Brand recommendations for oils containing Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids

Because omega-3 fatty acids are obtained from natural sources, levels in supplements can vary, depending on the source and method of processing. The freshness of the oil is also an important consideration because rancid oils have an unpleasant taste, odor, can cause gastrointestinal side effects and may not be as effective due to degradation. In addition, rancid fat contains chemicals called peroxides and aldehydes that can damage cells and may even encourage cholesterol to clog arteries. Neither the FDA nor any other federal or state agency routinely tests fish or marine oil supplements for quality prior to sale.

ConsumerLab.com, as part of its mission to independently evaluate products that affect health, wellness, and nutrition, purchased many dietary supplements sold in the U.S. claiming to contain ALA, GLA, LA or related seed oils and tested them for signs of decomposition and their levels of these and other omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids claimed on their labels. If claims were not made for levels of specific fatty acids, products were held to certain minimum expected amounts based on the seed oils used.

What CL Found:
ConsumerLab.com purchased and tested a total of 25 supplements; 11 were evening primrose oil products, 9 were flaxseed oil products, 2 were black currant oil products, 2 were borage oil products, and one was a combination of evening primrose and borage oils. Products were either in softgel or liquid form.

Six of the 25 products failed to pass the review. While none of these were low in ALA or GLA, four flaxseed products had only 70% to 83% of their claimed amounts of linoleic acid - an essential omega-6 fatty acid. Two other products - one made of evening primrose and the other of borage oil, had high peroxide values, indicating that spoilage (rancidity) was occurring. Rancid products are less palatable and may cause increased gastrointestinal side effects. As polyunsaturated fats, essential fatty acids are extremely susceptible to spoilage by oxidation. Vitamin E is often added to essential fatty acid products, because of its antioxidant properties. However, this is apparently no guarantee of freshness, since vitamin E was listed as an ingredient in the failed borage oil product; nor is it a requirement for freshness, since the majority of products that passed did not contain an antioxidant.

Products That Passed Testing:
Listed alphabetically below, by name, are some of the products that passed ConsumerLab.com's independent testing of dietary supplements containing ALA and/or GLA. Also shown are the claimed amounts per capsule of ALA, GLA, and LA (linoleic acid) if they were stated on the label.
CONSUMERLAB.COM APPROVED QUALITY BORAGE OIL, BLACK CURRANT OIL, EVENING PRIMROSE OIL, AND FLAXSEED OIL PRODUCTS: SOURCES OF ALA AND GLA (OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS)
Product Name, Type of Seed Oil(s) and Claimed Amount Per Pill Type or Liquid Volume Manufacturer or Distributor Claimed Amount of GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), and/or LA (linoleic acid) Per Pill

Black Currant Oil Products:
Vitamin World® Naturally Inspired™ Black Currant Oil 535 mg (per softgel) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. ALA: Not listed, but shown to have at least 64.2 mgGLA: 80 mg

Borage Oil Products:
Vitamin World® Naturally Inspired™ Borage Oil 1000 mg (per softgel) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. GLA: 240 mgLA: 360 mg

Flaxseed Oil Products:

Nature's Bounty® Organic Flaxseed Oil (4,650 mg/5 mL) Mfd. By Nature's Bounty, Inc. ALA: 2,558 mgLA: 691 mg
Spring Valley® Organic Flaxseed Oil 1000 mg (per softgel) Mfd. By Nature's Bounty, Inc. ALA: 500 mgLA: 145 mg
Vitamin World® Cold Pressed Organic High Lignan Flaxseed Oil 1000 mg (per softgel) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. ALA: 570 mg LA: 160 mg
Vitamin World® Organic Flaxseed Oil (4,650 mg/5 mL) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. ALA: 2,558 mgLA: 691 mg
Vitamin World® Organic High Lignan Flaxseed Oil (4,650 mg/5 mL) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. ALA: 2,650.5 mgLA: 744 mg
Evening Primrose Oil Products:

Nature's Resource® Herbal Supplement Evening Primrose with Vitamin E (Standardized Extract) (500 mg/softgel) Dist. By Nature' Resource Products GLA: 45 mgLA: 360 mg
Puritan's Pride® Inspired by Nature™ Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg 45 mg GLA (9%) (per softgel) Mfd. By Puritan's Pride, Inc. GLA: 45 mgLA: 350 mg:
Royal Brittany™ Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg 45 mg GLA (9%)(per softgel) Mfd. By American Health GLA: 45 mgLA: 365 mg
Spring Valley® Standardized GLA 9% Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg (per softgel) Mfd. By Nature's Bounty, Inc. (for Wal-Mart Stores) GLA: 45 mgLA: 350 mg
Vitamin World® Naturally Inspired™ Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg 90 mg GLA (9%) (per softgel) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. GLA: 90 mgLA: 700 mg
Vitamin World® Naturally Inspired™ Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg 117 mg GLA (9%) (per softgel) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. GLA: 117 mgLA: 910 mg
Vitamin World® Naturally Inspired™ Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg 45 mg GLA (9%) (per softgel) Mfd. By Vitamin World, Inc. GLA: 45 mgLA: 350 mg
Combination:

Nutrilite® PriMroSe Plus (125 mg Borage, 125 mg Evening Primrose Oil (per softgel) Dist. By Access Business Group International LLC GLA: Not listed, but shown to have at least 33.75 mgLA: Not listed

Source: Consumer Labs