Now that research has brought fish oil into the limelight, taking a fish oil supplement has become mandatory. But it is not enough to take fish oil. You have to be careful about several things before you set out to take fish oil. The first thing you need to know is the dosage. Consultation with a doctor will tell you the exact amount of fish oil you need to take. Then you have to make sure that the fish oil you take carries the requisite amount of omega-3 fatty acids per day. Taking it regularly will give you the needed health benefits.

Factors Affecting A Good Fish Oil Supplement

There are a number of aspects you need to consider while taking a fish oil supplement. The specifications that you want will be mentioned on the cover itself. You need to be informed about the things that will affect the quality of the supplement. So what are the factors?

• Source of the fish used – It is vital for the fish to be harvested from clean waters. The Southern Ocean vouches for such cleanliness. The oily fish which is found off the coast of New Zealand is best for making fish oil. Generally, the Indian Ocean is much polluted and fish taken from these waters are bound to have a lot of contaminants. Hence a supplement made from fish in the Indian Ocean should be avoided.

• Species of fish used – It is good to have the fish oil made from one species of oily fish. Otherwise, it will be difficult to ascertain its purity and effectiveness. The Hoki fish of New Zealand is the best for fish oil. It has a good reserve of DHA and EPA, the two most vital omega-3 fatty acids.

• Part of the fish used – If the fish oil supplement has been made from fish oil extracted from the flesh then you can rest easy. The flesh contains a high concentration of DHA and EPA. Some companies use the liver of the fish instead. The liver contains all the impurities and is not safe for consumption.

• Method of extraction – The cover of the fish oil will also mention the method of extraction of fish oil. Never buy it unless it has been molecularly distilled. Molecular distillation destroys all impurities, including heavy metals like mercury and lead. Any other procedure of extraction is not trustworthy.

• Method of testing – An independent government certified laboratory should check the fish oil supplement for presence of EPA and DHA and also absence of contaminants. The company should in fact, reject the samples not living up to the standards.

Unless fish oil details mention about all the above aspects on the cover, you should not purchase it. Supplements which lack any of the above will not give you the necessary benefits. They might, on the other hand, be harmful for your health. So be well-informed and choose the best fish oil supplement which will take good care of your health.