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The Smart Choice in Fish Oil

How ÜBER-DHA sets the standard for this important supplement

The Western World is finally starting to recognize the many therapeutic uses of fish oil. This is good news – and what’s more, it’s about time. Fish oil is one of the most important supplements you can take, with an impressive list of benefits: from improving cardiovascular health to helping you lose weight. The problem is that many of the fish oil products on the market are simply not very good. To know why, simply follow the money: To get the maximum profit from fish oil supplements, many manufacturers compromise on quality. Let’s talk about this.

First, there is the issue of mercury.
Mercury is a metal that can cause numerous medical problems, including damage to the brain, kidneys and endocrine system. Birth defects are often attributed to mercury exposure during pregnancy, affecting the brains of developing fetuses. Excessive or long-term exposure to mercury can be lethal to individuals of any age. But other than accidentally breaking open a thermometer, how do we end up getting it into our systems?

One source is coal-burning power plants, which produce mercury emissions that pollute water sources. As every kid knows by watching the shenanigans of Sheldon J. Plankton on the SpongeBob SquarePants show, microorganisms convert mercury to methyl mercury, a form of mercury the body easily absorbs. The microorganisms are consumed by plankton, which are consumed by small fish that in turn are eaten by larger fish. Thus, the larger the fish, the more likely it will contain contaminants such as mercury – which is why tuna, which often weigh hundreds of pounds, are often referred to as “the garbage collectors of the seas.”

The worst case of mass mercury poisoning occurred in Minamata Bay, Japan. From 1932 to 1968 the chemical factory of the Chisso Corporation dumped an estimated 27 tons of mercury into Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea. By March 2001, 1,784 people in the local area had died of mercury poisoning and thousands of children had been born with brain damage. To date, Chisso has provided more than 10,000 people with financial compensation from this disaster, and the claims are still coming in.

To avoid poisoning from mercury, as well as from other toxins, those who produce fish oil need to choose the fish of origin wisely. Some important factors in the quality of fish oil are the type of fish used to make the oil, the size of the fish (i.e., its position on the food chain), its fat content and where the fish were caught. For example, avoid farmed fish from Europe. Also, compared to wild salmon from Canada, farmed salmon from British Columbia has been found to contain as much as six times the levels of the potentially cancer-causing substance called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Once you find a brand you can trust, fish oil is still the best way to get certain benefits. My favorite fish oil is a high-potency, purity-certified product called Über-DHA. Each serving (1 teaspoon, or 5 ml) contains the following values: omega-3 fatty acids 2,950 mg; DHA 2,000 mg; EPA 400 mg; other omega-3 fatty acids 400 mg.

Now let’s look beyond the numbers.

The omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is of paramount importance for the healthy structure and function of the brain. DHA is critical for the health of both the developing and the adult brain, where it impacts structure and signaling systems, and the health of the nervous system. There is a mountain of evidence suggesting that adequate DHA intake may help prevent age-related cognitive decline and a host of neurological disorders. It may also improve memory.

Research is very clear on the fact that DHA deficiency has been linked with many psychiatric disorders ranging from depression to suicidal behavior, anger and hostility. Take, for instance, DHA studies that relate the high rates of depression in the Irish and the British, (who collectively have the highest rates of depression in the Western world) to the fact they also have the lowest levels of DHA.

It is well documented that optimal DHA levels are most important for pregnant and nursing mothers to ensure adequate brain development in their developing children. I recommend high-quality fish oil to all my clients, and many of my clients have reported huge differences between children born to them before I starting working with these clients and children born to them after I started to regulate my clients’ diets. The clients who supplemented their diets with high-quality fish oil have observed higher intelligence and motor-skill levels in the children who were born subsequently – to the point that some parents frankly admit that the later-born children have an unfair advantage over their older siblings.

DHA is also important from an athletic performance standpoint: Those who focus on relative strength training methods, such as gymnasts and wrestlers, or those who have a high level of fast-twitch fibers, have a higher demand for DHA.

Because it supplies ingredients crucial to human development and performance, fish oil has earned its standing as the hottest supplement on the market. But for maximum results and safety, always take a close look at what you’re buying. This is one supplement where best is the only way to go.