It’s certainly changed my life.
However, you may not “feel the difference” even though it’s suppose to be a naturally powerful brain booster.
Here’s some reasons why fish oil are less effective today than ever before:
- Times have changed; we now get “stripped-down” fish oil. Not the fish’s fault but our own obviously. Nowadays, we have to use molecular distillation to remove PCBs, mercury, and other heavy metals from all the fish we need but have polluted. Since the impurities’ molecular weights approximate that of the matrix of natural omega-3 fats (e.g. phospholipids, like our brain’s) that houses fish oil’s active DHA and EPA ingredients, distillation removes this natural fatty housing. This leaves a stripped down “triglyceride” form of fish oil.
- And we don’t eat fish oils with fatty meals to compensate. Low absorption of DHA and EPA result because both require binding to the right profile of fats for transport through the blood-brain barrier and for integration with our brain’s matrix of phospholipids (the 60% of brain matter that is omega-3 fats)…Phospholipids are the most natural and absorbable for our brain.
Only 30% absorption
So there’s roughly a 30% absorption rate for distilled fish oil capsules and liquids, which is boosted roughly by 5-10% by taking it with a fatty meal. Thus, if you’re taking 2 capsules a day, your body is likely, at best, using half that. Long story short, you usually have to take a lot more to feel the difference, as I do. And fish burps and digestion problems often get in the way.
Then there's Krill
Krill are small shrimp-like fish (blue whales eat 8,000lbs a day) found in great abundance, more easily replenished at the Antarctic, is low on food chain and thus are naturally pure (free of heavy metals, mercury etc.). Most importantly, they are naturally housed in a matrix of omega-3 phospholipids which our brain’s also based. Take with breakfast for better digestion; within 15 minutes you’ll feel the difference. You may be surprised how you lived without “real” fish oil for so long. It improves brain function, mental/emotional balance, memory recall, awareness / alertness. And so forth:
- For Men and Women Lipid Management - supports healthy blood lipids.
- Brain Nutrition - contains ultra-potent marine lipids which enhance brain function.Additional Benefits For Women
- Menstrual Discomforts - relieves emotional and physical menstrual discomforts.
Link below is replete with the science. Bottom line, krill’s the most natural, ultra-potent omega 3 to-date. Even though one capsule has the industry-average total DHA+EPA (240mg), it is an order magnitude more effective. And even though the small capsules do smell like, well, krill, there’s actually no fish burps as your body absorbs it entirely. Just don’t sniff the bottle and you should be fine J
Very highly recommended folks give Neptune krill oil a try; this is particularly safe and suitable if you’re pregnant or nursing.
Neptune Krill Oil
You can get Jarrow’s Neptune Krill Oil at a good price, with the usual hard core quality standards that Jarrows brings to the table. Some people have asked, so just to be clear, I’ve no affiliation with Jarrow.
Matter fact, FWIW, he was a Democrat who switched to be a right-wing Republican in order to support a less regulated supplements industry. More on point, he runs a tight ship, and his products are just one of the best, bar none. Neptune is the Canadian company that brought clean, abundant krill to the masses. Canadians have nurtured an entire industry and technology base for this, rivaling even Europe and Japan. Because of the pharmaceutical industry’s heavy influence, the US is a laggard here.
Jarrows and others redistribute Neptune’s krill product. Jarrow’s Neptune Krill Oil is about 33 cents a capsule online. It’s also at most health / supplement stores (except GNC) though the one near our house was sold out…krill oil seems popular these days.
You can check out a colorful end-to-end piece on Neptune Krill that is fairly accurate (you can also see a YouTube version here). For the science-minded, here's an ORAC measure:
