EPA Fish Oil
EPA and DHA are two types of very important Omega 3 Fatty acids that are found in fish oil supplements.
Although certain scientific studies show that DHA is more important for health than EPA, studies also show that to get the full benefits of Omega 3 Fatty acids, you need an intake of both.
In other words, when you look for EPA fish oil make sure it also has DHA in it, and actually a higher level of
DHA fish oil than EPA.
In fact, the human brain is made up of approximately 60% fat and about half of that fat is DHA!
Clearly, even though fish oil EPA is important, DHA is crucial as well.
This is why these two omega 3-fatty acids are believed to play such a significant role in mental health and disorders, such as ADD, depression, Alzheimer's and more.
Let's briefly discuss why fish oils are the preferred source for obtaining important Omega 3's.
There are actually plant and vegetable sources for Omega 3 fatty acids. One of the best is flaxseed.
However, the downside is that it comes in the form of ALA and the ALA then needs to be converted by the body to DHA and EPA. This conversion doesn't take place smoothly for people who have impaired health, or the elderly.
Simply stated, if the conversion doesn't take place, then the person won't get the benefits of EPA and DHA.
EPA fish oil and DHA fish oil are, therefore, the best sources because you are getting these Omega 3 fatty acids directly.
The question now becomes: what are the general guidelines in choosing a quality fish oil supplement?
There are actually only a few...but they are crucial.
Choosing a Quality Fish Oil
First, you must buy only pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled products. Most fish in the world is contaminated with mercury, PCB's, and other toxins...which is precisely why the FDA advocates a limited consumption of fish.
Molecular distillation allows you to get the pure benefits of the Omega 3, the DHA, and the fish oil EPA, without any of the contaminants.
The other big consideration when choosing a quality fish oil is to look at the fish type being used for the product.
You see, different fish have different levels of EPA fish oil and DHA.
Although salmon, herring, mackeral and the like are good choices, the best fish we have found is called the Hoki. Hoki is native to the Southern Ocean of New Zealand, one of the last pristine places in the world. Hoki thrives in these cold waters and is especially high in DHA and also EPA.
The last consideration is freshness of the product.
A lot of fish oils are caught and then put in tankers for long transport. Fish oil is a very fragile substance that goes rancid very quickly. Long transportation time is a big negative....and you should make sure that the product you use can ensure the freshness of their fish oils.
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