Frequently Asked Questions

Research indicates that 70 percent of Americans are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. However, despite thousands of studies and decades of research, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not approved a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) or a Reference Daily Intake (RDI).

As an industry, we look to trusted national and international health organizations as a guide in determining the recommended daily requirements of these essential nutrients.

• The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids & Lipids (ISSFAL) — an international scientific society that facilitates and conducts research and the health impact of dietary lipids, recommends 500 mg EPA/DHA for adults.
• The American Heart Association (AHA) — a national health agency committed to educating Americans on ways to improve heart health — recommends eating fatty fish twice weekly for “healthy” Americans; recommends 1 g EPA/DHA daily for those who suffer from Coronary Heart Disease or Cardiovascular Disease; recommends 2-4 g EPA/DHA daily for patients who need to lower their triglyceride levels.
• The National Institute of Health (NIH) — the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research; recommends a total of 650 mg EPA/DHA, with at least 220 mg of each for adults.
• The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) — The federal agency that regulates farming, agriculture and food polices in the United States; recommends eating omega-3 rich fish containing EPA and DHA.
• The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) — The federal agency responsible for ensuring that foods are safe, wholesome and sanitary; recommends up to 3g of omega-3 daily from food, and up to 2g from supplements.
• The National Health & Medical Research Council — Australia’s premiere body for supporting health and medical research; recommends 610 mg of EPA, DHA and DPA for men, and 430 mg for women.
• The National Heart Foundation of Australia — an Australian health agency committed to educating Australians on the ways to improve heart health; recommends eating two meals per week of fatty fish.

Multiple small dietary changes contribute to significant health rewards. By simply replacing everyday foods with omega-3 fortified products, the recommended amounts of daily EPA and DHA can be met.

Short-chain omega-3 fatty acids (ALA) are found in plant-based sources such as flaxseed oil. While ALA offers its own unique health benefits, the body must convert these short-chain fatty acids to EPA and DHA in order to reap the full potential of health benefits associated with omega-3. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of these short-chain fatty acids are actually converted to EPA and DHA, resulting in undetectable changes in blood lipids. OmegaPure fish oil is a direct and bio-available source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.

Omega-3 and omega-6 are essential fatty acids. This means that they cannot be made by the body and have to be consumed through the diet. For centuries mankind consumed a 1:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. However, with the introduction of modern food manufacturing processes and a faster paced lifestyle, the Western diet has come to include far more omega-6 fatty acids than ever before. As a result the ratio is now 1:25, creating an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency.

Omega-6 fatty acids are found in seeds, nuts and oils extracted from them as well as refined vegetable oils. Because excess omega-6 fatty acids promote an inflammatory response within the body and compete for the same enzymes needed for omega-3 metabolism, the imbalance causes significant health problems.

To achieve the ideal balance (1:4 ratio) and optimal health, the Western diet needs to include far less omega-6 fatty acids while increasing consumption of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

To know whether or not a food product contains long-chain omega-3, turn to the ingredient panel on its packaging. Products that contain short-chain omega-3 will list sources such as flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil and even soybean oil. Products containing long-chain omega-3 will be listed as fish oil, refined fish oil, omega-3 refined menhaden fish oil, menhaden fish oil, as well as other species-specific fish oil. Another source of omega-3 fatty acids DHA (not EPA) is algae oil or algal oil.

The Food and Drug Administration thinks so. The food labeling amendment regarding allergenic substances states any food ingredient that is deemed a major food allergen such as fish or crustaceans does not need allergenic statements if they are highly refined, bleached and deodorized. They feel the allergenic statements are not necessary because the refinement process removes the protein, which is the cause of allergic reactions.

To learn more about the Food Labeling Amendment, click here to visit the FDA Web site.

If you have any concerns about a fish or crustacean allergy, please consult your doctor before consuming products fortified with refined fish oil.

All fish, big and small, are exposed to contaminants and toxins. The age, size of fish and the ocean depth in which the fish inhabit are all factors. Large, mature fish that swim deep in the ocean have greater exposure to contaminants such as PCBs and mercury. Menhaden are small, surface feeders that feed on phytoplankton and have a short life span which considerably reduces their exposure to environmental contaminants.

The refining process is able to further reduce potential toxins and impurities to undetectable measures. OmegaPure fish oil undergoes an extensive refining process beginning with an alkali treatment to reduce free fatty acids, bleaching to reduce color and remove oxidative precursors, and then fractioned to produce a clear fluid liquid. Molecular distillation then removes all remaining traces of contaminants with the final step of deodorization to remove the characteristic fish flavor and scent.

After refinement, OmegaPure fish oil meets the CRN standards for PCBs, mercury and dioxins. And because Omega Protein is a vertically integrated company, we have the ability to monitor the complete production process, and we ensure product integrity.