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03/02/10 08:59 PM

"My omega-3 supplements contain 10mg cholesterol per 2 softgels? Isn’t this defeating the purpose?"
Asked By: jstrance1  
Category: Food and Nutrition

Background Info Hide
I’ve been reading how good it is for you to take fish oil because it contains omega-3. My doctor has suggested that I take omega-3 supplements to help my high cholesterol along with my diabetes. But I’ve noticed on the back of my supplement bottle under the list of ingredients it lists cholesterol. For my brand it lists 10mg cholesterol per 2 soft gels. I’m really confused, I’m taking omega-3 supplements to help lower my cholesterol, but my supplements have 10mg of cholesterol?!? Huh?? It’s not the EPA or DHA, I see how many milligrams of that there is. It plainly says 10mg cholesterol. I’ve looked on other brands and they list cholesterol on theirs too. Isn’t this defeating the purpose? Can someone clear up this confusion? Thanks.

Expert Answers (2)

03/15/10 05:35 PM

Here's the most recent dLife article on the topic:

Are You Getting Enough Omega-3s?

I am not convinced that you have to worry at all about those 10mg of cholesterol in your fish oil capsules. Ask your doctor if he/she thinks it's worth it to find a cholesterol-free variety.

Fish oil will lower your triglycerides and may help raise your "good" cholesterol. And the latest research shows that even notoriously high-cholesterol egg yolks are back in favor. It seems now that eggs are good for your diabetes and your heart! And those weigh in at 200mg of cholesterol per yolk! Go figure.

If you're interested in more on that topic, read:

Eggs-Quisite Nutrition

Answered By: Lynn Prowitt-Smith
Accreditations: Senior Editor, Food and Nutrition
Sources Show
03/12/10 03:58 PM

Hello,

Thanks for asking dLife.

Congratulations on paying close attention to the supplement labels.

Some supplement manufacturers take the extra step to remove all the cholesterol from fish oil.

When shopping for fish oil supplement, you can look for the labels that clearly indicate "cholesterol-free." There are several brands available on the market. Some manufacturers make both kinds of fish oil: with cholesterol and without cholesterol. It is good that you are reading the labels.

If you "google" the words "cholesterol-free fish oil," you will find the specific brands of fish oil that are cholesterol-free.

Click here for more information about omega-3 fatty acids!

Check out this article on dLife.com for more information:

Am I Getting Enough Omega-3s?

Take care.

Answered By: Liz Quintana
Accreditations: EdD, RD, LD, CDE
Sources Show

Community Answers (3)

03/18/10 01:09 PM

I have a question about triglyceride and some comments.>Question: Is all concentrated fish oil the same as "Marine Lipid Triglyceride? A store brand of Fish Oil Concentrate listed its ingredients as "Marine Lipid Triglyceride (Fish Oil Concentrate)." In addition to having to control the cholesterol levels in my blood, I have had a problem with high triglycerides. I know that the amount of cholesterol one ingests is generally inconsequential compared to the amounts your liver manufacturers from the saturated fats you eat, but I don't know if that also applies to triglyceride. > I started taking fish oil supplements about 10 years ago on the advice of a psychiatrist treating clinical depression. It is also good for arteries. My cardiologist is concerned not just with my total blood cholesterol, but the high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), and triglyceride. Cardiologists say that the dangerous plaque build up inside artery walls is aggravated by high total blood cholesterol. high LDL, high triglycerides. On the other hand, the high HDL is good for reversing plaque buildup. > The psychiatrist was concerned that he had found quite a bit of variability in the content of the different brands of fish oil. For his purposes, it was important that the EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids content of the pills be the same from sample to sample. He said the only brand he wanted me to use was Twin Labs "Twin EPA" purified fish oil. He prescribed 3 pills daily for me. (It is one of the more expensive brands, but is a little cheaper by mail order.) > The Twin Lab label says "PCB/Heavy Metal Free." Whichever brand you choose it should say something like that or "mercury free." Its "supplemental facts" nutritional guide lists it as containing no saturated or trans fats, but each softgel does contain 12 mg cholesterol along with 19 IU Vitamin E, 550 mg EPA and 212 mg DNA. An on-sale store brand I bought but am returning does not say "mercury free."
Answered By: nrcbtm1
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SourcesShow


03/16/10 08:57 PM

What I know is that the process which removes any mercury and other such things from the fish oils also happens to remove the cholesterol (or vice-versa). Actually I''d forgotten about that until seeing your question. As soon as I'm done writing this I'm going to go and check out my own capsules as what used to work great hasn't worked lately. (2 capsules a day) Maybe that's why. Thanks for reminding me and for the heads up.
Answered By: graceeh
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03/12/10 10:57 PM

Liz, thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I didn’t realize they have cholesterol free fish oil. Might explain why I’ve been struggling getting my cholesterol points down with the brand I've been taking. I’ll start looking for some new stuff and hopefully make some headway now getting my points down along with taking my regular meds. Thanks again, you've been a big help!
Answered By: jstrance1
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