17 replies to this topic

[Heinsbeans]

I know that we all should be supplementing with Omega 3 if we aren't eating fish every day. But I wasn’t sure what the best source and ratio of Omega 3 was. And I came across this website: http://chriskresser....h-oil-smackdown

 

This article states that:

1. Omega 3 is absorbed 9x more from fish than fish oils
2. Omega 3 from fish oil is better absorbed than from plants sources like flaxseed
3. Fish oil might get absorbed better with a fatty meal although it’s not proven

 

And at the end he recommends:

1. Eating fish at least 3 times a week as well as supplementing with Fish oil every day

 

For the past 8 years, I've been taking high DHA Fish oil because I heard that EPA and DHA compete for each other and I thought that DHA was more important than EPA for cognitive function: http://www.blackmore...cts/omega-brain

 

But now, I’m beginning to realise that they are both equally as important. So I decided to buy a new fish oil.

 

I prefer to buy the fish oil from either Blackmores or Swisse since they are the most well known brands in Australia and also because I heard that quality of the fish oils are generally the same across brands. I think Blackmores is more well known in Australia than Swisse though.

 

So on top of eating Salmon at least 3x a week, I'm going to alternate between taking Fish oil and Krill oil daily since from what I understand, there’s still not enough evidence supporting that Krill oil is more effective than Fish oil, but I still think Krill oil is worth taking. The only thing I’m not sure about is which dose of EPA and DHA I should be taking. I want to make sure that I'm not taking too much Omega-3 since that can cause oxidative stress, but I don't want to take too little either and don't get any health benefits. Does anyone know the recommended dose of EPA and DHA for Fish oil and Krill oil?

 

These are the Fish and Krill oil available from these two brands. Could you help me pick the best Fish and Krill oil from these brands? Thanks.

 

Blackmores:

Fish oil

http://www.blackmore...ts/omega-triple

http://www.blackmore...cts/omega-daily

Krill oil

http://www.blackmore...o-krill-1500-mg

http://www.blackmore...vanilla-flavour

 

Swisse:

Fish oil

http://www.swisse.co...oil-concentrate

http://www.swisse.co...oil-concentrate

Krill oil

http://www.swisse.co...ld-krill-oil-d3

http://www.swisse.co...rill-oil-1000mg

Edited by Heinsbeans, 17 January 2015 - 02:45 AM.

[entheogenic]

Viva labs krill oil is the best hands down! they sell on amazon and have hundreds of 5 star reviews! Viva also provides a COA and lab analysis of the krill oil to show you it's pure as hail!

 

[LiquidGib]

With all the sustainability and safety issues, I've stopped taking fish/krill/squid oil for some time now, while I look for a good source of quality omega 3s etc. One of the things that caught my eye was ratfish oil - http://ratfishoil.ne...0ml#descriptionIt is very expensive, like $200 a bottle, and only has like 12.2 mg EPA and 8 mg DHA per serving (10 drops), but it does have a "wide spectrum of naturally occurring fatty acids" - omegas 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 - http://www.ratfishoi...g/nutrient-dataOne of the things I like as well is that they don't add anything to it. With a lot of the fish oil supplements, I understand that they add in those extra vitamins like A and D. They also do not process it with heat or chemicals. Don't know if I will ever try this though, unless I win the lottery..

 

Another option is algal epa and dha. I've emailed some companies asking about ingredients, and if they've added anything else to the mix. Haven't heard back yet.

[entheogenic]

With all the sustainability and safety issues, I've stopped taking fish/krill/squid oil for some time now, while I look for a good source of quality omega 3s etc. One of the things that caught my eye was ratfish oil - http://ratfishoil.ne...0ml#descriptionIt is very expensive, like $200 a bottle, and only has like 12.2 mg EPA and 8 mg DHA per serving (10 drops), but it does have a "wide spectrum of naturally occurring fatty acids" - omegas 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 - http://www.ratfishoi...g/nutrient-dataOne of the things I like as well is that they don't add anything to it. With a lot of the fish oil supplements, I understand that they add in those extra vitamins like A and D. They also do not process it with heat or chemicals. Don't know if I will ever try this though, unless I win the lottery..

 

Another option is algal epa and dha. I've emailed some companies asking about ingredients, and if they've added anything else to the mix. Haven't heard back yet.

 

 

It weighs more than any other population of animals -- or humans, for that matter -- on earth, certainly far more than the fish population from which fish oil is extracted.

 

There are more krill on the planet than any other creature, and all the evidence points to the fact that krill is in no danger of over harvesting anytime in the near future. In fact, krill harvesting is one of the MOST sustainable practices on the planet.

 

Krill harvesting is also one of the most carefully regulated, using strict international precautionary catch limit regulations that are reviewed and reassessed regularly to assure sustainability.

Many studies show the biomass of Antarctic krill range anywhere from 170 million to 740 million tons, averaging around 420 million tons, with an annual reproduction rate of several hundred million tons. This ensures a very large standing stock of renewable krill for both natural predators and human use.

[Heinsbeans]

Viva labs krill oil is the best hands down! they sell on amazon and have hundreds of 5 star reviews! Viva also provides a COA and lab analysis of the krill oil to show you it's pure as hail!

 

It looks like you're right. I've looked at all the tested and accepted Krill oil brands from consumer labs: https://www.consumer...omega3/#results

 

Viva Labs Krill oil was one of the accepted brands and it had the highest rated reviews in Amazon.

 

I tried ordering from Amazon but it seems like none of the tested and accepted brands ships to Australia.

 

So I'm thinking about ordering from eBay from the same company, Viva labs: http://www.ebay.com....tm/190968182264

 

Unfortunately, the Fish oils from major Australian brands cannot be trusted anymore since most of the Australian brands didn't have the claimed amount of omega-3 as advertised. And we don't know which 3 out of 32 brands had the claimed amount of omega-3 content in their fish oils because the study didn't identify which brands it tested: http://www.nature.co...f/srep07928.pdf

 

Just a warning, consumer labs recommend to stay below 2g for fish oil for general health because anything higher may suppress the immune system.

Edited by Heinsbeans, 30 January 2015 - 08:08 AM.

[1thoughtMaze1]

check this out

 

http://www.realdose....cid-deficiency/

 

 

[logan113]

i use krill oil from this companyJedwards as they provide softgel at very low price making it affordable

[Heinsbeans]

I've noticed that for some reason, I always feel better mentally(more stable mood) after taking 2 capsules of Blackmores Omega Brain everyday, which has 500mg DHA and 100mg EPA per capsule(bottle recommends to take 2 capsules a day). And I don't feel much difference in my cognition when I'm taking Swisse 1000mg Krill oil. I have been noticing this difference for the past 2 years everytime I switch from Krill oil to Fish oil so it's definately not just placebo.

 

This either means that:

1. Omega-3 from Fish oil is better absorbed if you take DHA and EPA separately. Which suggests that DHA and EPA competes for each other.
2. Omega-3 from Fish oil in genereal is better absorbed than Krill oil
3. Omega-3 from Krill oil doesn't get absorbed as well as Fish oil
4. Swisse Krill oil is bad quality

Could this be because I'm taking high DHA and less EPA Fish oil? Because I've heard that DHA and EPA compete for each other. Does this mean that it's better to take DHA and EPA separately to get their different health benefits? 

 

I don't think Krill oil comes in high DHA and high EPA forms. I've ordered Viva Labs Krill oil to see if it will make me feel better than Swisse 1000mg Krill oil.

 

So for fish oil, does anyone know if it's better to take a balanced dose such as Omega Daily or is it better take high DHA/EPA forms?

[mayling]

I've noticed that for some reason, I always feel better mentally(more stable mood) after taking 2 capsules of Blackmores Omega Brain everyday, which has 500mg DHA and 100mg EPA per capsule(bottle recommends to take 2 capsules a day). And I don't feel much difference in my cognition when I'm taking Swisse 1000mg Krill oil. I have been noticing this difference for the past 2 years everytime I switch from Krill oil to Fish oil so it's definately not just placebo.

This either means that:

• Omega-3 from Fish oil is better absorbed if you take DHA and EPA separately. Which suggests that DHA and EPA competes for each other.
• Omega-3 from Fish oil in genereal is better absorbed than Krill oil
• Omega-3 from Krill oil doesn't get absorbed as well as Fish oil
• Swisse Krill oil is bad quality

Could this be because I'm taking high DHA and less EPA Fish oil? Because I've heard that DHA and EPA compete for each other. Does this mean that it's better to take DHA and EPA separately to get their different health benefits?

I don't think Krill oil comes in high DHA and high EPA forms. I've ordered Viva Labs Krill oil to see if it will make me feel better than Swisse 1000mg Krill oil.

So for fish oil, does anyone know if it's better to take a balanced dose such as Omega Daily or is it better take high DHA/EPA forms?

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the benefits of fish or krill oil due to the Omega-3 content (DHA and EPA)?
So if you don't feel anything from Krill oil, isn't it because the omega-3 content in it is so miniscule? If you want to compare bioavailability or rancid resistance, you'd need to compare them at equal omega-3 contents and measure blood levels..

[Heinsbeans]

I'm actually not sure why there's less DHA and EPA in standard 1000mg Krill oil compared to standard 1000mg Fish oil. Are the DHA/EPA forms in Krill oil and Fish oil the same or are they calculated differently?

 

Even 1250mg Viva Labs Krill oil only has 165mg EPA : 95mg DHA per capsule compared to 350mg EPA : 250mg DHA in standard double-strength 1000mg Fish oil such as Blackmores Omega Daily. And Swisse Krill oil only has 130mg EPA : 75mg DHA but the bottle says to only take one a day for general health(albeit it does say to take 1 - 3 for heart health).

 

But I think you're right, I'm probably just not getting enough EPA and DHA from Krill oil. I'd need to take 3x Swisse Krill oils(which equals to 390mg EPA : 225 DHA) to get the equivatant levels of EPA and DHA as Blackmores Omega Daily(350mg EPA : 250mg DHA).

 

But if I start taking 3x Swisse Krill oil to get the equivalent levels of EPA and DHA as standard 2g Fish oil, that means I'd be taking 3000mg Krill oil a day but consumer labs recommends to stay below 2g(at least for Fish oil) since it may start suppressing the immune system.

 

Does anyone know the maximum safe dosage for Krill oil? Is it the same as Fish oil at 2g?

 

Also, why do some Fish oils contain high DHA : low EPA and high EPA : low DHA such as Bioglan High Strength EPA and High Strength DHA, are they just a marketing gimmik? Are we supposed to alternate between EPA and DHA for better absorption or is it better just take equal amounts of EPA and DHA from Fish oils?

Edited by Heinsbeans, 14 February 2015 - 05:27 AM.

[Heinsbeans]

I've been taking 3 pills of Swisse 1000mg Krill oil for the past 2 weeks but I never felt my mood improve.

 

Today, I've received Viva labs Krill oil via mail and after taking 2 pills of it with food, I felt my mood improve within an hour just like with Blackmores OmegaBrain. So the Swisse Krill oil must have been rancid.

 

I'm still looking for the best fish oil on the market and I was about to purchase NutriGold Triple-Strength Fish oil since they're approved by Consumer Labs and it's one of the highest rated fish oil on Amazon. But they don't ship to Australia. There's few small international suppliers on eBay, but I'm not sure if I can trust them. So my next best option was Quality Encapsulations Triple Strength Fish oil from Amazon which ships to Australia. Quality Encapsulations isn't tested by Consumer Labs but it has the highest rated reviews on Amazon so I'm going to give this a go.

 

Edited by Heinsbeans, 23 February 2015 - 03:54 PM.

[Heinsbeans]

For those who are wondering which Fish and Krill oil I've decided to choose...

 

Best Fish oil: https://labdoor.com/rankings/fish-oil

- I'm using NutriGold Triple Strength Omega-3 and Dr. Tobias Optimum Omega-3

 

Best Krill oil: https://www.consumer...mega3/#results4 (must be a member to see it)

- I'm using Viva Labs Krill oil

 

Reasoning:

After comparing LabDoor and Consumer Lab's recommendation of Fish oil, I couldn't decide so I went with NutriGold Triple Strength Omega-3 GOLD and Dr. Tobias Optimum Omega-3. As for Krill oil, Consumer Labs have only tested NutriGold, Viva Labs and Schiff MegaRed but Viva Labs is the highest rated in Amazon which is why I chose it.

Edited by Heinsbeans, 05 May 2015 - 04:31 PM.

[ceridwen]

I take Biotrust Omega Krill Oil 5x  pure and wild clinically proven 5x more bioavailable. It contains 1.5mg natural Astaxathin and contains 3 times more DHA than ordinary fish oil.

but I still have cognitive decline

 

[OneScrewLoose]

This is one topic I think people grossly overthink. I haven't seen any studies showing benefits of getting EPA/DHA from one source, like Krill, being more optimal than another. I think we've become OCD about fish oil, and understandably so, we want the best for ourselves. But I haven't seen evidence beyond the benefits of simply taking solid doses of EPA and DHA, just a lot of conjecture based on the metabolic mechanisms of these fatty acids. This energy can be better placed into researching other supplements.

Here's what I get:
http://www.costco.co...t.11248464.html

410mg of EPA and 274mg of DHA per single capsule. It's enteric coated and cheap as fuck. Fish oil is the one supplement I get from retail stores like Costco (used to get Trader Joe's, but this is cheaper), because the very high turnover guarantees freshness. It's hard to say how long something has been sitting in an iherb warehouse.

I don't feel there's any double-blind evidence showing me that I should do anything more than this. But if you have it, I'll give it an honest read.

[Heinsbeans]

I've continued the thread here:

• http://forums.whirlp...archive/2442235
• http://forums.whirlp...archive/2360758

Basically, I went back to taking 3 capsules/grams (1080EPA:720DHA) of Blackmores Omega Daily a day because I live in Australia and I've been told that it's not a good idea to order fish oils from overseas because they can become oxidated and harmful from intense heat under long shipment. The only place I can order fish oils within 5 business days to Australia is from iHerb. iHerb stocks NOW Foods and Nordic Naturals fish oils but their EPA to DHA ratio doesn't seem to be that much superior to Blackmores Omega Daily fish oil so I've decided to stick to Australian brand fish oil.

Edited by Heinsbeans, 19 November 2015 - 03:59 AM.

[aconita]

This fish oil seems to be the best because of the EPA/DHA ratio, content and purification method, it is produced in Canada and AFAIK the only pharmaceutical grade fish oil for the Canadian rules (some of the more restricted in the world).

 

This oil is one of the first on the market, well before everybody jumped on the omega 3 bandwagon.

 

The producer doesn't sell directly to privates and I am aware of only 2 brands selling it.

 

This seller seems to ship everywhere in the world, in the site there are several explanations and links.

 

http://www.anne-marie.ca/fishoil.html

 

[LiquidGib]

This fish oil seems to be the best because of the EPA/DHA ratio, content and purification method, it is produced in Canada and AFAIK the only pharmaceutical grade fish oil for the Canadian rules (some of the more restricted in the world).

 

This oil is one of the first on the market, well before everybody jumped on the omega 3 bandwagon.

 

The producer doesn't sell directly to privates and I am aware of only 2 brands selling it.

 

This seller seems to ship everywhere in the world, in the site there are several explanations and links.

 

http://www.anne-marie.ca/fishoil.html

 

I don't see anything about it being cold pressed.

[aconita]

There is nothing about cold pressed because I doubt fish oil is obtained by pressing fish fillets...

 

Pressing in order to obtain oil is something related to seeds oils and anyway the cold pressed thing is mostly just a marketing hype,an oil that is hot pressed is of such a low quality it will not be the pressing temperature the main concern anyway.