The Inside Story on
Enteric Coated Fish Oil

If you've ever shopped for fish oils, you may have come across enteric coated fish oil.

What are enteric fish oils and are they different from regular fish oil capsules?

Fish oil is a popular health food supplement. They are an excellent source of the omega 3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

These special fats are essential for optimal health and they help reduce inflammation and lower your risk for cardiovascular disease.

How well your body responds to omega 3 fatty acids will depend on how your body absorbs and utilizes these important nutrients.

While you can get fish oil supplements in both liquid and soft gel form; there is another form that may be a superior method for achieving maximum absorption.

Introducing Enteric Fish Oil - A new way to take fish oil?

Enteric coated and regular fish oil soft gels

Putting dosage amounts aside, you can get soft gels with a special coating called an enteric coating.

Enteric coatings can be made from waxes, shellacs, plastics, plant fibers and fatty acids.

These special coatings are insoluble. This means the soft gel won't dissolve in the acidic juices of your stomach, but they will dissolve in the higher pH (above pH 5.5) of the small intestine.

Regular fish oil soft gels are usually clear and yellow, whereas an enteric soft gel will have a hazy or opaque solid color on the surface.

Is Enteric Coated Fish Oil Better?

This is a good question and before answering it we should look at the reasons why pharmaceutical companies choose to use an enteric coating....

Enteric coated drugs may improve absorption

The vast majority of digestion and absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine. Drug companies may use an enteric coating to delay digestion in the stomach so the drug can be effectively absorbed in the small intestine.

Depending on the type of enteric coating used, you may control how well some drugs will be absorbed at different points along the digestive system.

If a particular drug absorbs best in the small intestine, then you might want to use a coating that's resistant to stomach acid; this would allow the capsule or pill to dissolve slowly to ensure it reaches the small intestine for maximum effect.

You should know that not all enteric coatings are the same and some can dissolve at different rates which may affect absorption.

Are Enteric Fish Oils a Marketing Scam?

Some fish oil manufacturers claim an enteric coating helps reduce fish oil side effects, such as fish burps, gas and fish breath.

While this may be true, you should know that some of these side effects may be caused from ingesting low quality, rancid fish oils; not from lack of an enteric-coating.

Beware of shady companies that may use the 'enteric-coating' label as a marketing ploy to convince you that their fish oils are superior when they really aren't.

If you have a medical condition that affects your ability to metabolize or absorb fatty acids, you may benefit from an enteric fish oil. However, this may need to be addressed by your Doctor or Internal Medicine Specialist before you try using this type of supplement.

In spite of the above points, there are some health conscious consumers that are pleased with the effectiveness of an enteric coated fish oil. For example, Kirkland Signature Omega-3 Enteric Coated Fish Oil received many positive reviews at Amazon.com.

At this point, there aren't many published medical studies comparing the effectiveness of enteric coated fish oil against the non-coated variety for effectiveness and absorption.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed enteric fish oil was effective at reducing relapses in Crohn's disease. However, there are other studies that used non-coated fish oils on Crohn's disease that showed similar positive effects.

Should you Use Enteric Coated Fish Oil?

This is ultimately a personal decision. People against using enteric fish oils may claim they cost more, however, I found some companies that offer enteric coated fish oils at very reasonable prices.

For example, Spring Valley Fish Oil is a pharmaceutical quality fish oil that comes in an enteric coated soft gel at very affordable prices.

Using a highly-purified fish oil that uses fish oils in their most natural triglyceride state should help you avoid fishy burps, gas and indigestion.

You can also get pharmaceutical-grade fish oils. These oils must meet specific criteria for purity, have minimal levels of omega 3 concentrations and follow strict manufacturing practices.

Unfortunately, the fish oil industry isn't entirely government regulated and the term 'pharmaceutical-grade' can be misused and abused by some unscrupulous supplement companies.

Enteric coated fish oil may provide the results you seek from this healthy oil. The research on fish oils is extensive and they've been shown to have many positive health benefits.

Whether you choose to use non-coated or enteric fish oil, research the company that makes your product to ensure you're getting a high quality fish oil that will meet your needs.

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