Pharmaceutical fish oil is a high potency fish oil supplement containing high levels of the omega 3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The oil has undergone a special manufacturing process, such as molecular-distillation, to ensure it doesn't exceed specific levels of mercury, PCB's, dioxins and other contaminants.
One of the best ways to determine the grade of your fish oil is check the IFOS list of fish oils.
The IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards) is a Canadian company that tests fish oils from all over the world. They use a third-party testing lab to determine the actual amount of omega 3 fatty acids, detectable levels of mercury, PCB's and dioxins, and the overall purity level of the fish oil.
The IFOS publishes a report showing these test results and grades the oils on specific criteria. A fish oil receiving 5 Stars is said to be a high quality pharmaceutical-grade fish oil.
The criteria used by the IFOS to determine if a product is pharmaceutical-grade are:
Additional criteria used to classify pharmaceutical-grade fish oils are:
Some manufacturers will claim their fish oil is pharmaceutical-grade. But remember there's no federal regulation on any claims made about the purity of fish oils without reliable testing.
The IFOS is a third-party testing company that doesn't receive compensation from fish oil companies so their results are reliable and unbiased.
Fish oils not listed on the IFOS website may be pharmaceutical-grade, but you'll have no way of validating the manufacturer's claims without scientific testing.
These high potency fish oils will give you greater amounts of omega 3 fatty acids and less impurities than cheap oils. These qualities will help you achieve the health benefits you seek from these powerful marine oils.
Lower quality oils may not give you the same results as pharmaceutical-grade fish oils and may contain rancid oils (due to oxidation) that may cause upset stomach, gas and bloating.
Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils will cost more due to the more stringent manufacturing procedures not found in lower grade oils.
Now that you know about pharmaceutical-grade fish oils, you might be wondering what brands are available.
Companies such as Nordic Naturals Fish Oils, Carlson Labs and Dr. Sears Fish Oils all produce high potency fish oils that received high marks on the IFOS website.
You can find these and over a dozen other high potency fish oils at my webpage on IFOS Fish Oils.