Tuesday, December 15, 2009

How Much Carlson Fish Oil Should You Take?

Short answer: You want to take 1 to 3 grams of high quality fish oil per day. Long answer: Take a few minutes and read this article to find out.

EPA and DHA are the well-known Omega 3 fatty acids which we are looking to get when we drink fish oil. These fats appear in the oil in a ratio of 18:12, meaning 18mg of EPA for every 12mg of DHA. This is considered the natural ratio and some fish oils will maintain this ratio, others will alter this focusing on one fat in preference to the other. There is also another oil to consider - Omega 6.

In a study by Simopoulos from Biomed Phamacother, we need to look statement that several sources suggest that humans earlier in history had a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of approximately 1 whereas in modern Western diets the ratio is 15 to 1. The study then lists several severe health conditions that are linked to an imbalance of this ratio. This does not mean that the ideal ratio is 1:1 for Omega 6:Omega 3. The University of Maryland Medical Center states in its complementary medicine reports that a healthy diet result in a ration of between 2 and 4 to 1 (Omega 6 to Omega 3) ratio.

So what if we calculate the average grams per fat per day from Omega 6 and simply divide by 4? Let's take 30 grams of fat from Omega 6 per day - to throw a number out. If we divide by 4, we would expect 7 grams of Omega 3 fatty acids per day. I do not know though whether 30 grams of Omega 6 fat per day is a reasonable amount, the number is simply to show the calculation.

Another question we need to ask is what studies that show the efficacy of fish oil are using on test subjects. The answer is between 2 and 6 grams of fish oil. To rephrase the question, fish oil generally shows positive benefits on clinical studies; how much fish oil is needed to gain those benefits?

A high grade fish oil is around 5 grams in a teaspoon. For an unconcentrated oil, this will result in 500mg of DHA and 800mg of EPA in the oil, and this is enough for one day. Fish oil liquid bottles will recommend this amount - 1 teaspoon. They seem to recommend the lower end of the range considered generally safe (up to 3 grams of fish oil is generally regarded as safe).

Hence the recommendation of 1 to 3 grams of fish oil for general use. Going for high doses of fish oil, 6 grams, 10 grams or more per day have been reported, but you definitely want to talk to your doctor before considering this. z

If you are taking fish oil, take a high quality fish oil like Carlson's MedOmega 2800 fish oil.

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Carlson Fish Oil - Why Comparison of Fish Oils Is Need

I had a chance the other day to take a look at the highly recommended Carlson fish oil. The use of fish oil as a dietary supplement has become increasingly popular, as it has been discovered that it lowers your risk for just about everything. Most of the companies that produce supplements have a version of this oil, but are they all pretty much the same, or are there differences between them?

The highest quality fish oil that Carlson Laboratories produces is a 1000 mg capsule that is purported to be one of the best that is available. The key to whether an omega-3 supplement is going to be successful in treating what ails you is the amount of DHA, EPA, and DPA is in the formula. Let's take a look at what these particular products offer, and compare the results to an unnamed competitor.

Carlson fish oil contains 300 mg of EPA, which is a pretty good amount. This omega fatty acid has been shown to be beneficial for coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis. While it is good to have something as effective as EPA in your formula, it is thought that the contribution of DHA provides a greater level of benefit for the body.

DHA is vital for the growth and development of the brain in infants, and it is also required for healthy brain function in adults. It is a central nervous system constituent, and plays a major role in decreasing the amyloid plaques that are responsible for the development of Alzheimer's disease. DHA also inhibits the growth of colon carcinoma cells, and treats hypertension, arthritis, atherosclerosis, adult onset diabetes, myocardial infarction, and thrombosis.

This really makes me wonder why Carlson fish oil only contains 200 mg of DHA. The competitor that I mentioned contains 120 mg of EPA, and 280 mg of DHA, which is a more effective ratio of the two. The other thing that has me puzzled is why does the Carlson formula not contain a trace of DPA?

The high level of DPA in seal oil has led researchers to believe that it is a contributing factor in the overall good cardiovascular health of Inuits. The competitor's formula has 50 mg of DPA, which is fine since it is basically just support for the cardiovascular benefits of the EPA and DHA. DPA may not do all of the things that the others do, but I still do not think it is a good idea to simply omit it.

The price of Carlson fish oil is an astonishing $12.90 for 50 capsules, which adds up to .26 cents per gram. By comparison the competitor's price for their more complete fish oil with DHA, EPA, and DPA is only $16.85 for 60 capsules. This makes the competitor's fish oil supplement only .2 cents more per gram.

Personally, I would rather pay the extra 2 cents and have a formula that contains a complete array of essential omega-3 fatty acids, which Carlson fish oil falls a little bit short on.

Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily.

Visit her site http://www.omega-3-for-health.com to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.

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The Truth About Carlson Fish Oils

As you would be already aware, taking fish oil can boost our health and provide a number of health benefits - it protects the heart, prevents cancer, and reduces symptoms of AMD, ADHD, and even arthritis. The trick is in finding the best possible one out of the wide variety of choices available. Carlson fish oil is one such oil that is commonly used by people. How does it measure up when compared to its peers? Let's find out.

First a little background. There are four critical factors in evaluating a fish oil:

1) The type of fish from which the oil has been extracted
2) The quantity of DHA and EPA Omega 3 fats in it
3) The purity level of the oil
4) Finally, the value for money that you are getting by buying the oil

Now let's see how Carlson fish oil fares on these parameters.

At first glance, one might be impressed by the variety of products Carlson has for fish oil only. There is Cod liver oil, oil for kids, Super DHA oil, and many other types. On further thought, one can realize that there is no need for so many varieties in the oil. Fish oil is fish oil. The same oil can be taken by adults - men and women both, and children. There is no special kind of oil needed for different age groups. A single quality product that provides the necessary Omega 3 fats at the right price - that's all that is required.

Source of oil
There are two main fish species used in Carlson fish oil - Salmon and Cod. These fish do contain Omega 3 fats in them, but not in the right quantities. There are other fish types like the Hoki fish from New Zealand that are richer in DHA and EPA Omega 3. In fact liver oil should anyway be avoided, as the liver contains higher levels of concentrated impurities than other parts of the fish.

Omega 3 levels
Most of the products in the Carlson catalog are dominant in EPA and contain lesser amounts of DHA in them. This is not the ideal mix as DHA levels should be much higher than EPA in the oil you take. Not only is DHA more beneficial for the body, but internally our body can convert it into EPA if required. The reverse process is not possible, however.

There is a company in New Zealand whose oil is derived from a mix of hoki and tuna oil. It contains the right proportion of DHA and EPA in it. Each soft gel of the oil contains more than 280 mg of DHA and more than 120 mg of EPA. The stats for Carlson Super Omega-3 oil stand at - 300 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA. While the EPA is actually more than enough, the DHA levels are a little less than desired.

Purity
Carlson oil is tested for purity by an independent laboratory according to AOAC standards. The other company we are talking about gets its oil tested by two different independent laboratories and according to its own standards, which are even stricter than any other organization. On this factor Carlson oil seems to fare well, although the other company has a slight edge over it.

Cost effectiveness
One month's supply of Carlson fish oil (one bottle of Super Omega-3) costs $25.5. Compare this with the price of one bottle of oil of the second company - which costs $16.85 only. Now the Carlson bottle contains 100 gels as compared to the second one's 60 gels, but that doesn't matter as you would have to take more gels a day to get the required amount of omega 3 fats. So on the cost factor too Carlson fish oil pulls up short.

Note: The prices mentioned here are the current prices at the time of publishing this article.

So what is it going to be? Carlson fish oil or the one which beats it in every department? Your call.

Visit my website today to learn more about a fish oil supplement I've discovered that I'd like to share with you.

Michael Holman is a dedicated researcher and reviewer of fish oil supplements. He shares his research on his website - Omega3 Information.To discover the highest Omega 3 fish oil supplements our editors personally use and recommend, visit - http://www.omega3information.com

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Determining Whether Carlson Fish Oil Is Better Than Other Fish Oils

There are several benefits to taking fish oils such as cancer prevention, and reduction of arthritis symptoms. A brand that several people use regularly is Carlson's fish oil. How does this brand compare to others? There are some things to keep in mind when comparing fish supplements to each other.

While Carlson's offers a variety of oils, oil is oil, there is no need for a separate supplement for adults and children, or men and women. So the variety of fish oils available should not have an influence on the decision of which fish oils to use. Liquid or soft gel supplements are a matter of personal preference. New Zealand fish oils are complete and can be used by anyone wishing to take a fish supplement.

The source of the oil such as the type of fish and where the fish was gotten is the first thing that should be considered in order to compare Carlson's fish oil to other brands. Cod and Salmon are the two fish species normally used in the making of this brand of fish oil.

Hoki is a fish found around New Zealand that has a higher EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids content than both of these types of fish. There are in fact several fish oils supplement companies that use other types of fish in the manufacturing process that were obtained from various locations. There is a company with fish oils from Hoki fish caught off of the coast of New Zealand making it a better choice due to the purity.

Carlson's fish oil products mainly have more EPA than DHA in them. To experience the maximum benefits the levels of DHA should be higher in the supplement than the levels of EPA contained in the supplement. DHA can be converted into EPA if more EPA is required but DHA can not be gotten from EPA. There are other fish oils which are manufactured to contain more balanced portions of DHA and EPA within them.

When comparing Carlson's fish oil to other fish oils supplements the DHA and EPA levels should be examined closely to ensure the most beneficial supplement is gotten. The DHA levels should be higher than EPA to obtain the most benefits from the supplement such as in New Zealand fish oil.

Purity is another factor when comparing Carlson's fish oil to other brands. AOAC standards are followed for purity testing at an independent laboratory. There are some companies that follow there own purity standards for quality testing and may be stricter than those set by other organizations. Carlson's appears to do well as far as the purity of the product and the standards set for testing it. However there is a competing fish oils which uses two laboratories and a number of tests to ensure the purity and quality of the product.

When it comes to price Carlson's isn't the least expensive or the most expensive it falls somewhere in the middle. The cost of the bottle in addition to the cost per serving should be taken into consideration to ensure the supplement fits into the budget.

The final decision of whether or not to use Carlson's fish oil or competing fish oils will be dependent on the source and type of the fish used in addition to the levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Purity testing standards and DHA levels will also factor in. These are the most important since the supplement should be free from contaminants. Compared to Carlson's there are other oils on the market which would be the appropriate choice.

For more details of the many huge benefits you can get from taking fish oil supplements visit http://www.omega3benefitsguide.com. Brendan Greene is editor of Omega 3 Benefits Guide - Visit us now to learn about the omega 3 fish oil supplement we personally take and why.

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Imporant Facts You Need To Know About Calson Fish Oil

Carlson's fish oil is one of the most popular health supplements available on the market today. It is available both in the liquid form and in the form of capsules. What does it contain and what is so good about it? Let us take a look.

Carlson's fish oil capsules contain the two most important omega 3 fatty acids required for your body - DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Health experts around the world have confirmed that a regular consumption of DHA and EPA is extremely good for your health. It can reduce the risks of various serious health problems, boost your immune system, improve your brain health, and help you stay healthy for a long time.

When it comes to choosing a good fish based oil supplement, there is only one thing you should look for - high quality DHA and EPA. If a fish based oil supplement contains adequate amount of high quality DHA and EPA, go for it by all means.

Carlson has come up with a number of supplements based on fish oil - cod liver oil, fish based oil for kids, and fish oil for adults. We are going to take a look at their most famous product - Super Omega - 3.

Each Super Omega-3 gel from Carlson contains 200 mg of DHA and 300 mg of EPA. A month's supply of these soft gels will cost you about $25. At less than a dollar a day, it does sound like quite a good bargain. But there are two things you need to know.

1. The amount of DHA should always be higher than the amount of EPA when it comes to fish based oil capsules. The reason is very simple. DHA is the most important omega 3 fatty acid required for your body. Also, your body can convert DHA into EPA when needed. But it cannot convert EPA into DHA. So, you should always go for a product which contains more DHA than EPA. This is not the case with Carlson's fish oil capsules.

2. Though $25 looks like a good bargain, there are other companies in the market which offer high quality fish based oil capsules at a much lower price. You can get a month's supply of high quality fish oil capsules for just about $17. So, you stand to save at least $8 a month.

What I want to say is very simple. Though Carlson's fish oil supplements are good, they are not the best choice for you. You have plenty of options to choose from. So, weigh your options, evaluate the products objectively, and go for the right product.

Rajagopalan has learned early in life the critical importance of omega 3 supplements to minimize health risks and maximize healthy living. There are too many fish oil supplements in the market that he has found to be very expensive, they do not deliver on results and are pure hype. To learn about the product that he has finally found to be most effective but at the same time least expensive, head over to ==> http://www.omega3fishoilsguide.com

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