Of course they are not. While in my previous post:
-https://www.reddit.com/r/Nutraceuticalscience/comments/1hte49w/meriva_curcumin_brands_are_not_all_the_same/
I managed to surprise almost everyone, this time I expect that nearly all readers of this subreddit, who use regularly and intensively Omega-3, have already realized this.
However, I thought it would be useful to share my personal experience with DHA supplements.
To start with, aside from the 8 brands of Omega-3, I armed myself with patience. I correct myself—I mean with a great deal of patience.
My goal was to find what works best for me personally at the lowest possible cost and with maximum effectiveness.
The method I used was to take each product one at a time in daily doses of 0.5 g, 1 g, and 2 g, which was possible because the products vary significantly in size, weight, and DHA content.
I took them on an empty stomach along with 15–20 ml of cold-pressed olive (or pumpkin) oil and/or with a fatty meal. I tried to stick to regular mealtimes whenever possible.
I monitored the effects of DHA on myself, trying to separate and ignore the anti-inflammatory effects (when they occurred) on my joints and focus on how DHA acts on the brain, eyes, and peripheral nerves. I was interested in focus, processing speed, verbal fluency, retention ability, and long-term memory.
To be honest, I don’t know how much progress I made on the above because it was an experiment that lasted several months. I regret now that I didn’t note down when I started and how long it took for each brand (with some, I figured out pretty quickly what I was dealing with…).
But that’s not what’s important; what matters is that I’ve reached a strong and definitive conclusion about what my brain and nervous system need.
Although—and I’ll emphasize this again—this is a strictly personal experience, I thought I’d share it with you without making specific recommendations for DHA regarding various conditions or suggesting useful daily doses.
And this isn’t just because we (fortunately) are all so different, but because the areas where DHA is needed in our bodies are unique, and the doses must be determined—ideally—through experimentation.
Why did I choose these brands? A long time ago, I started buying Omega-3 for my health issues, and since I don’t remember every single brand I’ve tried—nor is it important now—I’ll mention that the first reputable brand was Now, followed by Sport Research, InnovixLabs, Natural Factors and others. Since I’m specifically interested in DHA, I tried to select the most well-known ones and also picked up a few others because I was curious to verify the good ratings in the reviews.
Here is my personal ranking of the DHA supplements I’ve used:
- OmegaVia, DHA 600, Omega-3, 120 Softgels
-Carlson, Mother's DHA, 500 mg, 120 Soft Gels
-Protocol for Life Balance, DHA-100, 90 Softgels
-Nordic Naturals, DHA Xtra™, Strawberry, 60 Soft Gels
-Thorne, Advanced DHA, 60 Gelcaps
-NOW Foods, DHA-1000 Fish Oil, 90 Softgels
-Swanson, Super DHA 500, 500 mg , 30 Softgels
-Protocol for Life Balance, DHA-500, Fish Oil, 120 Softgels
There’s a lot to discuss here, but a few key points stand out.
- The presence of a small amount of EPA in some DHA products diminishes their nootropic potency, I suspect—though I can’t prove this scientifically.
A few hundred mg of EPA are needed alongside DHA to reduce inflammation and smooth the way—I agree with that. Plus, natural oils contain both (DHA and EPA), and complete separation costs more, but in terms of nootropic effect, I personally find them inferior to pure DHA. That’s how I felt.
- Dosages per capsule and reviews for each.
-OmegaVia, incredibly good. Triglycerides, IFOS, and it’s also enteric-coated—I think that makes the difference.
-Carlson’s product is very good and potent, and the 5:1 DHA/EPA ratio is perfectly acceptable.
-The Protocol for Life Balance product is extraordinary and unexpectedly good. The best value for money of all.
But only the DHA 1000 version; the DHA 500 version, which also contains 250 mg of EPA, is a total letdown—best avoided.
-Fans of Nordic Naturals know the company uses a weight-multiplying system for its products. Nordic Naturals’ Xtra™ DHA variant contains 480 mg DHA/205 mg EPA per capsule, compared to their regular product, which has the same total weight but is spread over 2 capsules. Ridiculous. Even though they claim to be the #1 Fish Oil Brand in the USA, to my surprise, I wasn’t blown away when it comes to the effects of a single capsule. If you take 2 capsules at once, only then do you start to feel what DHA is all about.
But if you’re not 12 years old, taking just 2 capsules twice a day, then one bottle will only last you a few days. I’ll leave the cost-benefit analysis up to you. And no strawberry flavor for me, thanks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad product, but it’s too expensive for what it offers.
Why would I buy something at double the price of OmegaVia? Because it’s a pure product? I agree, but all IFOS products are pure.
Their other DHA products Nordic Naturals use the same ingredients but with variations in weight and gel content.
-One Thorne Advanced DHA capsule contains only 325 mg DHA/100 mg EPA. Needless to say, you won’t feel anything from a single capsule, and even the effect of two capsules seemed too weak to me. Although the price is… typical for Thorne, I couldn’t find any mention anywhere that it contains triglycerides. Not very “advanced” for me. Why would I burn a hole in my wallet for something I can find at half the price and of at least equal quality?
-The Swanson Super DHA product is just as I imagined ; I have a lot of respect for Swanson and sometimes use some of their products daily, but they definitely don’t have a tradition for Omega-3. Not “super” at all—average, maybe.
-Now DHA 1000. I have a lot of respect for Now and use their supplements sometimes daily, but even a few years ago, I felt a sense of anxiety from their Omega-3 products. Apart from that, I’ve tested three more of their Omega-3 products in the past, and they all gave me the same unpleasant sensation. Could it be the material the capsules are made of, which I can’t tolerate? I don’t know. I know people around me who’ve taken it and haven’t had any issues with Now’s fish oil—maybe it’s just me.
As for the Omega-3 products with the best effects on inflammation and bone pain, maybe another time.
One more thing. Since I know Reddit (too) well, I know that Nordic Naturals fans will shoot me point-blank.
But I want to remind you: hey, this is Reddit, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. And I also promise that I’ll abstain from submitting my case study to PubMed…
P.S. In the second photo, I’ve displayed a photo of a few very good brands for the mood. Those are honorable options for those who take omega-3 supplements to improve their mood.
They’re all good, but it depends on personal preference and how each person feels when taking them.
Give them a try—they’re proven to work.
