Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg - pure high-quality fish oil in triglyceride form | Vitals

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 nice balance between EPA and DHA. It is ideal for people who want to optimally support their omega-3 fatty acid status or want to achieve specific health effects. The absorption of the fatty acids in Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg is excellent because they are in the high-quality triglyceride form. Producer Golden Omega is known for making fish oil that is extremely pure. In addition, the total oxidation values (TOTOX) in each batch of oil are very low. The oil itself is very clear in color, reflecting its exceptionally high quality. All in all, Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg is high-dose, pure, exceptionally fresh and easily absorbed. In short, you can choose Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg from Vitals with confidence!

Good for the heart, brain, eyes and more...
Both omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have a beneficial effect on the heart. DHA also contributes to the maintenance of normal vision and healthy brain function. It is not without reason that eating fatty fish, which are naturally rich in EPA and DHA, is always part of official recommendations for a healthy diet. In practice, however, a significant number of people do not eat enough (oily) fish to obtain the recommended daily doses of EPA and DHA. There are several reasons why people do not meet the recommendations, but that is a problem because fish is still our most important source of EPA and DHA. Moreover, the same official recommendations indicate that it is better not to eat fish too often. This is because of the harmful substances that can occur in it due to environmental pollution (especially dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals such as methylmercury). This does not apply to good quality fish oil supplements that have been purified and therefore contain little or no 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 such as Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg has the added value that the health effects that only occur with higher doses of EPA and DHA can be easily achieved with an intake of only 2 to 3 softgels per day. Research has shown that EPA and DHA contribute to the maintenance of healthy fat levels in the blood with a daily intake of 2 grams (2 softgels). The blood contains various fats (also called triglycerides) that come from our diet on the one hand and are produced by the liver on the other. And EPA and DHA have a beneficial influence on the composition of the blood in terms of fat content. With a daily intake of 3 grams (3 softgels), EPA and DHA are also beneficial for blood pressure. This makes Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg an excellent addition to a healthy and balanced diet for people who want to support their blood pressure and keep blood fat levels healthy.

Required EPA/DHA dosage for optimal omega-3 fatty acid status
The omega-3 fatty acid status refers to the amount of EPA and DHA present in the body. Nowadays it is quite possible to measure omega-3 fatty acid status. This can be done, among other things, by means of a finger prick blood test in which the so-called omega 3 index is determined. The omega-3 index refers to the percentage of EPA and DHA of the total fatty acid composition in the cell membrane of red blood cells and is a reliable measure 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 increasing evidence that an omega 3 index of at least 8% is optimal. Research shows that for many people, especially with a Western diet (usually with an excessively high intake of omega 6 fatty acids), it is necessary to consume high doses of EPA/DHA to achieve this. With a low omega 3 index (approx. 4.5%, which is a common value in Western countries), supplementation of 2 grams of EPA/DHA usually ensures that the omega 3 index is around 8% after about three months . For maintenance, approximately 700-1000 mg EPA/DHA per day will probably suffice (depending on a person's dietary habits).

Fish oil from Golden Omega
Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg contains fish oil from producer Golden Omega. This producer is located in a state-of-the-art production facility in northern Chile. The building is located in a very strategic location, right next to the waters where the anchovies used for the production of fish oil are caught. The big advantage of this is that the fish can be processed quickly after catch and therefore remains very fresh. Golden Omega works exclusively with certified fishermen to keep the ecological impact as low as possible.

Golden Omega's main focus in the production of its fish oil is purity and quality. The application of a patented purification process to remove contaminants from the fish in combination with a patented concentration process ensures that Golden Omega supplies very high-quality products. This is reflected in the extremely clear color of the fish oil 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 sensitive to oxidation because it contains a large amount of vulnerable unsaturated fatty acids. Oxidative damage to fatty acids occurs through contact with oxygen, but can also be accelerated by heating (as happens during frying fish). A low TOTOX value is important because rancid oils do not appear to be healthy and, in addition to purity, is a good measure of the quality of a fish oil supplement. In addition, a low TOTOX value ensures that the risk of fish reflux is minimal. And that is also a big advantage for many people.

Golden Omega has various certifications in the field of quality and sustainability, as further proof of the high standard to which their fish oils meet, including IFOS (quality mark for the quality, freshness, purity and stability of fish oil), Friend of the Sea (quality mark for sustainable fishing and protection of the natural ecosystem), Dolphin Safe (quality mark for sustainable fishing and protection of dolphins) and Green-e (quality mark for green energy).

The difference between fish oil in the form of triglycerides and ethyl esters
There are different types of fish oil preparations on the market. In addition to supplements with 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?

Natural fats in food, and also in fish oil, occur in the form of triglycerides. These consist of three fatty acid molecules bound to one glycerol molecule (see figure 1). In the case of unprocessed fish oil, one of them is EPA or DHA, and the other two are made up of other fatty acids. As a result, the natural concentration of EPA/DHA in fish oil does not exceed approximately 30%. For fish oil supplements in softgels, higher concentrations are desirable (up to 80-90%), because space in a softgel is limited. So during the production process the fatty acid chains are split off from the glycerol and the EPA/DHA fatty acids are isolated by 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 the production of the fish oil in Ultra Pure EPA/DHA 1000 mg by Golden Omega, the EPA/DHA fatty acids are re-linked (re-esterified) to a glycerol chain and thus again form a triglyceride (also abbreviated as rTG, which stands for ' re-esterified triglyceride'). This way it resembles the natural fatty acid structure again, but with three EPA/DHA side chains instead of just one.

EPA/DHA are better absorbed as triglycerides than as ethyl esters
In the body, fats (triglycerides) are broken down into monoglycerides and free fatty acids, so that they are small enough to be absorbed into the intestinal cell. They are then built up again into triglycerides. As triglycerides, the fatty acids are absorbed via the lymphatic system and end up in the blood. The disadvantage of ethyl esters is that they require an extra enzyme to be split into free fatty acids. In addition, they need surrounding triglycerides from food to allow the fat-splitting enzymes to do their work properly. That is why several studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids in the triglyceride form are easier to absorb. And that this difference is even greater if the omega 3 supplement is taken with a meal that does not contain much fat (such as an average breakfast or lunch). For omega-3 fatty acids in triglyceride form, absorption is even better 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 promote the normal functioning of the heart, with a daily intake of 250 mg EPA and DHA (1 softgel per day)
• DHA promotes the maintenance of healthy brain function and good eyesight, with a daily intake of 250 mg DHA (1 softgel per day)
• EPA and DHA promotes the maintenance of healthy fat levels in the blood with a daily intake of 2 grams of EPA/DHA (2 softgels per day)
• EPA and DHA promotes the maintenance of normal blood pressure with a daily intake of 3 grams of EPA/DHA (3 softgels per day)