Choosing a Fish Oil – What do the Experts Recommend?

We are always researching the highest quality ingredients in the world.  That is all we care about.

We’ve already written our take on how to choose the highest quality fish oil.   

We do our own research, but we also pay close attention to other health experts and see what they have to say. 

2 of our favorite natural health experts are Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Dr. Peter Attiya.  Both of them are very well-respected, and both stay on top of all of the latest research in the field.  

Disclaimer:  We are not associated with either Dr. Patrick or Dr. Attiya.  We just like their work and are stating what they have both said publicly.  We then comment on what they have said and add our own expertise.  Our ultimate goal is to give you all of the scientific information available and let you decide.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Key Points in Choosing a Fish Oil Supplement

1. Triglyceride Form for Bioavailability: Dr. Patrick emphasizes the importance of fish oil in triglyceride form for better bioavailability and incorporation into cell membranes compared to ethyl ester forms.  

Note:  (Most fish oil in the market is in ethyl ester form, which is cheaper and not found in nature.  Most customers don’t know this)

2. Oxidation Status: Dr. Patrick points out the need to consider the oxidation status of fish oil (which can be a problem in fish oil because it is unstable).  She recommends products that undergo processes to minimize oxidation. 

3. Third-Party Testing for Contaminants: Dr. Patrick recommends relying on third-party testing sites, like the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS), to check for omega-3 oxidation status as well as contaminants like PCBs and mercury.

4. Concentration of EPA and DHA: Dr. Patrick explains the importance of looking for a high concentration of EPA and DHA in fish oil supplements, which are key for their beneficial effects.

Quotes from Dr. Rhonda Patrick on choosing Fish Oil:

“Triglyceride form is more bioavailable; it does incorporate into cell membranes much better.”

“The most important thing is the concentration of EPA and DHA”

88Herbs take on Dr. Patrick’s thoughts:

Dr. Rhonda Patrick pretty much nailed it.  She is obviously staying up to date on all of the latest research on fish oil, and has essentially the same views as we do.

The only major point we would like to add is that if you rely on 3rd party testing sites like IFOS, you can really drive up the cost of the finished product in a major way.  Yes, it is important to make sure that the fish oil has been 3rd party tested and meets the requirements she is advocating for, but IFOS isn’t the only way to do this.

Health supplements are much more highly regulated than health supplements in the USA.  We meet and exceed all the testing requirements from Health Canada.  That is why thousands of customers in the USA love our products and buy from us every month.

Another point that Dr. Patrick doesn’t mention in this video, is fish oil capsules vs liquid in terms of oxidation.  Fish oil in liquid form oxidizes much more quickly than fish oil in capsules.  This is because once the bottle is open, it is exposed to air (the oxygen in the air causes the oxidation).  Each fish oil capsule protects the fish oil from air exposure.  Also, we use a bottle that is not see-through.  Light getting into fish oil also speeds up oxidation.

Dr. Peter Attiya’s Key Points in Choosing a Fish Oil Supplement

Here is the video where Dr. Attiya explains his views on fish oil.  It is towards the end of the video here. 

Personalized Dosage Based on Biomarkers: Dr. Attia emphasizes the importance of personalizing fish oil dosage to achieve specific red blood cell membrane concentrations of EPA and DHA, using biomarker tests to guide his intake.

High EPA and DHA: He mentions taking a high dose of EPA (approximately 2 grams) and DHA (about 1.5 grams) daily, aiming for a target concentration in the blood.

Focus on High-Quality Supplements: Dr. Attia chooses fish oil with a high EPA concentration. He also looks for capsules that don’t rupture, as he’s had experience with brands that often have a ruptured capsule.  He mentions that just one broken capsule can ruin the entire bottle.

88Herbs take on Dr. Attiya’s thoughts:

We highly respect Dr. Attiya.  Not only is he an excellent and well-educated doctor, he is also extremely fit, and kind of a guinea pig for health. He takes a lot of fish oil himself and measures and tracks the amount of omega 3 in his blood.

He recommends choosing a high quality fish oil, but doesn’t go into nearly as much detail as Dr. Patrick does about what makes a high quality fish oil.  We are a little curious why he doesn’t mention triglyceride form vs ethyl ester form.  Most experts who look into the difference between triglyceride and ethyl ester form will recommend triglyceride form.  Also, many health experts are not even aware of every detail such as which form the fish oil is in.  

Our fish oil:

• Is higher in EPA than DHA – (Although it is high in both)
• Has virtually zero heavy metals like mercury
• Is in the high absorbing triglyceride form
• Has extremely low rates of oxidation
• Comes from anchovies, found in the clean waters of Iceland
• Is naturally flavored with lemon and has no aftertaste

We know you will love it.  Try our fish oil now.