31 replies to this topic

[OneScrewLoose]

Is there anything about Carlson that justifies twice the price at iherb?

[ajnast4r]

Is there anything about Carlson that justifies twice the price at iherb?

yes. very good quality.

[OneScrewLoose]

Is there anything about Carlson that justifies twice the price at iherb?

yes. very good quality.

Elaborate.

[calengineering]

Is there anything about Carlson that justifies twice the price at iherb?

yes. very good quality.

Elaborate.

I get Nature Made fish oil which is USP approved to be free of mercury. People on this forum tend to avoid store brands then pay a premium for something online. It usually makes sense considering goods that can vary in quality but, I don't think it applies to this case. Fish Oil has just two things: DHA + EPA and it's all the same as long as it's free of mercury. Nature Made has been around for a long time and is one of the most popular brands and is available anywhere for a low cost. I've been taking their fish oil for a while now with now complaints. Whenever I'm out, I just have to go to rite aid down the street.

Edited by calengineering, 28 March 2008 - 08:20 AM.

[ajnast4r]

nature made is garbage...

there is no such thing as mercury FREE fish oil... some companies have it down to parts per billion (nature made is NOT one of them) but saying its mercury free is inaccurate.

saying all fish oil is the same as long as its mercury free shows a clear lack of understanding. toxin levels are not the only points of quality... freshness and spoilage markers, % of epa/dha vs weight of oil.. etc etc. cut your nature made fish oil pills open and squirt them into your mouth and you'll see what im talking about lol

Edited by ajnast4r, 28 March 2008 - 12:14 PM.

[mike250]

I use NOW's fish oil brand. liquid and softgels

[snake]

Equazen any good?

[mitkat]

I bought the Nature's Answer brand fish oil of the iherb site quite a long time ago. It was uber-cheap and seemed an attractive bargain as it appeared also quite clean n' pure. However, the taste-in-mouth factor came into play HUGE for me. As I never consume meat/fish, I was pretty certain it was indeed a more 'raw' product in comparison to a higher end product like Ascenta Nutrasea or Carlson's (which I've never tried). This was a wholly subjective 'analysis', however reading what Ajna posted below qualifies most of what I thought at the time. I consider what is essentially a fish concentrate a fairly risky food supplement and I regret consuming even half a bottle o' that bargain oil.

Edited by mitkat, 28 March 2008 - 05:22 PM.
lol'ed it up a bit

[calengineering]

nature made is garbage...

there is no such thing as mercury FREE fish oil... some companies have it down to parts per billion (nature made is NOT one of them) but saying its mercury free is inaccurate.

saying all fish oil is the same as long as its mercury free shows a clear lack of understanding. toxin levels are not the only points of quality... freshness and spoilage markers, % of epa/dha vs weight of oil.. etc etc. cut your nature made fish oil pills open and squirt them into your mouth and you'll see what im talking about lol

You certainly know more than I do about this stuff but what makes you think Nature Made is garbage?
By the way, they have it down to less than 0.1 PPM and i quote "Mercury is undetectable".
They give a 2:1 ratio of EPA to DHA (432 to 288mg for 2400 mg of Fish Oil).

[calengineering]

http://www.amazon.co...d_sim_hpc_img_2

Actually, the price of Carlson's Fish Oil is not that bad. The above from the Vitamin Shoppe on Amazon.com
I get Nature Made fish oil for around $12 for 180 caps.

I still doubt that Nature Made is crap.

Here's what they advertise for their fish oil


* Supplement.
* May reduce coronary heart disease risk.
* Take half the softgels per day.
* Nature Made Fish Oil supply comes from deep ocean waters, our fish oil is not supplied from farm raised fish.
* State-of-the art molecular distillation is used to remove PCBs and dioxins which guarantees purity and potency.
* Mercury is undetectable. Less than 0.1 PPM.
* Nature Made Double Strength Fish Oil gives you twice as much heart healthy Omega-3 per softgel so you only have to take half as many softgels per day - As compared to regular strength 1000 mg Fish Oil products.
* Consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
* FDA evaluated the data and determined that although there is a scientific evidence supporting the claim, the evidence is not conclusive.
* Omega-3 Fatty Acids also help maintain triglyceride levels already in the normal range.
* No artificial colors, no artificial flavors, no preservatives, no chemical solvents, no yeast, no starch or gluten.

Edited by calengineering, 28 March 2008 - 06:07 PM.

[mark40511]

I don't use Naturemade, but don't they follow the GMP? I'm pretty sure they do, they advertise in alot of health magazines.

[nameless]

I've not taken Nature Made or Nature's Answer fish oils before, but for the small amount of extra money, why not just take Carlson's? I think the mercury issue is really a non-issue, but rancidity and oxidation is another matter. Carlson's always tastes fresh to me, and in the past when I tried random other brands, I couldn't say the same.

Break open the capsule and test it -- best way to figure out how fresh your fish oil is. I've had two occurrences in the past where the oil was clearly rancid. One time it was a store brand (Wild by Nature), the other was some no-name brand (forget what it was) I picked up cheap.

And if you want to go a cheaper route, why choose Nature Made? Maybe try LEF, or a Meg-3 branded supplement (Natrol, Jarrow)? I think the Costco brand used to be Meg-3 too, but I'm not sure about that anymore.

And at $12/180 caps of Nature Made, at 360 Omega 3/pill (I think), you are paying basically the same as Carlson's liquid would cost, for Omega 3 content.

Edited by nameless, 29 March 2008 - 01:00 AM.

[OneScrewLoose]

I've not taken Nature Made or Nature's Answer fish oils before, but for the small amount of extra money, why not just take Carlson's? I think the mercury issue is really a non-issue, but rancidity and oxidation is another matter. Carlson's always tastes fresh to me, and in the past when I tried random other brands, I couldn't say the same.

Break open the capsule and test it -- best way to figure out how fresh your fish oil is. I've had two occurrences in the past where the oil was clearly rancid. One time it was a store brand (Wild by Nature), the other was some no-name brand (forget what it was) I picked up cheap.

And if you want to go a cheaper route, why choose Nature Made? Maybe try LEF, or a Meg-3 branded supplement (Natrol, Jarrow)? I think the Costco brand used to be Meg-3 too, but I'm not sure about that anymore.

And at $12/180 caps of Nature Made, at 360 Omega 3/pill (I think), you are paying basically the same as Carlson's would cost, for Omega 3 content.

What about whole fish oil (not in capsules)? This is what I was looking at on iherb. Does it go rancid?

[nameless]

What about whole fish oil (not in capsules)? This is what I was looking at on iherb. Does it go rancid?

It surely could. The benefit of non-capsule form, besides not having to consume a million capsules, is that you can taste the fish oil directly. When inside capsules, you have to periodically break one open to see if it's okay. I use Carlson's liquid myself, and it has always been fine. I haven't tried Nature's Answer fish oil before, so can't comment on how it tastes or if it seems fresh. Maybe contact them and see if they'll give you the name of their supplier and certificates of analysis? It's a long-shot that they'll give that info, but you never know.

[david ellis]

What about whole fish oil (not in capsules)? This is what I was looking at on iherb. Does it go rancid?

It surely could. The benefit of non-capsule form, besides not having to consume a million capsules, is that you can taste the fish oil directly. When inside capsules, you have to periodically break one open to see if it's okay. I use Carlson's liquid myself, and it has always been fine. I haven't tried Nature's Answer fish oil before, so can't comment on how it tastes or if it seems fresh. Maybe contact them and see if they'll give you the name of their supplier and certificates of analysis? It's a long-shot that they'll give that info, but you never know.

When I took fish oil in a liquid form, I noticed that the flavor changed in about the 8 weeks it took me and my wife to use up a bottle. It never tasted bad, but the flavor was changing. PUFA's are very susceptible to oxidation, and exposing the fish oil to fresh oxygen every day is not good. I am sure you would notice the taste difference if you would finish the last tablespoon of the old oil and then taste the fresh oil in a new bottle. Some experts believe that capsules are superior because the fish oil is sealed in a capsule and is protected from fresh oxygen.

I put my liquid fish oil in tiny(about 3/4 tablespoon) glass test tubes that are sealed with plastic caps. I like this method because the taste remains constant. So I know my fish oil remains fresh. The test tubes are conveniently stored in a test tube rack inside the refrigerator. So all I have to do is pop off the cap, drink the oil, and replace the tube in the rack.

[OneScrewLoose]

What about whole fish oil (not in capsules)? This is what I was looking at on iherb. Does it go rancid?

It surely could. The benefit of non-capsule form, besides not having to consume a million capsules, is that you can taste the fish oil directly. When inside capsules, you have to periodically break one open to see if it's okay. I use Carlson's liquid myself, and it has always been fine. I haven't tried Nature's Answer fish oil before, so can't comment on how it tastes or if it seems fresh. Maybe contact them and see if they'll give you the name of their supplier and certificates of analysis? It's a long-shot that they'll give that info, but you never know.

When I took fish oil in a liquid form, I noticed that the flavor changed in about the 8 weeks it took me and my wife to use up a bottle. It never tasted bad, but the flavor was changing. PUFA's are very susceptible to oxidation, and exposing the fish oil to fresh oxygen every day is not good. I am sure you would notice the taste difference if you would finish the last tablespoon of the old oil and then taste the fresh oil in a new bottle. Some experts believe that capsules are superior because the fish oil is sealed in a capsule and is protected from fresh oxygen.

I put my liquid fish oil in tiny(about 3/4 tablespoon) glass test tubes that are sealed with plastic caps. I like this method because the taste remains constant. So I know my fish oil remains fresh. The test tubes are conveniently stored in a test tube rack inside the refrigerator. So all I have to do is pop off the cap, drink the oil, and replace the tube in the rack.

That's pretty hardcore.

[ajnast4r]

And if you want to go a cheaper route, why choose Nature Made? Maybe try LEF, or a Meg-3 branded supplement (Natrol, Jarrow)? I think the Costco brand used to be Meg-3 too, but I'm not sure about that anymore.
.

meg-3 comes in 3 different potencies(25%, 50% & 80% i believe) so be mindful... natrol uses the lowest, im sure costco does as well.
vitaminshoppe's house brand uses the middle and higher potency... the "mega fishoil" is actually a pretty good deal 17$/60 caps 600mg/EPA & 240mg/DHA per cap.

[nameless]

When I took fish oil in a liquid form, I noticed that the flavor changed in about the 8 weeks it took me and my wife to use up a bottle. It never tasted bad, but the flavor was changing. PUFA's are very susceptible to oxidation, and exposing the fish oil to fresh oxygen every day is not good. I am sure you would notice the taste difference if you would finish the last tablespoon of the old oil and then taste the fresh oil in a new bottle. Some experts believe that capsules are superior because the fish oil is sealed in a capsule and is protected from fresh oxygen.

I put my liquid fish oil in tiny(about 3/4 tablespoon) glass test tubes that are sealed with plastic caps. I like this method because the taste remains constant. So I know my fish oil remains fresh. The test tubes are conveniently stored in a test tube rack inside the refrigerator. So all I have to do is pop off the cap, drink the oil, and replace the tube in the rack.

Yeah, you are right about the flavor changing if too much time passes. I try to drink up my bottles within 6 weeks or less, and always keep them refrigerated. But if I happen to keep an open bottle longer than 2 months or so, I notice the taste starts to change. The bottom of the bottle also becomes a little cloudy. So I guess if you don't plan to take large doses of fish oil and drink it up quickly, a person might be better off with the capsules. Although even with capsules, I used to notice that after about 2 months the capsules looking a little different than they did when brand new (mushier).

Are there any special caps or tops we can use on the bottle to keep air out a bit better? The test tube idea would work, but it's a lot more trouble than I (and I think many) people would want to go through. I notice the new Carlson bottles now have these screw-on type caps, which don't seem to seal as tight as the old 'spout-style' caps did.

[nameless]

And if you want to go a cheaper route, why choose Nature Made? Maybe try LEF, or a Meg-3 branded supplement (Natrol, Jarrow)? I think the Costco brand used to be Meg-3 too, but I'm not sure about that anymore.
.

meg-3 comes in 3 different potencies(25%, 50% & 80% i believe) so be mindful... natrol uses the lowest, im sure costco does as well.
vitaminshoppe's house brand uses the middle and higher potency... the "mega fishoil" is actually a pretty good deal 17$/60 caps 600mg/EPA & 240mg/DHA per cap.

I think Natrol came out with a 50% potency (or thereabouts). I tried it once, it seemed okay. The Vitaminshoppe pricing might still be better.... guess it depends if you get Natrol on a 'buy one, get one free' type of sale. Natrol + Jarrow use the triglyceride form of Meg-3 (last time I checked), but I'm not sure what form the Vitaminshoppe's Meg-3 is in. And I'm not sure if triglycerides vs esters even matters or not. Calson's liquid + Nordic Naturals are both triglyceride forms.

[david ellis]

The bottom of the bottle also becomes a little cloudy. So I guess if you don't plan to take large doses of fish oil and drink it up quickly, a person might be better off with the capsules.

The little test tubes also become cloudy at the bottom. I am not sure what precipitates out, but the cloudiness disappears when the oil reaches room temperature. So if you decide to use bottled oil, you have to remember to shake the cold refrigerated bottle every time to make sure the oil is evenly distributed. My bottle says it has 90 doses in it. I know that I won't eat fish that has been sealed in plastic for 90 days. So I won't drink fish oil that has been opened 90 days or even 45 days in a row.

[calengineering]

If anyone wants to know, I just cut open a Nature Made fish oil gel before I took it and it smells fine. I don't think it smells rancid at all.

[wayside]

Does rancid == a really fishy smell?

I'm not sure I would know if oil has gone rancid or not. How does the taste/smell change?

[calengineering]

Does rancid == a really fishy smell?

I'm not sure I would know if oil has gone rancid or not. How does the taste/smell change?

a rancid smell in our case would be like rotten fish. good quality fish oil should just smell similar to cooking oil, or olive oil.

[OneScrewLoose]

No one has posted clear cut reasons as to why the liquid carlson is better then the liquid NA. Is there anything anyone can point to and go aha! This is why you should buy it?

[nameless]

No one has posted clear cut reasons as to why the liquid carlson is better then the liquid NA. Is there anything anyone can point to and go aha! This is why you should buy it?

Glancing quickly at Nature's Answer, I didn't see any vitamin E included on the label. Ideally, some E will be in any fish oil product to help prevent oxidation. Carlson's includes E.

Does Nature's answer come in glass bottles? I think they do... but can't tell by the online photo. If not, Carlson's would be better, as they use glass.

Otherwise, you are going on reputation and the manufacturer's quality control. Carlson has been around for a while and has been known for making a good fish oil. Nature's Answer's oil may be just fine, or not. No idea.

If you want to go a cheaper route, there are alternatives besides using just them. I'd probably buy Meg-3 if I wanted to save some money. Another option not usually mentioned here is Lovaza/Omacor, the prescription product. If your prescription co-pay is relatively low, it might be cheaper to get fish oil from your doctor.

[dachshund]

I've used NA for some time now, probably have consumed ten 16 oz. bottles over the last several months. The bottles are glass. I do not think NA packages their product under nitrogen, though I have never had a problem with spoilage or rancid smell or taste. Just based on taste and appearance NA is very close to Now or Carlson, both of which I have used. One product I would not buy again is the VitaCost liquid. I purchased three bottles of that once, and it was very piney tasting & had an unusual gelatinous consistency. I recently read an article in Consumer Reports that discussed heavy metal content of fish oils and said that they have not seen an issue with this in products they tested, NA was not one of them.

The best tasting products I have used are Carlson & Now, both from Norway. NA is the only product I purchase from iHerb, I have become tired of how they change their shipping & pricing so often, though I think their current free shipping policy on orders greater than $ 60 is pretty good, although iHerb boosted their prices significantly. I think my next order will be through my favorite source for Now & SN capsulated products, VitaGlo. They have 16 oz bottles of NOW fish oil for $ 19.99 compared with iHerbs recently increased price of $ 12.99.

To your health!

[snake]

this is the equazen process of distilling fish oil.I still havent found a better one but welcome to try any?

http://www.equazen.c...ted28-11-07.pdf

[OneScrewLoose]

So this is a subjective thing? Nature's Answer, not Nature Made, btw.

[calengineering]

I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm switching to Carlson's Fish Oil for the meantime. I noticed a fishy smell in a new bottle of Nature Made fish oil I opened recently. HOWEVER, I don't want to jump to conclusions because that bottle was about 2 months in storage unopened.

Also, I opened a capsule in that bottle an poured it down the drain to notice any rancid smell. Don't anyone do this. The oil did not smell that bad coming right out of the capsule but the fishy smell in my drain is still there after 3 days even though I rinsed the sink the moment after poping that capsule!

Anybody else have an experience with Nature Made fish oil?

Ajnastr, I would believe your posts more often if you spoke with less conviction and absoluteness. You may be right in this case, however.

[ajnast4r]

Ajnastr, I would believe your posts more often if you spoke with less conviction and absoluteness. You may be right in this case, however.

so you would believe me more if i spoke as if i was unsure of myself?