Arctic Blue Omega 3 60 capsules (800mh EPA & 500mg DHA)

#1 NORDIC MARINE FISH OIL

Fresh and pure fish oils of the highest quality 

Wild-caught fatty fish such as cod, herring or mackerel are a very good source of unsaturated fatty acids omega-3, such as EPA and DHA. Fish with a low fat content, such as tilapia or pangasius, contain only very small amounts of these important nutrients. Pure Arctic fish oil is therefore ideal for anyone who does not eat fatty fish. Omega-3 are very important building blocks, and 20% of the fat in our brain is made up of DHA.

Authorised health claims under Commission Regulations (EU) No. 432/2012, No. 536/2013 and Council (EC) Regulation No. 1924/2006:

DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function / DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal vision / EPA and DHA contribute to normal function of the heart (the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg EPA and DHA) / DHA and EPA contribute to the maintenance of normal blood triglyceride levels / DHA and EPA contribute to the maintenance of normal blood pressure

Sustainable fishing – MSC certification

For sustainability, it is essential to protect food sources in the form of marine animals, not to damage the oceans, the environment or local communities. That is why products from whole fish or from many small fish do not receive this certification. Using the trimmings left over after fish are processed for meat is a highly non-wasteful, sustainable choice. Arctic Blue oils are therefore made from cod fillet trimmings. Because of the lower price, most fish oils are made from sardines and anchovies, small fish with a typical strong, oily flavour that, as recently as 70 years ago, were considered unsaleable waste. To give you an idea, producing a single fish oil capsule takes 30 anchovies. This type of fishing is called a reduction fishery and is fundamentally completely unsustainable – it wastefully wipes out entire fish populations that are used only for oil, meat is used as food for farm animals. And because small fish such as sardines or anchovies are a source of food for larger species such as dolphins or seabirds, this fishery disrupts the marine ecosystem.

Highest purity with respect to nature

Pure Arctic MSC fish oil is produced from fresh trimmings of fillets of wild Arctic cod. These fish live in the Barents Sea, which lies between Novaya Zemlya, Spitsbergen and northern Norway. It is one of the cleanest waters in the world, which cannot be compared without exaggeration even to the plastic soup in the Pacific between Asia and South America. Arctic Blue fish oil is tested for the presence of more than 200 possible chemicals, especially heavy metals, PCBs and dioxins. In the next step, the oil is purified using advanced technologies. The result is an extremely pure fish oil suitable for small children and pregnant women.

Arctic MSC fish oil is produced according to GMP. Standard Good Manufacturing Practice is the strictest quality assurance system for food supplements that exists. It documents in great detail how and under what conditions the product is made. Pure Arctic MSC Fish Oil offers exclusive purity and parameters: in tests it shows no detectable cadmium down to 50 ppb (parts per billion) and no detectable mercury down to 10 ppb. This is 10x below the Norwegian pharmacopoeia standard and the European Pharmacopoeia, which manufacturers must comply with by law.

Arctic MSC fish oil is also regularly tested to 0.5 ppt with no dioxins or furans detected. The Norwegian pharmacopoeia standard and the limits of the European Pharmacopoeia are 2 ppt (parts per trillion) here. These independent analyses are carried out in reputable international laboratories using the testing methodology established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Pure Arctic MSC Fish Oil shows no detectable PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in tests down to 0.5 ppt. The Norwegian standard pharmacopoeia limit for PCBs is 3 ppt.

Fresh oil from wild-caught fish

Freshness is just as important for oil as purity. It reflects the condition of the delicate omega-3 fatty acids. Freshness can of course be measured by smell or taste. Fresh oil will never have a fishy odour. Freshness can also be measured very precisely in a laboratory and then expressed as a number. This is called the Totox value (Total Oxidation Value). The Totox value is measured regularly in Arctic Blue oils. In many analyses, the degree of oxidation is measured only by the peroxide value. This is not sufficient, because peroxides are further converted. That is why we also measure a second indicator, the anisidine value. Only both values together can determine the correct overall oxidation and freshness.

This is an internationally recognised value for assessing oil oxidation. The lower the number, the fresher the oil. The European standard for the Totox value is 26. In our view, this is an absurdly high number, and we are pleased to be below one third of this value, so we can guarantee an exceptionally safe and high-quality product. The peroxide value of Pure Arctic MSC fish oil for capsules is always between 0 and 0.5, and the anisidine value is < 1 or < 2, so the Totox value is < 2 or < 3. Filling the bottle or producing the capsule slightly increases the Totox value, which raises the Totox value for the capsule with Arctic Blue MSC fish oil and Algae oil to the usual value of 5, with a maximum deviation of 5–10.

Some brands offering omega-3 fats very often and deliberately state the Totox value of the raw material, i.e. the fish oil before it is bottled / encapsulated into the final product. A fair manufacturer always states the actual Totox value, i.e. the value corresponding to the state of the oil after bottling. Arctic Blue naturally builds on an honest and serious approach to customers.

To reduce damage to the sensitive omega-3 fatty acids after production, a sophisticated combination of antioxidants is used. These are extracts rich in tocopherols (various types of vitamin E), rosemary extract and ascorbyl palmitate (fat-soluble vitamin C). A low oxidation value is not only better for our body compared with rancid oil, but also a guarantee that no artificial aroma needs to be added, which would otherwise mask the oxidised oil. Low oxidation also gives a pleasant taste, so the oil can be comfortably consumed straight from the spoon. It can also be added to yoghurt, smoothies, a shake or any cold dish. When choosing a fish oil, it is therefore good to always ask about the oxidation value.

What about the ideal ratio of DHA to EPA? 

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are very similar. The only difference is that DHA has 22 carbons in its chain, while EPA has 20. DHA has properties related to the structure of tissues, while EPA is related to oxidative stress. The body is, however, very clever: according to need, it converts DHA into EPA (it only has to remove two carbons). With sufficient DHA intake, the body regulates the ratio between DHA and EPA by itself. This is especially important for the brain, heart and nervous system.

In its original and natural form

Pure Arctic MSC fish oil exists only in its natural form, the so-called triglyceride form. Exactly as all fats occur in fish. Nature has devised it for us, and fats are most stable in this form. That is why we never use the unnatural ethyl ester. Ethyl esters are unstable fats with reduced absorption, a high risk of oxidation and an unpleasant taste when consumed. They are used because they are easier to produce and cheaper. The triglyceride form, on the other hand, is natural, stable and well absorbed by the body.

There is also a moral dimension: using whole fish (sardines and anchovies) for oil consumes an incredible amount of fish that could be used for human consumption. In addition, these fish are mostly caught on the other side of the world, so we are happier when they remain with local fishermen and larger marine animals that feed on them.

We support sustainability and balance 

One of our key principles is that we do not use krill oil as a source or other commercial sources, such as concentrated fish oil from sardines and anchovies. The reason is the important fact that krill oil is an essential food for whales. Commercial omega-3 oils focused on quantity and a low price are in turn made from whole caught fish. Such an oil can never receive MSC certification. We believe that it is better and more ethical to produce oil from fish trimmings after they have already been used for meat. Anchovies are, moreover, once again a food source for dolphins, sea lions, whales and seabirds.

Most of the packaging of our liquid products is made of glass with minimal plastic (in paper boxes). Capsule products are packed in biodegradable (compostable) pouches (plastic-free). Fish collagen powder is packed in bioplastic packaging, which is made from sugar cane.