Absorption Enhancers for Omega-3?

Answer me this: When have generally healthy Americans ever had trouble absorbing dietary fat?

It’s evident that Americans are stellar at absorbing fat from the diet. It’s not a matter of IF we absorb fat; it’s a serious matter of the TYPE of fat we are absorbing (when it comes to health and chronic disease risk). For better or worse, we efficiently absorb fat we eat. What we are seeing today are results from eating diets rich in saturated and trans fats and diets low (deficient) in omega-3s. We haven’t always eaten like we do today. We also haven’t needed absorption enhancers in our fish oil capsules.

A colleague sent me a website link today that was selling an omega-3 product by putting down omega-3 fish oil capsules that did not contain ‘absorption enhancers’. After I stopped laughing, I realized how this deceptive marketing was problematic for patients and consumers.

The website ‘appeared’ to be providing objective product evaluations. It ‘seemed’ to be reasonable until one looked for contact information, company validation, claim substantiation, etc.

Please share the word. Fish oil provided in simple gelatin capsules is readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. It’s documented and proven. Fish oil, like any fat-based food or supplement, is better absorbed with a meal or snack that contains some fat. That’s basic nutrition. Vitamin C is best transported with water because it’s water soluble.

To be sure, there are some health conditions that warrant special fish oil preparations. For example, individuals with crohn’s disease benefit from taking enteric-coated fish oil. In general, enteric coating of fish oil capsules is a marketing approach to mask inferior product or create a reason to inflate the price.

What Americans fundamentally need is quality fish oil products (concentrated, purified, fresh) and methods for effectively evaluating bogus websites.

As for this blog, I am a registered dietitian. My license can be verified with the Commission for Dietetic Registration for The American Dietetic Association. Staying true to my professional license, I discuss valid ingredients, published research and follow sound nutrition science principles.