Three primary problems with most store-brand Omega-3 nutrition supplements are safety, effectiveness, and freshness.
Safety: Because dietary supplements like Omega-3 fish oil and CoQ10 are not regulated by the FDA, many brands of fish oil and CoQ10 found in drugstores and supermarkets are manufactured overseas (the three largest producers of fish oil supplements are India, China and Brazil), in facilities that aren.t certified as meeting the stringent Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) recommended by the FDA. Additionally, no study has proven the long-term safety of ingesting the trace levels of mercury or other contaminants commonly found in store-brand supplements.
Effectiveness: Most store brands of fish oil contain very low concentrations of EPA and DHA Omega-3s along with "fillers" and "binders." It.s important to note that the amount of EPA and DHA Omega-3s one consumes - not the quantity of fish oil - is the relevant factor in meeting the American Heart Association recommendations.
Freshness: Fish oil is a purified food product. Like all foods, as soon as fish oil is extracted from its source, it begins to oxidize and degrade. This is why freshness is essential to fish oil's effectiveness.
The freshness of store-brand supplements is very difficult to determine, since they are often labeled only with expiration dates and not production dates. Many stores carry several brands of supplements that must be shipped from the point of origin, through central distribution centers, and then to local facilities before reaching store shelves. As a result, a product may have been in transit or sitting on the shelf for 12 to 18 months or more before it is consumed