Omega-3 Supplement

For pregnant women, omega-3 is particularly important since it contributes to the healthy development of the baby in utero.

• DHA consumed by the mother contributes to the normal development of the brain of the fetus and the breastfed infant,
• DHA contributes to the normal development of infants' eyesight up to 12 months of age.

The effects of omega-3 on sport, particularly on recovery and reducing muscle soreness after physical effort, have also been widely studied. Several studies are said to have observed a reduction in post-exercise muscle damage markers with supplementation. [23] Better recovery means better training sessions and, ultimately, better progress.

Several studies have shown that omega-3 may contribute to skin photoprotection. [24,25] Supplementation may also reduce redness and tightness in certain skin types, particularly in cases of dermatitis. [26]

(1) The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA.
(2) The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA.

Omega-3 is a category of essential fatty acids. The scientific and medical communities have researched them extensively and demonstrated their particular nutritional value, beyond their necessity for the proper functioning of the human body. They likely hold a record in this field, with nearly 35,000 studies published and indexed on the subject! Fatty acids are molecules made up of longer or shorter carbon chains. "Omega" fatty acids are those with what are called unsaturations (= one or more double bonds in the molecule's chemical structure).

Several classes of omega fatty acids exist: Ω9, Ω6, Ω3 and Ω7. Below are the main representatives of each class along with their main dietary sources (the nutritional composition of foods can be found on the website of ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety: https://www.anses.fr/fr/content/les-acides-gras-omega-3):

Table of foods rich in omega-3, 6, 9 and 7.

Let's take a closer look at one food that sparks controversy regarding its omega-3 content: eggs. Only hens fed on grains containing ALA produce eggs containing omega-3. As you can see, organic or not, it all comes down to what the hen is fed!

Omega-3 (Ω3) is one of the two main classes of polyunsaturated fatty acids, alongside omega-6 (Ω6). The number identifying the fatty acid class corresponds to the position of the first double bond on the carbon chain. Within each of these classes, enzymatic reactions occur from their respective precursors, leading to the formation of new, longer-chain fatty acids. Don't worry, we break it all down in the diagram showing the simplified reactions within omega-6 and omega-3, the two best-known classes of omega fatty acids. See also our article on Omega-3-6-9.

Let's focus on our "good" omega-3s, the ones that are good for us and that we struggle so much to consume in sufficient amounts!

The central precursor of the omega-3 fatty acid family is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is considered indispensable, meaning it must be obtained through diet since the body cannot produce it on its own. From this precursor, the body synthesizes other omega-3 fatty acids, notably eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), also known as long-chain omega-3.

The conversion rate (around 5% of ALA into EPA and less than 0.5% of ALA into DHA) is too low to meet our needs, however. These two long-chain omega-3s are therefore also indispensable and must likewise be obtained through diet. Generally speaking, ALA is associated with the plant world, and EPA and DHA with the animal world. In fact, it is mainly in fish that the conversion of ALA into EPA and DHA takes place.

Each link in the food chain plays its part: fish take up ALA and convert it into EPA and DHA, in turn becoming a source of EPA and DHA for humans. (figure adapted from [1])

French health authorities (ANSES) and European authorities (EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority) have established nutritional reference values (different from the regulatory values used for labeling) for omega-3: ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

The nutritional reference values set by EFSA depend on the population group: adults, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants, children and teenagers. Regardless of the population, the adequate intake (AI, formerly known as recommended daily allowance, or RDA) is 0.5% of total energy intake for alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The AI values are more specific for the very long-chain omega-3s, EPA and DHA (see table below), and show that from the age of 1, the AI values are equivalent to those for adults.

However, in 2010, ANSES established that the recommended nutritional intake of ALA should correspond to 1% of total energy intake, and that EPA + DHA intake should equal 500 mg/day for adults, with a safety limit set at 2 g per day.

It also established that the recommended omega-6/omega-3 ratio should be strictly below 5 [2].

In France, the latest Individual National Survey on Food Consumption (INCA 3, 2017) reveals insufficient average omega-3 intake across all age groups analyzed (see food consumption tables below). Analysis of this consumption data shows that omega-3 intake today is insufficient, both in terms of quantity and in terms of balance with omega-6 (omega-6/omega-3 ratio).

These observations, while not exhaustive, are representative and reflect poor-quality dietary choices, largely centered on processed foods rich in omega-6 fats (resulting in too high an omega-6/omega-3 ratio) and low omega-3 consumption, particularly of EPA and DHA (insufficient consumption of "oily fish" and of omega-3-rich vegetable oils containing the precursor ALA) [3].

Despite these considerations, it remains difficult to meet daily recommendations (due to the low conversion rate of ALA into EPA and DHA, availability, cost, and appreciation of these omega-3-rich foods) and to implement them in industrialized countries (see also our take on omega-3 margarine).

The lack of fish in Western diets is also explained by the fact that health bodies such as ANSES recommend only two servings of fish per week, with just one being oily fish. This is due to the presence of pollutants in these raw materials, which worries the public. Unfortunately, these recommendations do not distinguish between small, less-polluted fish at the start of the food chain and larger, often more polluted fish such as tuna or swordfish. This is precisely where nutraceuticals can help address these issues.

Fish oil supplements became popular above all for their ability to provide the public with EPA and DHA omega-3s that are virtually free of pollutants. This purity, superior even to that of small fish themselves, comes from the widespread use of a cutting-edge technology: molecular distillation. In other words, the number one benefit of omega-3 capsules is the guarantee of a daily omega-3 intake free of pollutants. All omega-3 supplements sold in Europe offer exceptional purity levels, so purity is of little help in choosing between products.

What are the most relevant criteria, then?

First, check what is called the "Totox" index (total oxidation). This index (the sum of twice the peroxide value plus the p-anisidine value) measures the oxidation level of a fat (fish oil in this case), accounting for the different forms of fatty acid oxidation [4]. It must not exceed the maximum allowable limit, set at 25 by the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED). Lastly, natural forms, triglycerides or phospholipids, should be favored (concentrated oils) over powders, which contain a large number of excipients. All these criteria are guarantees that should prompt you to request certificates of analysis.

Second, look for concentrated oils, to avoid having to take overly large doses. This is usually indicated on the label. However, not all oil concentration methods are equal, and this is a real selection criterion. The closer a concentrated fish oil's triglyceride content is to its original form, the higher the quality of the product. Triglycerides offer a double advantage:

• the more there are, the better omega-3 crosses the intestinal barrier,
• and the more there are, the better the digestion.

Epax concentrated oils are known for reaching up to 90% triglycerides!

Last criterion: the EPA/DHA ratio. It depends on your goals: some prefer a ratio favoring DHA, others EPA. However, apart from specific goals and given current knowledge, our physiological needs call for more DHA than EPA, particularly because of the high DHA content of the brain and eyes. Find out more in our article on the benefits of fish oil.

You can add a final criterion regarding the sustainability of marine ecosystems, although it has no impact on product quality. We will come back to this topic later.

With our omega-3 fish oil capsules, we guarantee these 5 criteria:

• Impeccable purity: molecular distillation technologies bringing contaminant levels below detection thresholds,
• A natural form: triglycerides from EPAX oil of wild anchovies,
• Stability: Totox index below 10 thanks to the patented XO® process,
• An EPA/DHA ratio in favor of DHA, suited to the widest range of people,
• And finally, responsible fish oil from sustainable and transparent fishing.

Omega-3s, and particularly the precious EPA and DHA, have been the subject of a considerable amount of scientific research and are now well known for their health benefits [5].

A meta-analysis conducted in 2016 reported that their consumption and plasma levels were correlated with long-term health benefits [6]. EPA and DHA are incorporated into many of our body tissues, particularly into our cell membranes. They allow cell membrane fluidity [7]. More specifically, DHA quantitatively represents the most important long-chain omega-3 in neuronal cells, making it more involved in neurological and cognitive processes. EPA, for its part, is the precursor of eicosanoids derived from the omega-3 pathway (prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes).

Omega-3 deficiencies do not produce short-term clinical symptoms. This is why addressing omega-3 deficiencies helps specifically prevent the risk of long-term dysfunctions, among which the following stand out:

• Cardiovascular function. Long-chain omega-3 has shown a contributing role in maintaining normal blood pressure, lipid parameters (triglycerides), a normal state of arteries and vessels, and normal heart function and rhythm [9]. This contribution to these key parameters and organs of the vascular system supports normal, trouble-free function [10–12]. Studies have also highlighted the benefit of EPA and DHA supplementation in athletes for increasing physical performance [13,14].
• Neurological sphere. Long-chain omega-3 may help maintain normal cognitive function over time [15,16], and contributes to regulating mood and motivation levels, particularly by supporting optimal neurological connections at all ages.
• Contribution to homeostasis. Long-chain omega-3 may be able to partially or completely inhibit certain pain phenomena, probably mediated by or associated with changes in cell membrane composition [17,18], while maintaining normal blood parameters such as cytokines, for example.

Based on this data, omega-3 shows a genuine role in primary prevention, meaning long-term prevention, by limiting the emergence of pathophysiological phenomena that appear over time (age-related diseases, slow-progressing diseases...). But this also suggests that omega-3 may be able to act in secondary prevention, notably in reducing the risk of recurrence of vascular accidents, treating dry eye syndrome [19], and reducing complications linked to metabolic syndrome...

Our health capital is built very early, though. This is why omega-3 and its structural properties are also essential and decisive during crucial periods when major developmental processes take place (development of brain and retinal tissue), such as pregnancy, breastfeeding and therefore the entire periconceptional period [1]. Various clinical studies conducted in pregnant women have shown that long-chain omega-3 supplementation (EPA and DHA) significantly improved the omega-3 status of the fetus and the newborn [20,21].

These notable beneficial impacts of omega-3 on our health raise a genuine question about the medico-economic stakes that would follow. Synadiet (the French national union of dietary supplements) reported, through a study carried out by the Frost & Sullivan institute, that in 2019 [22]:

• Omega-3 supplementation of 1.2 g per day (including 250-300 mg of DHA and EPA) would have prevented 13,700 cases of dementia,
• Omega-3 intake in people at risk of cognitive disorders would have saved up to 527 million euros, along with tangible savings in psychiatric centers.

When it comes to the sustainability of fisheries, it can sometimes be hard to find your way. Labels such as Friend of the Sea or IFOS appeared early on and represented a first step toward eco-responsible approaches. Stricter labels have appeared more recently, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which, in addition to leaving enough fish in the ocean, guarantees respect for marine habitats and allows people who depend on fishing to make a living from their trade.

The MSC certification of EPAX oils assures you that they come from small wild blue fish, with scales and fins, caught along the coasts of Chile and Peru. The sustainability of natural resources depends on strict compliance with quotas. These quotas are licensed by the Chilean and Peruvian governments.

Fishing is limited to two catches per year and is suspended during the fish breeding season. Priority is given to fish with a fast reproductive cycle (2 to 3 years) and a high fertility rate (herring, anchovies, tuna, mackerel, sardines). The techniques used are certified eco-responsible and environmentally friendly (no bycatch of other species, such as dolphins, whales...). Boats are monitored individually by satellite trackers.

In conclusion, while it is possible to imagine that an omega-3 capsule supplement can indirectly reduce the burden of medical care by lowering the risk of certain pathologies, scientific data have indeed provided proof of it. There are also interesting benefits to expect from omega-3 during weight loss.