900 mg of EPA and DHA.

3. Fish oil vs omega-3: Is there a difference? 

Although the terms “fish oil” and “omega-3” fatty acids are often used interchangeably, they are not quite the same. Besides omega-3s, oil from fatty fish contains other types of fats and traces of vitamins A and D. However, if you are referring to a “fish oil” supplement, they have typically been concentrated to contain a specific amount of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

And another differentiating factor is that not all omega-3 fatty acids come from fish oil. The three primary omega-3s are EPA and DHA (mainly from fish) and ALA, which is primarily found in nuts and seeds (flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds), 

4. If I am trying to avoid exposure to mercury, is it better to eat fish or take a fish oil supplement?

Although fish are not typically tested for mercury levels, Thorne’s fish oil supplements are all tested for heavy metal contaminants, including mercury.

That is not to say you shouldn’t include fish as part of a healthy diet. Although eating fish can certainly expose you to mercury and other potential toxins, certain types of fish are less likely to contain mercury. Smaller fish with shorter lifespans tend to be lower in mercury because there is less time for it to accumulate. Some of these include salmon, herring, anchovies, and trout – fish that are also good sources of omega-3s. Other low mercury seafoods include oysters, shrimp, clams, crab, and catfish.

5. What are fish oil supplements tested for?

Purity is directly related to efficacy, and for this reason Thorne’s fish oil supplements are manufactured using fish oil that comes from “non-accumulating” fish. “Non-accumulating” refers to fish that are caught when they are very young and small and therefore not likely to have accumulated toxins in their flesh. In addition, Thorne fish oils supplements have been either molecularly distilled or CO2 extracted to remove contaminants such as heavy metals, PCBs, and dioxins, which are all tested for.

6. What other forms of fish oil supplements are there besides gelcaps? 

Although fish oil supplements are most commonly manufactured as oil inside of gelcaps, they can be dispensed in other formats too. For example, a liquid fish oil supplement is a great option for individuals who would have difficulty swallowing a gelcap, such as young children or the elderly.

7. Is fish oil supplementation safe for athletes? 

Athletes can benefit from a fish oil supplement because of the heart, muscle, and joint benefits.* And because professional athletes need to know their nutritional supplement contains only the ingredients listed on the label – meaning there are no banned substances in it – Thorne's Super EPA is NSF Certified for Sport® and provides the highest quality fish oil available.

8. When is the best time to take a fish oil supplement? 

It is best to take fish oil with meals. This is because it is a fat-soluble supplement, so taking it with food, particularly a fatty meal, will allow for the best absorption. But at which meal – morning or night? Generally, the time of day (or which meal or meals you take it with) does not matter and is more dependent on your daily habits. Some experts advise dividing your doses throughout the day and avoiding larger amounts of fish oil before bed, especially if you suffer from acid reflux. If acid reflux and indigestion are not an issue, you can take fish oil at night with your evening meal.

9. I don’t like the aftertaste of a fish oil supplement. What are my options? 

Not many people like the fishy aftertaste that some fish oil supplements can have. Thorne’s liquid fish oil, Omega Superb, is lightly sweetened and lemon-berry flavored. Or if you prefer taking a gelcap, then you can freeze your gelcaps before taking them, which reduces the fishy aftertaste. In any case, the “fish burps” tend to go away after you have been taking the supplement for a while.

If you are seeking support for a specific health concern, then below are the frequently asked questions specific to fish oil supplements and health benefits.

10. If I am seeking support for better cellular energy production and antioxidant support, which fish oil supplement is best for me?

Thorne’s Omega-3 with CoQ10 combines EPA and DHA from fish oil with the potent antioxidant and energy-promoting capacities of CoQ10.* Combining CoQ10 with fish oil provides the benefits of CoQ10 and omega-3 fatty acids, and the omega-3s provide the fat that can enhance CoQ10’s absorption.

11. If I am seeking support for bone and joint health, which fish oil supplement is best for me?

Thorne’s Super EPA provides 425 mg of EPA and 270 mg of DHA. This higher concentration of EPA has been shown to help maintain the body's normal inflammatory response in muscles and joints.* And if you are an athlete, you will want the one with the NSF Certified for Sport® logo.

12. If I am seeking a well-balanced fish oil supplement, then which fish oil supplement is best for me?

The omega-3 fatty acids in Thorne’s Super EPA provide an excellent balance of EPA and DHA to help maintain a healthy insulin response, provide weight management support, enhance mood, and support healthy heart and brain function.*

13. If I am seeking to maintain healthy triglyceride metabolism, which fish oil supplement is best for me?

Thorne’s Super EPA Pro offers a higher level of EPA (650 mg per gelcap), which has been shown to enhance the metabolism of fats in the blood, including triglycerides.*

14. If I am seeking support for healthy cognitive function, which fish oil supplement is best for me?

DHA is the omega-3 fatty acid found in the highest concentration within the brain. Therefore, we recommend Advanced DHA for support of the brain, nerves, eyes, mood, and general cognitive function.*

15. If I want to use fish oil to support skin health, which fish oil supplement is best for me?

Thorne’s Omega-3 with CoQ10 combines the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA with CoQ10. The added antioxidant benefits of CoQ10 can help protect the skin from the damaging effects of free radicals, while EPA and DHA help keep the skin hydrated.* 

16. If I am pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive, which is the best fish oil supplement for me?

Thorne’s Prenatal DHA provides a high amount of DHA and a moderate amount of EPA in each gelcap. Higher DHA supports a healthy pregnancy as well as brain and nerve development in the fetus and growing infant.*

17. If I want a fish oil supplement for my children to take, which fish oil supplement is best for my family?

Thorne's Omega Superb offers all the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in a great-tasting lemon-berry flavored liquid, which makes supplementing for children a breeze.

18. If I want a fish oil supplement that supports tissue repair along with a balanced inflammatory response, which fish oil should I take?

Pro-Resolving Mediators supplement includes the precursors the body needs to create pro-resolving mediators, along with their parent compounds EPA and DHA, to support tissue repair and a balanced inflammatory response throughout the body.*

Reference

  1. Jackson K, Polreis J, Tintle N, et al. Association of reported fish intake and supplementation status with the omega-3 index. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acid 2019;142:4-10.