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The Dark Side of Fish Oil
Omega 3-6-9 vs Omega 3
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Every child should have the right to a healthy life... but millions don't.
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So far, our customers helped us to provide essential and life-saving vitamins to over 25,000 children who were at risk of malnutrition.
Omega-3: Everything you need to know
What is Omega-3?
Omega-3s are a family of polyunsaturated "good fats" that the body needs to maintain good health. Omega-3 cannot be created by the body itself, and so it needs to be consumed as part of your diet or in the form of supplements.
Why are Omega-3s so special? They play a crucial role in the proper function of cells throughout the body, resulting in a broad range of health benefits.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends a minimum of 250 mg of Omega-3 per day
A recent global survey found that healthy adults in many regions around the world have low levels of Omega-3 in the bloodstream. Omega-3 deficiency is associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.
Adults in many regions around the world have low to very low levels of omega-3 fatty acids
Regions classified as having very low omega-3 levels included North, South and Central America, Central and Southern Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa. Only those regions with indigenous or coastal populations who have not adopted Westernized diets were classified as having adequate levels of omega-3
Heart Health
Omega-3 can improve risk factors for cardiovascular disease by helping to...- Support normal function of the heart**
- Reduce chronic inflammation
- Prevent irregular heartbeat
- Reduce blood triglycerides
- Reduce blood pressure
Brain Health
DHA makes up 97% of the Omega-3 in the brain and helps to ...- Support normal brain function*
- Fight the symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Boost memory and concentration
- Boost general mood
- Fight age-related mental decline and Alzheimer’s disease
Eye Health
DHA makes up 93% of the Omega-3 in the retina and helps to...
- Support healthy eyes and vision*
- Prevent age-related vision problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts
- Prevent dry eyes and redness
Pre & Postnatal Health
DHA plays a major role during pregnancy and has been linked to ...- Normal development of brain and eyes†
- Increased child intelligence
- Better social skills
- Fewer behavioural problems
- Reduced risk of developmental issues such as ADHD
- Reduced risk of auto-immune diseases such as type-1 diabetes
- Reduced risk of early delivery
- Prevention of postpartum depression
Bone & Joint Health
Omega-3 can improve bone and joint health by helping to ...- Reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
- Reduce risk of osteoporosis
- Improve joint mobility
- Ease joint pain and stiffness
Other Benefits
Omega-3 may offer many other health benefits including ...- Healthy skin and hair
- Helping to balance the negative effects of too much Omega-6 in modern diets
- Lowering of asthma in children and young adults
- Helping to improve length and quality of sleep in children and adults
- Contributing to the maintenance of healthy skin and preventing premature ageing
- Contributing to a strong nervous system
* beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA
** beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA/EPA
† beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 200 mg of DHA in addition to normal daily adult intake of 250 mg
Note: The contents of the Omvits site are for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
ALA
Alpha-linolenic acid - ALA is the most common Omega-3 in the diet and is easily found in plant sources. However, it cannot be used by the body directly and must be converted into the more useful forms of EPA and DHA. Without the conversion, the body will just use ALA for energy.
Found in: Plant sources such as dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds.
EPA
Eicosapentaenoic acid - EPA is a useful molecule for the body and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. On average, around 5% of the ALA consumed is converted into EPA.
Found in: Marine sources such as fish, krill and algae.
DHA
Docosahexaenoic acid - DHA is the real superstar of the Omega-3 family. Like EPA, it has an anti-inflammatory effect but additionally, is an important structural component of the skin, brain and eyes. DHA has been shown to have many health benefits, however, only around 0.5% of any ALA consumed gets converted into DHA.
Found in: Marine sources such as fish, krill and algae.
DHA is responsible for most of the benefits of Omega-3. Most vegetarian sources - such as flaxseed - only contain ALA and no DHA.
Not all Omega-3 is equal
Most of the benefits of Omega-3 come from DHA. Unfortunately, the human body is terrible at creating its own DHA - in fact, it's estimated that only around 0.5% of any ALA consumed gets converted into DHA. This means that when we eat seeds and nuts (which only contain ALA), only a tiny amount actually gets converted into DHA.
EPA is less important as the body can convert some of the DHA back into EPA if it needs to.
The Omega-3 food chain
You've probably heard that oily fish are a rich source of Omega-3. But you may be surprised to hear that fish don't actually make Omega-3 themselves... just like us, they get it from the food they eat. That food is marine algae.
Algae is the original manufacturer of Omega-3 in the sea. This algae is then eaten by small organisms such as plankton and krill, which in turn are eaten by fish. This is why fish and krill are rich in Omega-3.
Recent technological advancements now allow us to extract the Omega-3 directly from the algae source, leaving the fish out of it altogether!
All Omega-3 in the marine food chain originally comes from algae - not fish!
Sources of Omega-3
It's important to include a source of DHA in our diets. As we can see from the diagram:
1) All of the sources of DHA are marine-based and most are unsuitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.
2) Most of the plant sources of Omega-3 don't contain DHA.
3) There is only one source which is both fully plant-based, but also contains the important DHA fatty acid - marine algae.
The only reason fish contain DHA is because they eat algae!
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Source of Omega 3 DHA
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✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
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Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
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No fishy burps or aftertaste
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Contaminant and toxin free
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Heavy metal free
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Allergen free
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✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
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Sustainable & environmentally-friendly
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Suitable for pregnant women
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✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Fish Oil
Flaxseed Oil
Algae Oil
