DHA-500
90 softgels

MORE INFORMATION

In the mid 70’s, a team of European researchers ventured off to Greenland to study the unique lifestyle of native Inuit Eskimos. They couldn’t have possibly imagined how significant their findings would be. The Inuits’ diet was simple and consisted primarily of fatty fish-whale, salmon, sardine, seal, and mackerel. No surprise there. What did surprise researchers was how unexplainably healthy these natives were. Strong hearts. Clear skin. Powerful joints. All this from a diet that contained towering amounts of fat. This fat-fueled lifestyle bewildered researchers. Then the connection was made. These fatty foods were loaded with substances that the body must have in order to remain healthy – omega-3 essential fatty acids. Fast forwarding 30 years, fish oil supplements aren’t just popular, they’re nutritional threads that help weave the fabric of human wellness.

Understanding EFA

We refer to essential fatty acids (EFA) as essential for a reason. They are vital to human health despite the body’s inability to manufacture its own supply. For this reason, they must be obtained through the diet or supplementation. Fish oil contains two of the most biologically active fatty acids; EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) with the most common sources being deep-sea, cold-water fish. Thanks to a lifetime of oxidative stress, the body is in a constant state of self-repair. In order to do this, it needs a generous cache of healthy, unsaturated fats capable of constructing cell membranes that are elastic and functional. This makes it easier for the heart to return to a normal resting state. A deficiency in good fat forces the body to use saturated fat in the construction of new cells. As the body’s reserve of saturated fat begins to outnumber the unsaturated, the cardiovascular process becomes more and more compromised. In the fall of 2004, after reviewing years of convincing studies, the FDA approved the use of a qualified claim for omega-3 EFA. It states that “supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease”. When you consider how selective the FDA is in qualifying health claims, this becomes even more impressive. The benefits of fish oils don’t stop at the cardiovascular system, however. A wealth of studies have been conducted examining their role in depression, mood, vision, skin, immune system function, pregnancy, joint health and migraines just to name a few.

EFA for a Healthy Heart

Omega-3 fish oil has become synonymous with cardiovascular integrity, and is supported by years of substantiated research. Many of these studies suggest that omega-3 plays a key role in normalizing blood pressure range and lowering triglycerides within the normal range.

Choosing a quality formula

When the time comes to choose, nothing is more important than selecting a quality formula that’s been tested for safety and purity. NOW takes the guesswork out of searching for omega-3 supplements that are safe and effective. Our comprehensive selection of premium fish oil is subject to strict testing, thorough screening and a mandatory purification process. NOW’s Quality Control and Quality Assurance departments verify the use of several purification processes that help reduce PCBs, dioxins, toxic heavy metals and other contaminants to non-detectable levels.

NOW’s Molecularly Distilled Fish Oils

NOW’s fish oils are typically made from unrefined bulk oil obtained from anchovy, sardines and mackerel that meet strict quality requirements. These fast-growing species are preferred sources, as they tend to accumulate fewer environmental toxins than other types of fish. The oil may be fortified with antioxidants, such as 100% natural vitamin E, as shown on our labels.

The bulk oil is then subjected to a cooling process, enabling the fractionation (separation) and physical removal of saturated fats, including cholesterol, and yielding a free-flowing long-chain, fatty acid-rich oil. Molecular Distillation, also known as “short path distillation”, is then used to separate the fatty acids according to their molecular weights. To achieve this without the use of damaging levels of heat, the oil is spun in a special vacuum chamber. The resulting oils are then filtered through kaolin clay to obtain the highest purity. The combination of fish selection, molecular distillation and filtration removes undesirable toxins (heavy metals, PCB’s and dioxins) to an undetectable level. The fish oils are then standardized by mixing to achieve the desired EPA and DHA contents that we use in our individual products.