What are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), and why are they important?

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids constitute the two families of EFAs. EFAs are considered "essential" because they are needed throughout the human life cycle, cannot be manufactured in the human body, and therefore they must be obtained through our diet on a daily basis for optimal health and wellness. The body must receive a constant and balanced supply of EFAs to ensure proper prostaglandin production. Prostaglandins are beneficial hormone-like compounds that affect virtually every system in the body. They regulate pain and swelling, help maintain proper blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and promote fluidity in nerve transmission.

What are early signs of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) deficiency?

Where can I get a direct source of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) ?

Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are found in cold water fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and cod liver. GLA, an Omega-6 fatty acid, is abundant in borage and evening primrose oils.

What type of fish does Nordic Naturals use in their products?

Nordic Naturals' fish oils come from sardines and anchovies, except for our Children's DHA formula and Arctic Cod Liver Oil products (in flavored liquids or capsules) which come exclusively from virgin Arctic cod liver in the fresh, northern Norwegian waters.

What’s the difference between fish oil and flax seed oil?

Omega-3 fatty acids fall into two major categories: plant derived (flax seed oil, yielding alpha linolenic acid, or ALA) or marine derived (fish oil, yielding both EPA and DHA). The human conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA is somewhat slow and can be inhibited by various conditions such as a diet high in linoleic acid (Omega-6), trans-fatty acids such as fast foods and baked goods, alcohol intake, certain health conditions, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies (B3, B6, C, zinc, magnesium). Fish, on the other hand, is a direct source of EPA and DHA. The general consensus is that only about 15% of ALA converts to EPA, and it may not convert to DHA at all.

How soon will I see results?

It will vary depending on the concentration of the fish oil, your current nutritional state, dosage, and current health. We often will hear that our customers "feel better" and experience "clearer thinking" and "an enhanced well being" within 2 weeks. For better results, we recommend you take EFAs daily for at least two months to evaluate their benefits, and reduce your intake of hydrogenated and trans-fats.

Are there any side effects?

Generally, none. Consumers typically report having more energy and greater mental clarity while taking EFAs. If you experience repeat (burping) or a bad taste, your supplement may be rancid (oxidized) or your body may not be manufacturing enough lipase, the digestive enzyme our bodies make to digest fats and oils. If you haven't ingested fish oils for a long time, it might take a week or so for your body to adjust and make more of this enzyme.

Is it safe to take EFAs derived from fish?  I’ve heard that fish oil contains mercury and other environmental toxins.

Fish oils may contain environmental toxins that accumulate in a fish during its life span. Potential toxins can be virtually eliminated given the use of high quality raw materials, and a technologically advanced refining process utilizing the very latest distillation technologies.

Nordic Naturals fish oils are molecularly distilled, utilizing a leading edge enzymatic process where any potential heavy metals and dioxins are removed. Third-party testing document the complete absence of heavy metals and dioxins (where heavy metals are tested down to 25 particles per billion and dioxins down to 0.5 particles per trillion).

While Nordic Naturals' policy is to test competing products on an ongoing basis to monitor the overall quality level of the fish oil industry, Nordic Naturals has never found a competing product to match its freshness and purity levels.

Do pregnant women need Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)?

It is especially important for a pregnant and breastfeeding woman to consume DHA (one of the omega-3s in fish oil) because the developing baby is dependent on mom! DHA is an essential fat—we must get it from diet or supplements, because our bodies don’t make it—and consuming enough DHA is critical for normal and healthy development of infant brain, eyes, and nervous system. Inadequate consumption of DHA during pregnancy has been linked to shortened gestational periods and premature delivery.

Experts recommend that women consume 300–600 mg of DHA daily while pregnant and breastfeeding. As with any supplement, it is best to consult your healthcare professional

What is the recommended intake of Omega-3 fatty acids?

ISSFAL Recommended Dosage Chart

Can we get enough Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) from the food we eat?

Fish is one of the most abundant sources of EFAs, but Americans simply don’t eat enough fish on a regular basis. Even those who eat fish several times a week aren’t getting enough EFAs because much of the fish consumed today are farm raised (fed a diet of grains instead of fish meal) and lack significant amounts of EPA and DHA. In addition, there are several factors that can lead to a reduced absorption of EFAs: age, poor diet, alcohol consumption, low levels of certain vitamins and minerals, some prescription drugs, compromised immune status, and a diet high in trans-fatty acids (fast food, baked goods).

Good fats vs. Bad fats?

The "bad" fats are trans-fatty acids and saturated fats from animal products. Trans-fatty acids should be avoided completely; this includes margarine, shortening, and processed foods. Meat and dairy products contain high levels of saturated fat, and should be eaten in moderation.

The "good" fats include polyunsaturated Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). EFAs are considered "essential" because they are needed throughout the human life cycle, cannot be produced in the human body, and therefore must be provided through the diet. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids constitute the two families of essential fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids include corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oil. While it is important that your diet include both of these essential fatty acids, it is becoming clear that balance is the key to good health.

What should I look for when purchasing fish oil?

1. Investigate the manufacturing process. How is the fish oil manufactured, and what are the manufacturing standards?

2. Smell. Does the fish oil smell fishy? If it smells fishy, the fish oil has most likely been exposed to oxygen and is becoming rancid.

3. Taste. Does the fish oil taste fishy? The freshest fish oils should not taste fishy. Avoid fish oils that have really strong fruit flavor added to them because they are most likely trying to hide the fishy flavor of rancid oil.

What is pharmaceutical grade?

Pharmaceutical grade/standard relates to the purity of an oil. Nordic Naturals' fish oils are tested, before and after production, for heavy metals, PCBs, and dioxin. The results are documented showing the absence of these environmental toxins. Only a true pharmaceutical grade/standard product will pass these standards.

Nordic Naturals' products test well below pharmaceutical grade/standard because they are solely based on the Norwegian Medicinal Standard, which is the only true pharmaceutical grade/standard to be revered.

Will EFAs interfere with my medical condition or medications I’m taking?

Check with your healthcare professional since EFAs can reduce blood viscosity and are not recommended if you are using blood thinners, taking high doses of aspirin, or anticipating surgery.

Yes, EFAs can be taken with a wide variety of supplements. EFAs are extremely well tolerated, natural, health-promoting, and safe to use every day.

How does the alginate in Nordic Naturals' detoxification products bind to environmental toxins?

Nordic Naturals' detoxification products contain Fucus and Laminaria algae which has alginate in its cell walls. Alginate is documented to molecularly bind to heavy metals. Therefore, it only binds to heavy metals by molecular weight.

Does alginate interfere with nutrient absorption?

Alginate does not interfere with nutrient absorption because its binding is selective by molecular weight. It does not bind to minerals such as iron, calcium, etc.

Why are the calories the same, even though the omega-3 levels are different?

Omega-3s (EPA + DHA) are types of fats (essential fatty acids) that naturally occur in fish oil. Fish oil happens to be a great source of EPA and DHA. Fat (all fat) contains 9 calories per gram. Nordic Naturals offers fish oil supplements with different concentrations of EPA and DHA. However, a 1 gram capsule is going to have 9 fat calories, regardless of the amount of EPA and DHA in the capsule. And the 9 calories is from excellent quality fat, the type of fat our body needs to be healthy.

Enteric coating of fish oil capsules has become popular. Is it important or necessary?

Some manufacturers have moved to putting fish oil in enteric coated capsules in response to consumer complaints of 'repeat' or burping. Enteric coating increases the cost of the product, but more importantly, it attempts to mask inferior fish oil products. Fresh and pure fish oil does not need to be masked. If a product is enteric coated, manufacturers hope that consumers will not experience 'repeat'. It is also important to note that consumers with sub-optimal digestion may not digest and absorb fish oil from an enteric coated capsule.

What are the 'other omega-3s' listed on the Nordic Naturals supplement labels?

The 'other omega-3s' listed on Nordic Naturals labels refer to omega-3 fatty acids (different from EPA and DHA) that naturally exist in fish oil in low levels. The 'other omega-3s' include fatty acids such as DPA (docospentaenoic acid) and ETA (eicosatetranoic acid). These fats are involved in essential fatty acid metabolic pathways in the body. EPA and DHA are the best studied omega-3 fats and are considered the most functional omega-3s. You find this information is on the label because Nordic Naturals tests each batch, knows exactly what is in the oil, and chooses to disclose complete information to our customers.

What if a person is allergic to fish? Can they ingest fish oil?

Generally, yes. Allergens (what people react to) in food are usually the protein component of a food (e.g. gluten in wheat, casein in milk). Because Nordic Naturals pure fish oils are thoughtfully and carefully manufactured (gentle processing, low temperature, clay filtered, and microdistilled) they are essentially void of protein components. As a result, people who react to eating fish can generally consume fresh fish oil capsules. It is always a good idea to consult with your healthcare practitioner before beginning a supplement regime.

If a person is sensitive to soy, can they take fish oils that contain vitamin E?

Vitamin E is an important addition for fish oil because it helps preserve fish oil freshness (along with other important manufacturing factors). Fish oils, like all liquid oils, are subject to becoming oxidized, and vitamin E is a very effective and natural antioxidant (for fish oil and for people!). Most of the time, people with sensitivities to soy can consume vitamin E without worry, even if it's originally derived from soy. Vitamin E is an oil (a fat-soluble vitamin) and, for supplements, is purified to be 100% pure vitamin E—no protein components [note: the allergen in a food is usually the protein (e.g. gluten in wheat, casein in milk)]. It is always a good idea to consult with your healthcare practitioner before beginning a supplement regime.

How long does it take Nordic Naturals to get from fish to capsule?

The primary goal for Nordic Naturals is to optimize freshness levels in our fish oils. We strive to minimize the time from catch to processing, and ideally the fish is processed within hours of being caught. During processing, we consistently monitor freshness levels of the raw material using acidity levels (an accurate measure of freshness). Even though standard acidity allowance is 1.0, Nordic Naturals does not allow more than 0.1, and in many instances our acidity level measures 0.01. While complete processing may take days, our raw material is protected in a nitrogen environment to maintain optimal freshness in the final product.

Do essential fats speed the metabolism in a child? Our 7 year old son is overweight. We have a healthy lifestyle at home, and I want him to develop normally. Is there a supplement he should be getting?

Essential fats do not 'speed' metabolism, but they do support healthy metabolism. Essential fats are fats that are required for humans (hence 'essential' fats) and we must consume them through diet. It’s difficult to get good amounts of these fats in our foods, especially for children; pure fish oil is an excellent source. Consider supplementing with Nordic Naturals Omega-3.6.9 Junior—this will give your son the healthy fats he needs to support efficient metabolism, promote proper growth and development, and keep him healthy through physical activity, too.  The capsules are small, lemon flavored—he can chew or swallow them.

What is the best fish oil supplement to take for low mood? 

Research has shown that DHA from fish oils is the primary omega-3 fatty acid for brain health.  Fish oil is a natural source of both EPA and DHA. Cod liver oil provides proportionately more DHA than EPA.  To help improve low mood, try Nordic Naturals DHA or Cod Liver Oil.  Because fish oil is a natural product and the body needs time to incorporate the nutrition, many people find it takes 2–3 weeks before they feel real benefit, and then the benefits continue, as long as they supplement consistently. 

If a person is allergic to lanolin, topically, will they have a reaction to the Arctic-D CLO?

The raw material (lipid) used to produce Vitamin D3 is separated from the lanolin, which has been separated from the wool fat.  There are several purification steps from raw material to the pure vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), and because of this, the supplier believes that a person who is allergic to lanolin topically is not likely to be allergic when ingesting Vitamin D3. 

Also, we need to keep in mind that healthy digestive processes—gut pH, digestive enzyme action—are intended to digest, package, and transport nutrients, adding a degree of protection as well.

It's an individual's choice to consume a product and we always recommended that people with allergies confer with their healthcare practitioner.

How much iodine is in ProOmega? 

Nearly all of the iodine naturally present in fish is removed during our purification process. Test results show levels of iodine in ProOmega to be typically 0.5-1.5 mcg/g, and not more than 2.0 mcg/g.  For reference, the current Recommended Dietary Allowance* for iodine is 150 mcg/g for adult men and women, 220 mcg/d during pregnancy and 90 mcg/d for children over 1 year of age.    *Dietary Reference Intakes, Food & Nutr  Board, Inst of Med, 2005

What does anisidine value and TOTOX mean?

Anisidine value (AV) is a measurement of past oxidation.  Precisely, it is the measure of aldehyde production during oxidation of fats.   AV essentially reflects how an oil has been handled and stored versus peroxide value (PV), which measures current oxidation.  For both AV and PV, a lower number is better.  TOTOX (total oxidation value) is used to describe total oxidation to which an oil has been exposed.   PV x 2 + AV = TOTOX

Recent tests of Nordic Naturals fish oils report TOTOX values of 7.0.  Our oils typically range between 5 and 14.

Upper limits, per the current Voluntary Standards for Omega-3s in the United States:

Peroxide value:  Maximum is 5 meq/kg

Anisidine value:  Maximum is 20

TOTOX:  Maximum of 26

Why the excitement about our new cod liver oil?

We have begun working with independent fisherman in smaller boats and manufacturing the fresh oils right next to the harbor.  We continue to manufacture in an oxygen-free environment. Because of this, our cod liver oil has anisidine values (AV) between 1 and 2 – that’s five to ten time below the industry average.  AV is one measure of oxidation, so the lower the number, the better.