Why are soft gels becoming an increasingly archaic way to fulfill your body's necessity for omega-3? As the category expands, consumers are faced with many omega-3 supplement options. Do I go with a pump or a pill? How much should I take? Where should my fish oil be sourced? Let's get into the detail to answer your common questions and bust a couple fish oil 'myths'.

Mistake #1: You're taking soft gels

Soft gels are oxygen permeable, and oxygen is the enemy of omega 3. Let's break it all down.

The moment you break the seal on your freshly bought month's supply of fish oil capsules, you expose those pills to oxygen. Oxidation begins to occur as soon those pills meet the outside air,  regardless of how tight you screw on the cap cap. Unless you have a nitrogen flush system in your bathroom, your soft gels are on their way to being ruined. Recent studies have proven oxidized fish oil can actually lead to negative health benefits. Oh no!

And it continues... the dreaded, disgusting fish burbs. Yup, you know the smell and the taste. The problem lies with the form you're ingesting: straight oil is tough for your body to digest, and the oil oxidizes while digestion occurs. While you struggle to digest it the gasses created remind you of the supplement you just took, and not in a good way. BURPS.

And we're not done. Your soft gels have limited bioavailability because they are straight oil - before it can be fully digested into the body your body has to work hard to break it down. The term bioavailability refers to our body’s ability to absorb a particular nutrient into our body.  While many of us may think that we absorb all of what we eat or all of the supplements we take, this could not be further from the truth.  While we tend to absorb fat, carbohydrate and protein fairly well, some supplements we consume are only absorbed at around 20% or below. You're always better off taking an emulsified fish oil product like Coromega.

Mistake #2: You're not taking enough

Leading dietary and cardiovascular health organizations issued intake recommendations for seafood/fish and marine-derived long chain fatty acids. Notably, the FDA approved up to 3000 mg/day of EPA plus DHA from food and supplements as safe for the general population.

So, are you taking 3000mg? Probably not.

Long chain fatty acids derived from marine animals are a proven staple in our diet for decreased inflammation in our bodies as well as many other greater health benefits for your heart and brain. Most leading brands average 650 - 800mg per serving.. basically, not enough! Remember, too, that most of that nutritional content doesn't even stay in your body because it's not digested fat enough and instead goes right through.

To add to that, you aren't even absorbing all the oil in your soft gels.. absorbing much less than the amount on your bottle. It's time to switch your fish oil to a form that your body can really absorb well.

Mistake #3: You're skimping on quality

But wait, there's even more. Do you know where your fish are sourced from? Let's clue you in the fish food chain.

Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid, commonly known as DHA ,and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. ... The DHA gets passed along the food chain, all the way up to the biggest fish.

You generally need more DHA than EPA but take caution in generic soft gel brands. Recent studies have found that many lower-priced and generic fish oil supplements contain hydrogenated, or poor-quality oils, pesticide residues, mercurial particulates, and in some cases, toxic synthetic ingredients. So, the bigger the fish, the bigger the risk. 

Best case scenario, you want your oil to be sourced from smaller deep water fish as well as from toxicity free waters. Coromega meets both of these requirements. Environmental issues will float up the food chain, so purity is very powerful and important.

To sum it up, there are many omega-3 format options available.  Pills are just one, and rarely the best or most beneficial. Be careful when you choose the format that is best for you. 

Try Coromega MAX Omega-3 Recovery with 2400MG (highest on the market) delicious citrus & coconut flavors for easy, on-the-go, maximum strength health.