TIP #1 – MAKE SURE YOUR SUPPLEMENT CONTAINS “DHA” OR “DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID”
When you are looking for a supplement, look at the “Supplement Facts” panel on the back of the supplement bottle to check the amount of DHA. Make a note of the serving size, which is located at the top of the Supplement Facts panel. Look specifically for either “DHA” or “docosahexaenoic acid” to see how much, based on serving size you are getting for your supplement. So if it says a serving size is two capsules and you are getting 200 mg, then you would need 2 pills per day to reach 200 mg. There are hundreds of omega-3 supplements out there, but the key is making sure you choose the ones that have the long-chain omega-3s, EPA and DHA. If DHA is not listed on the label, then you are not getting this omega-3 in your supplement. You can also choose a traditional omega-3 fish oil supplement, which contains both EPA and DHA as long as you are able to meet the need of 200 mg per day DHA. DHA can come from algae, which is what the fish eat to make it themselves. Suffice it to say that you can choose either a pure algal DHA supplement or a fish oil supplement that contains EPA and DHA. The main thing is to make sure you are getting at least 200 mg per day.
Here is a helpful video.
TIP #2 – ALWAYS TAKE YOUR OMEGA-3 OR DHA SUPPLEMENT WITH A MEAL
Make sure you take your Omega-3 Supplement with a meal. DHA is a fat and you want your body to be ready to absorb it because it is a very special kind of fat. If you don’t take it with a meal, then you won’t be able to fully absorb the DHA and as a result your blood level might not change. It is also important to test your level to make sure the supplement you’ve chosen is working for you.
Here is a helpful video.
TIP #3 – THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FORMULATIONS
There are so many different kinds of omega-3 supplement formulations — triglycerides, emulsions, ethyl esters, phospholipids. And all of these play a role in how bioavailable the fat is to your body. One way to make sure the omega-3 fat you are taking is bioavailable to your body is to eat a meal with fat, so that the omega-3 fats you are taking in your supplement can be absorbed. We don’t have an opinion on the different formulations. There are some small differences in the way these types of formulations are absorbed. But at the end of the day, the amount of DHA you are taking in is by far the most important aspect of how much your DHA blood level will go up.
Here is a helpful video.
