

A supplement may say on the front that it contains 1,000 mg of fish oil per capsule. Make sure your supplement contains these. Many omega-3 supplements often contain little, if any, EPA and DHA - the most important types of omega-3s. When shopping for an omega-3 supplement, always read the label carefully. They’re more vulnerable to oxidation and less easily absorbed by your body unless they’re converted back into triglycerides via a synthetic process. Processed fish oils are purified and/or concentrated. They’re the most expensive fish oil supplements and only make up a small percentage of the market. These oils are referred to as reformed (or re-esterified) triglycerides. However, some manufacturers process the oil even further to convert it back into a synthetic triglyceride form, which is well absorbed ( 1, 8). Ethyl esters also seem to be more prone to oxidation and rancidity than triglycerides ( 7). Your body doesn’t absorb processed fish oil as well as natural fish oil when it’s in the ethyl ester form. Processed fish oils make up the vast majority of the fish oil market, as they’re cheap and usually come in capsules, which are popular with consumers. In fact, some oils may contain up to 50–90% pure EPA and/or DHA. Concentrating the oil can also increase EPA and DHA levels. Purification rids the oil of contaminants, such as mercury and PCBs. It consists of ethyl esters or triglycerides. Processed fish oil is purified and/or concentrated. Some fish oils that are more processed may contain omega-3 ethyl esters, which don’t seem to be absorbed as well. Omega-3s come in several forms, most commonly as triglycerides. The ethyl esters in processed fish oils can be converted back into triglycerides, which are then termed “reformed” triglycerides.Īll of these forms have health benefits, but studies indicate that the absorption of omega-3 from ethyl esters is not as good as from the other forms - although some studies suggest they are equally well absorbed ( 1, 2). When fish oils are refined, food chemists often convert the triglycerides into ethyl esters, allowing them to adjust the concentration of DHA and EPA in the oil. In conventional fish oils, omega-3 fatty acids are mostly present as triglycerides.
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In whole fish, omega-3 fatty acids are present as free fatty acids, phospholipids, and triglycerides. This is important, because some forms are absorbed better than others. The processing can affect the form of the fatty acids. Fish oil comes in both natural and processed forms.
