Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg from Vitals is a fish oil preparation that contains the important omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in a particularly high dosage, with a good balance between EPA and DHA. It is ideal for people who want to optimally support their omega-3 fatty acid status or achieve specific health benefits. The bioavailability of the fatty acids in Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg is excellent because they are in the high-quality triglyceride form. Manufacturer Golden Omega is known for producing fish oil of exceptional purity. Furthermore, the total oxidation values (TOTOX) are very low in each batch of oil. The oil itself is very clear in color, reflecting its exceptionally high quality. All in all, Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg is highly dosed, pure, exceptionally fresh, and easily bioavailable. In short, you can confidently choose Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg from Vitals!
Good for the heart, brain, eyes and more…Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA together have a beneficial effect on the heart. DHA also contributes to the maintenance of normal vision and healthy brain function. It's no wonder that eating oily fish, which are naturally rich in EPA and DHA, is always included in official recommendations for a healthy diet. In practice, however, a significant number of people don't eat enough (oily) fish to meet the recommended daily doses of EPA and DHA. There are various reasons why people don't meet the recommendations, but that's a problem because fish is still our most important source of EPA and DHA. Moreover, these same official recommendations indicate that it's better not to eat fish too often. This is because of the harmful substances that can occur in it due to environmental pollution (particularly dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and heavy metals such as methylmercury). This isn't an issue with high-quality fish oil supplements that are purified and therefore contain little or no of these contaminants. More and more people are therefore choosing to supplement their diet daily with a fish oil supplement to optimally benefit from the health benefits of these important long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
A high-dose fish oil supplement like Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg offers the added benefit that the health benefits typically associated with higher doses of EPA and DHA can be easily achieved with just 2 to 3 softgels per day. Research has shown that a daily intake of 2 grams (2 softgels) of EPA and DHA contributes to maintaining healthy blood lipid levels. Blood contains various fats (also called triglycerides), some of which come from our diet and others are produced by the liver. EPA and DHA also have a beneficial effect on blood lipid composition. With a daily intake of 3 grams (3 softgels), EPA and DHA also benefit blood pressure. This makes Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg an excellent addition to a healthy, balanced diet for people who want to support their blood pressure and maintain healthy blood lipid levels.
Required dosage of EPA/DHA for optimal omega-3 fatty acid statusOmega-3 fatty acid status refers to the amount of EPA and DHA present in the body. Nowadays, it is easy to measure omega-3 fatty acid status. This can be done, for example, through a finger-prick blood test that determines the omega-3 index. The omega-3 index refers to the percentage of EPA and DHA in the total fatty acid composition in the cell membrane of red blood cells and is a reliable indicator of omega-3 fatty acid status. The omega-3 index correlates well with the level of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in tissues and organs, including the heart.
There is growing evidence that an omega-3 index of at least 8% is optimal. Research shows that for many people, especially those following a Western diet (which typically includes an excessively high intake of omega-6 fatty acids), it's necessary to consume high doses of EPA/DHA to achieve this. For a low omega-3 index (approximately 4.5%, which is a common value in Western countries), supplementation with 2 grams of EPA/DHA usually brings the omega-3 index to around 8% after about three months. For maintenance, approximately 700-1000 mg of EPA/DHA per day is likely sufficient (depending on one's dietary habits).
Golden Omega Fish OilUltra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg contains fish oil from Golden Omega, a manufacturer located in a state-of-the-art production facility in northern Chile. The building is strategically located right next to the waters where the anchovies used in the production of the fish oil are caught. The major advantage of this is that the fish can be processed quickly after being caught, thus maintaining its freshness. Golden Omega works exclusively with certified fishermen to minimize its ecological impact.
Golden Omega's main priorities in the production of its fish oil are purity and quality. The use of a patented purification process to remove contaminants from the fish, combined with a patented concentration process, ensures that Golden Omega delivers exceptionally high-quality products. This is reflected in the fish oil's exceptionally clear color, but above all in the very low TOTOX values of their oils (with an average value below 5). TOTOX stands for TOTAL OXidation Value and is a measure of the freshness/rancidity of an oil. Fish oil is particularly susceptible to oxidation because it contains a large amount of fragile unsaturated fatty acids. Oxidative damage to fatty acids occurs through contact with oxygen, but can also be accelerated by, among other things, heating (as occurs during frying fish). A low TOTOX value is important because rancid oils are considered unhealthy and, in addition to purity, is a good indicator of the quality of a fish oil supplement. Moreover, a low TOTOX value minimizes the risk of fish reflux. And that is also a big advantage for many people.
Golden Omega has several quality and sustainability certifications as further proof of the high standards their fish oils meet, including IFOS (a quality mark for the quality, freshness, purity and stability of fish oil), Friend of the Sea (a quality mark for sustainable fishing and protection of the natural ecosystem), Dolphin Safe (a quality mark for sustainable fishing and protection of dolphins) and Green-e (a quality mark for green energy).
The difference between fish oil in the form of triglycerides and ethyl estersThere are several types of fish oil supplements on the market. In addition to supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids in the natural triglyceride form (often liquid fish oil, such as Liquid EPA/DHA 1200 mg) and in the re-esterified triglyceride form (such as Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg from Vitals), there are also products that contain EPA and DHA in the so-called ethyl ester form. What exactly is the difference?
Naturally, fats in food, including fish oil, occur in the form of triglycerides. These consist of three fatty acid molecules bound to a single glycerol molecule (see Figure 1). In the case of unprocessed fish oil, one of these is EPA or DHA, and the remaining two are other fatty acids. Therefore, the natural concentration of EPA/DHA in fish oil is no higher than approximately 30%. For fish oil supplements in softgels, higher concentrations (up to 80-90%) are desirable because the space within a softgel is limited. Therefore, during the manufacturing process, the fatty acid chains are separated from the glycerol and the EPA/DHA fatty acids are isolated through extraction. Because these free fatty acids are very unstable, they are then individually bound to an ethanol molecule. These compounds are called ethyl esters. This method is used for many fish oil supplements. However, during Golden Omega's production of the fish oil in Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg, the EPA/DHA fatty acids are re-esterified (linked back to a glycerol chain), forming a triglyceride (also abbreviated rTG, which stands for "re-esterified triglyceride"). This recreates the natural fatty acid structure, but with three EPA/DHA side chains instead of just one.
EPA/DHA are better absorbed as triglycerides than as ethyl estersIn the body, fats (triglycerides) are broken down into monoglycerides and free fatty acids, making them small enough to be absorbed by the intestinal cell. They are then reassembled into triglycerides. As triglycerides, the fatty acids are absorbed through the lymphatic system and enter the bloodstream. The disadvantage of ethyl esters is that they require an additional enzyme to be broken down into free fatty acids. Furthermore, they require surrounding triglycerides from food to allow the fat-splitting enzymes to function properly. Therefore, several studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids in triglyceride form are better absorbed. This difference is even greater if the omega-3 supplement is taken with a low-fat meal (such as an average breakfast or lunch). Incidentally, omega-3 fatty acids in triglyceride form are even better absorbed with a fat-containing meal compared to a low-fat meal or on an empty stomach.
Figure 1:Three forms of fish oil supplements.
Permitted health claims:
- EPA and DHA contribute to the normal functioning of the heart, with a daily intake of 250 mg EPA and DHA (1 softgel per day)
- DHA helps maintain healthy brain function and good vision with a daily intake of 250 mg DHA (1 softgel per day)
- EPA and DHA contribute to the maintenance of healthy blood fat levels with a daily intake of 2 grams of EPA/DHA (2 softgels per day)
- EPA and DHA contribute to the maintenance of normal blood pressure with a daily intake of 3 grams of EPA/DHA (3 softgels per day)
