Over-the-counter fish oils are marketed by dozens of companies. Lovaza is the brand name for a prescription fish oil made by GlaxoSmithKline. Both over-the-counter products and Lovaza contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, also known as EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are the active ingredients of fish oil. Despite this similarity, the differences between Lovaza and other products are significant.
Sources
The source of over-the-counter fish oil is unclear. Some brands ambiguously state that their product is derived from "cold-water fish." MedlinePlus adds to the confusion when it claims that supplements are usually made "from mackerel, herring, tuna, halibut, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, or seal blubber" because this list includes fish used to make cod liver oil as well as those used to make fish oil. Given that manufacturers do not disclose this information, it is impossible for consumers to know what fish were used in a particular brand.
GlaxoSmithKline states that Lovaza is expressed from the whole bodies of anchovies, herring, salmon, mackerel, smelt, jacks, scads and trevally that are usually caught in the South Pacific Ocean.
Purity
Litigation in 2010 over contamination of fish oil raised consumer concerns about knowing what contaminants are in fish oil. Although independent experts, such as the president of Consumer Labs, Inc., state this litigation was overblown because the levels of contaminants were little more than background noise, it did raise the issue that consumers often do not know what is in a particular product.
Fish oil used in Lovaza undergoes an FDA-approved purification process to reduce mercury and other contaminants. Since Lovaza is regulated by the federal government, this claim has more merit than claims made by other companies that are not subject to regulation.
Dosage
Many brands of over-the-counter fish oil do not provide information about how much EPA and DHA the product contains. Some brands lump the EPA and DHA together and claim that they provide an aggregated total of 300 mg of EPA and DHA. Some brands advertise large amounts of EPA and DHA per serving, but define the "serving" in small print as several tablets. Others seem claim that capsules have 1 g of fish oil, but neglect to say how much EPA and DHA is that 1 g of oil.
Each 1 g capsule of Lovaza contains 465 mg of EPA and 375 mg of DHA. This is far more than over-the-counter fish oil products.
Regulation
Unlike over-the-counter fish oil, Lovaza is a prescription drug regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. It was subject to extensive clinical review and safety evaluation prior to receiving FDA approval. Moreover, unlike over-the-counter products, Lovaza is approved to treat very high triglyceride levels. If new data suggests that Lovaza is not an effective way to treat this condition, the FDA will revoke its approval.
References
- MedlinePlus; Omega-3-acid Ethyl Esters; Dec. 2010
- GlaxoSmithKline: Lovaza
- Nature Made: Fish Oil
- Puritan's Pride: Omega-3 Fish Oil 1000 mg
- Dr. Sears Zone Diet: OmegaRx - 120 Capsules
- MercuryNews.com; Lawsuit Claims PCBs Found in 10 fFsh Oil Supplements; Product Labeling Sought; Jondi Gumz; March 2, 2010
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