Amounts of the omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ranged from as little as 16 mg in a container of yogurt to 1000 mg in a single pill. All products contained their claimed amounts of EPA and DHA without signs of spoilage.
However, one enteric coated capsule released its fish oil too early and several fortified beverage and food products claimed to provide a portion of the “Daily Value” of omega 3s, even though no such value has been established.
Sales of fish oil supplements were $489 million in 2006, according to Nutrition Business Journal, and have surged nearly 500% since 2000 when FDA allowed products to claim that the omega 3 oils EPA and DHA may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Intake of approximately 500 mg per day of EPA and DHA is associated with decreased mortality from heart disease, but average intake in the U.S. is only 100 to 200 mg per day. Research indicates EPA and/or DHA may also be helpful for brain health, rheumatoid arthritis, depression and many other conditions.
“Because of how they are made, fish oil supplements are a great alternative to fish as a source of beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. You can easily get a month’s supply of a good supplement for less than the price of a pound of fish—and without contaminants,” said Tod Cooperman, MD, ConsumerLab.com’s president.
Dr. William Obermeyer, ConsumerLab.com’s Vice President of Research, explained that contaminants are unlikely in properly made fish oil products because, “The species of fish used to make oil supplements are typically smaller and not as likely to accumulate toxins, and the oils are distilled—which removes contaminants.”
The report offers test results and comparisons for 50 products. Twenty-three were selected by ConsumerLab.com and 27 others were tested at the request of their manufacturers through ConsumerLab.com’s Voluntary Certification Program. Seven additional products are listed that are similar to ones that passed testing but sold under different brand names.
Brands included in the report are Advocare, Aristo, Berkley & Jensen (BJ’s), Carlson, Coromega, CVS, Eniva, GNC, Health from the Sea, Iceland Health, Integrative Therapeutics, Jarrow, Great American Products, Healthy Hide, Kirkland (Costco), Lipiderm, Mega Smarts, Minami, Mommy’s Bliss, Natural Factors, Nature Made, Nature’s Bounty, Nature’s Sunshine, New Chapter, Nordic Naturals, Now, Nutramax, Nutri-Supreme, OmegaBrite, Omega-Gel, Origin (Target), PharmAssure, Pharmanex, Pure Encapsulations, Puritan’s Pride, Shaklee, Silk (WhiteWave), Spring Valley (Wal-Mart) Sundown, Swanson, Tropicana, Twinlab, USANA, Vital Oils, Vitamin Shoppe, Vitamin World, Wegmans, Weil and Yoplait.