Fish Oils- what you NEED to know

Let's talk about fish oils....

Why do we take fish oil? for me the use of fish oil is to lubricate someone from the inside out.

It means they can help fight against oxidative stress, support cardiovascular wellness and help feed that jelly-like brain which is wholly fat, while keeping the body moving and the skin hydrated and the eyes healthy.

Fish oils aren't all created equal. It is a bit of a passion project when it comes to fish oils for me. I want something that is:

1. NOT oxidised - meaning it is NOT fermented or processed where it is exposed to copious amounts of oxygen. Oxidised fish oil can result in oxidative stress in the body. It is no longer serving it's purpose you began taking it for (can anyone say Hello fishy burps- ick!)

2. Heavy Metal tested - I want something that isn't going to contribute to our load on the body. We don't want high levels of mercury in our body wreaking havoc on our brains.

3. This is where sustainability comes in - I like sustainability when it comes to fish oil. What this means is harvesting smaller fish rather than bigger fish and then, by proxy, results in less likelihood of high levels of heavy metals (fish like tuna can contain high levels of heavy metals due to their size and place in the food chain, and where they are living)

4. Natural Type: there are two main forms of fish oil- Triglyceride and estyl ether. Estyl ether means breaking the bonds of the oil with an alcohol extraction and then artificially joining them back together which can result in a higher EPA & DHA level. Triglyceride is the original form of the fish oil. It is 3 fatty acids bound to a glycerol backbone. When processing the oil estyl ether is used. However when creating a final product, it is the manufacturers choice whether it is converted back into the highly absorbable triglyceride form or whether it is kept as an ester ethyl (which saves money and time). For me as a Naturopath, I'm always looking to use something in it's most natural form. So triglyceride is something I will always recommend.

5. Why fish oil? oils such as hemp, pumpkin and flax are great "assistant" oils. They contain vitamins and essential fatty acids that are very important. The only downside to plant based oils is their conversion. When your body tries to convert a plant based oil such as hemp from ALA to EPA & DHA you are looking at a conversion rate of anywhere between 5% and 25%. If you are using the oils for therapeutic benefit then there is going to be some major intakes of oils to meet your needs.

So lets break it down into what I'm trying to say...

Ask questions about your fish oil- look into the quality and form it is in, look at how sustainable it is and whether it is heavy metal tested, and if it is in the specials bin and you can buy 200 caps for less than $40- chances are the quality isn't typically high.

Even better go see your health practitioner or Naturopath because they know about quality. When it comes to fish oils you want the rolls royce and not the cheap runabout. I hate to say it but I feel like I'd rather take no fish oil at all than one that can potentially cause oxidative stress.

Ask questions, learn about your supplements and eat that well balanced diet