Sales of DHA supplements are growing faster than any other nutritional dietary supplement in history.

Lets examine exactly what DHA supplements are and what they do.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is one of the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids known as essential fatty acids. It is, however, not the only essential fatty acid. Others include EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), and more. These are known as Omega 3 fatty acids.

They are known as essential fatty acids because scientists and health professionals who research our health consider them to be essential for the maintenance of good health, and to help prevent, or ameliorate a range of common health problems.

We have been brought up to believe that fats are bad for us. And in some cases this is true. For example saturated fat, most commonly found in animal products, is not good for our health. However it’s not true that all fat is bad for us and the Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA, are considered essential to good health. They are polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Unlike some nutrients our bodies are unable to create DHA, or the other essential fatty acids, itself. Rather we must rely on dietary intake for our supply of these Omega-3 fatty acids.

Whilst in the past there was a range of sources of DHA in our diet these sources have reduced over the past hundred years. Fish oil from oily fish was the single biggest source of DHA in our diets, however during the last century the amount of fish in the average American diet has reduced dramatically.

However there are other sources of DHA as well. For example meat has been a good source of DHA and EPA in the past, however is now not so. This is because most of our meat is now sourced from grain fed animals, and grain fed beef is low in these Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Grass fed beef is much higher in Omega3 fats however grass fed beef is now relatively rare in our diets.

Over the last 30 years research has established clearly that adequate supplies of  DHA and EPA, the 2 most important of the omega 3 essential fatty acids, is essential to a wide range of health issues. Research has shown that the average American diet is inadequate in Omega 3 intake and increasing our intake can offer a wide range of health benefits including a reduction in heart disease, including fatal heart attacks, a reduction in the risk of stroke, a wide range of brain benefits including improved memory and brain function and a wide range of other improvements in our health.

You can read about many of these using the categories listed on the right.

Our brain is made up primarily of fat, and somewhere around 40 percent of that is DHA. DHA is also the most important of the essential fatty acids in the retina of our eyes.

It is now considered established that an adequate supply of DHA is essential to the growing development of the brain in a fetus and baby, as well as the nervous system, and for this reason pregnant and nursing women may also benefit from DHA supplements.

A recent study has shown that Omega 3 deficiency is one of the major causes of preventable deaths in the US.

The reduction in the intake of fish in our diets has meant that the average American diet is way too low in DHA and EPA. For this reason many health professionals, including the American Heart Association, are recommending DHA supplementation, or eating more fish, is a way to improve our levels of Omega 3 fatty acid intake, even during pregnancy. And the need to keep up an adequate intake of DHA and EPA extends to people of any age, with many health professionals recommending DHA supplements for pregnant women right through to our oldest citizens, who can also benefit from adequate dietary supplementation with Omega-3 fats.

DHA supplements are nutritional supplements which have high levels of both DHA and EPA, the 2 most important of the omega 3 fatty acids. For most of us they are the best source of essential fatty acids, and the most effective way to include these long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in our diet.

The DHA and EPA in the capsules comes from fish, which are the single best source of Omega 3 fats.

Of course we can always eat more fish, but fish is getting very expensive and can often be contaminated with toxins such as Mercury and PCBs. The best DHA supplements undergo an exacting purification process and are routinely tested for any evidence of contaminants, and the results of these tests are posted on the manufacturer’s website for customers to examine.

Inadequate intake of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids may well turn out to be one of the major causes of ill health in our generation. Science is certainly, it seems, tending to this conclusion. For this reason the sales of DHA supplements, or what is otherwise known as fish oil supplements or Omega 3 supplements, have grown faster than any other. Read the rest of this entry

The great Krill oil Versus fish oil debate. Who wins?

There has been much noise made lately about the benefits of Krill oil, and many people have started taking Krill oil capsules as a result. It is said that Krill oil contains more beneficial components, and as a result there has been a bit of a Krill oil versus fish oil debate. So should you be taking Krill oil or fish oil?

Perhaps we should begin by discussing exactly what Krill oil is. Krill are tiny shrimplike creatures that live in the colder areas of our oceans. Whales eat them by the ton, and they also make up a part of the diet of humans, mainly the Japanese and Russians.

Lets say at the start that the important omega 3 essential fatty acids are DHA and EPA. Both Krill and fish oil are a source of these important Omega-3 fats.

So if both oils contain both EPA and DHA how do you choose one or the other?

1. Compare The Cost Of The DHA That You Are Getting.

It is generally considered that DHA is more important to your health than EPA, though EPA is certainly important as well. Around 50 percent of the make-up of your brain is DHA, and adding DHA and EPA to your diet promotes a range of health benefits including benefits to your mental function as well as reducing the risk of death from heart disease, helping your cholesterol levels and helping you reduce weight, and much more.

When you’re buying omega 3 oil supplements you are primarily buying DHA. So one of the most important parts of comparing the different oil capsules is to assess the cost of the DHA that you’re buying. This is simply a matter of making a mathematical calculation of the amount of DHA in each capsule as a proportion of the price.

If you make a comparison of Krill oil compared to fish oil capsules you’ll find that the DHA that you’re buying in Krill oil softgels is significantly more expensive than the DHA you are buying in fish oil supplements. In fact it is over 5 times more expensive to buy DHA in Krill oil form that it is as fish oil.

Krill oil is very low in DHA, the most important of the Omega 3 fats.

2. The Level Of Toxic Contamination In Each.

One of the perceived differences between fish oil and Krill oil is that the latter is less contaminated than the former. This however is not necessarily the case.

Airborne contamination can affect all parts of the globe. Scientists have found man-made pollution even in the North Atlantic and the Antarctic, including in creatures which inhabit the Antarctic such as penguins. Airborne pollution is found everywhere.

Establishing the cleanliness of the supplements that you buy is essential. Nowadays, sad to say, all forms of Omega 3 oils are likely to demonstrate some degree of contamination. The days are gone when it is possible to source marine oils high in DHA and EPA that are completely contamination free. This includes Krill oil.

However it’s quite possible to buy completely clean high quality Omega-3 fatty acid supplements. This is not because they are totally clean to begin with but it is because they have undergone rigorous decontamination processes, and the results have been checked by laboratory analysis. Before buying any omega 3 supplements you should always check the certificate of analysis of the oil, which should always be made available to the public on the website.

Many people are unaware that Krill oil undergoes no decontamination process. It is therefore untrue to say that Krill oil is free from contamination.

3. Scientific Evidence Showing The Effectiveness Of The Supplements.

There have been literally thousands of studies which have demonstrated the effectiveness of the DHA and EPA Omega 3 fats in improving your health. However although there are claims by the manufacturers that Krill oil is tremendously effective in improving your health there are very few, if any, independent scientific studies that show that Krill oil is any better to your health compared to fish oil. The benefits of the Omega 3 fats in one will be the same benefits as found in the same quantity of Omega3 fats in the other.

Most of the studies that do exist are in fact financed by people with a financial interest in selling Krill oil. One Canadian company owns the patent on Krill oil and finances the studies, of which there are very few.

4. The Presence Of Astaxanthin In Krill Oil.

It is said that Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant with significant health benefits, and that Astaxanthin is found in Krill. Whilst this is true it is also true that the best fish oil supplements contain Astaxanthin at a significantly higher proportion that is found in Krill oil.

The anti-oxidant potency of Krill oil is in fact lower than that of the best fish oil supplements.

5. The DHA And EPA Are Attached To Phospholipids.

This is one more reason why it is claimed that Krill oil is more potent than fish oil. Without going into all of the scientific mumbo-jumbo about what this means, the bottom line is that there is no scientific evidence that this does anything at all, and there is no more evidence that the phospholipid structure in Krill oil offers any health benefits.

Ultimately Krill oil is about marketing. The health benefits of high quality fish oil supplements are established by many many scientific studies, and the benefit of fish oil to your health is recognized by such eminent authorities as the American Heart Association.

However, whilst Krill oil supplements are cleverly marketed, there is no independent scientific evidence to suggest that they are any more beneficial to your health than high quality omega 3 fish oil supplements, they are dramatically more expensive for the same amount of active ingredient, and because they are not subject to any decontamination process the contamination level of Krill oil supplements may be extremely high. Nobody knows. Read the rest of this entry

It isn’t just the omega 3 fats that are good for you, it’s the DHA more specifically.

You’ve probably heard by now that Omega 3 fats are good for your health. That’s not news any more. But if you dig a little deeper you’ll keep reading about 2 particular components of omega 3 fats. DHA and EPA. Lets have a look at DHA today.

DHA is short for Docosahexaenoic acid. Sorry, long name.

Omega 3 fats are a collection of what is known as long chain fatty acids. It’s probably not essential to get into the chemistry because for our readers it’s pretty incomprehensible, and boring. But if you really want to read more chemistry try reading Wikipedia.

There are 3 important long chain fatty acids in Omega 3, DHA, EPA and ALA. The bottom line is that DHA is the most important acid in Omega 3, and is essential to your health. And the critical point to remember is that your body cannot make enough of it’s own DHA. Unlike some essential compounds, which your body can make, the DHA you get must come to you through diet.

DHA is the most important fatty acid found in your brain, which is predominantly fat, and that is one of the reasons why Omega 3s are so beneficial to brain function. Over 50% of the brain is made up of fats.

DHA and EPA are found primarily in fish oils. ALA can be found in plants, but fish supplies the best quantities of the other 2 essential fatty acids. So when you eat fish you get those fats automatically via eating it. The original studies done on Omega 3 fats were done on Eskimos who eat fish almost exclusively. Read the rest of this entry