Samuel Carr Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 So I bought my last capsules of fish oil from GNC where it was like 1500 mg softgel capsules (120) for like $45. This seems pretty expensive to me and so I was wondering if this is the normal price and if there are better places to buy it from. Also, how can you tell what the quality is like? I know Costco sells fish oil for what is probably 1/3 the price of Poliquin's, but Poliquin's is probably much better quality, but how can you tell? Is it worth it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Chubb Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 So I bought my last capsules of fish oil from GNC where it was like 1500 mg softgel capsules (120) for like $45. This seems pretty expensive to me and so I was wondering if this is the normal price and if there are better places to buy it from. Also, how can you tell what the quality is like? I know Costco sells fish oil for what is probably 1/3 the price of Poliquin's, but Poliquin's is probably much better quality, but how can you tell? Is it worth it?Fish oil shouldn't be bought on a shelf considering that it is supposed to be refridgerated. Long story short, "You cannot afford cheap supplements." Yes it is worth it if your normal food is good quality already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Malin Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 I'm not an expert on the topic of quality, but I've used the one Robb Wolf recommended a while back:http://www.strongerfasterhealthier.com/products/omega_3-oilThey've raised prices a bit, but I've had better experience with this than other brands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Agreed, fish oil is one of those supplements where you do get what you pay for unfortunately. Some brands, like Barleans, are affordable and pretty decent quality.Stay away from ethyl esters, the fatty acid form is absorbed better.Also, if you are curious, fish oil from actual fish meat is much better than capsules or liquids according to recent studies. Nothing's different about the oil, it's just that you get the whole fish and all the nutrients that are in it, and there seems to be some kind of synergy that makes the oil protective (referring to CVD) where fish oil supplements (according to a few studies now) are not effective.Just food for thought.The best way to use fish oil, in my opinion, is to balance out anything you eat that might have omega 6 fatty acid predominance. With meats, even cheapo meats, they only have 600-800 mg of omega 6 fatty acids per 4 oz serving so you'll only need one 1000mg capsule to get better than 2:1 omega 6 to omega 3, which is well within the preferred health zone of 4:1 or better. There's no sense in going past 1:1, you NEED inflammatory chemicals as well, just not too many. Like nearly everything, omega fat ratio is an issue of balance, not exclusivity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Hinote Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 I like to eat sardines every other day, if not everyday, and they are cheaper in the long run for your omega 3 and 6, plus it's extra kcal and protein.Speaking of Robb Wolf, I believe he talked about using the Costco brand a few times in his podcasts / comment section, so that might instill some confidence for that brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 There were some scandals a few years back about a number of sources of oil, one of which was used for some store brands but I think I remember looking into it and finding that Costco does indeed seem to have reasonable quality control measures in place regarding heavy metals.I would double check that, if anyone wants to get Costco brands, but I am pretty sure I'm remembering that right.There are, however, some past concerns regarding chemical contamination in a number of brands.This link should help you a bit, as it covers all of this information:http://apps.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=16536Finally, don't get Costco's enteric coated pills. They have twice the omega 6 numbers, but they are ethyl esters and not acids. Completely different chemicals, work differently, are absorbed differently, and so on.Stick with the basic stuff. It is probably the typical 180EPA to 120 DHA (I may have that backwards!) but it's not specified. Still, it's the natural form. It's also cheaper per equivalent dose even before adjusting for increased absorption and bio-availability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Roseman Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Interesting you mention the EE Josh, as my wife is participating in a medical study using EE, i beleive just to ascertain the kinetics (half-life). But she's getting $1000 a week so has my blessing. I wasn't aware of the difference until recently. Like you mentiioned, the article at http://www.ascentahealth.com/health-science/science-articles/fish-oil-triglycerides-vs-ethyl-esters-as-nature-intended discusses the absorption issue, but also surprisingly adds:Are all fish oil concentrates ethyl esters?The vast majority of fish oil concentrates sold globally; including those sold in North America are EPA and DHA EE concentrates. A small percentage of fish oil concentrates on the market are natural TGs.In the manufacturing of EE concentrates it is possible to convert the fatty acids back to TGs using food grade enzymes. This process, called glycerolysis, removes the ethanol molecule and re-esterifies the EPA and DHA fatty acids to a glycerol backbone. These are commonly referred to as re-esterfied or concentrated triglycerides (rTGs). The process of converting EE to TG is uncommon due to cost constraints adding 30-40 % to the end bulk oil cost. Therefore, the only rationale for omitting the glycerolysis step is cost cutting.This is interesting:How can I determine if my fish oil is a natural triglyceride or an ethyl ester?There is a simple, inexpensive and rapid method to determine if a fish oil supplement is in the TG or EE form by using polystyrene (Styrofoam) cups.MethodMeasure and place 20 ml of fish oil in a polystyrene cup. Place the cup on a plate to avoid any mess. Observe the cup after 10 minutes. If the fish oil has leaked significantly through the cup it contains EE. Due to their chemical composition, EE will actually eat straight through the polystyrene cup. This effect will become evident after just a few minutes; however, significant leakage is seen after 10 minutes. Natural TG fish oils placed in the same cup will not show leakage after 10 minutes. Natural TG fish oils may show leakage through the cup in very small amounts after 2-3 hours.FIN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Memmott Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I've tried to go cheap on fish oils in the past and always paid the price with nausea and indigestion. I guess I am sensitive. The only brand I have found to be of high strength and not affect me negatively (even mega dosing 20gms in a day during intensive training) is Nordic Naturals, who focus mostly on omega 3 supplements. http://www.nordicnaturals.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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