How much do you guys supplement with fish oil gels? The bottle says to take 3g a day, but I have heard of other taking much more.
You have to look at the EPA and DHA content to determine an effective dose.
Ok, here’s what is says:
Natural Fish oil Concentrate- 1000mg
EPA- 180mg
DHA- 120mg
I aim for at least 1,500 mg EPA and 800 mg DHA per day.
This comes to 8 to 9 capsules with the product you have assuming the figures you gave are per capsule.
If you suffer from any kind of inflammatory disease, or if you’re working out particularly hard, I’d go for the high end of the range. I might even go for the high end of the range if I were a massive 240-pound, cut, ripped monster.
It does have some cognitive benefits (along with a host of other health benefits). When I have to drive long distances, I will take my fish oil with tuna. It takes about 30 minutes for it to kick into gear. It puts me into this “zone” that allows me to drive for hours and hours without getting sleepy.
Be sure to get a quality product, one that is molecularly distilled. That takes out all the mercury, PCBs, DDT and carcinogens.
[quote]Tampa-Terry wrote:
Be sure to get a quality product, one that is molecularly distilled. That takes out all the mercury, PCBs, DDT and carcinogens.[/quote]
Which brands do you recommend? I can’t seem to find out this information. I also remember a recent article, I can’t remember which one but I think it was by Chris Shugart where he said to just get the big cheap bottle from Sam’s Club.
Good luck. I asked everybody what brand for fish oil and I get different answer for each one. Carlson’s fish oil liquid seems to be a good one if you can find it. Health from the Sun fish oil liquid which is same as Carlson but significantly cheaper which made me wonder why so cheap. Bearadi has his own list of fish oil brands which surprised me because I thought they weren’t that good or something. Sears Lab is another one but very expensive. I think it’s like 50 bucks or more a month. It looks to be the highest quality on the market.
Another thing is that do we have to be concerned about fish oil supplement (and flax oil) being shipped during hot weather? it’s not like UPS drives refrigrated trucks…
Max,
A scientific publication by some nerdy guy was published this month ( http://jssm.uludag.edu.tr/ ) that references several studies over recent decades, which all found negligible heavy metal contamination. Of course, not all products are screened prior to sale - and the EPA / DHA content may be suspect at times - but I personally tend to just go with the affordable Sam’s Club stuff. This is not to say that I’m not very intrigued by some other specialty fatty acid supplements.
The free review listed above also cites literature that 3.0 g daily is relatively safe. The higher doses you see recommended on this site and elsewhere (e.g. 6.0 g daily) are more speculative.
LL
…Terry still makes a good point that a bottle with a direct statement regarding zero heavy metals (mercury, etc.) - and some evidence to back it up - is still not a bad idea.
Cost becomes a factor in some of these cases but certain consumers like the peace of mind and are willing to pay more for it. Of course, the presence of other uncommon fatty acids in some of these products may also be a draw for those who have read-up on them enough to make an educated decision. (hint: omega-6 fatty acids are very common in the diet and do not require supplementation in my opinion)
LL
Max, I use Health from the Sun’s product that Tungsten mentioned. My two criteria are price and quality. When EPA & DHA are standardized to specific amounts, that means it has to be concentrated, and I don’t want the chemicals and carcinogens being concentrated along with the EPA & DHA.
Anyway, those are just my preferences and criteria. I get mine for a little above wholesale at iherb. I’d go with anything that was competitively priced and “molecularly distilled” or “pharmaceutical grade,” which is actually just a description, not a standard.
When you start burping it up then you’ve taken too much.
[quote]nArKeD wrote:
When you start burping it up then you’ve taken too much.[/quote]
Not really. I’ve burped it up after one capsule. If you take them before or during and not after your meal, that helps a little.
I started using Health From The Sun yesterday and it’s pretty good. Molecularly distilled and a pretty good taste. They use a lemon/lime/rosemary that kinda reminds me of the way some citrus scented cleaning products smell, but it’s a lot better than straight cod liver oil with a comparable price.
Carlson’s tastes a lot better, it’s actually a very nice, pleasant flavor, but that stuff is WAY too expensive. It runs 3-4x the price of HFTS and does not seem obviously better in terms of processing or nutrition. I’m sure they are mostly getting the extra money for the name and the packaging (a nice brown glass bottle). Everything about it says We are the Rolls Royce of fish oils.
Nick
I suggest a reputable brand like Carlsons (USA) or Natural Factors (Canada). Buyer beware with respect to cheap fish oils; you don’t have to break bread with Mercola to know that heavy metal toxicity in many brands is not just speculative.
In congruence with others like Dr Lowery I would shoot for a minimum of 3g combined EPA/DHA per day; but I would also strive for a near 1:1 balance between the two. Most formulations are closer to 2:1. Carlsons Cod Liver Oil is quite good at near 1:1. You can also purchase straight DHA from Carlsons which I have used in combination with other weaker EPA/DHA supp’ts.
Mmm, I usually take in about 12-15 Costco brand fish oil caps. Is that a little too much?
I’m trying to amass a larger (peer-reviewed journal) reference list regarding contamination in EPA / DHA supplements (not crude cod liver oil or food-source fish per se). If anyone can offer a couple url or scientific references, I’d appreciate it.
Fifty thanks!
LL
L.Lo
Dr. L
L-squared
L-Train
Crude cod liver oil? I mix a tablespoon of that into my morning shake, daily. Is cod liver oil a dodgy product? OVerly Processed? Its been pounded into me most of my life by my grandmother/mother. Or should i replace it with more fish oil caps?
[quote]Beatnik wrote:
Crude cod liver oil? I mix a tablespoon of that into my morning shake, daily. Is cod liver oil a dodgy product? OVerly Processed? Its been pounded into me most of my life by my grandmother/mother. Or should i replace it with more fish oil caps?[/quote]
Not sure if it’s same as Carlson’s cod liver oil but I’d be careful with its high vitamin D content esp during the summer if you spend alot of time outside. I don’t know if anyone knows but depending the time of the day and location and fairness of the skin, your skin has the ablity to produce enormous amount of Vit D, many times above RDA. It might be better to use Cod Liver oil during winter espically northern USA where people don’t get out in the sun much to get enough Vit D. There’s not many food that contain Vit D naturally.
[quote]Bryan515 wrote:
“but I would also strive for a near 1:1 balance between the two.”
Care to explain why 1:1 should be achieved?