Why These Are Best Omega-3 Supplements You Can Find – The OmegaVia Difference

By Vin Kutty, MS, OmegaVia Founder

There is a very simple reason why these are the best omega-3 supplements you can find . . .

I make them for the people I love.

With every single batch we produce, I have a case delivered to my door. And then I give this life-sustaining nutrition to the people I love – my elderly parents, my wife, my children, my good friends. 

In fact, it’s gotten so ingrained in how I operate, my family says, “If he gives you a bottle of pills, he must really like you.”

And just like a birthday cake . . . a special family dinner . . . 

You don’t skimp when it comes to making something for the people who are important to you.

Simple.

Now that’s the simple reason this is the best Omega-3 fish oil . . . 

How we get there is a little more complicated . . .

The Best Omega-3 Fish Oil Starts With The Best Fish

We start with the basics . . . 

We start with the healthy fish taken from the pristine waters off of the coast of Peru, Chile, and the U.S. 

Most of the fish used for our fish oil are Peruvian anchovies. Known as forage fish, these tiny fish live off of algae and are low on the food chain. Because of this, they accumulate far less mercury and PCBs than larger fish do.

So right from the start, you get purer, healthier fish oil.

These fisheries are very carefully managed. Only small, artisanal fishermen are allowed to ply their nets here. And artisan is the best term to describe them…these small fishermen are masters at their craft – meticulous, organized, and careful. 

Just as distinct is their commitment to sustainable fishing. It’s embedded in how they work. These fishermen know they need to plan for next year’s catch and work accordingly. Their family’s future depends on it.

Similarly, the Peruvian government’s fishery agency operates with the same future vision. It manages the fisheries with utmost care. They know that the national economy as well as local livelihoods depends on these fisheries remaining viable. 

So they don’t mess around and risk overfishing. Every few years when the anchovy populations gets particularly low as part of their natural fluctuations, the Peruvian authorities close the anchovy fishing and we shift our sourcing to Pollock from the cold waters off of Alaska. 

So in addition to being healthy for you, we make sure our sourcing is healthy for the complex marine ecosystem we are tapping into for nourishment.

How The Best Fish Are Turned Into Outstanding Omega-3 Fish Oils

As you can see, we start with the best raw ingredients – small, healthy fish sustainably harvested from clean waters. But even the best raw ingredients can be ruined by poor processing.

That’s why we don’t skimp when it comes to processing . . .

Most fish oils are extracted using distillation. This process uses extremely high temperatures which can damage the delicate Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 quality and concentration goes down.

We don’t do this.

Our fish oil first goes through a low-temperature form of distillation called ‘flash distillation’. 

Then, we use carbon dioxide to extract the Omega-3s from the fish oil. It costs more. But the exceptional quality of the oil makes the cost worth it.

This process uses no heat at all – just good ole carbon dioxide, the same stuff we breathe out every day – the same carbon dioxide plants thrive on. The carbon dioxide is never released into the air. It is recycled.

But we don’t stop there . . . 

CO2 Chromatography Purifies Our Fish Oils Far Above Industry Standards

After using carbon dioxide extraction, we purify our Omega-3 even further with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Chromatography. 

In general, fish oil tends to be low in contaminants like mercury due to the standard distillation process. But we want to make sure our oil is as pure as possible. So with Carbon Dioxide Chromatography, we reduce mercury, PCBs, cholesterol and other contaminants even further.

In addition to purification, Carbon Dioxide Chromatography also concentrates our Omega-3. With this method we can get Omega-3 concentrations as high as 95%. To put this into perspective, with molecular distillation (the approach most brands use) you can only get to 80% concentration. 

Of course this costs more. That’s why very few companies take this additional step.

But in the end, not only are they exceptionally pure, the Omega-3s are also incredibly concentrated. So you don’t have to buy as many pills or swallow as many pills.

Simply by using CO2 extraction and chromatography, we bring our Omega-3 products to a standard that few in the industry can match. We used to call it “pharmaceutical grade”. But even that description doesn’t do justice to the quality and concentration we achieve with this approach to extraction and purification.

And we don’t stop there . . .

Details Matter In Making Premium Omega-3 Supplements

If you’re going to spare no expense in using the best approach to extraction and purification, you might as well go all the way in developing a fantastic product.

So finally, to make these Omega-3 supplements as incredible as possible, we do four more things:

  1. We use only plant tocopherols as well as rosemary extract to preserve the delicate fish oil.
  2. We use only kosher gelatin for gelcaps.
  3. We coat the entire softgel with an enteric coating. This helps the supplement bypass your stomach and dissolve in the small intestine. This is why so many of our customers are pleasantly surprised that they have no fishy burps.

    Please note: This enteric coating stays put in the highly acidic environment of the stomach. However, if you’re taking antacids, or your stomach acid level is low, it may dissolve earlier and still leave you with fishy burps.
  4. Not a single component of OmegaVia is sourced from China. I don’t mind buying a cheap pen or screw driver from China. If it breaks, no problem. But I’m not comfortable buying Omega-3 from China. Until we can verify the certificates of analysis and inspections conducted with Chinese companies, I’ll hold off. China’s come a long way and their quality is much better than it was a decade ago. Many ingredients like Vitamin C are available only from China. But still, they’re not where I feel comfortable as a manufacturer.

Finally, we take one more step to make sure you’re getting the best Omega-3s you can find . . .

Our Omega-3 Supplements Are 3rd Party Tested For Quality

Each and every batch goes through International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) testing. 

  • This third-party tester assesses our Omega-3s for freshness, purity, heavy metals and potency. Every batch has gotten a 5-star rating from this third-party tester.
  • And to make sure we cover every concern, we also have a special order in with IFOS to test our Omega-3s for radiation. Every batch has been certified radiation-free.

Now You See Why Our Customers Say They Can’t Find Better Omega-3 Supplements Out There!

No corners are cut. No expenses spared. 

Omega-3s are such powerful and proven nutrition, we want to make sure you get every ounce of effectiveness out of it . . . and nothing else. 

No extra oils, extra cholesterol, extra contaminants or extra swallowing!

With these fish oil pills, you get the best Omega-3 nutrition possible.

And based on the excitement with which our customers tell us thanks – this attention to detail is makes all the difference.

Of course, in the end, it all comes down to what you experience. That’s why we have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. So you’ll feel comfortable using your own experience to decide if indeed we’ve made the Omega-3s that meet your standards. 

Interested in trying OmegaVia’s masterfully-crafted fish oil for yourself? Just go right here and select your product…

330 Comments

Join the conversation

  1. Question. Can I take fish oil and moringa oleifera at the same time everyday. Because I am currently taking moringa everyday two times a day. I am considering your product and thinking of trying it. Please reply, Thank you,

  2. Hello.

    I would love to buy Omegavia for my family members and myself of course.

    Anyway may i know what’s the source of the gelatin used in Omegavia? Is it Kosher/Halal certified? If it’s a yes, I’ll be on my way to buy a few bottles, that’s for sure. 🙂

    Looking forward to your reply. Thank you.

  3. How big are the pills? My children need these, but they can’t swallow large pills. Is there an actual size picture somewhere on your website?

    • Hi Nicole – the pills are big. So we strongly recommend against giving the product to kids. That’s the bad news. The good news is that we’re going to launch OmegaVia mini in 2013. That will be kid-friendly.
      – Vin Kutty

  4. Why so much more EPA than DHA? In fish, the ratio is the other way, isn’t it?

    And which fish are used for your oil?

    • Hi William –

      It’s not always high DHA in fish. Yes, with Salmon and Tuna, but not all fish.

      Here are the reasons why OmegaVia was specifically formulated to have a high-EPA ratio.

      How your body uses DHA vs EPA – DHA is a structural compound. Cell membranes are made of it. A very high portion of your brain and eyes are DHA. So it is absolutely crucial to have, especially during pregnancy and early childhood. If you’re not pregnant or a child, then the DHA that you consume stays with you for a few years.

      One study claims that DHA’s half life is over 2 years, meaning half of the DHA you ate could still technically be in your body at 2 years. DHA becomes a semi-permanent part of your body. You need a lot of it and once you get what you need, you don’t need large quantities of it. Hence the 260 mg of DHA in one OmegaVia pill. EPA, on the other hand appears to be much more transient. It’s not stored by the body for long periods – EPA’s half life is a few days. So there is a much higher turnover of EPA in our bodies. In other words, we may need a lot more of it. DHA is a structural Omega-3.

      Think of it as bricks to build a house. And EPA is the electricity. Once a house is built, it doesn’t need a lot of bricks. But it needs a regular supply of electricity. That doesn’t mean you don’t need DHA after you’re an adult. You still do, but at much lower levels than you did as a child.

      Having said that, a high DHA fish oil is necessary and critical during pregnancy, nursing, childhood and for anyone going recovering from brain, eye or heart surgery, recovering from stoke or head trauma. DHA is also important if someone is trying to increase fertility. There are some other uses for DHA as well. The 260 mg of DHA in each pill provides all the DHA you’d need every day, while providing a high dose of EPA to address the issues outlined above.

  5. Every day I study about fish oil, and fish oil products on the market for about an hour. I think I know way too much, and so far I think your product is one of the best, and th fact that you are answering people’s comment is amazing. Thank You.

  6. Hi Jane – this is a question that only your doctor can answer for you. Fish oil does not reduce total cholesterol. That may surprise you, but that’s not how fish oil works. Fish oil reduces risk by reducing triglcyerides and reducing inflammation. And also by allowing cells to function properly. You may want to read these two blogs that I wrote:
    http://www.omegavia.com/fish-oil-cholesterol/
    http://www.omegavia.com/cholesterol-when-to-panic/

    For what it’s worth, a total cholesterol of 200-220 is quite normal for women over 40. Cholesterol by itself is not very predictive of future heart events…but triglycerides and HDL are. Divide your TG by HDL. If the number is higher than 3 then it’s time to talk to your doctor and to reduce sugar and starch consumption. There is a little more detail in the blogs links above.
    – Vin Kutty

    • @ ice
      Gnc sells mini gels with high EPA/DHA. 714/288 mg. it’s good but its expensive.. hopefully Omegavia get them out soon so we all can get some at cheaper price.

    • Hi Munna – if you take two OmegaVia capsules, you will get enough DHA for a nursing mother. Nursing mothers need DHA for two reasons:

      1) the mother’s DHA stores will be diverted to the baby’s developing brains and organs, so the mother is usually deficient during pregnancy and after child birth
      2) the baby’s brain does most of its growing just before birth and for the 2 to 3 years after birth and the brain requires a lot of DHA for proper development.

      – Vin Kutty

  7. Hi Sunny – whoa, no simple answer to this question, but I’ll try…

    GLA is a potentially good Omega-6. I say ‘potentially’ because GLA lies at the fork in the road, so to speak, of fatty acid metabolism. GLA is converted to DGLA and that can be converted to ‘good’ eicosanoids. This is really complex stuff, so attempting to publicly simplify this is…umm…probably not a good idea. So, kids, don’t try this at home.

    If GLA is not converted to DGLA, then it can get converted to AA and that can cause all kinds of bad stuff to happen. Several factors, including gender, affect how GLA handles this fork in the road. So blindly taking Borage or EPO oil to reduce PMS or PMDD symptoms may backfire and actually increase AA levels instead of DGLA levels. That’s what I meant by ‘kids don’t try this at home.’ Our entire legal dept just keeled over dead from reading this, with Xs instead of eyes.

    One way you can influence how GLA handles the fork in the road is with EPA. More EPA = greater inhibition of delta-5-desaturase enzyme required to convert DGLA into AA. So a high EPA + moderate GLA regimen in combination with a low-Omega-6 diet has the potential for improving PMS and PMDD symptoms as well as several other chronic disease. At least theoretically.

    Are you sorry you asked? 🙂

    – Vin Kutty

  8. Hi Vin,
    We hear so much about Krill oil being a wonderful new fish oil. It is also a very expensive product. My Krill oil says only 50mg EPA, 20mg DHA. Looks like I should be eating a lot of these to get a benefit. Why do you use white fish and not Krill? Thanks in advance.

    • Hi Vin – krill oil is wonderful, assuming you take 10 or 20 pills a day. I’m glad you read the back of your krill oil label – that’s where the truth is hidden – the tiny amount of Omega-3.

      We don’t use krill oil because you’ll need a zillion pills a day to get the benefits you want. Yes, it is better absorbed than fish oil, but what good does better absorption do if there is only a tiny bit of Omega-3 in it? OmegaVia was started to give you the benefits of Omega-3 with the least number of pills – using krill oil would be going the other way.

      – Vin Kutty

  9. Hi Vin – dementia and depression have different pathologies. They’re connected but not the same. From what I’ve read, preventing dementia requires dietary intervention years, if not decades, before it starts, plausibly starting with elimination of sugar and processed foods when you’re still in your 20s and 30s. Taking Omega-3 after onset of dementia may not reverse the problem. It can’t hurt. But if Omega-3 can prevent dementia, it probably needs to be taken through food or supplement long before symptoms start.

    Sorry – probably not what you wanted to hear. But it’s worth going back to an ancestral or paleo type diet with only vegetable, fruits, grass-fed meats, seafood and nuts. This leaves out 95% of what most grocery stores sell.

    – Vin Kutty

  10. Hi Stacy – OmegaVia or any other pharmaceutical grade fish oil is not an alternative for Tricor. One is a drug and the other is an essential nutrient.

    Tricor reduces both cholesterol and triglycerides. Omega-3 reduces just triglycerides. Granted fibrate drugs like Tricor are not the most effective at lowering blood fats, it may be a well-thought-out decision made by your doctor based on several factors, including side effects of other cheaper drugs, your health history etc. So do not discontinue this drug or any other drug without checking with your doctor.

    You can certainly take fish oil with Tricor, but don’t switch one for the other without talking to your doctor.

    – Vin Kutty

    • Hi Violet – Omega-7 is another rarely occurring fatty acid. It is found in small quantities in macadamia nuts and sea buckthorn. Omega-7 has some benefits but the scientific proof/results are still trickling in. Omega-7 is not found naturally in fish oil. At least not in significant quantities. OmegaVia is highly concentrated for two Omega-3 fatty acids, namely EPA and DHA. So OmegaVia does not contain measurable amounts of Omega-7.

  11. 1. How many mgs is the OmegaVia gel cap?
    2. What is the EPA content (mgs) in each gel cap?
    3. What is the DHA content (mgs) in each gel cap?
    4. What is the “other” content (mgs) in each gel cap, and what does that “other” component consist of?
    5. How many gel caps in a bottle, and what is the cost per bottle?

    • Hi RWM –

      Each OmegaVia capsule contains 1300 mg of oil.
      Each capsule contains 780 mg of EPA Omega-3
      Each capsule contains 260 mg of DHA Omega-3
      The ‘Other Omega-3s’ are potentially beneficial Omega-3 that often go unaccounted for. These can easily be converted to EPA Omega-3 in your body and can provide benefits.
      60 capsules per bottle.
      Cost depends on how many bottles you buy. As low as $24.74 to as high as $29.74.

  12. Based upon the information you provided (each OmegaVia gel cap contains 1300 mgs of oil, 780 mgs of EPA, and 260 mgs of DHA), am I correct that the composition of the rest of the gel cap is what is normally classified as “other,” amounting to 260 mgs?

    Am I also correct that the percentage of EPA/DHA in each OmegaVia gel cap is 80% of the total composition of the pill?

    • Hi RWM – Each capsule contains 1300 mg of oil. This is irrelevant and that’s why we don’t mention it on the product label. What’s relevant is the amount Omega-3 in that oil. There is a minimum of 1105 mg of Omega-3 per capsule. Of the 1105, 780 is EPA, 260 is DHA and 65 is ‘other’ Omega-3.

      Total Omega-3 is about 90%. Usually higher, but we round down to 90. There is batch to batch fluctuation – this batch was at 96%, but we don’t guarantee it will be that high with the next batch. We always claim less than what’s on the label. Third-party lab test results are here: http://www.ifosprogram.com/files/IFOS%20Innovix%20OmegaVia%20Batch%20S2A042.pdf

      – Vin Kutty

  13. I don’t consider “other” when computing the benefits of an omega-3 product. Indeed, I think its inclusion in the computation is misleading and skews the results. I consider EPA and DHA the important factors. I try to compute the percentage of EPA/DHA in each gel cap. Normally, I am able to do this, but I am having trouble doing it accurately with OmegaVia because of the published information on the label. However, according to your statements here, and the third party IFOS results, the percentage of EPA/DHA in each gel cap is at least ninety percent (in fact, according to my computation, the IFOS batch results would place it at 93.8%). This would probably place OmegaVia as the product with the highest concentration of EPA/DHA currently on the market, prescriptive or non-prescriptive. Is this a fair assessment, and if it is, shouldn’t this be clarified on your label?

    • Hi RWM – you should consider ‘other’ Omega-3s because most of those Omega-3s like DPA, SDA are easily converted to EPA in the body. In most fish oils, the amount of these other fatty acids is low, but in highly concentrated oils, it can be a significant amount. So I wouldnt discount it completely.

      You are right, according to IFOS, this batch is about 94%. Another more detailed assay by IFOS said 96%. Yes, it does make OmegaVia one of the highest concentration products on the market. If you know of any with higher levels, please let me know. We dont make a big deal out of this, but I suppose we should! 🙂

      – Vin Kutty

  14. Do you recommend that OmegaVia omega-3 be taken with CoQ10? Do they complement one another, or are they largely duplicative of each other? If so (complementary or duplicative), how so?

    • Hi RWM – CoQ10 is always better absorbed with taken with other oils or meals. So taking it with fish oil and a meal will increase its low absorption. But do you need CoQ10 – may be. If you are taking statins drugs, then, definitely, yes. If not, CoQ10 is a good antioxidant and something to take to keep your heart muscles powered up.

      Other than that, there is no synergy and do not compliment each other.

      – Vin Kutty

  15. Hi..

    Kindly answer the following which my family and also my friends wanted to know so that i can immediately order a few bottles!!…..:-)

    Is the beef gelatin that you use in omegavia Kosher certified or Halal certified?? Kindly mention the organisation which has certified it as Kosher and Halal?

    Is the Glaze that you use made of Shellac which is dissolved in Alcohol?..

    Do email me too..

    Thank You

    • Hi Hughes – the beef gelatin is both Kosher and Halal certified. The Halal certification is by the German certification authority, Islamiches Zentrum Aachen. The product uses gelatin from GELITA USA and the certificate number is 01-01-13. The glaze is not shellac. It is based on plant cellulose.

      – Vin Kutty

  16. Omega-3 pills seem to have four categories of ingredients: EPA, DHA, “other,” and whatever else is left over. What comprises “other,” and what is the left over stuff?

    • In OmegaVia the left over stuff is about equal parts Omega-6, monounsaturated fats (Oleic) and various other saturated fats. About 1 to 2 percent each.

      – Vin Kutty

      • What about the “other” category. What does that consist of?

        Also, what is the ideal ratio of EPA to DHA I should be looking for? Personally, I’m more interested in the EPA component than the DHA component.

        • Ideal EPA to DHA ratio depends. For mood, you’re better off with EPA. If you’re pregnant and/or nursing, then DHA.

  17. I have noticed that high quality omega-3 in liquid form has very high EPA/DHA numbers per teaspoon full, i.e., 3000 mgs per spoonful. Is this something that OmegaVia offers or is considering?

    • Hi RWM – we don’t have a liquid dosage form. I don’t want to say that we will never do so, but it is unlikely that we will do so in the near future. The reason is that liquid oils are triglyceride form because they are relatively pleasant tasting. We specialize in ultra-concentrated oils and concentrated oils are almost always ethyl ester forms and EE form oils don’t taste that good. TG forms are usually not very concentrated but even with their low concentration, a teaspoon can hold a lot more volume than a capsule can, hence the high amount of Omega-3 that you get per teaspoon. My suggestion to most people is that if you can handle the taste of a liquid fish oil, you are MUCH better off taking liquid than capsules – lots of Omega-3 and it costs so much less.

      – Vin Kutty

      • Vin, kudos to you for your candor in that response.

        I am familiar with a company that manufactures high quality liquid and gel cap omega-3. They say that one teaspoon full of omega-3 liquid is equal to five 1000 mg gel caps of omega-3. I did the math and that’s about right for their products. (By extrapolation, their teaspoon full is equal to about 3000 mgs of omega-3 and one of their 1000 mg gel caps has about 600 mgs of omega-3, ergo, five to one.

        This is one reason why OmegaVia, with its 1217 mgs of omega-3 (per the IFOS test batch result) per 1350 mg gel cap, caught my attention!

  18. Hi Junaid – the fact that your skin improved initially tells me that Omega-3 helps. But I am willing to bet money that you are consuming too much Omega-6 from vegetable oils. If you can eliminate vegetable oils completely from your diet, you will notice that your skin and many other health markers will improve. I have not heard of anyone getting ‘neuropathic pain’ after 1 year of taking fish oil.

    OmegaVia may be able to help, but no supplement can outrun a bad diet.

    – Vin Kutty

  19. As UK import tax would almost double the cost of your product I looked for a comparable UK based product – & cannot find one! The highest EPA per cap I can find ( after a few hours searching) is marketed by this company http://www.mind1st.co.uk/. I thought some of the claims they are making may be of interest to you:

    “How does your clinical grade Pure EPA Omega 3 fish oil compare to other supplements? The simple answer is, it doesn’t, you have come right to the very top of the tree in terms of strength of concentrate and purity. It doesn’t compare to cod liver oil (weakest oil around) health food shop omega oil (second weakest) or even pharmaceutical grade fish oil (third weakest) this omega3 fish oil will do everything you want it to do because it is clinical grade!!! And it is quite simply the strongest and cleanest omega 3 oil money can buy” and………..”Quite simply the strongest concentrated EPA fish oil on the world market”

    Now, unless I have misunderstood the information on your website, it seems to me the above statements are just not true? Whilst I assume it is hardly worthwhile your ‘challenging’ the statements made by this company I would be interested to hear what you think about the inclusion of ‘Borage Oil’.

    Have you any plans to distribute directly in the UK/EU any time soon?

    Regards
    Lesley

    • Hi Lesley – you may purchase small quantities of OmegaVia (3 bottles or less) for personal use and we ship directly to you without taxes.

      The Mind1st product in UK seems like a good product. Their claims are, shall we say, strong! Since the marketing language associated with dietary supplements are not 100% govt regulated, companies say and do a lot of ‘funny’ things. Our legal dept keeps tabs on these developments but we do not act on them unless absolutely necessary.

      GLA found in borage oil is often a good thing as GLA can be converted to DGLA, which can in turn be converted to several healthy compounds. But taking GLA every day is not a good idea, as there can be some ‘feedback inhibition’…difficult subject to address here.

  20. Vin, is there a testing facility that rates CoQ10 products, the way IFOS rates omega-3 products? If so, what is it?

    What are your top three choices for CoQ10, including both liquid and gel cap?

    • Hi RWM – I am not aware of a CoQ10 testing facility. ConsumerLab.com is the closest thing I can think of. They will charge membership to view test results. What I always tell people is that 90% of CoQ10 is probably Chinese. The other 10% is made in Japan or by Japanese in Texas – Kaneka. If you can find the Kaneka cobranded products, at least you know that the quality is top notch. But there no no guarantee that even if Kaneka CoQ10 is used, that the right amount claimed on the label is present…fortunately, this is rarely an issue. Unlike fish oil prices, CoQ10 prices are dropping, so there is less incentive to adulterate or skimp on capsule fill. Having said all that, there is very little quality or potency stratification in the CoQ10 products and most are fine. As far as liquid products, Qunol is fairly good.

      – Vin Kutty

  21. Vin, what are your top three choices for astaxanthin?

    Does OmegaVia have any intention of entering the CoQ10 field?

    • Hi RWM – I use Costco’s Trunature brand astaxanthin. It’s not an endorsement, but just want I’m using right now. Look for BioAstin or AstaReal sub-brands – these are OK. Not sure I have favorites.

      At some point, may sell a ‘heart health pack’ that could contain CoQ10, but we will not be selling CoQ10 by itself or adding to fish oil.

      – Vin Kutty

  22. Hello:

    I would really like to try your product but I’ve tried so many and spent so much money only to be let down. Can you tell me if your product contains krill oil? I’m currently taking krill oil pills now and they haven’t done a thing. But I was told that the krill oil is the best. I suffer with asthma and thought krill oil would help. Can you advise me on this please? I really need help! Thanks

    • Hi Jim – OmegaVia does not contain any krill. I suspect that your krill oil didnt do anything is because you followed their dosage instructions. Most krill oil package dosage instructions say take 1 or 2 pills per day – that’s the marketing. The reality is that you still need about 1000 mg of Omega-3 for krill oil to give you noticeable benefits. 1000 mg of Omega-3 is usually about a dozen pills a day. If you keep up that dosage for a couple of weeks, you will begin to notice benefits and your wallet will be a lot skinnier. Don’t fall for the marketing.

      – Vin Kutty

  23. Vin, I take high potency omega-3, CoQ10 Ubiquinol, and astaxanthin. I’m not sure where the benefits of one leave off and the benefits of the others begin.

    How do these three supplements interact, and is it really beneficial to take all three?

    In other words, what does each contribute to the mix?

  24. Does your fish oil contain vitamins D. Is it necessary? I’m allergic to any animal with fur. That includes beef. Can I take this pill?

    • Hi Dena – no, OmegaVia does not contain Vitamin D – pleas see this: http://www.omegavia.com/brenda-watson-omega-3-and-vitamin-d/ Vitamin D absolutely DOES NOT have to be mixed with fish oil for it to be absorbed.

      Vitamin D is essential but fortunately, your skin can make plenty of it if you get some sun every day in the summer. If you are allergic to beef, you need to know that our gelatin is made from beef. You need to talk to your doctor before taking OmegaVia.

      – Vin Kutty

    • Hi RWM – there is 3IU of Vitamin E in each pill of OmegaVia that is derived from soy. It is extremely purified, so there is virtually no proteins to react to. But if you are soy-allergic, then I’d proceed with caution, with your doctor’s supervision. Any GMO content in OmegaVia would come from that portion of Vitamin E. Typically, fish oil are not considered GMO for this reason, but just about every fish oil contains some Vitamin E added as an antioxidant, and I don’t think any of that Vitamin E is non-GMO.

      – Vin Kutty

  25. Hello. Thanks for the informative article. I have a question though regarding to the enteric coating. You say that “A New England Journal of Medicine Study comparing enteric-coated and non-enteric coated fish oils show a marked improved in absorption and benefits of enteric-coated fish oil pills.”

    I read the journal article, and it doesn’t compare enteric-coated fish oils with non-eneteric coated fish oils. Rather, it compares enteric-coated fish oil capsules with enteric-coated placebo pills. (“The patients were randomly assigned to receive either three enteric-coated capsules of fish oil three times daily or three enteric-coated capsules of identical appearance containing 500 mg of placebo three times daily.”) The article concludes that the fish oil capsules showed benefits over the placebo pills, but did not compare coated capsules to non-coated capsules whatsoever.

    The article does not test the effectiveness of the enteric coating, so how can you claim that the journal article supports the assertion that enteric coatings improve the absorption and benefits of fish oils?

    • Hi Mark – the ‘marked improvement’ in the NEJM paper was when compared to Belluzzi et al from 2 years earlier in 1994. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7995183 Same lead author for both papers.

      They concluded in the NEJM paper that with the enteric coated delivery form, ‘the dose needed to achieve the incorporation of fish-oil fatty acids into phospholipid membranes is one third of that used previously’ in the 1994 study.

      – Vin Kutty

      • Hello Vin. Thanks for the quick response! You are correct… they do state that in the paper. I missed that. My mistake.

        They don’t seem to justify the claim, though. It appears to be somewhat of an aside comment that’s outside the main scope of the experiment being report. Are you familiar with the researchers? Do you know how they came up with the “one third” number? If that’s correct, it is quite substantial.

        It looks like they used a synthetic coating (“Eudragit NE 30D”), which resists gastric acid for 30-60 minutes. Would the OmegaVia coating be similar in terms of resisting stomach acid? Thanks!

        • Hi Mark – I too wish they’d gone into that in greater detail, but they didn’t. It is a substantial increase and it ought to be further explained/explored. Eudragit is a synthetic methacrylate copolymer. OmegaVia does not use that, instead, uses a natural cellulose-derived enteric coating that also works by resisting gastric acid. Both types of coating perform similarly.

          – Vin Kutty

  26. Vin, I noticed that OmegaVia has, roughly, a 3 to 1 ratio of EPA to DHA. Is that something OmegaVia planned and can adjust one way or the other, and if so, how did the company arrive at that ratio?

    Also, do some omega-3 oils have no “other” component, or do all omega-3 oils have at least some “other” component?

    • H RWM – we prefer to have anything from 3 to 1 to 5: 1 ratio on a daily basis. Since a lot of fish have 1.5 to 1 ratio, making 3 to 1 is expensive. Making 5:1 is even more expensive. So the 3:1 was a compromise between what we REALLY wanted and what’s affordable to most people. Having said that, we’re working on launching an EPA-only product, so the ratio would be 100+ to 1…cost be damned?

      All fish oils have ‘other’ fats and other Omega-3s. Higher the purity, the less of the other stuff you’ll have in there.

      – Vin Kutty

  27. Hi Jim – a lot of our customers take OmegaVia to help manage inflammation. And our high-EPA levels provide a lot of help in that regard. Asthma is not a condition that should be self-medicated, so you should definitely consult with a doctor if you have not already done so. But asthma is strongly associated with inflammation and Omega-3 helps reduce inflammation. And inflammation is strongly correlated with high Omega-6 diets that are rich in vegetable seed oils. Is Omega-3 worth taking in your case? Absolutely. Will it cure asthma? Probably not, without medication and a change to low-inflammatory diet. It has to be a multi-pronged approach that includes medications, supplements and diet.

    – Vin Kutty

  28. Hi, Vin:

    Where do you see the market for a 100+ to 1 EPA/DHA omega-3 product? What would be the profile of a person who would likely take such a pill? I assume it would be a 1350 mg gel cap or would this be a liquid?

  29. Hi RWM – the data for EPA Omega-3 and mood management and inflammation is fairly clear. More here: http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-mood-benefits/ and here: http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-part-1/

    Data on EPA and triglycerides is what Vascepa is based on. Amarin can argue the case much better than I can, after all, they are a publicly traded pharma company with one FDA-approved product for lowering triglycerides.

    I have no idea what Vascepa costs, but I can promise you that the oil going into Vascepa is a LOT more expensive than the one going into Lovaza.

    A high-DHA supplement makes sense for select conditions like pregnancy, people recovering from stroke, head injury and possibly a few other things. Otherwise, a little bit of DHA goes a long way. http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-dha-and-your-brain/

  30. Hi RWM – the data for EPA-only formulas and triglyceride reduction certainly exists. But DHA reduces triglycerides almost as well. The reason why Vascepa exists is what I call ‘LDL-phobia.’ DHA tends to increase LDL cholesterol a little bit. People (and doctors) are scared of LDL. But LDL can be good or bad – we don’t know if DHA increases what they call ‘LDL-P particle numbers.’ See my blog about it here: http://www.omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-ldl/

    Yes, the oil that goes into Vascepa is far more expensive than the oil that goes into Lovaza. What you are suggesting is exactly what Amarin is doing…and about a dozen supplement companies have EPA-only products in their pipeline.

    • Hi Eric – you are technically correct and so is the FDA is saying that they don’t approve facilities or companies or supplement products. FDA does not hand out a certificate of approval for facilities. But they have certainly dropped by unannounced every year or two and stay for 3 or 4 days. They inspect every quality control document and process, standard operating procedures, record keeping, validation of analytical methods, employee training certificates, etc. The list goes on.

      If our facilities are not approved, we will get something called a ‘483’ in FDA lingo. This is basically a list of violated regulations. We are then given a few days to make corrections and respond back in writing. If our response is inadequate, then they would issue a public ‘warning letter.’ All of our facilities have been inspected, more than once, and we have not received any 483s or warning letters. We interpret this in two ways: 1) our facilities are acceptable to FDA inspectors and 2) we are unofficially ‘FDA Approved.’

      Of course, our fortunes can change depending on the mood of the FDA inspector or how that inspector interprets the regulations…not unlike when a cop pulls you over for speeding.

  31. Hey Vin,

    You’ve probably heard of these guys: Icelandic Fourmula [sic].

    They seem to list how they are better than OmegaVia in several different categories.

    Please comment and refute. I want to know Omega Via is THE BEST.

    Also, separately, can the pills be opened and spread over food, or is that not a good idea?

    I am asking because I am concerned over the size of the pill. Do you have the measurements of an individual pill?

    Thanks,

    Sam

    • Hi Sam – yes, I are aware of the brand and our management is aware of their misrepresentation of OmegaVia expressed here: http://icelandicfourmula.com/omegavia-vs-iceland-omega-3-iceland-fish-oil.php

      A few points:

      1. Quadruple Strength – there is no official definition of Triple or Quadruple Strength fish oil, but one assumes Quad would have more than Triple. Triple Strength formulas typically have 900 mg of Omega-3 per pill. Icelandic formula has 600 mg Omega-3 per pill. Their Omega-3 numbers on the label are based on 3 pills.
      2. Pharmaceutical grade fish oil – again, there is no strict definition for this term. 85% Omega-3 concentration of the oil or higher is generally considered pharma grade. We claim 90% purity. Our last batch was at 96% and this batch is 93%. Very few products reach 90% purity or higher. Icelandic certainly does not.
      3. Molecularly distilled fish oil – virtually all fish oils these days are molecularly distilled. The only way we can get our concentration that high is thru multiple molecular distillations.
      4. They are right in that OmegaVia is not made with oil from Iceland. The only thing I can agree with.
      5. Doctor recommended – actually 80% of our customers come to us from doctor recommendation. We don’t advertise or call on doctors. Never have. If we did, you’d have to pay more.
      6. Unconditional 30 day guarantee – actually, they are right on this one too. Sorry. We don’t have a 30 day guarantee. We have no time limits on our return policy: http://www.omegavia.com/returning-product/

      To directly quote their web page, “When you compare Icelandic Fourmula to Omegavia, the choice is CLEAR!

      Indeed.

      Choice isn’t always as clear: I really like and often recommend RenewLife’s Norwegian Gold products, Minami Nutrition and Nordic Naturals. Minami and RenewLife have niche products that are great. Is OmegaVia THE BEST? Well, I think so, but you could make a good argument for the brands I just mentioned too.

      I would NOT squeeze the oil out of pills and spread on food – capsules are somewhat pressurized and puncturing will squirt droplets to places you’ll never discover and your house will smell after a few days. Concentrated ethyl ester oils are not pleasant tasting like lower-potency triglyceride oils used in liquid fish oils like Nordic’s. Also, once exposed to air, Omega-3 will begin oxidizing – going rancid.

      I don’t have measurements of individual pills – the manufacturing guys call it ‘Oblong 24’ but that means nothing to most people. I’d just say it big. But we are coming out with an OmegaVia Mini this summer, probably July/August.

      • I absolutely LOVE how you reply quickly to questions from anyone. So many companies just don’t do that.

        Thanks!

        • Thanks, Sam. Ironically, I am going to be away from my desk for a week or two, so you may have to take that back! 🙂

  32. I am a “super” pill swallower and a nurse. I have gotten a pill stuck in my esophagus 3 times already. It HURTS! And I suspect it will cause some erosions. Seriously….can’t you halve the amt in each capsule and I will HAPPILY take 6 pills instead of 3.

    • Hi Donna – I am so sorry! I hate, hate, hate hearing this…and that’s why we’re working night and day to get OmegaVia Mini ready for sale. It will be less than half the size of OmegaVia. We hope to have it ready by July/August.

  33. Hi, are the any advices you can give to shift workers, eg police officers? Are shift workers able to achieve maximum health like normal workers?

    • Hi Thelly – shift workers generally have a lot more chronic health issues than those who sleep at night. I don’t have any easy solutions. Our genetic blueprint was cemented eons ago when we were hunter gatherers – a lot of hunting and gathering under the sun and sleeping at night. Shifting away from them has health consequences.

  34. Is your brand a natural triglyceride fish oil or ethyl ester fish oil? I am new to taking fish oil supplements and have recently read there is a huge difference between these two types.

    Thank you for any input on this subject.

    • Hi Kathy – OmegaVia is in triglyceride form. Most common fish oils are in are ethyl ester forms. However, the difference in absorption virtually disappears if you take the supplements with meals, like you’re supposed to. If you only plan on taking fish oil for a week or two, then triglyceride form is better because you’ll see it in the blood cells sooner. But if you’re planning on taking fish oil pills regularly, the difference vanishes.

      Saying triglyceride form of fish oil is better is like saying you’re the best runner, three minutes into a marathon. Your body is perfectly capable of utilizing the Omega-3 in ethyl ester oils. All scientists know this, but marketing and sales people don’t. So whenever you hear someone painting a poor picture of ethyl ester oils, you know they are selling triglyceride oils. And if you hear someone trashing fish oil in general, they’re probably selling algae oil or krill oil. Pretty sad, huh?

      That’s why I get my facts from PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) and I also trust people who say to get your Omega-3 from wild seafood, nuts and green leaves.

  35. Hi Deborah – yes, baby aspirin will increase the anti-inflammatory benefits of Omega-3. This information is fairly new – I’m impressed with your research! The only thing I don’t know yet is if it’s OK to continue taking the two together for long periods – for years. Many doctors are OK with their patients taking baby aspirins daily, forever. Talk to your doctor and see if it’s OK. If it were me, I’d take both for a couple of months, then go off the aspirin for a few weeks to see if there is difference. In the meantime, you may also want to go on an anti-inflammatory diet that’s very low in sugar and omega-6-rich seed oils.

  36. Hi Vin,

    Would like to ask some general question. What would be your idea of top 5 supplements (ranking from 1 to 5) ? Where will fish oil be ranked at?

    • Hi Thelly – I’ll give you my personal Top 5 but your Top 5 may be different. If you are not eating cold water fish, then your #1 may be Omega-3. If you dont go out in the sun and apply sunscreen all the time, then your #1 may be Vitamin D3. So my Top 5 will be different from yours based on your diet and lifestyle.

      My personal Top 5 in no particular order:
      1. Omega-3
      2. Magnesium
      3. Vitamin D3
      4. Vitamin K2
      5. Probiotics

      In the summer, I get enough sun that my Top 5 could include Iodine (kelp) for thyroid reasons.

      • Thanks for your reply!

        In the recent blog post, it was mentioned that vitamin K2 and D works together with calcium. I live in a tropical country and I don’t see a point in taking vitamin D.

        Will that affects me if i only take vitamin K2? And do I need to take calcium?

        • Hi Thelly – everyone needs calcium. You may not need Vitamin D, but the only way to know for sure is to get tested. You can take Vitamin K2 without D or magnesium if your diet contains enough magnesium and you get adequate sun exposure.

    • Hi Ian – I could go on and on about probiotics! I don’t have specific brands to recommend, well, may be Prescript Assist, but that’s about it. But please don’t fall for the numbers marketing game – ‘more billions’ is not better. Go for variety of bacteria. A healthy gut has over 1000 species of bacteria. Taking a supplement with just one strain is relatively useless. You need a variety of approaches, not just supplements. Here’s what I do: I eat a lot of fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, picked beets, yogurt, kefir, kambucha etc. Non-dairy fermented foods contain anaerobic bugs like in our gut, so they are quite different than the dairy-based probiotics you get on the shelves. You need to cut out anti-biotic drugs (unless absolutely necessary!) and foods that disturb gut bacteria – fructose, wheat, sugar. Look into SIBO. Finally, you need to eat foods that will provide prebiotic food to these good bugs – resistant starch from root tubers, vegetables and fruits.

      I never take the same probiotic supplement over and over. I buy different strains to get variety into my gut and most of all, I eat a variety of fermented foods. If you were hoping for a simple solution, sorry! There is none. Gut health is extremely important and very under-rated by mainstream medical care. It requires work and lifestyle changes.

  37. I’m currently on my third bottle of Omegavia.

    I might be a little insensitive to any body changes. Can I know what difference should I be feeling from the consumption?

    • Hi Ken – this depends on your dosage and what health issue you were hoping to address with taking fish oil. There are several other important benefits to fish oil that you won’t feel at all.

      • I’m taking 2 capsules a day, with no particular illnesses. Also exercise everyday.

        Do i fall under the few who would feel no differences? Or is it that my dosage is not enough?

        • Hi Ken – if you are young and have no health issues at all, then, yea, you will not feel that much different. Perhaps increase suppleness of the skin, may be deeper sleep, less anxiety – not sure. 2 per day is a great dose for staying healthy.

    • Hi AC – paleo may help you get healthier. But almost everyone I know who’s tried paleo goes about it the wrong way. Paleo is a concept – a damn good one – but one that requires individualization. Most people make the mistake of eating too much protein or too little fat or too little carbs, or too much fruit or nuts. We all have slightly different requirements. If you’re serious, work with a paleo nutrition coach.

      Yes, fish oil in reasonable quantities complements everything. I’d aim for 1000 to 2000 mg of Omega-3 per day. You don’t need more unless you have special metabolic conditions.

      I pass on the Plantfusion protein – nothing beats pastured eggs and grass-fed meats and seafood.

  38. Hi,

    I’m planning to take a can of wild sardine in spring water from Wild Planet everyday as my post workout diet for convenience. Will I be exceeding the amount of omega 3 intake if i continue to take 2 capsules of Omegavia everyday?

    Also, are the fishes sourced by Omegavia affected by the radiation contamination from Fukushima disaster?

    • Hi Ken – this depends on the amount of sardine. Spring water packed sardines sometimes have less Omega-3 than ones packed in oil. To be safe, I would reduce dosage to 1 pill per day. Our fish do not show any radiation. Virtually all oil used for fish oil supplements come from the Pacific Ocean, so if you are concerned, your option is to eat fish from the Indian and Atlantic oceans, but even that is not guarantee.

  39. I suffer from B12 deficiency and absorption problem. Somebody advised me to take omega 3 capsules, kindly advice me what to do which capsule i have to take and let me know the cost of product……

    • Hi Venkat – you need to talk to your doctor about getting B-12 injection. Or take methylcobalamin supplements or drugs – again, talk to your doctor. Omega-3 supplements do not contain B12. Once that’s is handled, on an ongoing basis, eat 2 egg yolks a day. B12 deficiency is dangerous and often seen with veganism or vegetarianism – may be time to rethink your diet as well.

  40. HI Jeannine – I’m sorry about the difficult situation you just described. I can understand your want to grasp at any straw, as you put it.

    I don’t think OmegaVia is the right choice for you. A higher-DHA liquid formula from Nordic Naturals is what I’d go with for 2 reasons: 1) It is higher in DHA and 2) it is liquid. Well, also, you should not open capsules to use the oil within. It is much better to go with liquid oils.

    The brain requires a lot of nutrients, but fat is one of the most important and I’m not just talking about Omega-3. I would avoid vegetable seed oils that are high in Omega-6. Saturated animal fats like butter is useful. Egg yolks contain a lot of brain-friendly nutrients too. This is the best advice I can give you.

    Take care.

    • Hi Thelly – it depends on how well you tolerate dairy. A lot of people don’t do well on dairy – for them, I’d say stay away from protein powders. And there are people (like me) who do OK with dairy. It’s probably OK to take whey protein occasionally if you can handle dairy.

      But, really, there are two issues here:
      1. Increasing longevity. We need a lot more research to conclude that whey protein will make you live longer. If you want to live longer, eat a toxin-free whole foods diet, sleep a lot, exercise under the sun, reduce stress and socialize. Whey is not the answer.
      2. Increasing protein is often seen a healthy thing to do. I’d say increasing healthy fats is far healthier. This is why I eat grass-fed butter, grass-fed heavy cream and full-fat home-made yogurt made from grass-fed milk – generously.

  41. Thank you so much for your advice… After debating and calculating which one of the omega 3 fish oil is the best , I followed your advise . I just ordered two bottles for me and for my husband , he is diabetic.

    • Hi Ken –

      OmegaVail Hi Po has 700 mg Omega-3 per pill. OmegaVia has 1105 Omega-3 per pill.
      OmegaVail Hi Po is a 70% Omega-3 product. OmegaVia is 90%.

      Designs for Health is a good company with solid products. But it’s very expensive.

      • Hi Ken – a lot of people get fooled by the ‘serving size = 2 capsules’ gimmick. Don’t fall for it!

        Your Total Cholesterol and LDL – not sure what’s high about it! See this: http://www.omegavia.com/cholesterol-when-to-panic/ Reducing fats in your diet is pointless and dangerous! Most people who avoid fats will inadvertently increase the carb intake and that will only lead to higher blood fats, contradictory as it seems. The key thing is to reduce sugar, refined carbs, grains and vegetable oils. Try eating as close to a paleo diet as you can. Lots of vegetables, meats and seafood.

  42. Hi Nancy – OmegaVia is a highly purified Omega-3 supplement and Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and necessary for several functions in your body. If you are deficient in Omega-3, you can experience some of these chronic health issues, especially depression and joint pain. So it is definitely worth considering to take about 2000 mg of Omega-3 to see if quality of life improves. You can get 2000 mg with 2 OmegaVia pills or 4 OmegaVia EPA 500 pills.

    A diet makeover sounds like it may help as well, as diet is critical in increasing or decreasing inflammation. Look into a Paleo type diet with lots of fresh vegetables.

  43. Hi Vin,

    I saw your new Omegavia EPA product and I am at a loss which to purchase. Is DHA bad for us? Is it better for me to take 4 pills of Omegavia EPA or 2 pills of Omegavia daily?

    My aunt recently felt joint pain when walking down the stairs and standing up after long period of sitting. Should I get her fish oil, glucosamine or both?

    Do you recommend intermittent fasting? I always thought breakfast is the most important meal.

    • Hi Ken – DHA is essential for ALL of us in small quantities. However, if you are pregnant, nursing a newborn or recovering from stroke or brain injury, you need very high levels of DHA. Then there is a second group of people in the middle, who are actively trying to deal with brain and memory health issues – they also need a little more DHA than the rest of us. For these two groups of people, EPA 500 is not appropriate. They should stay with regular OmegaVia. However, if you don’t fall into the categories I mentioned above, EPA 500 is a good choice. Most of your daily DHA needs are easily met without supplementation if you eat eggs and seafood a couple of times a week.

      Having said that, DHA is not bad for anyone. It is essential. However, if you are taking DHA along with exercise and healthy diet to manage triglycerides, you may notice your LDL cholesterol going up.

      Again, if you do not fall into any of the categories of people I described above, you can substitute two EPA 500 pills for one regular OmegaVia pill.

      I would have your aunt take both fish oil and glucosamine. Note that glucosamine takes a couple of months to show any effect…but it will help.

      Changing gears…

      Yes, a breakfast with protein and healthy fats is extremely important. Intermittent fasting is highly recommended. The key thing here being INTERMITTENT. You only need to do it once a week or so to see improvements in metabolic function and markers. However, if you are on a high-carb diet, you will find this extremely challenging.

      • Thank you for the valuable information.

        A really important question to me. I have childhood asthma since young and I would cough badly for 3-6months if i got sick. Things got better when I grew older but if i start coughing, my lung will feel really bad and there might be wheezing sound when I breath.

        This happens especially in the winter season (although I live in a tropical country with no year-round seasons). Is there anything I should be taking so as to eliminate this once and for all?

        • Hi Ken – this is better answered by your doctor than me. I don’t have all the facts or the authorization to make medical decisions. Having said that, I would point my finger at excess Omega-6 from vegetable seed oils and sugar as the primary cause of the inflammation-driven irritation you’re experiencing.

  44. How would you compare between life extension’s 2 per day multivitamins and megafood men’s one daily. In terms of potency, it seems that life extension is stronger but megafood got its source from food sources.

    I heard that food-based vitamins are easier to absorb than synthetic ones. Also, i’ve heard that one per day vitamins would not be potent enough.

    • HI Alexander – this is a huge discussion that I couldn’t possibly cover here, but generally, whole foods supplements are good options. I’d prefer them to synthetic ones, but this depends on which ingredient, how well the synthetic ones are absorbed, if there are any side effects to the synthetic forms, whether the natural options have any contaminants, etc. etc. Having said all that, I have to confess that I do not take any multivitamins because I prefer to get my vitamins and minerals directly from my diet. I eat a wide variety of vegetables, eggs, seafood and grass fed meats, including liver. Liver and eggs are nature’s multivitamins. I also buy LifeExtension’s Two Per Day Multis for my family members who refuse to eat a good diet. Hope that helps.

      • Do you think its okay for us to eat eggs raw then? I heard bad things about eating egg whites because of its biotin.

        • Hi Alexander – avidin in raw egg white can bind biotin. This may be an issue if you are not getting much biotin in other meals and foods. I do not recommend eating eggs raw. Lightly scrambling it denatures the avidin, so you don’t need to worry about biotin binding. Just make sure you don’t overcook eggs to the point of becoming rubbery.

  45. My husband and I are in the second bottles of OmegaVia 500. I have observed a huge reduction in stiffness and pain in my fingers. My mood has changed for being more patient and calm..my husband sugar went down , which I believe the EPA has something to do with it. I signed for an auto delivery.

    I have another concern which I am hoping omega via could be of great help..my 13 yr old grandson has an attitude problem..I am so worried of him that I keep on researching how I can help.. Which of the OmgaVia product is best for him.. Thank you

    • Hi Nancy – so glad to hear that you’re experiencing benefits from the EPA.

      Well, 13-year-olds and attitude problems are sometimes synonymous. With teens, just cutting out soda and junk food may. Keep us posted.

    • Hi Tan – I am not familiar with this product. But I am skeptical about lactoferrin, the active ingredient, being able to reduce or remove acne scars.

  46. What about plant based Omega 3 Fatty acids! How do they compare with fish oils? Flax, Borage, chia, walnuts, sesame seeds, soy, rapeseed, pumpkin and many others have high contents of ALA. ALA is a precursor of EPA and DHA correct. Do you have a vegan version of Omegavia for vegetarians? Do you intend to possibly look in to making a non sea food containing vegan Omegavia? Do you intend to blend plant and non plant based EPA/DHA/ALA in to one pill?

    • Hi Patrick – unless you are a vegan or vegetarian who does not consume fish, taking plant-based Omega-3 is not a good idea because plants provide ALA Omega-3 that need to be converted to EPA and DHA via long and complicated process. This conversion is very inefficient and only about 5% of the ALA gets converted to EPA and even less gets converted to DHA.

      For vegans, I suggest buying an algae-based product like Ovega-3. We do not currently market an algae-based product. There are several algae farms cropping up everywhere and we are in discussion with a few to see if it makes sense for us to market an algae-based product. We will not blend plant and animal based Omega-3s – that would not appeal to vegans and will increase the cost for non-vegans who can buy fish-based products.

  47. Hi Patrick – I’ll do my best.

    Vayarin is a medical food (novel supplement that you need a prescription for) that is EPA Omega-3 bound to Phosphatidylserine. It combines two nutrients that have been shown to have an effect on ADHD. I think it is a great product.

    My opinions: if my child had ADHD, I would try this product before Ritalin. The recommended 1 pill per day may not be sufficient. I also think it would be much more cost effective if you combined these two supplements:
    EPA supplement: http://www.amazon.com/OmegaVia-Pharmaceutical-EPA-Only-Formula-Mini-Gels/dp/B00D37S0HC/
    phosphatidylserine supplement: http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Phosphatidyl-Serine-120-Count/dp/B0036FWOJQ/

    Vayacog is similar and made by the same company. Again, good product, but you may be better off using a combination of a DHA supplement with a PS supplement. Both these products can be avoided if you eat salmon and liver a couple of times a week.

    Ocean Blue 2100 – again, good product with equivalent potency as OmegaVia. OmegaVia has a higher EPA to DHA ratio and has enteric coating to prevent burping.

  48. Hi Vin Kutty,

    Could you tell me more about the conversion rate from ALA to EPA or DHA? As you said, if the rate is 5%, so we take 4g ALA from oil, we can also get 200mg EPA by this conversion rate.

    • Hi Peter – yes, you can. I strongly feel that everyone who takes Glucosamine and Chondroitin to manage joint aches will benefit from Omega-3s, especially EPA Omega-3. Reducing Omega-6 from vegetable seed oils will help as well.

  49. Hello,
    Im interested in the effects of Omegavia EPA 500 on mood. I have read a lot of information that recommends 2 to 4 grams ( 2000mg to 4000mg?)of fish oil per day to see results. Should a person build up to this amount or start right off with a higher dose?

    Thanks, Melissa
    p.s. Final clincher for ordering Omegavia for me was the all the complete answers and expertise Vin displays in his comments. Its like, finally somebody cares beyond just making a buck!

    • Hi Melissa – almost all our customers who use the EPA 500 product for mood combine it with a healthy diet and an exercise program. I don’t recommend starting at 4000 mg (8 capsules) on day 1. I suggest you take 500 mg (1 capsule) for a couple of days and then increase to 1000 mg (2 capsules) a day and work up to 2000 mg over a period of a week or two. If you’re used to taking high doses of fish oil, you don’t need to gradually increase your dose, but if you’re not used to it, start slow. Once at the higher dose, it will probably take you a few weeks to a month or more to notice any effects.

      Thanks for the kind words. They’re appreciated.

  50. Hi Mohamed – this sentence says it all “Fish oil supplements fed to mice already on a diet rich in vegetable oil ”

    Vegetable oil is rich in Omega-6, which undoes most of the benefits of Omega-3 and adds a lot of oxidative stress. High levels of Omega-6 is a recipe for disaster. I am not surprised at the results of the study, but newspapers are not the best at interpreting scientific studies. They are better at writing scary headlines.

  51. Hi Vin,
    I heard fish oil can go rancid once it hits your warm stomach, cold water fish oil hitting a warm body. I heard this on the radio from some guy called Dr. Mitch. Whats your opinion?
    Thanks,
    Staci

    • Hi Staci – if only I got a dollar every time someone on TV, radio or internet said something outrageous about fish oil! My opinion is that this is completely irrelevant and illogical. Omega-3 EPA and DHA are rich in cold water fish and shrimp and algae, which the fish and shrimp eat. You need EPA and DHA – regardless of what the experts tell you. Yes, your body can make some EPA from Omega-3 from plants. But you cannot make enough DHA from plant Omega-3. The best way to get Omega-3 is to eat cold water fish, about 12 ounces a week – this is the most bang for the buck. If you cant do that, fish oil supplements provide a convenient alternative source of Omega-3.

  52. Hi Shuchi – there may be an underlying medical issue related to the sudden weight loss. I suggest you discuss this with a specialist. However, the triglyceride issue is fairly straight forward. It’s from too much sugar, sweets, juices and grains. Cut back on starches and increase the protein and healthy fats. Switch from rice bran to olive oil. All the information you need to act are in the blogs here (see archives) and the comments section under each blog.

    • Hi Vin,
      Thanks for your reply. But there are not too many sweets in his diet, he has cut down on sweets except for few occasions. No juices too. There seems to be nothing to increase the Tgl levels. Is it that he should reduce grains like whole wheat and brown rice that he is having? His diet is very moderate of 2 chapatis (flat bread) and brown rice in the afternoon with Veggies and fish, and 3 chapatis in the night with veggies and dal.
      If he needs to take omega 3 then how many capsules you suggest and if I order how many days will it take to reach India?

      • Hi Shuchi – it’s the flat bread and rice that’s causing the problem. I’m sure genetics plays a part too. He should be aiming for 3000 mg of Omega-3 per day. Unfortunately, we do not ship to India – sorry!

  53. Hello,

    Would you be able to explain the difference between omega 3 and fermented cod liver oil? The WAP followers are raving about FCLO and I don’t know the difference.

    • Hi Syed – I love the Weston Price group and what they’re trying to do. I wish more people followed their advice. http://www.westonaprice.org/

      Having said that, I am very mixed on fermented cod liver oil. I have issues with cod because it is over-fished, polluted (compared to other fish oils), and the cod liver oil industry seriously lacks transparency. So you’re starting with issues that are not necessarily nutrition related. There is one major player in the fermented cod liver oil field and they are equally opaque in their operations. I have not tested the product the WAP folks seem to love, so I cant comment on the purity. More here: https://www.omegavia.com/cod-liver-oil/

      But the key point to remember is that FCLO is not exactly an Omega-3 supplement. It is a natural Vitamin A supplement. It is very high in fat-soluble vitamins like A and D. So, yes, it is a ‘super food.’ I prefer to get my Omega-3 from salmon and fish oil supplements. And I prefer to get my Vitamin A from grass-fed lamb liver, dairy fats etc.

      If you take FCLO by the spoonful you will get most of your Omega-3, A and D. You’d be way ahead of most people with just those three ingredients. But I pass…at least until I’ve done a full lab assay on FCLO.

  54. http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/14302/65691/65691.pdf I read a Myocardial infarction – secondary prevention: NICE guideline in this website. This guideline told us that Do not offer or advise people to use the following to prevent another MI:
    omega-3 fatty acid capsules
    omega-3 fatty acid supplemented foods.
    If people choose to take omega-3 fatty acid capsules or eat omega-3 fatty acid
    supplemented foods, be aware that there is no evidence of harm

    Why? Is Omega-3 harmful for MI patients?

    • Hi Eric – I’m glad you asked this question. This has been bugging me. I’ll expand the following comments into a blog soon.

      There is absolutely no harm in taking Omega-3. If you’re a doctor and tell your MI patients to avoid Omega-3 patients, please know that you are basing your decision on improperly interpreted and misguided science.

      The decision by NICE to back off on Omega-3 is based on a study that was severely underpowered because the patients in the study were already getting state of the art therapies like anti-thrombotics, statins and anti-hypertensives.

      It is difficult for any therapy to show a significant benefit above and beyond the combination of such firepower. It’s like you having to shout to be heard at a loud party. You may have something important or funny to say, but no one will hear you at your regular speaking volume.

      There are several other reasons – one is the level of Omega-6 linoleic acid that’s competing with Omega-3 DHA and EPA. Look at the second graph in this article: http://www.omegavia.com/oxidized-ldl-cholesterol-lard-less-lipitor/ It shows you the Omega-6 content in body fat. The higher the Omega-6 level in our diet, the greater the Omega-3 dose required to show a clinical benefit. This fact is ignored by virtually all studies. Since almost all of us are overdosed on Omega-6, if we used this as an exclusion criteria, we would have a very hard time finding candidates for studies who qualify. Large studies would never get off the ground. At some point, we have to focus on reducing competing Omega-6 and stop doubting Omega-3.

      These are huge problems for current studies on Omega-3. There is no way to detect an effect with all the ‘signal noise.’ So expect more bad news about Omega-3 in the future.

      Neither fish nor humans have evolved much since the 1980s and 1990s when every study published on Omega-3 showed amazing promise. The problems here are with the study design, not Omega-3 metabolism.

      • You means that they make this conclusion with OMEGA study. I also agree with you about the imbalance of Omega-3:Omega-6 ratio.

  55. Do you have simple ways to identify the difference between high concentration fish oil(90%) and low concentration fish oil(30%) ?

    • Hi Eric – by looking at the pill itself, it is impossible to tell. I look at the supplements facts data panel on the side of the bottle. Sometimes, even that is not easy. When in doubt, call the manufacturer.

  56. Hi Anna – we are very familiar with ‘Fish Oil Detective.’

    All points made on those pages have been addressed in the following articles:
    http://www.omegavia.com/ee-fish-oil-vs-tg-fish-oil/
    http://www.omegavia.com/ee-fish-oil-vs-tg-fish-oil-2/
    http://www.omegavia.com/fish-oil-ethyl-ester-vs-triglyceride-revisited/

    There is a lot of technical information in the articles above. After reading it, you will find that every argument can have a counter-argument. This ethyl ester versus triglyceride debate and fear-mongering will be around as long as the internet is. Ultimately you are doing the right thing by digging up facts and making up your own mind – that’s smart.

  57. Hello Vin,
    I did catch your sharing about taking Astaxanthin. Did you do a research to find out if Costco Trunature brand’s Astaxanthin are from microalgae or from synthetic source? Below is what I found from my readings:
    “Most Astaxanthin products available on the market are from a synthetically produced source. However, there are some brands that harvest the microalgae that produces Astaxanthin in high quantities. One of the main advantages of the natural form of Astaxanthin is its stability. Natural Astaxanthin is in an esterified form unlike the synthetic which is in the free form. The stable esterified form of natural Astaxanthan gives it a longer shelf life and prevents oxidation”. Thank you. Anna

    • Hi Anna – the last time I checked, Costco had two different natural Astaxanthin products. Neither were synthetic. Most of the astaxanthin produced in the world is synthetic but almost all of it goes to animal feed. We feed stuff to animals that are far worse than synthetic astaxanthin! Quite disturbing. Selling synthetic astaxanthin as supplements to humans is a new thing. So your source is incorrect in hinting that most supplement are synthetic. I am not convinced that natural astaxanthin is highly stable – I’d have to see more data on that. Regardless, it is a great antioxidant.

  58. Hi Vin,
    Do you make a fuss about DPA, how much do we need? I noticed that your Omegavia does have DPA in other Omega-3 group, but how many DPA mg? One product has these claims about DPA:
    …there is another fatty acid that may be equally important. It’s called docosapentaenoic acid, or DPA….DPA offers the missing link in complete omega-3 essential fatty acid nutrition…it plays a critical role in helping other fatty acids work inside the body while providing its own unique benefits as well.
    I also saw one Dr. recommended on Dr. Oz show that we need 600mg DHA/day. You seems to have a different view on this DHA requirements as if such high level of DHA is for nursing mothers, stroke patients, etc.. but not for regular healthy adults. Your explanation please. Thank you, Anna

  59. Hi Anna – I can understand the confusion…someone is pretending to be me on Amazon.com and has posted several negative comments about OmegaVia. Amazon has already deleted most of the really offensive stuff. Our lawyers are in touch with Amazon.com to put an end to the false impersonation. There are some nutty people on the interweb!

    • Hi Anna – we’ve been getting lots of questions about this lately. Some of the quite heartbreaking. The key here is high purity, high dosage and high urgency. This needs to be done via feeding tube or IV as soon as possible. Better to go with an unflavored liquid oil.

  60. Hi there,
    You had clarified to me that “Vegetable oil is rich in Omega-6, which undoes most of the benefits of Omega-3 and adds a lot of oxidative stress. High levels of Omega-6 is a recipe for disaster”.

    I am on omegavia now for last 1 month. Does it make sense to switch to a different oil (currently using sunflower oil).

    I am thinking of 1. Canola oil 2. Virgin Coconut Oil 3. rice bran oil
    Could you pls suggest me what would be the best alternative oil for cooking purpose (thereby reduce omega 6 and make omega 3 I’m consuming more effective) and your thoughts on what I should go and not go for. Thanks.

    • HI Mohamed – switch away from sunflower oil as soon as possible. Sunflower oil is extremely high in Omega-6. Switch to coconut oil, olive oil or butter. Do not use Canola or rice bran.

  61. Vin,
    Thank you for the information regarding cooking oil. I recently bought 2 huge bottles of grapeseed oil from Costco. Then I found an article saying that it is high in Omega-6. http://authoritynutrition.com/grape-seed-oil/ – Last week, I wrote to Costco to find out if the oil is cold-expelled, but did not get an answer . I am taking Omegavia and I don’t counteract its benefits with Omega-6. Thanks for your reply. Anna

    • Hi Anna – take the grapeseed oil back to Costco. They have good return policies. Instead get their olive oil or get Kerry butter or may be if they’re keeping up with the times, they’ll have coconut oil. The last time I checked they only had extra virgin olive oil, which isnt good to cook with, but it great over salads. Costco does not have extra light olive oil, which handles heat much better. Butter is fantastic. Virgin and Extra Virgin coconut oil has a lot of nutty sweet odor, so I prefer expeller pressed coconut oil, which has less odor and takes heat really well.

      Everyone should read Authority Nutrition – fantastic unbiased stuff. He says a lot of the same things I do, but he isnt selling anything like I am, so there is that credibility factor. 🙂

      Taking OmegaVia alone will not counteract several years worth of Omega-6 overconsumption. It will take several months or years to get your Omega-3 to 6 balance where it is not making you more prone to chronic diseases.

  62. Hi there,

    I’ve heard that the ‘super critical’ processing method of fish oil is very important – how does OmegaVia processes work?

    Thanks

    • Hi Alice – ‘important’ is the wrong word. It’s more, well, special, advanced and better in many ways. Supercritical CO2 process is a way to concentrate Omega-3 to very high levels with hardly any heat. It is also extremely effective at removing heavy metals. OmegaVia uses a molecular distillation process, but will soon switch to supercritical CO2 technology. Stay tuned…

  63. Hi Vin,

    When I see your comments on fish oil, and you said a lot about that higher concentration fish oil is better. Could you show me more scientific evidence to prove that higher concentrations fish oil(>90%) is better than low concentrations fish oil(30%)? Thanks.

    Eric

    • Hi Eric – here is an article that contains discussion and a link to a study that shows higher concentration fish oil is better. https://www.omegavia.com/why-pharmaceutical-grade-fish-oil-is-better/

      But putting this reference aside, the main reason why I say high potency fish oil is better is that it allows people to get therapeutic doses with the fewest number of pills per day. We’ve conducted enough consumer research to know that most people will take one pill a day, regardless of higher recommended dosage. This is just human behavior. Accepting this, the only way to impart noticeable health benefit in populations that are Omega-3 deficient is to take highly concentrated fish oils.

  64. Dear Omegavia,

    I find this page especially informative and have emailed it to many people as it was all that was needed to convince them to take your product. However, I have one humble request for you: Can you please update your analyses in the pictures to see where Omegavia stands today (July 2014) in regards to Omega 3 cost, omega 3 concentration per softgel and purity?

    Kind regards,

    • Hi Omegavia fan – that page is a bit outdated and due for a make over. We will get to it. Thanks for the reminder.

  65. Hi Anu – Omega-3 is not going to make your depression go away in a couple of weeks, assuming your depression was caused by Omega-3 deficiency. Omega-3 deficiency is rarely the sole cause of depression. Talk to a doctor about medication. In the meantime, follow an anti-inflammatory diet, like Paleo or Zone. And get lots of exercise, sun exposure and work on fixing inflammation.

  66. hello! Hope you are still answering questions… I currently take a liquid
    Omega-3 product which, at 1 tablespoon, delivers 3.6g EPA and 1.6g DHA.
    My question is: how much of this do you suppose is actually absorbed? Is there any food item which helps in absorption of EPA/DHA. Further, I read in one of your other responses that EPA hangs around for a few days, DHA for a longer period. Does one, therefore, need a daily dose or is every other day sufficient? The dose I currently take is double the suggested dose but I am thinking that, in the matter of EPA/DHA, more is better. 🙂
    I have no real health issues; am in my late 60s; just trying to keep my brain alive! Thanks

    • Hi Dawn – most of the Omega-3 in your product should be absorbed. I can’t give you an exact percentage that is absorbed because how much is absorbed depends on whether you take it with food or on an empty stomach. Always better with meals. Especially if your meals contains fats – any fats, but healthy fats like olive oil is good for increasing Omega-3 absorption.

      Since you’re taking a good dose of Omega-3 (5.2 grams of Omega-3) with each tablespoon, I would think you’d be fine with taking this every other day…unless you’re taking Omega-3 to maintain healthy triglycerides per your doctor’s instruction, in which case, stick with it every day, in combination with a healthy diet and exercise plan.

      More is not better. If you were taking 10 grams a day, I would ask you to cut back to about a third of that. All Omega-3 supplementation needs to go hand-in-hand with Omega-6 reduction: http://www.omegavia.com/how-to-reduce-omega-6/ and drastic reductions in sugar and refined grains. If your goal is keeping your brain alive, you need to read Grain Brain by Dr. Perlmutter. http://www.amazon.com/Grain-Brain-Surprising-Sugar-Your-Killers/dp/031623480X

    • Hi Giovanni – no need to be confused. Your body needs both EPA and DHA for slightly different purposes. DHA is needed in small quantities for adults and in large quantities for children and pregnant women. EPA supports mood health. Most OmegaVia products to date have been EPA-only or high in EPA. However, we will be launching DHA products soon. Anyone who tells you that you should only take DHA or only EPA is trying to sell you something.

      You cannot lower cholesterol with fish oil. EPA + DHA or DHA alone can help maintain healthy blood pressure if combined with a healthy diet and exercise. But for blood pressure, you’re better off reducing sugar/grains and increasing potassium intake with vegetables instead of taking supplements.

    • Wow, Bryan! Thank you for the heads up. I had no idea that they’d reviewed OmegaVia. I find their review incorrect because they found only 602 mg of Omega-3 per pill when the label says 1105 mg. This is why they ranked us so low for label accuracy…and why the quality ranking is so low.

      We have OmegaVia third-party tested by two different labs – IFOS and Covance, in addition to our own in-house lab. All show that OmegaVia exceeds the 1105 mg of Omega-3 per pill that is claimed on the label. You can check the results yourself here: http://www.nutrasource.ca/ifos/files/ifos%20innovix%20omegavia%20batch%20ov140277.pdf According to IFOS, there should be 1219 mg of Omega-3 per pill. That roughly twice that of 602 mg that Labdoor found.

      However, it is entirely possible that they thought the 1105 mg we claim on the label is the amount found in 2 pills…since it is very rare to have that much Omega-3 in one pill. If you multiply 602 times 2, you get 1204 mg. This math error on their part makes more sense.

  67. Hi Vin, I contaced Labdoor and here is their response in regards to OmegaVia content. Labdoor said that they will contact OmegaVia to let you know their finding which is different than OmegaVia label claim. They also stated that the sample OmegaVia provided to the testing company may be different than their sample which is bought on the market. Please read their response below:
    _______________________________________________
    Neil Thanedar
    Nov 5 (13 days ago)

    Hello. I double-checked our original Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the OmegaVia product, and can confirm that we measured only 602 mg of omega-3 content per 1500 mg softgel (including 433 mg of EPA and 133 mg of DHA). These values are significantly below OmegaVia’s label claims.
    The product we tested was purchased directly from Amazon.com on May 29th, 2014 (LOT UC130542), entered into the FDA-registered laboratory on June 2nd, 2014, and testing was completed on June 21st, 2014.

    Please note that testing laboratories such as IFOS and Covance operate in a different manner than LabDoor. IFOS and Covance test samples supplied by the manufacturers, and perform the testing under the sponsorship of the manufacturers. We tested this OmegaVia product independently, and selected a sample for testing in the same manner as the average consumer would purchase the product.

    If you have any further questions, please let me know. We will also be reaching out to the manufacturer of this product directly to inform them of our results.

    Regards,
    Neil

    On Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 8:23 AM, LabDoor Team wrote:

    Hello, per OmegaVia, there was an error in your test of their product, see comments below, do you care to respond? Author: Vin Kutty, MS Comment: Thank you for the heads up. I had no idea that they’d reviewed OmegaVia. I find their review incorrect because they found only 602 mg of Omega-3 per pill when the label says 1105 mg. This is why they ranked us so low for label accuracy…and why the quality ranking is so low. We have OmegaVia third-party tested by two different labs – IFOS and Covance, in addition to our own in-house lab. All show that OmegaVia exceeds the 1105 mg of Omega-3 per pill that is claimed on the label. You can check the results yourself here: http://www.nutrasource.ca/ifos/files/ifos%20innovix%20omegavia%20batch%20ov140277.pdf According to IFOS, there should be 1219 mg of Omega-3 per pill. That roughly twice that of 602 mg that Labdoor found. However, it is entirely possible that they thought the 1105 mg we claim on the label is the amount found in 2 pills…since it is very rare to have that much Omega-3 in one pill. If you multiply 602 times 2, you get 1204 mg. This math error on their part makes more sense. http://www.omegavia.com/the-omegavia-difference/

    • Hi Anna – thanks for sharing and nice to hear from you again. We’ve been discussing this with Labdoor. They are cooperating. They contacted us after others like you questioned the results. We are fully transparent about these things, so we provided certificate of analyses from five different tests. All results show that OmegaVia contains at least 1105 mg of Omega-3 per pill and most found about 1200 mg per pill. Four of those five tests were done in different labs. They are all FDA-registered labs with validated testing procedures. Labdoor contains copies of these test results. Two of those five tests were conducted in third-party labs.

      Of course, never satisfied with ‘good enough,’ last week, we sent out more unopened bottles from this batch to be tested at other third-party labs – all are well-known, FDA-inspected, audited labs using validated methods. I’ve received the results from Covance Lab so far and, not surprisingly, the results are in agreement with our results and contain exactly twice the amount detected by Labdoor. Covance found 1220 mg Omega-3 per pill.

      As someone who spent 7 years doing analytical chemistry, I find it very interesting that all the other labs found roughly the same amount of Omega-3 in our pills. Except Labdoor. Labdoor found EXACTLY HALF the Omega-3 that the other labs found. The same issue (Labdoor found half of what’s claimed on the label) is seen in LifeExtension Super Omega-3, a product that has a history of providing the amounts claimed on the label. To me this clearly suggests a systemic dilution error or calculation error. There is no other explanation. Our chemists have seen a pattern of similar issues in 6 other fish oil tests performed by Labdoor.

      The insinuation by Labdoor that the products we submitted to third-party labs may be different, superior, and designed to pass scrutiny and that products available to consumers may be potentially inferior, is a serious one. And one without substance or validation. All products, those sent out for third-party testing, those purchased by Labdoor, those purchased by consumers…they are all the same, sealed with tamper evident material. Doing anything unethical in these matters would be a gross violation of dozens of FDA cGMP regulations. These are not matters we take lightly.

      If/when this issue concludes favorably and if/when our legal department allows me to share all back-n-forth emails with our 100,000+ monthly blog readers, I will gladly do so. There are so many ‘teachable moments’ here that I’m chomping at the bits.

      In the meantime, Labdoor is revisiting their numbers and have agreed to test again if necessary. They have shared their certificate of analysis on their own letterhead, not that of a third-party lab. They have not disclosed the name of their third-party lab or the testing methods. So that’s where things stand as of November 18, 2014. Again, thank you for bringing this up.

  68. You don’t discuss absorption. I take the PRN brand for purity, potency, and high absorption rate, for dry eye. Many ophthalmologists prescribe it. How does your brand compare? Is Omegavia effective for treating dry eye?

    • Hi K Edwards – we didn’t discuss absorption on this page because absorption is not an issue with fish oil, like it is with, say, magnesium or turmeric. Fish oil of all forms are highly absorbed, regardless of the type or form they come in. OmegaVia comes in both types – ethyl ester (ethanol based) and triglyceride (glycerol based) and the difference in absorption between the two is minor and evident only if the product is taken on an empty stomach. If taken with a meal (like we recommend), the difference is negligible. We sell OmegaVia in bulk to several ophthalmologists’ offices, and based on how much and how often they buy, they appear to be very happy with their purchases. It is also worth noting that OmegaVia is being used in a large ophthalmology study conducted at a major American university. I hope this gives you some additional perspective on the issue.

  69. Hi Vin,

    I noticed in your comment to K Edwards that you said Omega Via is available in triglyceride form, which I didn’t realize. Where on your website can it be found?

    • Hi Bryan – our EPA 500 is now in triglyceride form. It was just manufactured, so I think it may be few more weeks before it is available on our website and on Amazon. I believe there may still be a few weeks worth of ethyl ester form product left.

      • Hi Vin,

        Why is the EPA 500 now being produced in triglyceride form, and is there any plans to make the regular Omega Via fish oil in triglyceride form also?

        • Hi Bryan – EPA 500 is being produced in TG form for several reasons, but the key reason is to remove the unwarranted debate about absorption of EE vs TG forms of oils off the table when consumers are purchasing. It is a silly, silly, faux debate, that’s fueled by marketers of TG oils. I’d rather people focus on improving their health than get caught up in marketing cobwebs. That’s my brutally honest answer. Of course, there are other reasons like disruptions in supply in Peruvian fishery etc.

          We are not planning on changing OmegaVia’s formula in 2015, other than a potential switch to fish gelatin from mammalian gelatin. This allows more religious groups to purchase the products.

  70. Hi Kim – DHA is usually not used for lowering high cholesterol. It is EPA or a mix of EPA and DHA that is more often used for lowering triglycerides and blood fats. OmegaVia has at least 260 mg of DHA per pill and this addresses the needs of most people, unless you’re pregnant or nursing. Both OmegaVia and OmegaVia EPA 500 are good for managing triglyceride levels.

  71. Hi Karl – I don’t think your wasting your money on the Costco product. I also don’t think taking 4 pills a day will harm you. I’m not sure how much triglyceride reduction you will get with 4 of those pills. Some certainly, but not a big drop as you’d notice with a more potent oil.

    You need DHA for eye health but unlike EPA, DHA accumulates in the body and it stays put. So taking lower amounts of DHA regularly is fine.

  72. Hi Ron – if your triglyceride was 500 before Tricor and 73 with Tricor, chances are that your triglyceride will go up with just OmegaVia EPA 500. This should not surprise you. Tricor is a very powerful drug specifically designed to reduce blood fats. EPA 500 is not a drug, but a fish oil based supplement. People who want to avoid pharmaceutical drugs as much as possible and wish to take a gentler, more natural path lean towards products like EPA 500. If you want to maintain triglyceride around 73, you will have to increase exercise and eliminate all sugar and grains from your diet. The combination of sugar-elimination and increased Omega-3 will do wonders for your weight, mood, joints, heart and brain. Reducing triglycerides is only a small part of the benefits of Omega-3. This is probably why your doctor put you on EPA 500. But you need to keep in mind that Tricor works differently and is a drug – with different benefits and side effects. The typical dose for triglyceride reduction with Omega-3 is 3000 mg per day – that would be equal to 6 or 8 pills respectively.

  73. Hi Dianna – you need to discuss medical conditions with your specialist. I cannot give you medical advise. Having said that, other customers with eye health concerns take 2 to 3 OmegaVia per day. I think that is a good dose.

  74. Okay, so I patiently read through all these comments not to double up on questions.
    1) I’m a little confused. You state here that the Vit E is derived from soy, that is likely GMO. However, there is another comment that states it is not GMO, and the product page says there is no soy in the product.
    2) I’m allergic to soy, yeast, corn, buckwheat, and gluten. Can you tell me if your product has these allergens, anything derived from these allergens, or, is manufactured on equipment that also manufactures these allergens? That last one is where most supplements fail for me:(.

    • Hi Angela – kudos for patiently reading all 238 comments (to date)! But that’s the problem with reading all those comments – we upgrade or change the formulation every year or so. Since comment #1, we’ve removed all soy derived ingredients. We now use non-GMO sunflower Vitamin E and rosemary extract. So the conflicting information you read are/were, well, both correct. Another example: we currently use beef gelatin to make the capsule shell but will be changing to fish gelatin in mid-2015.

      There is no soy, yeast, corn, buckwheat or gluten in OmegaVia products. But it is manufactured on equipment that has come in contact with soy Vitamin E. There is, however, a very thorough cleaning process between products. I have pretty severe gluten issues, but no issues with soy or corn. I have no reaction at all. Having said that, there is no manufacturing plant in the United States that makes softgel capsules that has not been exposed to soy vitamin E at some point. Every single encapsulation machine I’ve seen in the last 20+ years has run soy vit E at some point. But this is why there is a thorough cleaning process in place. I have complete faith in the cleaning process because I know how it is done.

  75. Why doesn’t Omegavia have a seal of approval from the United States Pharmacopeial Convention or USP Verified or NSF International on the label or website?

    • Hi Amy – good question.

      USP is a good measure of process control – that means documentation and following manufacturing procedures. Benefit is that you get the same, consistent widget each time. This is the key benefit of this certification. This is a completely useless seal for the consumer, in my opinion, because you can encapsulate anything (even contaminants) with fish oil and pass USP with flying colors. USP does not care WHAT is in the pill, as long as it contains the same thing every single time.
      All the things that consumers care about – purity, contamination, freshness etc are completely ignored by this certification. This is the reason why you are unlikely to see these certifications for OmegaVia in the near future.

      However, OmegaVia is IFOS 5-star certified. It is ranked highly by Labdoor.com and ConsumerLab.com will soon begin testing OmegaVia as well.

  76. Hi Vin,

    I read this comment from almost two years ago…
    ———————————————————————————————————
    Hi RWM – I use Costco’s Trunature brand astaxanthin. It’s not an endorsement, but just want I’m using right now. Look for BioAstin or AstaReal sub-brands – these are OK. Not sure I have favorites.

    At some point, may sell a ‘heart health pack’ that could contain CoQ10, but we will not be selling CoQ10 by itself or adding to fish oil.
    ———————————————————————————————————

    Have you given any more thought to selling a ‘heart health pack’? Because I would consider buying!

    — Sam

    • Hi Sam – thank you for your vote of confidence. We’ll keep it in mind.

      As much as I like the idea of a ‘heart pack,’ it assumes that we all need the same amount of heart healthy supplements. One-size-fits-all does not work with health and nutrition. So what’s most likely to happen is that we will begin selling other heart health nutrients under our InnovixLabs line, like this one that we recently introduced: http://www.amazon.com/MAGNESIUM-InnovixLabs-Bioavailable-Bisglycinate-Vegetarian/dp/B00QSR9D9I …and we will have a new Vitamin K2 formula available in a couple of weeks.

  77. Hi There,

    I just bought Omegavia and i noticed that you have removed from the supplement facts:
    “capsule shell made with kosher/halal bovine gelatin”.

    Why is that ?

    • Hi Ali – we removed the kosher/halal notification on our label because it was confusing some of our customers who felt the oil was kosher/halal as well. We do not certify the oil as kosher/halal and did not want to mislead anyone – only the gelatin is certified.

      The gelatin we use for the capsule is from bovine source and is always certified kosher/halal certified.

  78. question: I have high uric acid and get gout occasionally. I don’t think sardines are good for gout. Will taking omegavia affect uric acid/gout?
    thanks.

  79. Hi Glens – possibly. If he eats a traditional Japanese diet, then there should be enough Omega-3 and no need for supplementation. Traditional Japanese diet is pretty good for depression. You can find pure EPA as a prescription medicine in Japan – he might want to consider that. Focus on diet, inflammation and other lifestyle factors: http://www.omegavia.com/supplements-for-depression-anxiety/

  80. Wondering what you think of the fish oil from Stronger Faster Healthier? I’ve bee taking it since Jan and wanted to get your thoughts. Thanks,

    • Hi Ryan – I have not tried the product, but it looks like a very good liquid Omega-3 on paper. With liquids, taste and freshness is everything.

  81. I would like to ask if the bulk of vitamin A in your fish oils (omega 3 and omega 7) has been removed? Thank you very much.

    • Hi Glens – I know Chris and have talked to him a few times. He is usually spot on with these things, but he went a little rogue here. Notice that he still recommends cod liver oil, which is sort of a ‘dirty fish oil.’ If you take fish oil in reasonable doses, 1-2 grams a day, there is no need for concern at all. If you’ve been eating grains and sugar all your life and now have high triglycerides and are trying to lower it by taking extremely high levels of Omega-3 (instead of reducing carbs), then you may have issues with oxidative stress, especially if you are taking rancid oils. The point here is to watch your sugar/grain intake so you don’t end up needing to depend on high amounts of fish oil to rescue you. Watch your diet and give your body a moderate amount of Omega-3…it’s a win-win. Just because fish oil is good for several things, does not mean that more is better!

  82. Hello Vin
    Managed to get through most of these messages! My question is has labdoor re-analysed another batch?
    Also any thoughts on omega 3 and female hormonal issues (currently adrenal exhaustion, menopause and sub clinical underactive thyroid) – could omega 3 help?
    Most upsetting is the fact I have put on quite at bit of weight around my waist and bottom half – I am aware through trawling various site that the menopause can do this BUT since giving up alcohol my hot flushes and night sweats have disappeared – anyway your thoughts on a omega 3 regime would be most welcomed!

    Roshan

    • Hi Roshan – Labdoor may have tested a new batch. We don’t know. We have not paid for testing. Some companies do. The last few times, Labdoor simply purchased our product from Amazon.com for their testing.

      Omega-3 can’t hurt with any of the issues you mentioned, but you will need to work with an integrative or functional medicine doctor to get to the root of the issues and permanently treat it. Other than menopause, the other two issues – adrenal exhaustion and subclinical thyroid issues are extremely common and a good functional medicine doc who can look beyond just TSH levels will be able to help. Be prepared to commit to some big dietary, lifestyle, and stress-management changes.

      Omega-3s fix problems caused by lack of Omega-3s. It’s not a cure all. I’m not telling you NOT to take Omega-3s. Most people are better off taking it than not. But Omegas won’t resolve the issues you mention dramatically.

  83. Will 16g of sugar interfer with 657 triglyceride level? I currently take 6 supplements of Omegavia per day.

    I don’t eat any other sugar and always eat salmon and kale for dinner. I don’t smoke or drink any alcohol and you responded to an earlier question I submitted and I follow thos suggestions.

    Thanks.

    I started taking Omegavia the latter part of June.

    • Hi Bill – 16 grams of sugar is not much but can still goose TG and blood sugar. You might want to consider adding more variety to your diet. And may be a fiber supplement – even Metamucil is OK. People who go low-carb to tackle blood sugar/TG issues often end up cutting out most of their fiber. Get another blood test in mid August to see how you’ve come along.

  84. Hi Mary – please discuss this plan with your doctor. Lovaza is a prescription drug and OmegaVia is not.

    Technically, two OmegaVia capsules contains a little more than 2 grams of Omega-3. However, customers who take OmegaVia to manage triglycerides usually take 3 or 4 pills per day, as the response is dose dependent.

  85. Hi, I have a question about 30% fish oil and 90% fish oil. I think 3 pills of 30% fish oil and 1 90% fish oil have the same omega-3 content. Why we must take the pharmaceutical grade fish oil? We can take 3 30% fish oil capsules instead.

    • Hi Eric – the mathematics works out nicely doesn’t it? But there are a couple of other factors to consider. The 30% stuff is commodity oil that may or may not be purified or oxidized – quality is unpredictable. But the real reason is explained here: http://www.omegavia.com/why-pharmaceutical-grade-fish-oil-is-better/ – you may not see the same benefits with the 30% stuff. Then again, if you have financial considerations, 30% is still an option. The 30% oil is still better than nothing.

  86. Hi Vin,
    My wife is in the 17th pregnancy, can she take 3 softgels Omegavia DHA 600 and 1 softgel Nature Made Prenatal and 2 capsels Jarrow Ultra Bone Up and 1 softgel Full Spectrum Vitamin K2 in one day until delivery ? Thanks

    • Hi Bao – check with your wife’s OB/GYN first. When my wife was pregnant, she was taking a similar list of supplements. I think she should be OK with 2 DHA 600s and 1 K2 softgel.

  87. I am having recurrent miscarriages because of high natural cell activity. Some research articles show EPA content in fish oil helps in decreasing natural cell activity. Do you think Omegavia fish oil will be useful? Have you received feedback from your customers regarding lowered natural cell activity with fish oil? If so, how much fish oil should I take everyday?

    • Hi Suri – we have not tested our product for this activity. Anyone preparing for pregnancy should consumer both EPA and DHA. Aim for at least 1000 mg Omega-3 per day.

  88. Vin, did the mini capsules ever become available? I don’t see them on your site, but thought I had gotten a notice some time ago that they were available.

    • Hi Jeannine – well, yes, in a few forms. 🙂 There are three Omega-3 products that we make that are smaller than the regular OmegaVia pill. We just don’t call them ‘OmegaVia Mini’.

      1. OmegaVia EPA 500
      2. OmegaVia DHA 600
      3. InnovixLabs Pharma-Grade Omega-3 – sold on Amazon.com, practitioners, and other sources.

  89. Hello Vin.
    Just wanted to check with you the quantity of Omega-3s in Nordic Naturals which is 1280 mg (as advertsised) compared with Omegavia which is 1105mg. Does that make it superior?

    • Hi Bab – Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega has 1280 mg Omega-3 IN TWO PILLS. So you get 640 mg Omega-3 per pill. OmegaVia contains 1105 mg Omega-3 in one pill.

  90. Hi Dan – we no longer use Whiting or Pollock. We now use Sardine, Anchovy, and Mackerel. We do not have specific published science on OmegaVia’s effect on ADHD. However, Omega-3 in combination with a low-sugar, low-grain, anti-inflammatory diet has been shown to improve ADHD.

  91. Hello,
    I’m still researching which omega 3 fish oil I would like to take(with Omegavia being a top 3 contender). I’m a 40 yr. young male in overall good shape. And I plan on staying in shape well into my 100′(s). I have several hundred books(between kindle & physical) on improving and maintaining my overall health(my family calls me the health nut). I’ve read in the comments about making mini capsules(kid friendly) coming out in 2013. Is there a smaller one for kids? Any suggestions for my 7 yr. old son taking these or other brands? EPA, DHA amounts he could take? He is the #1 reason I started my health kick! I hated to read anything before he came along, now I can’t seem to get enough information(I guess making up for lost time I suppose).

    Any and all information for myself and especially for my son would be greatly appreciated!

    Thank You for your time in advance!

    Heath

    • Hi Heath – the ‘mini’ capsule is relative in size to the regular OmegaVia. Regular OmegaVia will be too large for a 7 year old to swallow. However, the EPA 500 and DHA 600 are smaller – hence my calling it ‘mini.’ Still, I do not give those to my young twins (6 year olds) to swallow. I give them the Nordic fishies (gummy type) and regular non-enteric coated fish oils that they chew on and pop in their mouths. Enteric coated fish oil supplements like OmegaVia are difficult to chew on. May be you could try something like Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega.

  92. Hi Vin,

    Thanks for all of the great information that you’ve put on this site.

    For the past several years I’ve been taking an 1,156 mg fish oil supplement that has 550 mg of DHA and 220 mg of EPA. I got this from a company that makes supplements for bodybuilders, and their claim is that the biosynthesis of DHA is much lower in men than it is in women. Do you agree with this, or is it just marketing hype?

    Aside from this, I began taking 2 of these pills a few months ago after reading that DHA can help delay the onset of Alzheimers.

    Now with my 60th birthday rapidly approaching, I’m trying to take a more educated approach to nutrition, exercise, and the supplements I take.

    The UCLA Alzheimers research Center recommends taking 600-900 mg/day of DHA for prevention/delay purposes, as DHA is rapidly oxidized and depleted from the brain of someone with Alzheimers (and this process can start decades before cognitive impairments are apparent). This recommendation seems to be based on the fact that the body can’t use more than 900 mg./day of DHA. UCLA also recommends getting more DHA than EPA, as both compete for absorption into neuron membranes.

    Finally, the people at UCLA mention that DHA supplementation doesn’t seem to help those with the ApoE4 gene (about 20% of the population), but note that one possible reason may be due to excessive oxidative damage. As Vitamin C seems to help reduce damage from DHA oxidation but can become pro-oxidant after awhile, they also recommend supplementing with time-release Vitamin C.

    Do you agree with these recommendations? Assuming that it makes sense to get close to 900 mg. of DHA, how much EPA would I want to take for anti-inflammation & general health purposes? Assuming I took one DHA 600 & one OmegaVia/day, would that cover all of my bases, or would the DHA & EPA be competing with each other for absorption?

    I should note that I have no reason to think I have the ApoE4 gene or am at any particular risk for greater than normal cognitive declines, but it doesn’t hurt to start taking preventative measures if possible.

    Thanks so much for your help.

    • Hi Peter – DHA is not biosynthesized. Ever. It must be consumed. If by ‘biosynthesis,’ they mean conversion of shorter-chain ALA Omega-3 to DHA, then yes, young women of reproductive age seem to make this conversion better than men. In most middle-aged men, this conversion is virtually absent to the point that if you do not eat or supplement fully formed DHA, you will likely go deficient.

      I dont think you can say DHA prevents or delays Alzheimers. We simply do not have conclusive evidence that DHA does this. But we do have plenty of evidence that DHA is critical for cognitive performance if 600-800 mg DHA is consumed daily. Connecting that dot all the way to Alzheimers is unsupported.

      There are a couple of things I would do to delay/prevent Alzheimer’s: eat a sugar-free, grain-free, high-veggie diet that is rich in healthy fats from fish/olives. I would exercise an hour a day. Read Dr. Perlmutter’s books.

      I agree with most of what UCLA’s recommended. Although their recommendation of just Vitamin C is, well, naive. There are be better antioxidant tools that JUST Vitamin C. Try Alpha Lipoic Acid, Pycnogenol, Astaxanthin, the whole family of Vitamin Es, in addition to Vitamin C. But Vit C is vetted and no one is going to get into an argument with you for suggesting it. It is safe and its recommendation does not draw attention or ire. I take all of the above.

      DHA provides some other benefits things too. But if I were you, as long as I’m getting 600-800 mg of DHA per day.

      Completely quit worrying about EPA and DHA competing with each other for absorption. Our bodies are amazingly good at absorbing these fats. If anything, you will have issues if you consume too much Omega-6 fats. Work under the assumption that you have ApoE4 gene because it makes you work harder at keeping your brain healthy. You can do 23nme but what will you do with the data? Ultimately, it all comes down to how much you move, what you put in your mouth, and how much you sleep, and how you reduce and manage stress.

      Assume you’ve been dealt a bad genetic hand and so work harder from a position of presumed disadvantage. That’s my two cents.

      • Thanks for the information and advice Vin. I’ve been taking a Gamma E complex and Astaxanthin for a while and just ordered some Tocotrienols and R-LA (is this the same as ALA?) last week. I will look into Pycnogenol, as I hadn’t heard of it before.

        One other question: would it be better to take a one DHA & one OmegaVia or three OmegaVia’s to get to the DHA range you recommended above? Aside from cognitive performance, I would like to decrease overall inflammation, lose weight (in conjunction with diet improvements & more exercise), and hopefully get off statins.

        To be fair to UCLA, they didn’t actually say that DHA supplementation would delay or prevent Alzheimers, but did note that DHA is rapidly oxidized and depleted in the brains of people with Alzheimers. Their principal supplementation recommendation is Longvida Curcumin (no surprise since they developed it), but they thought that DHA supplementation couldn’t hurt either. They also seem interested in a new supplement call Fisetin but said there hasn’t been any human testing yet.

        • Hi Peter – you may want to look at Famil-E from Jarrow. They make Vitamin E with 4 types of Tocopherols and 4 Tocotrieneols in one (rather large) pill. Yes, R-LA is what I was talking about.

          One OmegaVia + one DHA 600 ought to take care of most people’s needs. Given the built-in overages, you’ll get about 2000 mg Omega-3 with two pills. Unless, of course, you have a situation that requires more, I’d stick with that plan. You can reduce inflammation with more, but you wont be able to make much impact on weight loss with Omega-3. Watch sugar, grain, and starch consumption carefully. Fistein is found in a lot of fruits and vegetables. May be better to get it from foods, like with most other nutrients.

          • Hi Peter – on a big picture level, taking all forms of E, K2, and A along with D not only makes sense but is critical. Now that everyone is aware of the importance (and rampant deficiency) of D, I worry that people will assume the more is better pov. D should be taken with the other fat-soluble vitamins. I have not seen new data on the exact levels of E.

  93. is your triglyceride omega fatty acid re-esterified?
    If I take an auto-ship option in Canada, does the shipping come free like in the USA?
    What is the cost of Omegavia DHA 600?
    I suffer from Dry Eye and would like to know if your products were used in any ophthalmic studies addressing this condition that I may refer to?
    What is the shelf life of your product?

    Thanks
    Patricia

    • Hi Patricia – yes, it is re-esterified. All concentrated triglyceride form Omega-3s are re-esterified. The only triglcyeride form Omega-3 that is not re-esterified is the crude fish oil that most products use as a raw material. Shipping to Canada is not free, regardless of how you order the product. Please call our customer service at 800-270-4010 to find out pricing and all the minor details involved with Canadian customs/border requirements. We sell OmegaVia directly to numerous ophthalmology offices across the US – they suggest (and I agree) that you dose at least 2000 mg Omega-3 per day to help with dry eyes. Shelf life is 3 years from date of manufacture, but we only make enough product to stay on the shelf for about 6 months, so virtually everyone who buys the product will have at least 2 years left.

  94. Hi there, my colleague is currently studying nutritional therapy and brought up a concern regarding fish oil supplements in regards to the unstable nature of polyunsaturated fatty acids. She has been told that the process of extracting the omega oils causes oxidation of the fats, which are obviously detrimental to health. Can you please clarify this point? I’ve done a quick google search and there are some sites which verify this but I can’t find anything in research papers.

    Thanks!

    • Hi Barbara – yes, in theory, all polyunsaturated fats, especially Omega-3 fats, can become rancid. But it’s a bit of a myth that the extraction process immediately causes oxidation and therefore fish oil must be detrimental. Every single time I have heard this view, it is from someone who does not understand the chemistry behind fish oil purification and concentration. In other words, it is fear. Not fact. That’s not to say that none of the fish oil supplement are rancid – many are. Services like IFOS Consumer Reports measure stability and rancidity using several reliable markers. You should look into products that pass industry standards.

  95. Hi there, another question – I am pregnant and was wondering if there are any risks associated with taking too high a dose of omega oils? I did have a trawl through the National Institutes of Health and didn’t find anything suggesting that there might be any danger taking too high a dose, but thought I would check (for a few months of my pregnancy I have been taking two capsules of your DHA 600, in addition to 2 capsules BioCare Mega EPA which provides a total of 524mg EPA and 375mg DHA) as my logic was following that both myself and my child would be needing omegas. Then had a sudden panic so have reduced my intake to one capsule of each. I have to say that I haven’t been subject to baby brain at all throughout my pregnancy and attribute it to a good dose of omegas! Thanks in advance.

    • Hi Ray – no we do not sell anything from our California offices. We are strictly online and at doctor/practitioners offices.

    • Hi Ray – Minami MorEPA is very similar to our regular OmegaVia. Both of those brands are very good and you can’t go wrong with either.

  96. Hi Tom – I do not have any data or reports from customers (that I can recall) about anyone’s gout flaring up with OmegaVia. If you try it, please do report back with your experience. If you are not happy with how it works out, we’ll be more than happy to issue a full refund.

  97. Hi Jerry – Omega-6 may worse it, but Omega-7 certainly will not. The ‘other 15%’ is mixture of several fatty acids – monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and some saturated. Usually it is less than 10% and often around 5%. It is over a dozen different types. None of it will be in high enough levels to cause harm or benefits. Focus on Omega-3 and don’t let the tail wag the dog.

    The study you refer to was on zebrafish, not humans. And they found that Omega-7 (palmitoleic acid), which our sister company InnovixLabs sells, actually REDUCES inflammation. Palmitic (not Omega-7) increased inflammation.

  98. May i know what is the source of your gelatin for capsule? Is it animal/bovine or plant base?

    By the way i’m a muslim and interested with your product but it need to be halal.

    Thank you

  99. Hi April – while all Omega-3 can potentially help, I believe EPA may be slightly better than DHA. Aim for 2000 to 3000 mg Omega-3 per day.

    However, as I have stated in several comments on this site, ADHD is first and best handled with a drastic change in diet and lifestyle. By drastic, I mean a complete elimination of all sugar, processed grains, flour, and seed oils. Yes, that means no pasta, cake, cookies, cereal, soda, juices, donuts etc. Eat whole foods exclusively – stuff that was alive and growing last week. Eat veggies, fruits, seafood, eggs, meats, and a limited amount of nuts. Consume olive oil, fish oil, grass fed butter, and coconut oil generously. Lifestyle changes must include lots of sun exposure without sunscreen and sunglasses. Lots of walking, lifting, pushing, and pulling. Walk 10,000 steps a day. Lots of exposure to nature. 8 to 10 hours of sleep in a completely dark environment without light, especially blue light. No TV or screen time after dark. Maintain strict sleep/wake schedules. Do all of this and THEN think about supplements and/or drugs.

  100. Hi,

    I want to know that how i can check the products i received a few days ago,are the ones you guys produced.

    Thanks

    BRs

    • Hi Aaron – we are not aware of counterfeit OmegaVia products – certainly not in North America. It could happen in China/Asia. The best way to tell if the product you have is truly made by us is to contact customer service at (service at Omegavia dot com) and they will help you identify the product with its LOT number. If you are purchasing OmegaVia outside USA, make sure you purchase it from authorized distributors.

  101. Hi Diane – if you want to manage triglycerides, start with cutting out sugar, grains, and flour. This will do a much better job of reducing both triglycerides and cholesterol. Fish Oil will not reduce cholesterol. Chances are that you will need to fix diet and increase exercise to reduce your cholesterol levels.

    We have a DHA-only product: https://shop.omegavia.com/products/omegavia-dha-600?variant=14633178183

    Our customers who’ve had the best success in managing triglycerides try the combination of original OmegaVia formula, which also has enough DHA, along with a healthy diet and an exercise plan: https://shop.omegavia.com/products/omegavia-fish-oil?variant=14632794695

  102. Hi,
    I am a 39 year old woman, 5ft 2”, weight-92 lbs with very high metabolic rate. I am extremely thin. I want to take omegavia for pms-mood swings but I don’t want to lose weight. which of your product will serve this purpose?

    • Hi A – while more Omega-3 may help regulate many things, it simply will not fix metabolic rate issues, weight issues, and PMS related mood swings. Work with an integrative medicine MD in your area. In the meantime, follow a whole-foods-only diet of vegetables, fruits, meats, seafoods, eggs, nuts, lentils and make sure you consume a lot of healthy oils like olive oil, coconut oil, butter, and of course, Omega-3 fats. Aim for 2000 to 3000 mg of Omega-3 per day.

  103. I’ve noticed that it is recommended to take your fish oil with a meal that contains some fat, and I wondered how important it is that there be fat in what you’re eating when taking the fish oil? I ask because generally I avoid food with a lot of fat. A lot of times for breakfastI’ll eat oatmeal, for example, and since oatmeal doesn’t contain hardly any fat, I was wondering if oatmeal would be considered a suitable food to take the fish oil with?

    Thanks for your response! I’ve ask many questions over the years, and have found your input valuable!

    • Hi Bryan – if you are taking an type of fish oil called ‘ethyl ester,’ then taking Omega-3 with a fat-containing meal is a good idea to aid in absorption. However, OmegaVia is now in the triglyceride form and it does not have to be consumed with a fatty meal for proper absorption.

      As an aside, avoiding foods with fat is not a good idea. Fat phobia is inadequately supported by science. You need to consume healthy fats like olive oil and fish oil. Even butter. Also, oatmeal is quite good at increase blood sugar and triglycerides.

  104. Hello, Mr. Kutty.

    I´ve been taking ´´OmegaVia Pharma-Grade Omega-3, Enteric coated. 1105 mg Omega-3´´ for a couple months now. I Still got 1 bottle, but it´s time to buy more, because I live in a South America and it takes a while to get here, so I need to do it in advance.
    Searching for the options on the market, I found the Innovix ´´Triple Strength Omega-3´´ and now I don´t know which one I should choose, considering potency, purity, EPA x DHA ratio and source of oils (which also influence the purity, I suppose).
    Since OmegaVia and Innovix are ´´sisters´´ I wonder what I should go with. I also took the Innovix Multi-Strain Probiotic.
    I trust both companies and these 2 products (fish oils) don´t seem to be that much different, so I´d like to know the real differences between them to be able to choose better.
    (hope it´s OK to ask this here)
    Thank you very much.

    • Hi Bernanrdo – OmegaVia has a purer, slightly better absorbed form of Omega-3. If you want the best, go with OmegaVia. InnovixLabs Triple Strength focuses on value – there is less Omega-3 per pill, but it’s a better value. Both products are made with the same quality focus, using the same equipment.

  105. Hello guys, which product is recommended for male teenager(16-17years old) who suffers from ADHD and wants to live healthy life?

  106. Previously, I have taken a pure EPA supplement called Pharmepa, which like your EPA product contains 500mg of EPA and no DHA.

    But, shortly after taking this product, I started getting a burning sensation in my chest (even though it did work really well on my skin). This symptom went away after I stopped using the product.

    Has anyone ever reported this side effect with your pure EPA product?

    • Hi Alastair – so far, no one has reported this side effect. If you decide to resume supplementing with EPA, have a discussion with your doctor first. And start small – one pill every two or three days with a large meal at first and if you notice no issues, change to every other day and then finally once a day. If you noticed an improvement in your skin, that is a sure sign that you had some inflammation that the EPA helped quell. Think about reducing sugar, refined grains, and seed oil that are rich in Omega-6 fats.

  107. Do I take the omega fish oil and the omega DHA at the same time or just the omega DHA? I’m 8 weeks pregnant so I want the best for my baby.

    • Hi Nicole – at 8 weeks, you can take one DHA 600 per day. As you get closer to your third trimester, take two per day. At that time, you can add another regular Omega for your needs as well.

  108. I am concerned about how much K1 & K2 – M4 & M7 is in your fish oil vitamin. I am searching for these vitamin supplements. anne

  109. Are any of the fish used in OmegaVia oils farm-raised? And if so, are they from farms that use a food containing Paprika Oleoresin or any other food additive based on nightshade vegetables (chiles, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes). These are commonly fed to farm-raised salmon, trout and other fish to make the flesh pink and increase beta-carotene content.

    I am an unfortunate member of the 30% of folk who don’t make pseudocholinesterase in sufficient quantity to counteract the natural glycoalkyloid neurotoxins in nightshades and suffer arthritis, tendonitis and migraine when I consume them. Trying to find a source of Omega 3 that does not contain them. Thanks.

    • Hi Kit – no, none of the fish are farm-raised. It is an internet myth that farm-raised fish are used to make fish oil. Such a thing does not exist. All fish oil supplements are made with wild caught fish.

    • Hi Shameer – both articles are good – based on reason and substance. I repeat the message here: you don’t need vegetable oils and eating salmon is better than taking supplements.

  110. Hi James – I am obligated to inform you that OmegaVia is not a drug, but rather a dietary supplement. And as such, it cannot cure, treat, or prevent disease per FDA and it is not covered by insurers for medical purposes. That’s the law.

    Having said that, the generic prescription Omega-3 that you ingested made by Teva or Apotex is exactly the same thing as what is in Lovaza. You should not notice any difference. Most people with triglycerides above 500 notice 10-15% drop in TG per 1000 mg of daily Omega-3, provided everything else is constant. However, what does vary is diet and the carbohydrate content within the diet. This has a HUGE impact on triglyceride levels. Activity and aerobic exercise has an impact too.

    Unless you catalog everything you eat into a nutritional database software to calculate the macro nutrient variances, there is no way to know if there has been a clinical difference in your carbohydrate consumption. It’d merely be a guess. My suggestion is to continue taking the Omega-3 per your doctor’s instructions (it’s typically 4 grams, not 2), but cut back on sugar and refined starches.

  111. Hi Linda – I understand why people are taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil (FCLO), but I was not a fan of the regular cod liver oil and am certainly not a fan of the fermented kind. There are simply too many unknowns. Yes, they have small amounts of Vitamins A and D, but it’s not enough to sustain health. You still need to get most of your A and D from food, supplements, and/or sun respectively. Why would you take weak, oxidized mystery oil just to get a trace amount of A and D? I wrote about it here https://omegavia.com/cod-liver-oil-2-2/ and Dr. Kaayla Daniel exposed the con in FCLO here in her downloadable piece called Hook, Line & Stinker: http://drkaayladaniel.com/fermented-cod-liver-oil-still-on-the-hook/

    Yes, regarding K2, MK-4 and MK-7 are not the same thing. They go to work in different parts of the body, doing different things. You need both. For the most part, humanity has relied on MK-4 for health and the sudden and high intake of MK-7 is novel. More on that here: https://omegavia.com/how-to-choose-the-right-vitamin-k2-supplement/

    APOE variants can have an impact on how much fat and what kind of fat is ideal. But that’s getting really far into the rabbit hole. Most people will notice amazing improvements if they focus on eating whole foods, mostly vegetables (aim for 25 different kinds every week), some seafood, eggs and meats. An occasional handful of nuts. Some fruits. Other than nuts and olive oil, everything you eat should have been alive last week. Lots of olive oil! If you eat red meat, do not shy away from organ meats like liver.

  112. Hi Vin,

    I’ve come across some newer fish oil products that use emulsified fish oils which claim to have 300% better absorption rates vs typical liquid fish oil or gel-caps. Are you aware of this? If so, what are your thoughts on this? Legit or hype?

    • Hi Shameer – it is possible to increase absorption using emulsion technologies. That claim is legit. However there is built-in hype as well. The 300% is ‘relative improvement,’ not ‘absolute improvement.’ The marketers behind emulsion products are counting on the average consumer not knowing the difference. Relative change is always a BIG number. Absolute change is often puny and unimpressive. You’d roll your eyes if you knew the absolute improvement in absorption. And second, there is no absorption issue with fish oil! Most fish oils, even ethyl esters, are well-absorbed. Unless you are suffering from lipase insufficiency or have had your gall bladder removed etc., you won’t have issues with absorption.

  113. Hi Shameer – I expect the media to go crazy with this article. I read the paper this morning. But facts are facts and here are the facts and our official position:

    1) The meta analysis is underpowered to detect a statistically significant result.

    2) There was also no minimum dose for EPA/DHA. Four of 10 studies reviewed here used less than 500 mg daily, a dose that we think is barely enough for maintenance, let alone therapeutic. Combining low-dose studies with high-dose studies gets you murky results.

    3) The paper does not really add to the body of evidence about omega-3s and cardiovascular risk factors, as these results are in line with previous meta analyses that have covered these same areas.

    4) Another paper from last year by Maki et al 2017 looked at the same data (Meta analysis if 14 trails with 71,000 people) saw an 8% reduction. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28818347

    5) The Maki meta-analysis also showed that at-risk populations, like those with elevated triglycerides or LDL cholesterol, had a larger — 17 percent — risk reduction in cardiac death. This new JAMA meta-analysis did not explore the effects on these populations for CHD mortality risk.

    6) The authors mention that there are four large trials that will be published in 2018 and 2019 that will add to the body of research and most Omega-3 researchers feel that we are waiting for these other studies to clarify the results. These four studies will nearly double the number of subjects that have been studied to date.

    It’s important to point out that the study did not say there is NO risk reduction, just that there were no statistically significant associations and that it does not support current guidelines. There was no call from the authors to change guidelines as a result of their analysis.

    Additionally, the discussion section of the paper states, “The 95% CI in the present meta-analysis of 10 trials…cannot exclude a 7% lower risk of major vascular events and a 10% lower risk of CHD associated with omega-3 FA supplements.”

    The truth is hidden within the paper itself, even though the headline is negative.

  114. Hello,
    I have taken many different brands of fish oil until I settled on Omegavia as my primary choice. But I do notice that source of the fish oil is from countries like “Peru” and “Chile”. Why are these countries the ones that most brands use? I don’t have anything against these countries, but I am curious why these are the countries that most brands source their fish oil from.

    In the past I use to purchase “Now Brand” of fish oil and I use to take about 4 capsules a day, but when I went to my doctor to have my blood tests down for the
    “Triglycerides Levels”, they were still high. Then I purchased the “Nature’s Made” brand of fish oil and after one month of taking this brand I repeated my blood test and “Triglyceride Levels” dropped considerably and were now within the normal range. When I looked at there label of “Nature’s Made” their fish oil was sourced from the country of “Norway” and I noticed an improvement in mood and all the other benefits that come with consuming quality fish oil. Is is possible for the “Omegavia Brand” to purchase their source of “Fish Oil” from “Norway”. I know for a fact that the Norwegian people have been voted to be the happiest people in the world and I know that it is not just their diet of ingesting large amounts of seafood. The government of “Norway” is very generous to their citizens with their social programs. It say on your label that you send you fish oil to Europe for purposes of concentrating and purifying the fish oil, why don’t just purchase the oil from Norway and have them do the rest for you in terms of concentrating and purifying the oil. I really like that fish oil that came from Norway, but if it not possible, I will still purchase your product, you guys are the best in the business. And once again I have nothing against fish oil that comes from “Peru” or “Chile”, but I think (and I may be wrong) that Norwegian Fish Oil is superior in quality than other countries. Thank You.

    • Hi Tahir – the brand and country of origin has very little to do with your triglyceride levels. What matters most is your diet and exercise levels. Combining 3000 mg of Omega-3 daily with a sugar-free, refined-grain-free diet and vigorous exercise will get your meaningful results.

      Peru and Chile have the most robust, regulated, and sustainable fishery in the world. Some of the fish oil exported from Norway comes from Peru and Chile, like our OmegaVia DHA 600. That oil is purified and concentrated in Norway. Norwegian Cod fishery is very small and is limited to a few niche products.

  115. Hi Vin,

    I came across this study that concluded Omega3 intake worsened insulin sensitivity. Have you come across any similar studies and what are your thoughts?

    Thanks.

    • Hi Shameer – the effect of Omega-3 on insulin sensitivity is mixed but encouraging. Evidence is positive and conclusive in rodents. This typically means we need more science.

    • Hi J Betz – you may purchase this product on this website, on Amazon.com, walmart.com, jet.com and at select doctor’s offices. It is only available online.

  116. Hi. Do you have any recommendations on Omega-3s and dry eye? More EPA? More DHA? Does it matter? I was taking a higher quality Omega-3 and my eye doctor said I could take any Omega-3, but that there ones that specifically claim to help dry eye. I am prone to think is just marketing. Do you have any thoughts on this?

    • Hi Catherine – the largest study done with Omega-3 for dry eyes used 2000 mg of EPA and 1000 mg of DHA daily. So, more EPA than DHA, but we don’t have proof that this ratio is ideal. It is simply what the study design used. I think the key is to focus on total Omega-3 dosage and to combine it with an overall anti-inflammatory diet.

  117. I look forward to buying the EPA fish oil pills for me and my wife. I also want to give this oil to pets but in the oil form. Is this possible to do? How long will the oil retain it’s potency once exposed? Lastly, if your supplements aren’t viable for my dogs do you have a recommendation that is suitable?

    • Hi Marvin – pets may be able to swallow the capsule as is. You may have to wrap in bacon or dip in peanut butter – check with your vet. We do not recommend that you cut or pierce the capsule. The potency will not be affected if opened but rancidity will accelerate when exposed to air for long periods, not to mention odor of oxidizing droplets spread around by the pet.

    • Hi Amber – yes. There is no shellfish content in OmegaVia. I have shellfish allergy and I’ve been taking this product for 10 years.

  118. Which of your supplements would you recommend please? I am a 62 year old female that can experience upset stomach with some supplements. I am looking for an overall healthy choice for me, I am very active and exercise on a regular basis and eat a well- balanced meal overall. Thank you so much!

    • Hi Carol – without knowing your health condition a little more, it is hard to give useful advice. However, if you do not have issues swallowing larger pills, then, OmegaVia Ultra Concentrated will work well because it has a good blend of EPA and DHA. Given you’re over 50, you’ll likely be concerned about eyes and brain health, which is best nourished with the DHA 600 item, which also happens to be a much smaller pill. Hope that helps.

  119. Hello. I read on your site that you were releasing an OmegaVia mini for kids but do not see that. Are the current OmegaVia fish oil pills suitable for children?
    Thanks!

    • Hi Crystal – we do not have an OmegaVia for kids yet, but there are two other products (EPA 500 and DHA 600) that are smaller pills than the original Ultra Concentrated product. None of them are are little kids. We are always looking for the right technology that will allow us to make kid-friendly products, but so far, technology hasn’t caught up with our vision.

  120. Hi Vin, since you must have surveyed the field of fish oil products, what would be your choice for the an IFOS certified liquid fish oil?
    Thanks!

    • Hi Jason – I no longer have a product of choice for liquid fish oils. I used to, but most of the liquid fish oils seem more rancid than I’d like.

      It’s really difficult to maintain low oxidation numbers for liquids. Mind you, if it is flavored, especially with citrus flavors, the test to detect oxidation levels gets strong interference from the flavors. So, flavored products will seem more oxidized on paper. But it’s really hard to find a liquid fish oil that is not flavored. Sorry, wish I had a product to recommend.

  121. Why are misled to eat fish oil for omega 3 oil, when we should get it straight from the source, algae. Krill eat, algae and fish eat krill. Cut out the intermediary.

    • Hi Chris – no one is misleading anyone.

      The fish used in OmegaVia are sardines, anchovies, and mackerel. They do not eat krill. They eat phytoplankton, floating oceanic algae, and get their Omega-3 directly from the phytoplankton.

      We’d love to sell farmed algae-derived Omega-3, especially for our vegan and vegetarian customers.

      However, there are several reasons why we are slow to adopt algae-based Omega-3:

      1. The technology behind extracting Omega-3 from algae is still evolving.
      2. Most of the algae sources are not very concentrated in Omega-3. Most algae oils have 20-30% Omega-3 whereas you can get 98% Omega-3 from fish oil.
      3. The oils from algae still seem to have harmful solvent residues. The solvents vary from one manufacturer to another, but this is slowly improving.
      4. Algae oils cost 4 to 5 times as much as fish oil. To get 2000 mg of Omega-3 daily (a good dose)…well, we’ve done the math (because it’s our job) and 95% of Americans could not afford it.

      In the next few years, these issues will slowly begin to go away. When we find an algae Omega-3 oil that we are happy with, we will certainly begin selling algae-based Omega-3. As of now, the best argument for switching from fish to algae-based Omega-3 supplements is an environmental one. Even though most fish oil supplements use heavily-regulated and strictly-monitored fishery, as global populations grow and over-harvest our oceans, we will run low these small, algae-foraging fish. Occasionally, during El Nino or La Nina years, catch quotas are cut off and enforced quickly. Still, we need to be proactive on preserving our oceans.

      Having said all that, we are not driven by anti-meat or pro-vegan approach. We feel most Americans eat way too much meat and grains and nowhere near enough vegetables. Virtually all our blogs underscore this outlook.

    • Hi Lam – you should be able to buy OmegaVia products on iHerb.com.

      Yes, there are many differences between then. The InnovixLabs Triple Strength product is much cheaper by design because of these following factors:

      1) InnovixLabs products are lower in Omega-3 potency. It is very expensive to purify fish oil to ultra high concentrations like you have in OmegaVia. As an added bonus, this purification also gives you a cleaner oil besides more Omega-3 per pill.

      2) InnovixLabs has 900 mg Omega-3 per pill. OmegaVia Ultra Concentrated has about 1200 in each pill…even though we claim less on the label.

      3) OmegaVia has a high EPA to DHA ratio – this is very valuable to OmegaVia customers. Again, this 3:1 ratio of EPA to DHA is expensive to produce.

      4) OmegaVia is in well-absorbed Triglyceride form oil that can be consumed without a meal. InnovixLabs Triple Strength (as of now) is in less well-absorbed ethyl ester form that must be consumed with a meal.

      5) OmegaVia is soy-free. InnovixLabs products are not soy-free.

      6) OmegaVia uses sunflower tocopherol and rosemary extracts as a protective antioxidants whereas InnovixLabs uses soy-derived tocopherols.

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