My naturopath recommends a good quality Omega 3 fish oil. How do I know if I am taking enough?

Firstly, well done for taking your healthcare professional’s advice by seeking out a high quality product and making sure you are not under- or over- dosing yourself. Many (not all, but many) natural supplements need to be taken at certain doses to be effective. When it comes to fish oils, you need to take a certain amount of the biologically active Omega 3s EPA & DHA, depending on the outcome you wish to achieve. What is also important to know, is that many fish oil products themselves have differing levels of EPA & DHA in their formulas, some with more concentrated levels of Omega 3s than others, so the more you know about how to dose your condition, the better chance you have of choosing the right product for your needs.

Fish oils for joint health

The reason fish oils are so helpful in reducing the pain associated with arthritis, is their anti-inflammatory effect. To reduce inflammation generally you will need to take at least 1000mg of total Omega 3s every day. To treat arthritic conditions specifically, The Arthritis Foundation of Australia recommends a much higher intake of 2700mg of total Omega 3 from fish oil daily. This translates to around 9 standard fish oil capsules, or as few as 3 concentrated fish oil capsules.

Fish oils for skin health

Also used due to their anti-inflammatory effect, fish oils are of particular therapeutic benefit for sufferers of dry skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Suitable for adults, Omega 3s from fish oil are beneficial at doses of 3600mg (up to 12 standard fish oil capsules daily, or as few as 4 concentrated fish oil capsules daily). For children’s dosing, please talk to your natural healthcare professional, as needs can change with a childs’ age and depending on the severity of their condition.

Fish oils for heart health

Fish oils are also high in heart healthy polyunsaturated fats. The more polyunsaturated Omega 3 oils you consume (along with monounsaturated plant oils such as those found in nuts and also avocadoes), the less chance bad fats from animal products have of blocking the blood vessels surrounding the heart. As blood vessels can also be damaged by inflammation, a secondary reason fish oils are beneficial for the heart is as a result of their anti-inflammatory effect. By reducing inflammation in the veins and arteries, the risk of damage being done to these vessels by other means is also reduced. And the less damage is done, the less likely vessels are to become blocked with saturated fats and other harmful materials that can lead to coronary heart disease.

A note on quality

Regardless of whether you choose a concentrated or a standard fish oil capsule, the most important factor when choosing a fish oil product for your joints, heart or skin, is to choose one that adheres to the highest extraction and manufacture levels you can find. This is especially true when the condition you suffer from demands you take multiple capsules daily, as poor quality products have a tendency to contain more Mercury, Lead, Cadmium & other heavy metals and environmental contaminants, that can build up in your system over time.

Why take Nutra-Life Triple Strength Omega 3?

Tested to beyond industry standards for Mercury and other environmental contaminants, Nutra-Life Triple Strength Omega 3 is extracted in Norway from small, clean Omega-3 rich species including sardines and anchovies.  Naturally lemon flavoured and encapsulated in a natural orange flavoured capsule to reduce fishy odours, Nutra-Life Triple Strength Omega 3 contains 900mg total Omega 3 per capsule (exactly three times the EPA and three times the DHA as a standard 1000mg fish oil capsule).

Mr Vitamins recommends:

Nutra-life OceanClean Triple Strength Omega 3 Find out more about Nutra-Life Triple Strength Omega 3 and shop on-line here