The Science of
Pure
Alaska
Omega
NTG
No refining, molecular distillation, purification, or esterification steps are utilized in making Pure Alaska Omega Wild Salmon Oil. This minimally processed “extra virgin” fish oil, compared to refined pale yellow fish oils, maintains a unique amber color along with fat-soluble vitamins, and has a pleasant salmon taste and smell.
Omega nutrition as nature intended; Pure Alaska Omega Wild Salmon Oil delivers all fatty acids from salmon to you in their natural triglyceride (nTG) state.
Fats in nature are found mainly in the natural triglyceride (nTG) form. Ethyl ester (EE) fish oil fats are made by a process known as refining.
EE fish oil creation starts by removing the natural glycerol fatty acid backbone in order to concentrate fatty acids (EPA & DHA Omega-3s most commonly). Ethanol-ethyl alcohol replaces the missing glycerol to attach the newly concentrated fatty acids back together.
Quality fish oil refining results in omega-3 concentrations of up to 85%, like our Pure Alaska Omega Clinical Strength‡ Omega-3 product. Wild fish only contain about 25-30% omega-3s naturally so a concentrated EE fish oil is a great option if you do not eat seafood regularly.
Wild Alaskan salmon have provided natural triglyceride omega fatty acids to healthy diets for generations.
Which fish oil is right for you, nTG or EE?
We believe that eating oily fish is the best way to get your omega-3s. The next best way is taking Pure Alaska Omega.
Do Your Supplements “Go Bad?"
A common concern for consumers purchasing supplement products in bulk is shelf-life: ‘If I buy several bottles of supplements when I see them next, will they “go bad” before I can consume them all?’ The short answer is “no!”
In fact, the best by date stamped on your supplement bottle is a suggestion. There is no concrete date for taking a shelf-stable omega-3 supplements as the actives present – EPA, DHA, and Omega-3 fatty acids – are still present well beyond the date suggested. If your supplement bottle lists a suggested best by, expiration, or use by date next to a freshness guarantee, the date suggested was determined to ensure sensory attributes are maintained from the date of manufacture to the date printed on the bottle along with softgel performance testing.
Our omega-3 supplements are made from fish oil so if you were to open the softgel, there will be a fishy taste and smell. If you do not eat fish, the fishy smell or taste of this oil can seem unpleasant even if the product is okay to consume. Thankfully, our fish oil supplements are encapsulated in softgel form, so you don’t have to taste the fish on the way down.
If you have a sensitive nose, consider storing your supplement in the refrigerator to minimize changes in the smell or taste for the life of the product. Tips for storing your omega-3 supplements can be found here. Read your supplement bottle carefully for storage recommendations.
More complex products like multi-vitamins – which contain several different actives from different sources – can be less potent after expiration date as the stability of each individual nutrient varies. The supplement form also matters. The same active ingredients in a gummy, tablet, softgel, and liquid behave differently. For example, liquids might be a less desirable form for maintaining stability of omega-3 fatty acids as they interact with the air as soon as a new bottle is opened. Softgels offer more protection compared to liquids as the omega-3 fatty acids contained within do not directly interact with the air even when your product bottle is left open.
Taking supplements past expiration is okay, as they do not “go bad” or become unsafe. Expired supplements likely contain less of the desired actives, may look different, may vary in smell, and/or taste depending on the product. For more information regarding vitamin stability and storage, check out this Medical News Today article.
Pure Alaska Omega supplements are routinely monitored throughout their two-year shelf-life to confirm the actives are present in the right amounts as declared on the label, and that freshness is maintained under the proper storage conditions. Check out our traceability page to see test results for your specific Pure Alaska Omega bottle lot.
If you have difficulty remembering to take your supplements on a daily basis, the larger concern is that you are missing the benefits those supplements have to offer! Save your supplements from expiring by taking them regularly.
Seafood Consumption & The Mercury Question
Seafood consumption is undoubtedly beneficial for obtaining vital nutrients. However, health-conscious consumers are asking; “I want to consume seafood more often – how do I avoid mercury?”
To answer this question, we first want to provide some background.
Mercury is an element – a heavy metal – that is made up of inorganic and organic mercury. The inorganic form, more commonly known as methylmercury, is the toxic form you want to avoid. Seafood consumption is the most common form of methylmercury exposure, so it gets the most attention.
Because 90% of Americans still do not eat the recommended 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week,
the risk of methylmercury exposure from seafood consumption remains low in the general U.S. population. Although eating seafood can contribute to methylmercury exposure, it is far from the only cause – other contributors include: mining, dental fillings, novelty jewelry, thermometers, skin creams, and pharmaceuticals.
Selection is the key to consuming two to three servings of seafood per week worry free. This FDA resource highlights the “best choice” fish to consume more often because they are low in mercury.
The same fish containing low amounts of mercury also contain more omega-3 fatty acids which are vital to fetal development, so it’s a win-win!
This is important – especially for pregnant/breastfeeding mothers and young children – because too much methylmercury can negatively impact neurodevelopment (World Health Organization (WHO)).
This FDA guidance is conservatively based on total mercury concentrations found in fish tissues (not specifically methylmercury) so eating more than what is recommended could still be safe. And many people do not know that fish also contain mercury’s antidote – selenium!
Methylmercury toxicity risk can be avoided by selecting fish that have higher selenium to mercury ratios. Limiting your portion sizes along with selecting the right fish makes consuming fish more often less risky.
Consumption of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids May Reduce the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease†. Other potential benefits include:
Supports healthy cognitive function‡
Supports normal visual development‡
Supports normal brain development‡
Supports heart health‡
Supports healthy triglyceride levels‡
Helps maintain healthy blood pressure‡
†Supportive, but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. [See supplement facts for total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol content.] ‡These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Designed with your heart in mind. One serving of Pure Alaska Omega daily delivers the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids as eating two portions of fish per week‡.