Favorite Fish Oil Brands – Part 2
In Part 1, I discussed some of the selection criteria for becoming a ‘favorite fish oil brand.’
And we looked at some good quality liquid fish oils.
But how ’bout pills?
Well, here are the brands of fish oil pills we love:
Minami Nutrition MorEPA Platinum with Vitamin D
This is first on our list because it is probably the best of the bunch.
Likes:
- Hi-EPA formula to reduce inflammation and triglycerides
- 1000 mg of EPA + DHA Omega-3
- Finally being imported into USA
- Contains Vitamin D
Dislikes:
- Cost
- Still hard to find in most places
- 3rd party Certificate of Analysis unavailable
Minami products were not always readily available in the US. They are now being imported from Europe by Garden of Life for distribution into health food stores. That’s a few more middlemen that I’d like to see, because it affects cost. Minami’s range of Omega-3 products tilt towards high-EPA formulas, like they should. They have high-DHA formulas for kids and pregnant women.
Cost: $28.95 + $6.00 S&H (online)
# of Pills: 30
Omega-3 Per Pill: 1100 mg
OmegaBrite
Did I mention that I love this product? Mostly because the pills are tiny and easy to swallow.
Likes:
- High Omega-3 content
- Tiny, easy-to-swallow pill
- High-EPA formula
Dislikes:
- Only 450 mg Omega-3 per pill
- Country of oil origin unknown
- 3rd party Certificate of Analysis unavailable
Whenever OmegaVia customers ask me if we make our product in smaller pills, I always point them to OmegaBrite. I’ve sent people to OmegaBrite dozens of times with never a complaint – some people just can’t swallow large pills, so this product is a great alternative. You’ll pay twice as much and need to swallow twice as many pills, but that may be worth it to you if pill size is an issue.
Cost: $22.99 + $6.95 S&H (online)
# of Pills: 60
Omega-3 Per Pill: 450 mg
OmegaSmart Super Critical
This product is from RenewLife, a digestive health company. I like this formula a lot. A good, solid amount of EPA for triglycerides, mood and joint care. They say their oil is 95% pure Omega-3 – I don’t buy that. It’s probably about 85%, which is good enough for me. Must be some marketer trying to brag.
Likes:
- High Omega-3 levels per pill
- Contains Vitamin D3
- High EPA to DHA ratio
- IFOS Certified
Dislikes:
- Probably not quite 95% pure
- Cost
This is the only one of the bunch with IFOS 5-star certification, a good sign of open, transparent business and quality.
Cost: $24.99 + $6.00 S&H (online)
# of Pills: 30
Omega-3 Per Pill: 1025 mg
Comparison Chart
MinamiMorEPA |
OmegaBrite |
OmegaSmart |
OmegaVia |
|
| Omega-3 Purity | 90% | 90% | “95%” | 90% |
| EPA/Pill | 765 mg | 350 mg | 780 mg | 700 mg |
| DHA/pill | 240 mg | 50 mg | 120 mg | 150 mg |
| Total Omega-3/pill | 1100 mg | 450 mg | 1025 mg | 1000 mg |
| Pills/Bottle | 30 | 60 | 30 | 60 |
| Total Cost | $29.95 + $5.95 S&H | $22.99 + $6.95 S&H | $24.99 + $6.00 S&H | $29.74 + $4.95 S&H |
| Cost/Pill | $0.97 | $0.38 | $0.80 | $0.49 |
| Cost of 1000 mg Omega-3 | $0.91 | $0.85 | $0.81 | $0.49 |
| IFOS Tested | No | No | Yes | Yes |
There is a common formulation thread that connects these brands – they are all high in EPA Omega-3.
Why? Because EPA is key in reducing inflammation and lowering triglycerides as I pointed out in an earlier blog. (EPA Omega-3 is a feedback inhibitor to Arachidonic Acid and all its inflammatory byproducts. DHA does not do this.)
This is a key reason why OmegaVia is high in EPA.
A little secret…
‘Cost of 1000 mg Omega-3′ is a very useful cost comparison tool. Why? Because it strips away all the hype and gets to the heart of the matter – the amount of Omega-3. Use it to compare similar products, like two ultra-high Omega-3 formulas. You can’t compare a low-purity (30% Omega-3) formula with a 90% Omega-3 product because the raw material cost difference between the 30% oil and 90% oil is not 3X. It’s more like 20X. You have to pay for purity.
Besides, studies show that oils need to be about 80 to 85% Omega-3 before you can expect triglyceride reduction. In other words, pharmaceutical grade fish oil.
Here’s how you can calculate the ‘Cost Per 1000 mg Omega-3′: (Total cost of bottle X 1000) divided by (number of pills in bottle X mg of Omega-3 per pill).
This formula works only if you compare products with roughly equal Omega-3 potency.
Favorite fish oil brands…if you’re pregnant
What if you’re pregnant? If you’re pregnant, you need a lot of DHA Omega-3. These brands (above) and OmegaVia have very little DHA.
During the second and third trimester of pregnancy, you need a lot of DHA – between 500 and 1000 mg of DHA per day for not just your health, but the proper development of your baby.
No matter how much we like these other brands, you will need to take a DHA supplement. Your pediatrician may give you a prescription for a DHA supplement. They are good for you, except there is rarely enough DHA in any of the prescription DHA supplements.
My recommendation if you’re pregnant is to get Nordic Naturals DHA 1000 or Ovega-3.
| DISCLAIMER: This website is for your education and general health information only. This website is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Users of this website should not rely on information provided on this website for their own health problems. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician. |
About the Author: Vin Kutty is OmegaVia’s Scientific Advisor and Chief Blogger. He is a nutritionist, author, and Omega-3 expert with over 20 years of experience. Email him.
October 16th, 2011 at 7:40 pm
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February 3rd, 2012 at 5:53 am
Hi. I too am a bit confused about the fish oil/ krill oil comparison. Just wondering if you heard of fish oil from neutraceutical sciences institute and their quality. I have been taking their Mega EFA omega-3 EPA & DHA… Any thoughts? They have 800 mg of EPA and 400 mg DHAper2 capsules.. Thanks so much..
February 7th, 2012 at 9:04 am
Hi Diane – I am somewhat familiar with their product. I have not tested their oil in the lab, so I cannot comment on the quality with any authority, other than it LOOKS fine. Their oil is 60% Omega-3, which is better than most retail fish oil, which typically have 25-30% Omega-3. If you’re taking fish oil for general health maintenance, you’ll be fine with 3 to 4 of their pills per day. If you’re trying to reduce triglycerides or deal with rheumatoid arthritis etc., you may want to look into stronger fish oil.
- Vin
March 13th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
I’m confused about the cost and # of pills in the Omega Via bottle….the top of this page says 30pills per bottle, but on the chart showing comparisons with other brands, it says 60 pills per bottle….how many must be taken per day?
March 13th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Hi Annie – there are 60 pills per bottle. The reference to 30 pills is talking about another brand – Minami Nutrition. OmegaVia costs anywhere from $24.74 per if purchased on an automatic delivery basis to $29.74 + $4.95 shipping if you purchase just one bottle. Ideal dosage depends on your specific health needs. Most people do fine with 1 or 2 pills per day. If you have high triglycerides, you will need 3 to 4 capsules per day. Hope this helps.
- Vin