Guide to Buying Fish Oils

Buying fish oils supplements? Walk into any health food store and you'll be greeted with a multitude of different brands, dosages and formulations. Like any savvy consumer, you should know exactly what you want before stepping into the store.

Here are a few things to consider when shopping for fish oils:

• Do you know the difference between fish oil tablets or liquids?
• How much EPA and DHA are you getting?
• What's the fish source?
• Are they pharmaceutical-grade fish oils?

Below is more detailed information on the various aspects of buying fish oils and what to look for.

Liquid or Tablets?

When you buy fish oils, you can get them in two forms: liquid or soft gel/capsules. However, there are many advantages and disadvantages of both forms.

Liquid fish oils

These usually provide a higher concentration of omega 3 fatty acids per dose.

The only disadvantage is a single bottle of liquid fish oils may have a higher upfront cost than a bottle of fish oil capsules. But when compared on a cost-per-gram basis, you'll find liquid is cheaper than capsule.

Here's more detailed information from my Guide to Liquid Fish Oil Supplements.

Fish oil capsules

Capsules offer a convenient way to take fish oils. Pop a few in your handbag or gym bag and you can take them when ever you want.

Capsules also help keep the oil from going rancid and they're tamper-proof.

You can also get enteric-coated fish oil - these are fish oil soft gels that come with a special coating that some people claims to help reduce side effects from fish oils such as fish burps and gas.

However, there are other advantages and disadvantages of using fish oil capsules. You can learn more about capsules with my Guide to Fish Oil Capsules.

The higher concentrated levels of omega 3 fatty acids in liquid fish oils is the main reason people use that form.

When buying fish oils, you'll have to decide what form you wish to take them and judge accordingly. A general rule of thumb is the higher amount of omega 3's per dose, the higher the cost for a stronger potency. One company that offers a variety of forms is Carlson Labs Fish Oils.

Amount of Omega 3 Fatty Acids per Dose

Most fish oils come in 1000 mg. dosages as a soft gel or tablet. Look at the bottle label should indicate the amount of omega 3 fatty acids (EPA or DHA) you're getting per soft gel or dose. This can be indicated in milligrams or percentage.

When buying fish oils, it's important to read the label to know exactly what you're getting. Some brands of fish oil will offer you a higher amount of omega 3 per dose than others.

As stated above, liquid fish oils will give you a higher amount of omega 3 fatty acids per dose, compared to soft gels or capsules. In other words, you'll have to take more soft gels to equal the amount of omega 3's you would get in one tablespoon of liquid fish oil.

When it comes to fish oil capsules or soft gels the industry standard is around 30% of omega 3's per dose. This means a 1000 mg. soft gel will contain about 300 mg. of omega 3 fatty acids. The rest is usually 'fish filler'.

Amount of fish oil capsules per bottle

Remember to look at the amount of fish oil you get per bottle. For liquid fish oils you'll be looking at the total ounces/milliters per bottle; for capsules or soft gels you'll look for the total amount you get per bottle.

Generally, the higher the quantity you buy, the lower the price per softgel or ounce you'll pay.

Fish Sources Used for Oil

Not all fish are equal in omega 3 fatty acids - you'll find some are higher than others. You'll find quite a few fish oils are made of a blend of fish sources, with a small minority made from one or two specific sources.

Here's a list of the top 5 fish sources for fish oils:

• salmon
• herring
• mackerel
• sardines
• anchovies

You should try to avoid fish oils made from Sole and Yellowfin tuna as they're reported to contain very low levels of omega 3's. Unfortunately, you'll find some labels don't even list the source of fish.

The Inside Scoop on Pharmaceutical-Grade Fish Oils

Pharmaceutical-grade fish oil

Are you worried about getting mercury, heavy metals and PCBs when buying fish oils? You won't get any of these toxic compounds if you buy pharmaceutical-grade fish oils.

Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils are like the Rolls-Royce of fish oils. You're buying fish oils that are highly purified with the highest amounts of EPA and DHA and the lowest levels of contaminants.

Fish oils must meet the following criteria to be called pharmaceutical-grade:

• Must be made according to strict pharmaceutical standards to help ensure the oil is free of contaminants, such as heavy metals and other harmful substances.

• Must provide at least 60% of the important omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

The term 'pharmaceutical-grade' is not a regulated term and any fish oil manufacturer can claim their product falls under this category.

If you're looking for an FDA-approved fish oil, you may want to learn more about prescription fish oils.

Suggested Fish Oil Brands

Is there a fish oil that offers you even higher amounts of omega 3's than the industry standard?

You can find many specialty fish oil supplements that provide higher than average amounts of healthy omega 3 fatty acids in highly purified states.

Products such as OmegaRX Concentrates, Nordic Naturals, Ascenta Health and Carlson Labs offer some of the purest omega 3 supplements. Most of these products deliver highly purified omega 3 supplements that have been rated by an independent lab.

When you compare this premium fish oil on a cost-per-gram basis, you'll see that it's actually more cost effective as you get more omega 3 fatty acids per gram.