Prenatal supplement…or brain health supplement?*
Yes.
product that provides enough DHA for the second half of pregnancy.
OmegaVia DHA 600 is our newest product.
You kept bugging us. Now here it is.
What is it?
- It’s an ultra-pure DHA-only supplement made from Anchovy, Sardine, and Mackerel
- Each capsule has 600 mg of DHA Omega-3
- The DHA is in the well-absorbed triglyceride (rTG) form
Who should take it:
- Men and women considering parenthood ( 4 months before conception)*
- Pregnant and nursing women (600 to 900 mg DHA per day)*
- Adults concerned about brain health*
- Adults concerned about eye health*
How much does it cost?
$25.99 for 120 softgels
Why it’s special:
- It has the most DHA available in one pill. (Yet it’s not a horse pill)
- It’s made using a new gentle, heat-free technology called enzymatic concentration. Less heat equals less damage to delicate Omega-3 molecules.
Features:
- Purified to remove mercury
- The Omega-3 is in the well-absorbed triglyceride form
- It’s enteric coated to reduce odor and burping
- It is third-party tested for your peace of mind
What’s the right DHA dosage for brain health?
There is always some news report about why fish oil doesn’t work.
Recently, there was a lot of media attention about one study that used 320 mg of DHA per day. The media reported that it does nothing for brain health or eyes. A ‘waste of money,’ said Newsweek.
Case closed. Toss your fish oil pills.
Not so fast.
While we were developing this formula, I spent a lot of time reviewing DHA studies (certainly more time than Jessica Firger from Newsweek) from the last decade that focused on cognitive health.
I noticed a couple of things:
- Studies that used less than 500 mg per day consistently failed to provide cognitive benefits.*
- Studies that used more than 600 mg or so showed fairly consistent benefits.*
600 to 700 mg of DHA per day seemed to be the sweet spot – the least amount of DHA that could be expected to provide benefits. It seems fair to say that if you take two pills (1200 mg DHA per day) that you’d tilt the odds in your favor.
This is the reason why our formula is ‘DHA 600’ and not ‘DHA 500.’ DHA 700 would have been better but we wanted to keep cost and pill size approachable.
This data was brilliantly reported by Adam Ismail of GOED as a response to mass media trashing DHA.
In the chart below, I have shamelessly combined my data with Adam’s eye-opening chart. (Yes, there are a couple of studies that used > 500 mg DHA that failed to provide benefits and if I keep looking, I’ll probably find a study or two that shows benefits at sub-500 mg dosage. That’s how science works.)
DHA & Brain Health Clinical Studies:
Dosage and Results
Dosage matters.
As Dr. Barry Sears regularly explains to his readers, if you take a placebo dose, you can expect a placebo result.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Hi,I currently the omegavia 780 epa 260 dha.In some of my reading I have seen products recomending higher levels of dha. I am wondering what your current thoughts are on this subject and could you comment on the trade marked product vesisorb.
Thanks
Hi Don – think of EPA and DHA has your right hand and left. Ideally, you need both. They have different roles in the body. DHA tends to be used for structural functions like building stuff. Think bricks of a building. EPA is the water and electricity flowing thru the building. EPA plays a more functional role, not a structural one.
EPA supports healthy inflammation response, and also support mood health and healthy triglyceride levels when used as part of healthy diet and exercise plan. DHA supports brain and eye health. It is critical during pregnancy and breast feeding due to its importance in brain development.
OmegaVia (the original one) was designed to have a little more EPA than DHA to support healthy inflammation response. However, there is enough DHA there still to meet your daily needs. The new DHA product (above) is for those focused on pregnancy, brain and eye health.
*Individual results may vary. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Hi Vin, I’m not sure if you have seen this video.
https://www.facebook.com/drpompa/videos/177649950286242/
Dr Daniel Pompa was saying that all fish oil are bad for health. Reason being they are all adulterated after being processed from the fish.
What’s your take on this?
Hi Ken – I only watched about 5 minutes of it. That’s all I could take. In my opinion, this video is misleading. There are bits and pieces of science and facts throughout the video, but it’s mostly self-serving. I’d urge anyone to be cautious of any video that starts with ‘what they don’t want you to know’ because it suggests a conspiracy. Virtually all information on fish oil is available either freely or for purchase in the case of some journal articles. So there is hardly anything that is unavailable.
No one disagrees on the following:
1) It’s best to get all your nutrients from food, including Omega-3s. Fish oil Supplements are for times when you don’t eat enough fish.
2) Too much fish oil (greater than 5 grams Omegas per day) taken for years on end may backfire due to oxidative load that much polyunsaturated fats place on the body.
Taking 1 to 2 grams of Omegas daily is fine. No one has shown harm in taking that much.
Are fish oils adulterated? I don’t think so. Virtually all fish oils contain the Omegas they promise on the label (in the US anyway) but some of them have high oxidation byproducts, which means some may be slightly rancid. This is where third-party test sites like IFOS, ConsumerLab, or LabDoor come in. You buy products that are shown to be fresh and not rancid. Simple.
Hi Vin,
What is your take on this recent Study about Omega-3?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210428192710.htm
Hi Prashant – good question.
With many of the recent omega-3 publications and their mass media headline interpretation, a lot of the nuance behind data analytics is simply lost.
If peeling the data onion is unpalatable to you or any of our other readers, then you have to assume some risk with accepting mass media headlines. The headlines may be right…but their goal is clicks first and the nuance may be buried deep within the article if the reporter is science-savvy or completely absent if it’s written by someone not familiar with scientific methodology.
The sheer amount of bio-statistics required to get to truth behind these inflammatory headlines is immense. It’s a lot of work to undo the damage these headlines sometimes do. But after that work is done and there is some atrial fibrillation (AF) risk for people with elevated triglycerides, then we have to accept that too. That’s just how science works.
Anyway, onto some specific criticisms and issues I have:
1) The AF findings are from a meta-analysis of just 5 studies. Not adequately powered in my opinion.
2) AF was not a specific outcomes of interest in these 5 studies. It was a side effect and the reporting of side effects is not consistent across these studies.
3) The side effects reported are whatever the authors considered relevant – there is no standardized, universal reporting of side effects.
4) Only studies with large differences in AF will report it as a side effect.
5) Studies that noted little or no AF as side effects omitted reporting it, creating a strange bias.
Here’s an example of something that will not get reported: in the ASCEND study, the incidence of AF was 7.7% in the treatment arm and 7.6% in the placebo arm. It was a 15,000+ people study.
We’re expecting more data in a couple of months. Until then, we wait.
Thank you for your detailed explanation Vin. I appreciate it. Also I have another question, if Omega-6 is considered to compete with Omega-3 then, is eliminating from the diet that is more of Omega-6 source (such as vegetables oil which are high in Omega-6) good? I know Omega-6 one of the reason that causes inflammation in heart arteries.
Some Medical doctors (Cardiologists) don’t agree with this. They say instead of eliminating Omega-6, from the food source, one should rather consume more Omega-3 (Food or supplements). So I would like to know, what are benefits of Omega-6 in this regard or in general, that some school of thoughts believes it shouldn’t be eliminated from the food source?
Thank you again.
Hi Prashant – I first need to mention that Omega-6 is essential. Without it, we will die. It’s as simple as that. Second, there is generally. loose ratio of Omega-6 to 3 that humans have consumed over millennia. What’s happened in the last 5 or 6 decades is that we’ve dramatically wandered away from that ratio. We now consume a LOT more Omega-6 and less Omega-3.
Instead of trying to bring back an ideal ratio of the two, I would strongly suggest reducing or eliminating Omega-6 from foods cooked in seed oils.
I would not increase Omega-3 to ridiculous levels (as some have) to get that ‘ideal’ ratio back. Why? Because this raises the overall PUFA load and potential for increased oxidative burden. Just get rid of the processed seed oils.
I would not worry about consuming Omega-6 from eggs, poultry, or nuts – in other words, whole food sources of Omega-6 are fine.
Hi,
I am not sure which Omegavia product I should buy. I bought the OmegaVia EPA 500. EPA Omega-3. Triglyceride-form EPA-only formula, 120 Capsules. 500 mg EPA per pill on Amazon
And then I tried the OmegaVia Omega-3, Enteric Odorless/Burp-Free. 1105 mg Omega-3 – Highest Omega-3 per pill.
The first one helped my mood. I was able to concentrate better.
The second one was great for my skin and reduced my challenges with inflammation considerably. It has also assisted my recall but not my
concentration. Not sure why that is.
These are my challenges: inflammation, and brain health, mood, skin. I was a battered child and teen and suffered several blows to head, ages 6-19. I have been taking the fish oil along with my green foods, (spirulina, barley grass juice powder, e3live, and wheat grass juice powder). The fish oil helps me remember numbers well this is a big deal for me because I have not been able to recall numbers this well since I was thrown against a wall at the age of 8. So, I am very excited about what it is doing for my brain.
The Omegavia is the best fish oil product I’ve come across.
Do I need to purchase two different ones? I am running low on the product.
Lastly, I have also started taking Viobin Wheat Germ oil. I take one teaspoon each day. Is it okay to take Wheat Germ oil even though i am taking the fish oil? I don’t mind alternating. It has been a great help. Thank you.
Hi WM – your post made me go quiet for a while.
Since you want to focus on a lot of different areas, I think the original OmegaVia with 1105 mg of Omega-3 per pill will do. You don’t need to buy two separate products. I am not a big fan of greens – you’ll do better with increasing the quantity and variety of vegetables and tubers in your diet. Certainly not a big fan of wheat germ oil or anything that comes from wheat.
Take care of yourself. Since others didn’t.
Hi vin, i am currently taking blue ocean professional omega 3 2100 mg for the last one month. They didn’t mention their source of oil on label and when i inquired from them they said their source would be either Peruvian Anchovies or Alaskan Pollock. Is it good source or not, and when can we get your products in india? Am i taking right product for anti-inflamatory purpose.
Hi Babli – Blue Ocean is generally a good product. But one of their products failed a recent ConsumerLab.com test. It had a little less Omega-3 than claimed on the label. But the product quality is otherwise very good from my experience. If you take 2000-3000 mg of Omega-3 per day as part of a healthy diet and exercise plan, you should notice an overall healthy inflammation response.*
*Individual results may vary. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Hi Vin!
I am loving Omegavia so far. I have been aware of the benefits of DHA during pregnancy throughout my pregnancy and was taking a highly recommended Fish Oil that had much higher EPA than DHA. It wasn’t until my 6th or 7th month that I found your product and began taking it and have gathered a lot more information about EPA and DHA.
Will the benefits be lessened because I have been taking much more EPA than DHA throughout this pregnancy? And could there be negative effects?
Should my intake of DHA be balanced by an intake of EPA? Is there a ratio amount?
(I am currently taking the 600 capsule twice a day along with an EPA/DHA capsule EPA 625/ DHA 244.)
Hi Rachael – no harm in taking EPA during pregnancy at all. I think your dosage regimen is perfectly fine. More here: https://omegavia.com/fish-oil-during-pregnancy/
Is there a health reason to prefer this DHA 600 to the Ovega-3 vegan DHA?
I currently take two EPA 500 and one regular omegavia per day to help with mood. I’m thinking about pregancy and the regimen I was thinking of was 2 regular Omegavias and 2 of the vegan ovega-3 per day. Is there a reason to think that -from a nutrition perspective, not pill quantity or cost-your DHA 600 would be better than taking 2 ovega-3 pills?
Hi EastCoaster – no. There is no health or nutrition reason to choose Ovega-3 over this item. If you are vegan, then, yes, Ovega-3 is the obvious choice.
I tried to post this earlier.
Right now I take 2 500 EPAs and 1 regular omegavia per day (mostly for mood). I’ve been thinking about pregnancy and wondering about taking 2 regular omegavias and 2 of the ovega-3 vegan dha.
Right now I’m getting 1780 mg EPA (500×2 + 780) and 260mg DHA plus 65m other omega 3.
Under the proposed regimen I would get:
EPA (780×2 + 135×2) DHA (260×2 + 270×2)
EPA 1830mg DHA 1060mg DHA
Is there any nutritional reason why it would be better to get the dha from fish than from the algal oil?
Thanks
Hi EastCoaster – I answered your earlier question yesterday…may be you’re not seeing it for some reason.
There is no nutritional reason to choose fish over algae. Or vice versa. If you get the DHA into your body, your body will thank you, regardless of source. Some algae extracted DHA products may have some remaining solvents like hexane, acetone, or isopropanol. I have no idea if that is the case with your algae DHA.
Thanks for the response. There was a delay in the post showing up, so I thought my comment hadn’t posted.
I was also asking about the best way to go about making sure that I get adequate EPA for myself even when upping DHA.
Hi EastCoaster – I think one regular OmegaVia and one DHA 600 should be plenty. As you get closer to 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, you can always increase either pill by one.
You have mentioned before in one of your articles about unopposed EPA being effective when one is interested in getting its benefits. Does the same work for DHA? Should I avoid a product that has EPA if I am more interested in the DHA component?
Hi NG – no need to avoid either. That would be a bad idea. For mood support, the evidence shows that more EPA than DHA helps. No such evidence exists for any other health condition.*
Hey there Mr Kutty,
My plan to improve my health, the dietary portion of it, is temporarily face down in the water. I have read numerous links lately regarding statins: specifically, statins and fish oil, as well as other related pharmacological and supplemental studies including coq10, K2 and vitamin E, etc. I thought, “Alright, finally! There it is in black and white–proof that it works–empirical results.”
However, I went on to read anther link, “Statins stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure: pharmacological mechanisms”. That was a veritable horror show about the apparent Ted Bundy of prescription medications. Who knew? Before you correctly suggest I see my Doctor, keep in mind that she prescribed them. On one hand, they are touted as miracles, on the other hand, not so much. Kind of like the wheat/whole grains issue—ground zero of healthy food… that is going to kill you. Have you any advice? These conundrums are frustrating. Thanks
Yep. Eat, sleep, move—a surprisingly difficult agenda, apparently. And, at the risk of repeating myself, who knew?
Hi Dennis – I’d go with the regular OmegaVia for now. It is the best way to get a high amount of Omega-3 into your body with one pill. I’d take 2-3 per day.
Hello, Thank you for your putting so much information out there! I truly enjoy your articles and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate them! I’ve been reading your articles for a while. I am currently a little over 5 months pregnant with my first and it’s GIRL :).
I’ve been taking the following:
4 Nordic Naturals Prenatal (serving size: 2)- 480 DHA & 205 EPA
1 Carlson super DHA 500
Total: 1460 DHA and 410 EPA
I didn’t realize that EPA was as important as DHA and I am concerned about it. From your experience with your wife, what would you recommend that I take for my last trimester. I am thinking about ordering the Omegavia regular and the Omegavia DHA 600. How many should I take Starting my 6th month and is ordering from Amazon the same as ordering directly on your website? Lastly, what magnesium pills do you recommend and how much mg should I be getting?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Hi Aida – congratulations! And glad you find the articles here useful. I think your total DHA is fine for the whole pregnancy. EPA is OK too, but could be higher.
You could keep your routine the same or you could use OmegaVia (regular) and OmegaVia DHA 600 in combo. One regular and 1 or 2 DHA per day.
Buying from this site or Amazon is the same. Except I don’t think Amazon offers ‘Auto-ship’ and the discount that goes with it. As for Magnesium, try the one from our sister company, InnovixLabs on Amazon. Aim for 400 mg Magnesium per day, but check with your OB before you add anything new to your routine. Good luck with the pregnancy.
Hi Vin,
I read somewhere that your body becomes saturated with DHA at a dose of about 900 mg/day, so taking more than that won’t do any good. Is that true?
Hi Peter – I dont know how that could be true. It is possible that there is no need for more than 900 mg DHA per day, but it can always be converted to EPA if there is excess.
Hi Vin,
I saw that figure on the attached web page from the UCLA Alzheimer’s Center where they discuss whether it would make sense for someone with the APOE4 to take DHA in conjunction with curcumin:
http://alzheimer.neurology.ucla.edu/Curcumin.html
Can excess EPA be converted to DHA as well, particularly in middle-aged men?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Peter – DHA is a longer molecule than EPA. By 2 carbons. Generally, elongation of any molecule is more cumbersome and consumes energy, so the body isn’t very efficient at it. So conversion of EPA to DHA is not as efficient as the reverse. The answer to your question: yes, EPA can be converted. But DHA to EPA works much easier and faster.
Hey Vin,
(This unrelated to DHA but this was the most recent article)
I have been following your health recommendations and would like to get your take on some things.
I am thinking about incorporating fish into my diet certain weeks so as not to have to supplement ALL the time with EPA pills. Does mercury toxicity concern you? (I heard Salmon was good on this front)
Per your recommendation I have been eating a lot of eggs (6 whites, 2 yolks a day) but I recently came across research connecting eggs to Prostate Cancer and its progression. Have you heard about this?
Lastly, I recently read a few articles warning against olive and coconut oil (especially coconut). Is this just another case of people fearing any and all fat?
http://nutritionfacts.org/2013/11/19/why-are-eggs-linked-to-cancer-progression/
https://www.pritikin.com/your-health/healthy-living/eating-right/1103-whats-wrong-with-olive-oil.html
HI Sullivan – wild salmon is an excellent food. Mercury is not high in salmon.
There has never, ever been cause and effect shown between eating eggs and cancer of any sort. I feel pretty comfortable is saying virtually everyone who has cancer has eaten eggs at some point. So it is easy to connect the two. Otherwise, I think it is hogwash. I feel the same way about the olive/coconut oil article.
Hi Vin,
What percentage of DHA is present in the sn-2 position of this product?
And maybe, if you have the time, could you elaborate on the importance (or not) of this in your opinion?
Thanks!
Hi Nik – as far as we know (based on NMR analysis), the DHA is equally distributed between sn-1, 2, and 3 positions on the glycerol backbone. In other words, about a third of it is probably in the sn-2 position.
Just curious – why do you ask?
I’ve been following Jack Kruse for some time. He says that DHA has to be in the SN-2 position to get into the brain and nervous system.
Rhonda Patrick seems to favor Krill for DHA and fish oil (she apparently uses Nordic Naturals Extra EPA) for EPA. Maybe you should sponsor her with some OmegaVia EPA? 😉 Anyway, seems like a decent approach? Given Krill is too expensive to cover all to make sense.
Feel free to cut out parts of the text if you wish. I just appreciate your opinion since I like your writings and view on things.
Hi Vin,
I have 2 boys – a 10yr old, who has concentration issues and a 4.5 yr old with sensory issues. Their diet is full of sugar juice and artificial stuff, while I am tackling that, please advise what Omega-3 to give them ? And how much.
Hi Meher – glad to hear that you are tackling the diet issue. See this for more details on products and dosage: https://omegavia.com/omega-3-kids/
Hello Vin,
Earlier I used to take Nordic Naturals EPA Xtra, but I recently started using “Omegavia Fish Oil” supplement after Omegavia switched to the rTG form.
Now, the supplement is Enteric-Coated, which means it won’t be digested in the stomach, and if I want to avoid this is it OK if I chew on the softgel? Once I feel that all the oil has been taken in, I spit out the capsule body. I have done it a couple of times and the oil tastes fine (this really shows it’s good quality stuff, so kudos to you guys!!!), can you please tell me if this method is OK and doesn’t affect the absorption in a negative way.
Hi Pankaj – I would not recommend chewing the capsule to release the oil in the mouth. There is no biological or scientific need to. There is almost no gastric digestion of Omega-3 in the stomach. Virtually all Omega-3 digestion happens in the intestines. So why go through the hassle? The only people up in arms about enteric coating are companies selling non-enteric-coated fish oil.
Hi Vin,
I have been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). My doctor says that I should consume Omega-3. I know that a high EPA, lower DHA formula is beneficial for most people, but in my case would you recommend a higher amount of DHA for such a neurological condition? Right now I am consuming 1.5 grams, mostly EPA because anxiety/depression are some of my symptoms. But I am thinking now I may need to adjust it because of my recent diagnose. I have also heard Choline supplementation is beneficial for POTS. What are your thoughts? Thank you.
Hi Joe – I am not aware of any Omega-3 research that’s been applied directly at mitigating POTS. If your doctor wants you to take Omega-3 and you want to focus on nervous health, then a little DHA, like this DHA 600 may help. Frankly, I don’t know whether it will or not. However, here is something to keep in mind: even though there appears to be a strong genetic component here, POTS is often seen with other ‘lifestyle’ diseases like chronic fatigue, diabetes, and IBS, most of which can be somewhat managed with strict control over diet and lifestyle that reduce inflammation and enhance gut health/microbiome. Something to think about in addition to adding DHA to your EPA routine.
Can I ask a question about the DHA only product?
How can DHA be separate from fish oil and EPA?
Hi JW – it’s basic high-vacuum distillation. The two molecules, EPA and DHA, have different molecular weight and boiling points. They are easily separated.
In another article on this website: https://omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-dha-and-your-brain/ it says that the brain only takes in 4 mg of DHA per day, and that the half life is around 2.5 years. I thought that this meant higher dosed DHA is not necessary for maximal brain utilization daily?
The article says that the heart, eyes, and other cells also use DHA, but it seemed the “gist” was that higher DHA isn’t necessary and it could inhibit DGLA production since DHA competes with GLA for an enzyme called delta-6-desaturase which means less GLA production.
Could you clarify more into what an optimal dosage of DHA would be for someone interested in brain performance. I wonder if the 4 mg rate limit be increased?
Hi Eli – that article was written with a narrow focus and with data that now feels irrelevant. I still think the 4 mg per day number is still correct, but it does not take into consideration other benefits or mechanisms of action of DHA. There appear to be unique benefits to both EPA and DHA. Example: more EPA helps with mood while more DHA helps with heart rate moderation and cognitive health. Also, it is clear that cognitive health benefits of DHA starts at around 600-800 mg of DHA per day, which is FAR higher than 4 mg. So, if you want brain performance, I’d target 600-800 mg DHA per day along with elimination of sugar, processed foods, daily exercise, plenty of prebiotic fiber, healthy sleep habits etc.
Thank you for the reply, I appreciate it!
Last question I promise –
Does EPA compete with DHA in any way when trying to cross the blood brain barrier or in the brain itself during membrane integration?
I only ask because I see a lot of fish oils on the market with much higher EPA and although it is still easy to reach 600 – 800 mg DHA with those ratios, I wonder if much higher levels of EPA going along with it might compete/block DHA in some way.
Hi Eli – there is virtually no EPA in the brain. But EPA, DPA, and DHA can and do cross the blood brain barrier. But the structural Omega-3 in the brain is DHA and its incorporation into the brain is unimpeded by EPA or DPA. In other words, if you take a product with high levels of EPA (like OmegaVia), the DHA present will still be properly used by the body. It is for those seeking specific ratios that we introduced this DHA item and the EPA 500.
Hi,
First of all, thanks for all the articles and replies to questions on them. All the information has been great.
Regarding the older article (https://omegavia.com/why-omegavia-is-high-in-epa-omega-3-dha-and-your-brain/), are you able to go back and add a note at the top to see the new info in this one?
I’m asking because the other article is still a high Google result, so I landed on it from there and didn’t see this post until browsing the site much later.
Thanks!
Hi Will – good point. Done.
I found your website two years ago, when i had chronic knee pain due to a bike accident. We exchanged some messages, and i followed your advice and took 1200 EPA/day and while it didnt completely erase my pain, it reduced my pain/inflammation significantly. It was a life saver seriously.
I learnt a lot from your advices in the comment sections, and im really thankful of this. Since that time Im telling people who has pain to try/come here to learn with omegavia and/or about high quality fish oil.
Now I just came back again to your site to ask your advice. I just learnt recently i have/had a chronic inflammation in one of my teeth roots, and dentists were telling me it may affect all my recovery/physio/knee pain as well. So last week I had a tooth extraction, and since that time i have pain/inflammation in my mouth now. The dentists told me to take antibiotic, but if there is any way im trying to avoid antibiotics. (I have some digestion issues: too much intestinal gas and eructation and Im trying to save my stomach from further troubles) So, now im suffering (no painkillers) and looking for urgent alternative ways to reduce inflammation/pain and help my body to recover.
Do you think higher intake of EPA daily can help in this issue? Im planning 1000-1300 mg EPA first, if there is no effect up to 2000mg EPA/day for a 10 days period of time.
Do you may have any other advice which could help? If you say, follow the dentist order and there is no other way then take antibiotic i will accept it.
Thanks for your advice, and sorry for my english mistakes,
Robbie
Hi Robbie – I’m glad EPA helped with the knee issues. However, EPA will not replace the need for antibiotics or painkillers after tooth extraction. Antibiotics are a necessary evil and if you need it, you need to take it. For the immediate future, following your doctor’s advice is critical.
Beyond that, if you want to maintain good dental health, start with elimination of all sweet beverages, sugar and refined grains. Floss your teeth at least once a day. And take Vitamin K2 to strengthen your teeth. Our sister company makes a good K2: https://shop.innovixlabs.com/products/full-spectrum-vitamin-k2
Thank you for your quick reply! Ok, I will wait one more day, and if its not going to get better, i will choose antibiotics.. (Im doing this in the last 6 days, waiting for some miracle to happen, but nothing happened yet just the pain stayed..) Do you may have any research/learning materials about the health benefits of K2 ? I never heard of K2 before, and tonight im going to examine this topic. Do you may know any natural food supplement as teeth pain killer?
Thanks for your quick response, please let me know if you anytime end up in Budapest:)
Robbie
Hi Robbie – Vitamin K2 is involved in making teeth and bones stronger. More here: https://omegavia.com/how-to-choose-the-right-vitamin-k2-supplement/
I was going through your site and I understand you are an authority on subject of Omega 3s. Compliment you for the wealth of information shared on on the website.
I am writing to you with a very specific query and hope you will be able to help me.
Background:
I am Male, 41 years.
Have high triglycerides (300 – 340 mg/dL) since I was 25 years & this is heriditary (runs in family with mother and younger brother also has high triglycerides).
I also suffer from depression, which could be part attributed to fact that I am Beta Thal minor and as such my Hb levels are 11-12.
For Triglycerides I inititally tried EPA+ DHA but it made me sleepy, drowsy, confused, lethargic & sloppy.
Have tried multiple formulations of EPA and they all make me worse with above mentioned symptoms and makes my depression worse.
Is this a known side effect of EPA? I read somewhere that EPA reduces cortisol in the body and dont know if that is a plausible explanation. Is it correct that EPA reduces cortisol?
Though your website mentions EPA as main product for TGL reduction but I am apprehensive of using it owing to existing high TGL levels.
I have tried DHA in past and it has yielded good results especially on mental performance. Have now got a bottle of Omegavia DHA 600.
Had questions with respect to Omegavia DHA 600:
1. Understand DHA in OmegaVia 600 is in Triglyceride form.
Given my existing condition of High triglycerides, would OmegaVia 600 help in decreasing TGL levels or TGL form of DHA may actually elevate existing TGL levels?
2. If yes to above question, what should be dosage & duration of DHA to see results.
3. Can DHA also help with depression? My depression is more due to dopamine deficiency/neurotransmission.
4. Does DHA affect cortisol levels as well ?
I eagerly look forward to hearing your comments.
Also, please do let me know any suggestions or advice you may like to give based on my condition and how Omega 3s could help me.
Regards,
Ron
Hi Ron – EPA and DHA are not known to cause sleepiness or confusion. Neither are these two Omega-3s known to worsen depression.
As for cortisol, topical application of cortisol temporarily weakens the effect of Omega-3.
EPA alone is not suggested for triglyceride reduction. We recommend a combination of three things:
1. A diet that is very low in sugar, grains, and refined carbohydrates. In other words, mostly vegetables, and some protein, with generous amounts of healthy fats.
2. An exercise plan that includes both resistance and aerobic exercises
3. 3000 mg of Omega-3 per day (both EPA and DHA)
The DHA in DHA 600 will not elevate triglyceride because of the triglyceride form DHA – those are two different things.
EPA seems to help with mood more than DHA.
Hi Vin,
I respect your professional opinion related to omega3, and im interested to learn more from you.
Can you comment this recent study?
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/18/omega-3-no-protection-against-heart-attack-or-strokes-say-scientists
Im curious what you think about this,
thanks!
Hi Kal – there are many reasons why studies do or do not show benefits. This applies to all nutrition science, not just Omega-3.
I’m attaching our standard response regarding this study.
First, there were two studies published at the same time. One was mildly positive and the other was ‘null’ or no benefit. The positive study was completely ignored by the media. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30019767
1) There are decades of research showing a cardioprotective effect of omega-3s. This includes meta-analyses, RCTs, epidemiological studies, animal studies and in vitro studies.
2) While Dr. Lee Hooper, the project lead for this systematic review, says she is “… confident in the findings of this review which go against the popular belief that long-chain omega-3 supplements protect the heart,” her analysis focuses on only part of the existing evidence and even there contradicts previous meta-analyses that focused more carefully on some of the most relevant outcomes (cardiac death, blood pressure, triglycerides). What she gained in comprehensiveness, she lost in depth.
3) Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of the CHD meta-analysis is that it is underpowered. Most readers of this article will assume that if there is a true effect on CHD mortality, for example, then this study would have a good chance of detecting it. In fact, that is not the case – a real effect of this size would be unlikely to be detected unless the number of participants were doubled. This stresses the importance of considering all existing science, not just RCTs.
The way the authors define cardiovascular mortality is non-standard, and using this definition reduced the number of events considered, as compared to other published meta-analyses. This choice artificially reduced the chances of an already underpowered analysis to detect a significant effect.
And finally, here is a related piece I wrote back in 2014: https://omegavia.com/why-fish-oil-doesnt-work/
Thanks so much for clearing up some questions I had about this product.
what do you think about the claims of Scott Doughman, Ph.D, owner of Source-Omega International? He claims that all the efa’s the human body needs is DHA and only minuscule amounts of EPA, whether from algae sources or fish oil. He further claims that regardless of the starting epa/dha ratio, the liver reprocesses the fatty acids in a few hours resulting in an avg 85% dha/5% epa. He says these ratios are what the human body inherently needs and that even though the liver is very efficient at retroconverting the efas it is easier on the body to take what it naturally needs to begin with. He says the most important thing is to take enough efa’s, 700-1400mg, regardless of the specific ratios.
Hi Joseph – I could say a lot, but I won’t. It is rare for me to pass on stuff like this. Instead of saying nothing, I’ll say this: I somewhat disagree. 🙂
A year later I need to know what you were thinking! Send a private message if desired!
Thanks,
Joseph thorpe
Hi Joseph – glad you asked. 🙂
2019 was a good year for highlighting what the body does with EPA and DHA. There were two very good studies published last year that clarify this.
Turns out quite a bit of EPA can get converted to DHA. But not the other way around. So, the notion that DHA is all you need is inaccurate.
Links:
https://www.nutraingredients-latam.com/Article/2019/07/01/Elegant-study-deepens-our-understanding-of-how-we-respond-to-EPA-DHA-omega-3s
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/110/4/823/5519526?redirectedFrom=fulltext
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/110/4/789/5524533?redirectedFrom=fulltext
I still maintain that you need both…a little more EPA than DHA.
I am bulking to put on muscle at the gym, therefore I need a lot of protein. I have cut down on as many omega 6 rich foods as I can, and take 1100mg of both dha and epa combined per day. I also eat a handful of chia seeds per day, and fish at least a few times a week. I eat 2 chicken breasts and a handful of nuts per day, as well as a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Do you think this is a healthy balance, and would you advise against eating eggs daily on top of this (which I am considering doing)?
Hi Jack – based on what you’ve shared, this is not an unusual diet to put on muscle mass. Having said that, putting on muscle and health are occasionally at odds. We say this because excess protein accelerates aging. Your Omega and fish consumption looks OK. However, if you’re trying to reduce inflammation, I’d cut back on seeds and nuts…and focus on leafy green, roots, berries. Extra virgin olive oil is great.
We never suggest avoiding eggs.
Thanks, that was a very helpful comprehensive answer! A further question..
What is your opinion on cooking oils? As i’ve already stated I use extra virgin olive oil, but i’m considering using cold pressed rapeseed, and virgin coconut oil too. How will this affect the omega balance in my diet in your opinion?
Hi Jack – I am not a fan of Canola (rapeseed) oil because it is high in Omega-6. It will hurt your Omega-3 to 6 ratio. Coconut oil is Ok for some. Others find that it increases their LDL a little. My issue with coconut oil is that unless I use deodorized forms, its flavor overpowers everything. These days, I use some butter but mostly stick with extra virgin olive oil for salads and extra light olive oil for high heat cooking.
Hi Vin. Is it possible that fish oil can make insomnia worse if taken too late in the day? I know it has some effect on neurotransmitters. I take one Omegavia with lunch and one with dinner, since those are my larger, fattier meals. Would it be better to just take two with lunch? My insomnia has been getting worse, especially around full moon time. I am battling late stage neurological Lyme disease. Do you think I should add in some more DHA, due to my high levels of brain inflammation? Any research on this? Thanks!
Hi Joe – there is no clinical trial that shows Omega-3s to worsen insomnia. But, as the saying goes, you’re not a statistic. You are a person. And you may respond uniquely to environmental and dietary inputs. You are taking only 2 OmegaVia a day, which is not considered a very high dose. There is no harm at all in taking both pills with lunch. It will be well-absorbed. If you think taking the pill at night may be contributing to this, it is perfectly fine to take it earlier in the day.
Having said that, we’re also having this discussion in May 2020, during the first big wave of Covid 19 pandemic. Virtually everyone I know is having some sleep issues due to the stress of fear, uncertainty, and reduced outdoor activity. This may be contributing to your situation. Do not discount it.
As far as adding a little DHA for neurological support…it’s not a bad idea independent of your Lyme disease diagnosis. (Sorry to hear about that, btw.) But I have no idea if a little more DHA will help with Lyme because we have no clinical evidence.
If brain inflammation is a focus, try to target it with dietary modifications as well – less sugar, less refined carbs, and less Omega-6 seed oils. More prebiotic-fiber-rich veggies and seafood. More here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201712/cooling-brain-inflammation-naturally-food
Hope this helps.
Hello Vin, My daughter is 8 months pregnant and on the whole eats very healthy. She is allergic to fish. A few years ago I asked you about a particular plant based omega 3 oil which you approved. It seems as if there are now many more vegetarian options. Have you noticed this?? If this is the case can you recommend a few that are more outstanding in your opinion as I don’t really know what to look for for a really great product. She struggles with mood issues from day to day (also when not pregnant) so wondering if there is one that is higher in the EPA for mood. How much EPA should she aim for? She also seems so forgetful and exhausted! I use a number of Innovix supplements and want you to know I am so pleased with their quality and thank-you very much for consistently being there for us all!!
Hi Elsha – oh congratulations on almost being a grandparent!
Most people who are allergic to fish are not allergic to fish oil because there is no fish protein in the supplements, especially the highly concentrated ones. But that is a risk decision only your daughter and her OB should make. Yes, I have noticed a lot of vegan Omega-3 options out there. It is still early days with algae-derived DHA. So, none are especially outstanding.
In the meantime Nordic Naturals is a safe bet: https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Naturals-Vegan-Prenatal-DHA/dp/B07P2H9RBR/
As for mood, I wrote this piece for our sister brand’s site: https://innovixlabs.com/blogs/insights/mood-health-plan-diet-tips-depression-anxiety Hope you find it useful. Mood is a complex issue – lots of small things help, but no one supplement or pill will fix it completely. Supplements are a small part of it, so we gathered several mood supporting ingredients into a pack here: https://innovixlabs.com/products/daily-mood-pack but I would not feel comfortable suggesting this to someone who is 8 months pregnant.
Things that most pregnant women in their third trimester lack are DHA, choline, magnesium, Vitamin D3, iodine, Vitamin K2, and iron. DHA needs during the last 2 months of pregnancy is MUCH higher than what prenatal supplements provide, so you will need to take about 600 to 900 mg DHA per day. Oh, I forgot iron – about half of all pregnant women are deficient in iron. Abotu 80% are deficient in choline, which is extremely important. She should get lots of sun exposure – UV B rays shift gut microbiome to a blend that is much healthier…in addition to Vitamin D3. Sun exposure should be required during pregnancy, but we’re all focused on the negative with regards to sun and UV. More on all that here: https://omegavia.com/fish-oil-during-pregnancy/
Anyway, good luck and wish your daughter the best.
Elsha here again. I use the Innovixlabs Triple Strength Omega 3 so do you know then if it contains fish protein? Can this be tested? If it’s generally the protein people react to and there’s no protein in the product might it contain something else they could react to when allergic to fish? Sorry for all the questions!
Hi Elsha – no, there is no fish protein in the InnovixLabs Triple Strength Omega-3. The gelatin capsule is made from beef. The gelatin capsule of OmegaVia products are made from fish gelatin, so OmegaVia will have fish protein…not in the oil, but in the capsule.
Protein levels in fish oil can be tested by some labs. But no one tests it because there is no protein in purified oils…and proteins are usually considered healthy.
If you have an allergic reaction to a highly concentrated Omega-3 supplement with a bovine gelatin capsule, then there is something in the pill other than fish protein that you are allergic to. You’d have to work with an allergist to get to the bottom of that.
A few more very quick questions but first thank-you so much for the helpful information. I would never think of paying that much attention to the capsule itself. 1)How seriously do you take expiry dates? 2)How far can I go over the Innovixlabs Triple Strength Omega-3 expiry date and 3) is it best to keep them in the fridge then but not in freezer? Thank-you again!!
Hi Elsha – expiry dates are required by the FDA and supplement manufacturers need to have back-up/proof documentation that a product is indeed good until the expiration date. This means the product must have the amount of claimed ingredients even on the expiration date.
However, we are not talking about milk or meats. For minerals like magnesium or calcium, expiration dates don’t mean much because the mineral content will remain the same and as long as the seal on the bottle is intact, chances are good that you can use your calcium supplements for a long time after the expiration date.
With Omega-3 and fish oil supplements, expiration dates mean two things: level of Omega-3 decreases a tiny little bit. Example: a label that says the pill may have 900 mg of Omega-3 may only have 875 mg a year after expiration. This by itself is not a bad thing…but the thing about Omega-3s that you need to pay attention to is the rancidity. Even though softgels are protected from light, oxygen, and heat (drivers of rancidity) the oil within may gradually start to become more rancid. Not much…but it can be measured.
With Probiotics, the issue is the number of live cultures – and these are live organisms, so they gradually die and the product may lose potency. For some probiotics, dead or alive makes no difference – even remnant genetic strands from dead probiotics can impart health benefits. But this is not the case with all probiotics, just some.
So expiration dates mean different things to different types of nutrients.
Personally, I would feel comfortable taking one of our expired Omega-3 products…for may be 6 months past expiration. Even though there is no harm or safety risk, my reluctance to continue taking an expired product is…why would I take old stuff if I have access to fresh stuff?
As for storage, if I have a bottle and don’t plan on using it for a year, I will put it in the freezer. If I plan on using it within the next month or two, I’ll keep it in the fridge or freezer. Unlike you, I (obviously) don’t buy OmegaVia. I have Quality Control Dept send me bags of 1000 softgels from each batch produced, which I keep in the cheese/veggie drawer of the fridge. My family consumes 8 to 10 OmegaVia capsules a day, so 1000 pills doesn’t last long.
Hello, There is a new 2020 USC study about Omega 3 and DHA
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-supplements-potential-alzheimer-affect-blood.html
A summary of the study: “Higher doses of omega-3 supplements may be needed in order to make a difference, because dramatic increases in blood levels of omega-3s are accompanied by far smaller increases within the brain.” Also, DHA levels need to be higher, especially if the individual has the risk-inflating APOE4 mutation.
Some gaps and questions from the study.
Is the study referring to One copy of ε4 variant, or Two copies of ε4 variant?
Is it acceptable to take 2 grams DHA daily, or are there additional questions and concerns that must be considered?
I would be interested in some thoughts and opinions.
Hi Gary – the study isn’t clear about the number of ApoE4 mutation.
Free full text here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(20)30258-9/fulltext
Taking 2 grams of DHA daily is not known to cause side effect. That’s more than the human body needs, but this dose is not known to cause issues, other than possible increase in large (‘healthy’) LDL.
The brain (or cerebrospinal fluid) is not the place to look for EPA. That the authors sought to measure EPA there is fine. The more we know the better, but the brain and nerves are where DHA is stored. It is very interesting but we don’t know how relevant it is that EPA doesn’t increase in people with ApoE4 mutations.
The importance of this study is that it may change our understanding of dose response. Generally, 600-700 mg DHA per day is where you begin seeing benefits, but that could be in the general population. It is possible that based on this study, cognitive research ought to use 2 grams or higher.
It is flawed to view Alzheimer’s from an Omega-3-only perspective. This disease is often called Type 3 diabetes and may be a neural expression of metabolic disorder among people with ApoE4 issues. Any effort to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s MUST include strict dietary and lifestyle modifications, particularly elimination of sugar and refined carbohydrates, high intensity exercise, increased consumption of brain-supportive nutrients (of which DHA is one), and time-restricted feeding or intermittent fasting. Of course, there are genetic and environmental factors that contribute and all possible causes need to be addressed separately.
Hi,
What is the difference between omegavia fish oil and EPA and DHA? Do I just need one or all of them?
I’m 42 yr old male, not hugely overweight I weigh 78-79kg and about 5ft 11″ tall. I suffered all my life with bowel issues from early child hood surgery and have never been able to put on weight past 70-75kg (always been quite slim) up until about 5 months ago. In that 5 months I put on that extra 4 kgs and my waist went from 30-31″ to having to get 34″ pants. So most of it has gone on around my belly I assume. I’ve never eaten particularly badly, but also I wouldn’t say I eat fanatically healthy. I guess I’ve never really worried about what I eat. Sometimes I eat a bit of junk food, but it’s certainly not an everyday thing, not even an every week thing really, on the whole I think I eat ok. I do like a few glasses of wine, but that intake hasn’t changed in the last 5 months. Certainly like bacon and eggs (scrambled) on the weekend, I only cook with olive oil. I dunno maybe I have just been eating worse than I thought I had. Had a lot of stress lately too.
Anyway just had my first cholesterol test ever and doctor says it’s high. Sorry I don’t know what these are in US units
total 7.7 mmol/L
trigly 3.3 mmol/L
HDL 1.7 mmol/L
LDL 4.5 mmol/L
Non HDL 6.0 mmol/L
He said he’s not particularly worried due to my age and that I should try changing diet and we’ll retest in a couple of months. Said all the things you’ve pointed out in some of your articles. I know nothing of this subject, but your articles have read really well and got me skeptical as to his advice. He said, cut out all animal fat, etc etc all the things contrary to what you have.
I was just going to ask what is the difference between your fish oil and the EPA, do I need one or both, I’m thinking the high tric reading 3.3 would that help get that down? Then I thought maybe I’ll just give you some background, You seem to be quite generous with advise and you might be able to give me some pointers?
Many thanks in advance
Hi John – here is how we distinguish OmegaVia Ultra Concentrated vs EPA 500 vs DHA 600:
OmegaVia Ultra Concentrated is a one-stop product. This is for you if you wish to take both EPA and DHA at a very high dose…and you don’t mind a large-ish pill.
EPA 500 is for mood and triglyceride-management. Many use if for joint care as well…but at your age, joint issues are unlikely.
DHA 600 is for prenatal, breastfeeding, as well as cognitive and eye health.
Based on what you’ve shared, OmegaVia Ultra Concentrated is probably the best fit for you. I’d take 3 of those if I were you. But you don’t have to buy OmegaVia…any high quality, 3rd party tested, concentrated Omega-3 will do the job. If you do decide to buy OmegaVia, get it here:
As for your sudden weight loss, there are a few things that come to mind. It may be hormonally driven – what and when you eat affect insulin level. Insulin drives weight gain. Your thyroid levels may be a bit off – this can affect weight. Eat foods rich in iodine and selenium…and talk to your doctor. And finally, we are in mid-pandemic as I write this and we are all stressed (cortisol, a stress hormone can make you eat more and gain weight), and many of us are eating more comfort foods and moving less. As social media jokingly predicts, by the end of this pandemic most of us will belong to one of these categories: hunk, chunk, drunk, or monk.
As for your numbers, your HDL number is good…but your triglyceride is well above normal range. If you combine 3000 to 5000 mg of Omega-3 daily with a disciplined (good) diet and exercise, you should be able to knock down triglyceride in half.
I’m (obviously) not a/your doctor and so I cannot comment on why your doctor has chosen to give you dietary advice that belongs in the 1980s. If I were you, I’d consult with an Integrative health dietitian or nutritionist on how to proceed. Simply put: cut out all sugar, juice, alcohol, and anything for flour or processed grains. Eat stuff that was alive a few days ago – mostly vegetables, with a little seafood, red meat, eggs, nuts, fruits and berries.
And finally, at 42, you have crossed over from the consequence-free years of your life to the part where every dietary and lifestyle misstep comes with a clear consequence. Hope all this helps.
Thanks for such a prompt and thourough response. Realise my not being 21 anymore would likely have a small part to play, but I guess we don’t like to tell ourselves that.
I’ll be sure to order some of your omega 3, but in the meantime (I’m in AU so postal delays etc) so I could just get started today, I went and bought some Ethical Nutrients High Strength, from what I could see they say they are tested to standards. Couldn’t find any immediately available in AU that mentioned 3rd party testing, not sure if it’s a thing here. Only available from overseas, like iherb. So will start taking these anyway, and adjusting my diet.
Sorry just a couple of quick questions on the diet. “anything flour or processed grains” what does that allow me to include, eg are rolled porridge oats ok? I have been having high protein wholegrain from the bakers, but I’m assuming that falls under flour regardless that it’s wholegrain.
Would bacon still be ok, even occasionally?
Thanks again
Hi John – let’s address bacon first. Don’t touch my bacon! It’s an essential food group. 😉 No one’s taking mine or your bacon away. I have it a couple of times a month. You can too.
But anything from the bakery…now THAT will kill you a LOT sooner than bacon. Why? Most baked goods (regardless of whether it’s wholegrain or not) will spike your blood sugar. High blood sugar and insulin are the root cause of a whole host of health issues. Do not fall for the ‘healthy whole grain’ marketing nonsense.
Oats? Occasionally fine because it’s got some fiber in it. But generally, flour, grains – rice, wheat etc., all fall into a group that I consume no more than once or twice a week. You don’t need to lower your carb intake (although that will help) but get your carbs from vegetables instead of grains. This is the biggest hurdle most people face. Faced with this advice, most turn to more protein and that would be a mistake. Get the extra calories from healthy fats like olive oil, and not more protein. Low carb does not mean high protein.
OK great, thanks again for the advice. I order 6 months supply of Omegavia from iherb. Was such a great deal they had going and free delivery!
I’m totally new to paleo and was worried I’d struggle and not like the options, and trying to work out what to have for each meal, then basically lose motivation and interest and give up. So I did some more research and found a free 4 week intro course with full meal plans, shopping lists etc from Irena Macri. Sounds like she’s helped a lot of people transistion. The food looks great, it’s actually got me excited about it. I’ve already started to make changes and try some things, but I’m going to start the course officially next week. Already started clearing the cupboards to take all the packet food to the food bank!
Thanks again for the advice, it’s really helped my motivation towards changing my diet for the better. I’ll let you know how I go.
Sounds, good, John. Only you know your sense of commitment to diet and lifestyle changes.
If you’re a ‘jump in the deep end of the pool’ type person, go for it. If not, ease into a paleo or ancestral type eating. If you choose to go slow, simply start with getting rid of sweets, candies, cakes, cookies, sweetened beverages, juices, and beer. Allow yourself to be good 8 or 9 out of 10 days…that way, you aren’t feeling deprived. The next step may be getting rid of flour and refined grains and seed oils (canola, grape seed, corn, soy etc.)
This is as deep as most people need to wade into paleo eating. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect everyone to go STRICT paleo with eliminating dairy and legumes. Although eliminating gluten/wheat is something that’ll benefit everyone, especially those with gut or bowel issues.
and the meal plans have bacon in them! so definitely happy about that 🙂 🙂
Hi Vin,
I recently suffered a concussion and have had some lingering effects including poor concentration/”brain fog”, balance, and fatigue. A concussion clinic I’m going to which takes a multi-facted approach to healing mild traumatic brain injuries places a good deal of emphasis on nutrition and supplements and not surprisingly focuses on Omega-3s and especially DHA since it makes up so much of the brain.
I’m sure you’re aware of Dr. Michael Lewis (not the Moneyball guy, another one), who has been banging the drum for Omega-3s for brain health both as a healing agent and as a prophylactic measure. He recommends 3g everyday of combined DHA/EPA for healthy people and in patients with brain injuries a “loading dose” of 9g(!) for at least seven days to start, potentially extending to a month or more.
As far as I can tell from my healthcare provider’s knowhow and my own research and limited scientific literacy, the science on this is mostly theoretical/anecdotal/clinical – that is to say, not supported by randomized, double-blind, blah blah blah studies. I’m wondering what your thoughts are on the potential for omega-3 “megadosing” as part of a new standard of care for brain injuries?
Also, Lewis’ further recommendation, which my clinician doesn’t stipulate, is to take the concentrated triglyceride form instead of the ethyl ester since it absorbed faster and more easily.
I’ve read your other articles on the differences between rTG and EE and the upshot seems to be that eventually, when taken with meals, the EE form shows a slightly lower efficacy that doesn’t justify its price premium. You stress that over time, the level of Omega 3s in the blood is still very impressive if not quite-as-impressive over time with the ethyl ester form. What I’m wondering about is just how much faster is the TG/rTG uptake? Is there a substantial different in their “0-60s”? Is it a matter of hours versus days or days versus weeks? Any information you have would be valuable.
P.S. thank you for all the thoughtful responses and candor. There’s so much misdirection and cant in consumer products, especially the supplement industry, so you’re really earning a lot of trust by sharing your knowledge and being completely forthcoming about what the products do.
Hi Jason – sorry to hear about your recent concussion. I’m glad you are receiving medical care. Too many dismiss it as ‘just a headache and it will go away.’ Glad you did not dismiss it.
The other points to note:
1) We don’t know with certainly if/how Omega-3 help. You’re right in that this field is mostly based on theory, anecdotes and case studies. Having said that, the case studies are fairly compelling and I hope we see more research in this field.
2) Speed may be key. How quickly you get medical (or nutritional) help may be important.
If you haven’t already read it, I have a lot more to say about all this here:
https://omegavia.com/fish-oil-brain-injury/
Yes, I am familiar with Dr. Michael Lewis. I met him about 7-8 years ago. There is a link to one of his presentations in the link above.
Regarding the 9 gram dose…he’s not the only one. A few other doctors use ultra-high dosage for short periods of time. Timing may be key – we don’t know if mega dosing is useful a month after the injury versus a day or hours after the injury. When the science is all settled, I suspect that people with concussions may be given DHA in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. But that’s the thing…the science is far from settled and there is no standard of care.
Anything below 4 or 5 grams is what the FDA and EFSA considers safe for long term use. If you and your doctor decide to go big on dosage, make sure you increase your antioxidant dosing as well. I like TocoSorb by Jarrow. Also Alpha Lipoic Acid and Pycnogenol to help offset the oxidative burden of taking such a high dose. Run these products by your doctor.
Dr. Lewis is right with recommending the triglyceride form over ethyl ester. There is a minor improvement. I think phospholipid (PL) forms may be far better for your application…but the molecular structure of phospholipid DHA is such that you simply cannot get much DHA per gram of oil. Nordic Naturals makes a decent phospholipid Omega-3 item, but it has just 100 mg of DHA in it and most of the 100 mg is not in phospholipid form because it is a mix of triglyceride and phospholipid. Best dietary source of the PL form is fish roe…if you can tolerate the taste and texture.
One factor that influences which form of DHA you take is your genetics. Are you an ApoE4 carrier? 23nMe and other genetics places can help you answer that. People who are carriers of this allele have issues with DHA transport across the blood brain barrier. If that’s you, then you need to eat a lot of fish…because fish and fish eggs have PL form of DHA. If you are not a carrier, then regular old TG form of DHA is fine. This is not something I was aware of 5 or 10 years ago when I first wrote the piece above.
Don’t waste time going down the ethyl ester vs triglyceride rabbit hole. Not worth it. Find out about the ApoE4 thing and take the right form based on that. If the right form for you is ethyl ester, fine…just take 10-20% more of the EE form and take it with a meal.
Hope all this helps you get better. Take care.
Great info, my fault for not looking for the information here before. I’ll look into the genetic aspect and get an antioxidant supplement. Thanks!