Certified Naturals - Clinical Omega3X Fish Oil

Product Notes:

MaxSimil Esterified Fish Oil - Monoglyceride-Rich Concentrate

We've probably all heard by now that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory and cardio-protective properties which may benefit our brain, mood, joint, and especially cardiovascular health (if we manage to absorb enough of them). You may even be trying to be diligent about consuming more of them, either through diet or supplements.

But you may not know that Health Canada and Statistics Canada conducted a major study several years ago to measure the amounts of fatty acids that are actually present in our red blood cells (where they need to end up, in order to accomplish those benefits).

Commissioned to find out how many of us are at High, Moderate or Low risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), this study of the blood levels and dietary habits of nearly 2,000 Canadian adults found several things of note.

First, over 40% of Canadian adults as a whole were deficient in Omega-3s at that point, placing them in the High risk of CHD category, according to a previously established "Omega-3 index" model.

Second, even among those who do usually consume some type of actual fish at least twice a week, nearly 1/4 were still at high risk of CHD (although that drops to 14% if at least one type was an oily fish, such as salmon), and fewer than 7% made it all the way to the low risk category.

Finally, for those taking Omega supplements, even though they fared a little better (with only about 5 to 10% remaining in the high risk category), as one might expect, only about 10% of them 'graduated' all the way to the Low risk category.

Nutrient Absorption

The most likely reason for this (which we all know from experience), is simply that fats aren't easy to digest. Omega-3s come naturally in the form of long chain triglycerides, which can't make it into the blood as-is. To actually absorb them, our bodies must first emulsify them (i.e., transform them so they can mix with water) in the small intestine using bile salts, and then break them down into short-chained monoglycerides, using enzymes (pancreatic lipases).

But people vary in how well they can carry out that two-step process, especially if they have certain health conditions such as cystic fibrosis, or if they take certain medications, or have digestive issues such as celiac disease or gluten intolerance, which can all impede nutrient absorption.

Thus, even if you're regularly eating the right kinds of fish or scrupulously taking seemingly high doses of fish oil or other sorts of omega-3 supplements (even other "esterified" forms, which use alcohol to help isolate and concentrate the EHA and DHA components), too many of those long chain fatty acids might be passing right through you rather than getting taken up by your red blood cells.

MaxSimil

That's where MaxSimil fits in. It's a relatively new patented technology for processing omega-3 fatty acids that was developed in Canada which, in essence, carries out those two steps (emulsifying the triglycerides and breaking them down into monoglycerides) for us, so they can get absorbed into the small intestine and taken up by the bloodstream directly, with no digestion required.

A double-blind study of its bioavailability in healthy adults not only found that the levels of EPA and DHA in the blood plasma were three times higher at their peak concentration (and reached their maximum concentration faster) compared to the control group taking a fish oil of the same dosage (a typical supplement, in an Ethyl Ester form), but also it that it was a lasting effect (after 24 hours, the MaxSimil users still had two to three times higher blood levels of EPA and DHA than the other group).

Thus, it is expected that with continued use, there should be a cumulative effect which should really move the needle on where you lie on the Omega-3 Index, without having to take "mega-doses."