Is your Omega-3 fish oil supplement any good - or a load of old codswallop?



Fish oil supplements on test: Are they value for money or good for your health?

We have been told to take more of it, and there's strong evidence that Omega 3 really is crucial for our brains, hearts and immune systems.

We don't need any more convincing, it seems - keen to improve our brainpower, we now spend £60million a year on Omega 3 pills.

But according to an expert, many people may be wasting their money, because they end up with supplements providing little or no benefit.

Dr Alex Richardson, of the charity Food & Behaviour Research, and one of the world's leading researchers into Omega 3, says the poor quality of many supplements is a concern.

'There are different kinds of Omega 3 - not all of which have the same health benefits,' she says. One of the main problems, she explains, is that supplements often contain little, if any, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) - the most important forms of Omega 3.

'What's more, at the moment there is no official recommended daily allowance of Omega 3.'

So taking a pill to boost your brainpower and health is far from straightforward. Dr Richardson believes this confusion is 'disastrous - because consuming more of the vital Omega 3 fats found in fish and seafood is probably the single most important dietary change that most people could make to improve their health'.

'It's well-known that Omega 3s are important for staving off heart attacks and strokes, and are good for eyesight and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. But it's less well-known that EPA and DHA are crucial for brain function and mental well-being.



'However, surveys show that nine out of ten Britons don't get the minimum they need to maintain a healthy heart (around 500mg/day), let alone to support optimal brain and immune system functioning (1000mg/day).'

The best way to get nutrients is from food; for Omega 3s, this means everyone should eat two to four portions of fish a week, one of them oily. But if this isn't possible, taking a supplement is the next best option, says Dr Richardson.

So if you do resort to an Omega-3 pill, how can you make sure you find ones that make a difference?

'In the absence of an official recommended daily amount, start by choosing products that contain EPA and DHA,' says Dr Richardson. 'This usually means fish oils. Vegetarian Omega 3 supplements usually contain none at all: instead, they are made with linseed or flax oil, which provide a different form of Omega 3.'

They're not a complete waste of money, she adds, but vegetarians would be better off taking ones containing DHA from algae.

Next, ignore any doses suggested on the packet, and focus on the small print to find out how much EPA and DHA combined the product provides.

'A good target for mental well-being and performance is 1000mg per day,' she says. And to get this amount, you may well need to take more than the manufacturer's suggested dose.

How they compare...





Don't waste your money:



And don't bother splashing out on the more expensive combination supplements containing Omega 3, 6 and 9. Our bodies produce our own Omega 9 - and it is also found in nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil. And as for Omega 6, found in vegetable oils, meat, eggs and dairy, we should be trying to reduce rather than boost it - a diet low in Omega 3 and high in Omega 6 is linked to a range of conditions, including heart disease, depression, allergies and cancer.

To help you make the best choice we asked Dr Richardson to assess 14 leading brands of Omega-3 supplements. She then rated them according to a number of criteria, including the quality of the oil and other factors affecting ease of absorption, for instance.

There are three types of fish oils. The first are the most expensive: 'ultra-refined' oils, which have the lowest possible levels pollutants such as mercury and lead.

The oil is also highly concentrated, and the refining process removes the compounds responsible for the 'fishy' taste and gastric discomfort some pills can cause.

The next are 'concentrates'. These don't provide as much EPA and DHA per gram as the ultra-refined, but they do give you more than basic oils. Some fishy taste may remain, as well as some level of pollutants - they are not as pure as the ultra-refined.

Safe to take:



However, all products are required to comply with EU legislation on food safety and pollution, so levels shouldn't pose a health risk.

Finally, there are the 'basic', no-frills oils - typically supermarket brands.

Overall, Dr Richardson found the very best are the ultra-refined oils, such as Omega Swirl.

And although these usually cost more initially, when you look at how much you'd need to spend on them a month to get the optimal Omega 3 dose, these oils can be much better value for money than the cheaper pills.

Price is not always a good guide, for example, the Seven Seas Triomega supplement has some of the lowest levels of EPA and DHA in our survey, but it is actually the most expensive.

Commenting on our findings, the Health Food Manufacturers' Association said: 'Although no formal RDA exists, an intake of between 500 and 600 mg per day EPA plus DHA would be the typical recommendation and it is true that some supplements provide less than this amount. The HFMA is in the process of preparing a recommendation for an Omega-3 RDA at the moment.'

Anyone taking blood-thinning medications should consult their doctor before boosting their fish oils intake.