Supplement Sources of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

What are some common supplement sources of omega 3 fatty acids? Omega 3 supplements normally come in liquid or pill / tablet / capsule form.

Omega 3 fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) are not only beneficial to human health in many ways, they are in fact also very important for certain functions of the human body.

The truth is, much research thus far on omega 3 fatty acids have centered on DHA and EPA, which are two essential fatty acids that are typically found in animal-based omega 3 sources. DHA and EPA are richly found in cold water fish, and also in krill and green-lipped mussels; the latter is a relatively less well-known omega 3 source.

The direct health benefits of ALA, which is typically found in plant-based or vegetarian omega 3 sources, are less well-known, although the human body is able to convert ALA into DHA as well as EPA, albeit on a somewhat limited basis. One of the best plant-based sources of omega 3 fatty acids is flaxseeds.

Supplement sources of omega 3, quite naturally, are usually based on the popular omega 3 rich foods. Fish oil, krill oil, and green-lipped mussel oil are three examples of animal-based omega 3 fatty acid supplements; these supplements usually come in the form of capsules.

Due to environmental pollution, ocean-based foods like fish tend to be contaminated with harmful toxins such as mercury, dioxins and PCBs; these chemicals are very harmful to human health. Fish tend to accumulate such toxins in their bodily tissues, and fish which are higher up the food chain tend to contain more of such undesirable compounds. Because krill is near the bottom of the food chain, they tend to accumulate less.

Either way, when choosing a fish oil or krill oil supplement as your omega 3 source, it is important that you make sure the supplement has been purified of harmful contaminants, or certified to be free of these toxic chemicals. It is even better if the fish or krill is harvested from relatively clean, pure and pristine ocean waters which are located far away from sources of pollution such as industrial factories. The same applies to green-lipped mussel oil.

One advantage which krill oil holds over fish oil is that it also contains the compound astaxanthin, which is a powerful antioxidant. This antioxidant is excellent for health, mopping up free radicals in the body, and also protects the krill oil from going rancid too easily; omega 3 fatty acids tend to quite easily undergo oxidative damage.

With animal sources of omega 3 fatty acids, there are issues of sustainability to consider - these creatures are part of the food pyramid in the oceans. By harvesting them in large amounts to make supplements, will we be harming the delicately balanced aquatic ecosystem? Krill, for example, is food for whales; by consuming krill oil omega 3 sources, are we indirectly harming whales?

Among plant-based supplements sources of omega 3, the most popular one is quite undoubtedly flaxseed oil supplements. These products are available in both liquid and capsule form. The oil-form of these supplements must be kept in opaque bottles and stored in refrigerators; otherwise, they go rancid quite easily.

The advantages of flaxseed oil supplements over animal-based omega 3 fatty acid sources are: relative purity, better sustainability, and probably being more affordable. They, however, do not provide the direct health benefits of DHA and EPA; the body must convert the ALA they provide into those two types of omega 3's.