You may want to try a different brand. Your stomach may not agree with the gel cap the oil is in; the capsule may be disolving too quickly... or the quality may be questionable. There are a couple of good brands out there, but be careful, there are many more without strict production practices. Fish oil is highly susceptible to contaminants (PCB's, mercury, etc.). Some people just have a problem with it regardless of quality. Another option would be Coromega. http://www.coromega.com/index.html
At least if you have a burp problem, they'd taste like orange sherbet instead of fish. It's rather pricey though.

Hey Zone! The Coromega sounds GREAT!! I'll definitely shop around for it... I have two great HF stores close by and I'll bet one of them carries it. The cost is actually less than the one I'm taking now! Thanks for the info!

Coromega does sound good and it even sounds like my daughter might be able to benefit from it. Thanks for the info Zone Coach (and I guess thanks to your fish burps, too, TeriDoodle - or I would have never heard of this interesting product! :lol

Oh! I hate those fish burps too! Especially after breakfast!
I found that flax oil works really well for Omega-3 and in the same area of HFS, I found a women's blend with primrose and other goodies in it. May be worth a glance.

I have got to try the freezing or fish pills. sounds like a good idea. Wish I would have read this post this mornig!

I hate to bore anytone with long scientific detail, but it's probably a good idea to supplement with both.

Not all omega 3 fatty acids are created equal. There are long chain and short chain. The central theme around many LC plans is controlling insulin. By doing that, you are contolling arachidonic acid levels (AA is BAD). Flaxseed oil is rich in alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which is a short chain omega-3 oil and therefore does have some use in controlling AA production. Fish oil is a source of long chain omega-3 and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). EPA has ten-times greater impact on reducing bad eicosanoids than ALA. Flaxseed oil has a tendancy to reduce the production of gamma linolenic acid (GLA, which is the building block of good eicosanoids). Eicosanoids are hormones found in every cell of our bodies. We need a balance of good and bad. Too many "bad" can lead to MANY chronic pains and illnesses. If you were going to supplement with only one oil ~ then go for the fish oil. However, there is sufficient evidence that supplementing with both is a good thing ~ up to 2T per day of flax and 2.5 grams of high quality fish oil (about 1 teaspoon).

Glad to have helped.
Chances are, you'll be able to find it in a good health food store. They come in little packets (like katsup), so they're convenient. I've heard some folks mix it into their yogurt or cottage cheese. I've had samples and it does not taste bad ~ just somewhat artificial ~ but definately NOT like fish.

If your fish oil freezes solid ~~~ it's POOR quality. Buy another brand. If it stays liquid or gets somewhat gel-like, the quality is generally thought to be okay.
Some reputable brands are:
Carlson
Eskimo 3
Oceanessentials (sold through Quixtar)
Now
Omega Brite
Sears Labs
Coromega

FYI

The following information may have you scrutinizing your brand flax oil in the future!
http://www.barleans.com/literature/

What do you know about Udo's oils? Supposedly they're high quality and contain all the essential oils needed. Wouldn't that eliminate the need for both fish oil and flax oil?

I'm very intolerant to flax seed so fish oil is my only option. I use a super high quality fish oil from which the contaminants have been removed. I don't trust too many companies to product non-racid Omega-3 oils.

Having said that, my normal brand wasn't available and I ended up substituting another fish oil capsule, containing salmon oil. I got the fish burps. Way disgusting!!! I returned the bottle and got something else (cod liver oil). I wonder if it could be the type of oil you are consuming. You may want to experiment with the different types of fish oil. No one should get those fish burps.

I would be inclined to do a little more research. From what I do know, Udo is a person, selling his own stuff and funding the research to support his claims. I have not seen anything negative with regard to his product though.

You may find this of interest.

The AHA Recommends Omega-3 Supplementation for Some
http://www.americanheart.org/presen...ntifier=3006624

I would like to caution those choosing cod liver oil.
Cod liver oil is slightly less rich in EPA than is fish oil, although it is much cheaper. About 9 percent of the fatty acids in cod liver oil are EPA, whereas about 18 percent of the fatty acids in fish oil are EPA. Therefore on a gram-for-gram basis, fish oil will give you about twice the amount of EPA as cod liver oil. Any oil, and especially fish oils, should be stored away from light to prevent oxidation of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. If the oils are in soft gelatin capsules, then this acts as another barrier to oxidation of the oils.

However, both cod liver oil and fish oil CAN be contaminated with PCB's. This is why they should be purified by molecular distillation which removes PCB's. These molecular distilled brands are slightly more expensive, but their health benefits are dramatically better.

Hi ZoneCoach:

Yes, your caution is certainly justified! Better to not take any Omega 3s than to take rancid Omega 3s (flax or fish). Cheap is definately not better. Good quality fish oil costs money. I'm not able to gulp down fish oil, so I poke my capsules and test the oil before swallowing them. They are very high quality, molecularly distilled mixed fish oil (80% from sardines), so I haven't found any rancid yet.

Most Omega-3 supplements are biased towards higher amounts of EPA. However, based on more recent evidence, I use a capsule called Max DHA (by Advanced Orthomolecular Research). Research is beginning to show that DHA offers greater cardiovascular benefits than EPA. Predominantly, the brain, nervous system and retina of humans is DHA. Furthermore, in times of stress, it can be difficult for EPA to convert into DHA. However, DHA can be reconverted into EPA as needed, so DHA is a more "versatile" fatty acid. I don't have a link, but I could scan and attach my info (with references) if needed.

Oh, also, in regards to Udo Erasmus, his story is very interesting. I've read his book "Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill", which is a very detailed, 423 pg book about fats - you must have an ability to learn chemistry. It was first written in 1986 and is currently in its 11th printing. It's the best book I've read so far. His products came about as a result of the oil industry's disregard for properly manufacturing their oils, so he actually pioneered technology for processing healthy oils. He's got a PhD in Nutrition, and post grad studies in genetics and biochemistry. Interestingly, he was in medical school and quit because of his continued frustration that they didn't teach preventative medicine.

Why his book on fats? He was accidentally poisoned by pesticides and couldn't find help in drug-oriented medicine. That's never a possibility due to the damage to the liver. He began his quest for self-help through nutrition. I find the best sources (doctors or otherwise) are the ones who have overcome health crises.

His products are good quality, although I've never used them because they contain flax (which I can't tolerate). Also, he doesn't advocate only using his products - he tells you how to separate the good oils from the bad oils. He also has a great chapter on Hemp oil.

Hope this helps,
Wanda

I received my Coromega in the mail yesterday and I LOVE IT!!! Tastes just like orange sherbert!! It's true!

Thanks again for the info!!

I'm glad you were able to find the product AND you like it. I would think it would be great for kids too.

I've been doing a lot of research on fish oil. I'm trying to figure out why the prices are so all over the board ~ anywhere from $10/mo to $80/mo. One would think quality has a lot to do with it. Not necessarily! Here's what I have learned so far.
There are three grades of fish oil. The first is cod liver oil. The second is health-food grade fish oil. And finally there is pharmaceutical-grade fish oil. What distinguishes one from another is the purity and concentration of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids Each step in the refining process adds additional cost to the final product.
The term ‘pharmaceutical-grade’ seems to be only used by Dr. Sears (Zone), however, there is really no standard definition for it. I’ve been able to find products which meet his criteria, but don’t necessarily use that term.
Total long-chain omega-3 fatty acids should be more than 60% of the total fatty acids and PCBs/gram oil should be less than 10 ppb (parts per billion). Molecular distillation ensures the contaminants have been removed.
Vitamin E is often included in fish oils as a preservative. At low levels, approximately 5 I.U./gram of fish oil, it is protective. At higher levels, such as 20 I.U./gram of fish oil, it can actually speed up the oxidative process.
Since the NOW brand (Omega-3 1000mg-Cholesterol Free) is the least expensive (about $9.00) and the most easily obtained (for me), I focused my attention on that brand. Seems it fits. It’s actually manufactured in Canada by a company that private labels for many companies world wide. I’m going to stick with this product unless I find compelling evidence to not to. (http://www.nowfoods.com/?action=itemdetail&item_id=3374)