What Is the Best Omega 3 Supplement? | Exercise.com Learn: Your Fitness Business Resource

What Is the Best Omega 3 Supplement?

Tyler Spraul is the director of UX and the head trainer for Exercise.com. He has his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medicine and is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist. He is a former All-American soccer player and still coaches soccer today. In his free time, he enjoys reading, learning, and living the dad life. He has been featured in Shape, Healthline, HuffPost, Women's...

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UPDATED: Aug 25, 2020

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  • Omega 3 supplements that contain certain acids are the ones that should be targeted.
  • Too much of omega 3 can be harmful.
  • Certain types of fish can pose more health risks due to mercury content.

There isn’t a particular brand that stands above the rest when it comes to an omega 3 supplement, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health MedlinePlus Division.

Any omega 3 supplement needs to have eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

You do not need a supplement that contains alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which is what you will often find in flaxseed oil.

As with most vitamins and minerals, you should try to get your omega 3 from the foods that you eat.

However, most people do not achieve this goal.

Because of the risk of mercury poison in some demographic groups, it is important to talk to your doctor about the best way for you to get your omega 3. In addition to EPA and DHA, you should look for supplements that don’t contain fillers or have minimal fillers.

You should also look for a liquid capsule versus a solid pill as the body uses the capsules more efficiently. If you really want to go hardcore then you should use liquid drops. However, many people say they taste terrible!

And remember, supplementing with omega 3 or other supplements is not enough for your overall health and fitness needs. Exercise is also important. Go PRO today for access to certified personal trainers, workout plans, and more.

What Should My Omega 3 Supplement Dose Be?

According to the American Heart Association, you should not take more than 3 grams of fatty acid in supplement form each day without your doctor’s permission. Too much omega 3 can lead to internal bleeding in certain people. Anything more than a normal dose should be monitored by your doctor.

If you are eating fish regularly, then you should reduce the amount of supplementing you do. You might want to consider not supplementing on the days that you eat fish to ensure that you don’t get too much fish oil.

Is Any Kind of Fish Good for Omega 3?

No, you need to eat certain types of fish. Any supplement that you take should be created from fatty fish.

Don’t let any supplement manufacturer tell you that a fish that they choose is better than one suggested by the USDA, FDA or the AMA. Only the recommended fish from these sources have been studied for their omega 3 levels and effectiveness in use. A good example of this is manufacturers that use seal oil and claim that it has more omega.

Some of the fish that you should look for, whether to include in your diet or as sources in supplements include:

  • Tuna
  • Salmon
  • Shrimp
  • Cod
  • Pollock
  • Flounder
  • Sole

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Are There Mercury Concerns When Eating Fish or Taking Supplements?

When it comes to eating certain fish there is a concern about mercury. However, this is not a concern when taking supplements made in the United States.

There is some seafood that has high mercury content. These include:

  • Shark
  • Orange Roughy
  • Marlin
  • King Mackerel
  • Swordfish

Pollack, salmon, and crab are all low in mercury so they are safer to eat, especially for children and pregnant women. Regardless, if you are pregnant or nursing you should talk to your doctor about the fish that you eat to ensure that you aren’t in a danger area.

Does the FDA Approve a Specific Brand of Omega 3 Supplement?

No, the FDA does not recommend any supplements at all. This is not to say that they say not to take them, only that supplements are not required to go through the process of FDA approval.

The most the FDA has to offer is that they monitor any complaints made about a supplement. In addition, they set forth safe practice requirements for businesses in the U.S that produce supplements.

This applies to the way the products are made. The FDA may inspect a facility to ensure that proper safety methods are used to prevent product contamination as well as other problems. In addition, the FDA requests that manufacturers report the ingredients they are using in their products.

The process for getting FDA approval for a medication is a long one that costs millions of dollars to complete. Supplement companies don’t have the funds or really the desire to go through the multi-year process of getting FDA approval for the medical use of their products. Instead, they call it a supplement and get it out on the market in a very short order.

Sometimes a manufacturer will call their product FDA certified. This simply means the process by which they made their supplement is certified by the FDA. This does not mean that the product is FDA approved.

Remember to keep in mind that supplementation of any kind is not enough for your overall health and fitness needs. Exercise is important. Go PRO today for access to certified personal trainers, workout plans, goal trackers, and more!

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