3 "Fishy" Myths About Fish Oil Supplements, From A Nutrition Scientist

Our director of scientific affairs and in-house nutritionist Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, has quickly become our resident myth-buster for nutrition matters. From multivitamin red flags to the vitamin D mistakes that make her cringe, she's always game to pull back the curtain on the vast, confusing world of supplements. Today is no different: On this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, Ferira gives us the scoop on all things omega-3s. 

"One of the most common myths I hear is, 'I don't like fish oil, because it's fishy,'" says Ferira. Of course, everyone has different flavor preferences, but according to Ferira, your fish oil actually shouldn't smell or taste off. "If your fish oil smells funny—fishy, sour, or it's very yellow—these are signs of bad purity," she says. "It's a sign of oxidation." Similar to how the olive oil in your kitchen can go rancid—your fish oil can lose its freshness too. 

See, a lot of brands will actually feature or "spike" their products with cheaper, lower-quality types of fish oils—and these lower-quality oils have higher oxidation and contaminant levels, says Ferira. "[Some brands] will brag about having salmon or some expensive-sounding fish, but, in fact, they're spiking it with lower-quality and less expensive fishes," she notes. "It is common." 

The oils have the potential to go rancid during the production and transportation (i.e., global shipment) processes as well—say, if a brand sources fish oil from all over the world, letting it sit on a hot ship for months before finally formulating it into a product. "There's a lot of potential for oxidation and reduced shelf life," says Ferira. 

That's why, aside from the super-low oxidation parameters and contaminant levels, a high-quality fish oil supplement will weave in botanicals to increase freshness and the oil's shelf life over time (which helps keep the product from going rancid and, thus, tasting fishy). Specifically, we added lemon oil into our formula: "Aside from actually delivering antioxidant properties from this citrus plant, if you were to burp, it is helping it to be a pleasant, fresh-tasting experience," says Ferira. Rosemary extract (another star botanical in mbg's omega-3 potency+) also increases freshness and stability over time.  

This broad recommendation for the general population comes from the American Heart Association1, and it took off years ago (like two decades ago). "If you eat two servings of fish per week, the EPA and DHA are tied to cardiovascular protection,"* says Ferira. And two servings of fish a week delivers roughly 500 milligrams of EPA + DHA daily—but this is actually just the starting point. "That is your baseline; it's not the goal" for optimal health.*