Fish oil dietary supplements are a popular commodity among the general public. A rich source of omega-3, people are supplementing their diet with fish oil for the many beneficial health properties, some of which are scientifically proven to be true and some are claims yet to be proven. Making a sensible choice out of the many types and brands of fish oil available is mere guesswork if you don't know some basic guidelines.
Background
Fish oil is categorized as a dietary supplement. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and do not receive the same scrutiny before going to the marketplace as do prescription medications. Dietary supplements fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of Dietary Supplements, which is overseen by the FDA.
Significance
A requirement of the Office of Dietary Supplements is that the label of each supplement, including fish oil, contain certain information in a label section titled "Supplement Facts." This section informs you of the contents of the supplement, the amount of active ingredients in each serving and other added ingredients.
Considerations
When selecting a fish oil supplement, the two most important active ingredients to look for are EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid, and DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, as noted by the American Heart Association. Both EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids.
Not all dietary supplements are created equally in the potency of the active ingredients in their fish oil. No matter the claims made by a product's advertising, you will want to read the label to know exactly the amount of active ingredients in that supplement. Additionally, the amount of active ingredients listed is a per serving amount. Check the label to determine how many or how much of the supplement you will need to take to obtain the listed amount of active ingredients.
Expert Insight
The Environmental Defense Fund has compiled information on the purity of 75 brands of fish oil. Purity is determined by whether the production standards of a company include purifying the fish oil of contaminants such as mercury and dioxins. While the majority of these 75 brands do purify their fish oil supplements, there are still some whose purity data was either incomplete or did not meet safety standards.
Warning
Consult your health care practitioner before beginning supplementation of your diet with fish oil. He can recommend not only specific brands of supplements, but also advise you as to the amounts of EPA and DHA that will best serve your specific physical condition.
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