All omega-3s are not created equal. And sadly, there are a lot of unethical companies out there, trying to sell you on the idea that any ol’ fish oil supplement will do. It won’t! Here’s what you need to keep in mind when shopping:

Know the source.

When buying fish (and thus, fish oil), it is essential to know the source of where that product comes from. When companies try to cut corners they tend to buy fish oil on the open market for the lowest price, which means they (and you!) never know the source of those raw ingredients. Some days the cheapest fish oil comes from China (trust me, you never want to buy your fish oil from China!), other days South America, Europe or the U.S. Certain waters of the globe are more contaminated than others. Research has shown that the best fish oil comes from Norway; the best companies in the business know this.

Try to avoid cheap brands of fish oil with moderate-to-low levels of EPA and DHA.

Pure fish oil with high concentrations of EPA and DHA generally costs anywhere from .three to 10 cents per 100 milligrams of EPA and DHA. Any more than that and you’re probably paying too much. Any less than that and you may not be getting a good quality product. 

Pay for milligrams of EPA and DHA, not amount of capsules per bottle.

Don’t compare apples to oranges. Remember, you are not buying a capsule; you are buying the milligrams of EPA and DHA within that capsule. When a product looks more expensive it may be misleading. For example, if a product has 700 milligrams of EPA and DHA in just one capsule, the price will be higher than a product with only 250 milligrams of EPA and DHA in three capsules. But that doesn’t mean you are buying an expensive product; it simply means that you are buying EPA and DHA in bulk. One fish-oil capsule can generally hold about 1250 mgs of liquid. A good company will try to fill that capsule with as much EPA and DHA as possible. A not-so-reputable company may fill that same capsule with 250 mgs of EPA and DHA and then add cheap fillers to take up space and cut cost. Make sure the product tells you exactly how much EPA and DHA, not just “fish oil.” 

Check serving size and capsules per bottle.

Some have only 100 capsules per bottle, whereas others have more. A $40 bottle of fish oil with 300 capsules sounds great compared to a $56 bottle with only 200 capsules! But if each of those capsules in the $40 dollar bottle contains only 250 mg of EPA and DHA, while the other has 850 mgs, you’re getting ripped off if you buy the $40 bottle. 

Make sure it says on the label that the fish oil is from Norway.

Not only are the arctic waters in Norway known to be the cleanest, but the fish caught are plentiful as opposed to krill, which when taken and used in products, depletes life-sustaining food for millions of fish and underwater creatures. 

Check for molecular distillation.

Many companies do not purify their product and may contain higher toxins like mercury. Some companies purify, but not well, and so they have higher traces of contaminants within them. Make sure the company tests for purity.

Make sure the product comes from a safe, clean facility.

Some cheaper omega-3 products sit on the shelf too long or have not been packaged and/or sealed properly. This is highly dangerous and may cause a rancid product. Rancidity in fish oil is a known health threat, as the oxidation in the product removes all nutritional benefits and may produce serious levels of cancer-causing free radicals. You think you’re taking fish oil to improve your health, when all along you’re making yourself sick. 

Check for a product with third-party testing.

For example, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) now offers companies that follow strict manufacturing guidelines a Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) label which ensures a product’s reliability. The CGMPs inspect the product and the manufacturer for:

•  raw materials quality assurance 
•  record-keeping of substances throughout the creation process
•  standards for cleanliness and safety
• qualifications of manufacturing personnel
•  in-house testing
•  production and process controls
• warehousing and distribution

Most quality fish oil isn’t found on a pharmacy shelf.

Pharmacies know one thing well: drugs. It wasn’t until they saw that money could be earned selling vitamin supplements as well that they added things like fish oil capsules to their inventory. Trouble is, they did so randomly. I go into the pharmacy all the time to fill prescriptions or pick up cold medicine and I look at the quality of their supplement section. It’s nonexistent! Many good vitamin and mineral supplements are sold directly to the consumer, where there’s no surcharge for retail and no middleman. This keeps pricing down and sales direct.

Res-Q Product of the Week:

In order to produce a superior supplement, Res-Q’s line of omega-3 supplements undergoes an extensive purification process for both purity and potency. Our fish are not farm raised. The omega-3 oil for Res-Q 1250 is derived from a specific species of fish containing the highest sources of omega 3! These small, cold water, open-sea fish from the sardine and herring family consume phytoplankton, a sea plant rich in omega-3. Additionally, Res-Q’s Calamarine oil, our newest technological advancement, utilizes calamari, a rich source of DHA (active ingredient in fish oils, algae and other marine life), and an environmentally-sustainable source of omega-3. Res-Q 1250+ is a mixture of Calamarine oil and 1250 oil with vitamin D added for optimal health.

After the fish or calamari are harvested, the oil is extracted and detoxified in order to ensure that the finished product is free of heavy metals. The active ingredients EPA and DHA are maintained and concentrated while residual fish oil is discarded. The fishy taste is removed and a hint of natural lemon oil is added to further enhance the taste. The entire purification process takes place at a licensed facility which follows cGMP Guidelines (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) and utilizes a multi-step purification process involving molecular-distillation.

Furthermore, after this extensive purification process and to ensure that each batch of oil meets manufacturing specifications, each batch of oil is third-party tested for mercury, Pcb’s, dioxins and other environmental pollutants prior to encapsulation. Then, and only then, after the oil is assayed, showing a pure and potent product, is Res-Q oil encapsulated or bottled.

For further information or to place an order, call 1-800-26-ALIVE. Press “2″ to speak with one of our product consultants. Our consultants will be happy to provide you with any specific information that you need and  advise you as to which omega-3 product would be right for you.