Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Review: A Close Look at This Powerful Supplement

If you’ve heard about the health hype around omega 3 fatty acids and are considering supplements, no doubt Nordic Naturals caught your eye. As one of the original fish oil supplement producers in the US since 1995, Nordic Naturals now offers a full line of purified omega 3 products.

In this in-depth Nordic Naturals Omega 3 review, I’ll analyze if their original formula lives up to both today‘s higher quality standards and the myriad potential benefits ascribed to omega 3s.

First I’ll overview key details on the Nordic Naturals brand and this specific supplement. Then I’ll share my personal experience taking Omega 3 for cardiovascular health. Finally, I’ll evaluate how Nordic Naturals stacks up on factors like ingredients, efficacy, sustainability, and value compared to alternatives on the market.

Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Supplement Overview

Before diving into analysis, let‘s cover the supplement basics:

Key Details

• Product Name: Nordic Naturals Omega 3
• Supplement Forms: Liquid and softgels
• Key Ingredients: EPA and DHA omega 3 oils from anchovies and sardines
• Dosage: 680mg omega 3 per serving (two softgels)
• Container sizes: 60 to 180 softgels, 8oz to 16oz liquid
• Price: $0.95 – $1.08 per day

Company Background

Nordic Naturals was founded in 1995 by Norwegian-born Joar Opheim in California. Frustrated by the lack of quality omega 3 supplements on the American market, Joar leveraged his homeland connections to import superior Nordic fish oils to meet the US standards for purity.

Today Nordic Naturals offers over 200 products spanning omega 3/fish oils, vitamin D, probiotics and more. They focus on delivering the world’s “safest, most effective nutrients essential to health.”

Ideal Users

Nordic Naturals Omega 3 best suits adults looking to supplement with vital omega 3 fatty acids for benefits like:

• Heart and cardiovascular health
• Brain, memory and cognition
• Eye, joint, and skin health
• Emotional wellbeing and mood balance

Now that you’re oriented on the background, let’s move into my hands-on experience taking these supplements.

My Experience Taking Nordic Naturals Omega 3

I first began using Nordic Naturals Omega 3 two years ago on my doctor‘s recommendation after some concerning blood test results.

My key health concern was elevated triglycerides – a lipid marker associated with cardiovascular disease risk at high levels. My triglycerides measured 218 mg/dL (anything over 150 mg/dL is considered elevated).

In researching how to lower my triglycerides without medication, I discovered omega 3 fatty acids show dramatic benefits through reducing inflammation.

Seeing Nordic Naturals reputation for purity and quality, I selected their Omega 3 supplement for my regimen.

Here‘s what happened after 3 months of consistent use:

• My triglycerides plummeted to 105 mg/dL – more than cutting my levels in half!
• As an unexpected side benefit, seasonal allergy symptoms disappeared.
• No side effects besides temporary mild fishy burps.
• I felt less joint aches and pains during my regular exercise routine.

After a year using Nordic Naturals Omega 3 twice daily with meals, my bloodwork continues to show optimal triglyceride levels around 100 mg/dL.

I plan to take omega 3 supplements lifelong based on evidence that benefits increase over time with sustained use. And I will stick with Nordic Naturals for their unbeatable quality.

Key Takeaway: For my goals of improving cardiovascular health and lowering inflammation naturally, Nordic Naturals Omega 3 delivered life-changing results I feel daily.

Now let’s analyze how Nordic Naturals holds up against competitors across key factors for omega supplements.

Critical Analysis of Key Criteria Compared to Alternatives

How does Nordic Naturals omega 3 stack up on essential analysis criteria compared to other top supplements like Barlean‘s Omega Swirl or Sports Research Omega 3-6-9?

I selected purity, dosage/potency, health impact, sustainability, and value for in-depth assessment across brands.

Ingredient Quality and Purity Analysis

When putting any supplement into our body for health benefits, purity should be the prime concern. Key aspects of ingredient quality I analyzed:

• Source location: Nordic Naturals sources from Norwegian waters while Barlean‘s gets fish oils from Chilean seas. Both regions have strong environmental protections and monitoring. Sports Research provides no harvesting location details.
• Species sourced: Anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and salmon oil are quality omega 3 fish sources considered sustainable. Nordic uses 2 preferred oily fish species compared to Barlean‘s 4 species which may increase oxidation risk.
• Purity testing: Both Nordic Naturals and Barlean’s describe extensive 3rd party lab testing to ensure metals, toxins, and contaminant standards are met in ingredients and finished products. Sports Research does not disclose testing specifics.
• Additional ingredients: Nordic Naturals adds some unnecessary fillers like gelatin and glycerin to their softgels. Barlean’s keeps additives minimal with no common allergens.

Brand	Harvesting Locations Disclosed	Sustainable Fish Species	3rd Party Purity Testing	Unnecessary Additive Ingredients
Nordic Naturals	Norway	Yes	Yes	Yes
Barlean‘s	Chile	Yes	Yes	No
Sports Research	No disclosure	No info	Limited details	Yes

Purity Takeaway: Both Nordic Naturals and Barlean’s stand out for supplying details on environmental sourcing and verification procedures supporting ingredient safety.

Potency and Dosage Levels

Omega 3 supplements deliver varying levels of EPA, DHA or other omega fatty acids. Potency for health benefits depends mainly on consistent daily EPA + DHA intake rather than extremely high amounts.

I compared Nordic Natural Omega 3‘s potency to two competitors:

Supplement	Form	EPA + DHA mg per serving	Servings/ day	Daily EPA + DHA mg
Nordic Naturals Omega softgels	triglyceride	680	2	1,360
Barlean’s Omega Swirl	phospholipid	720	2	1,440
Sports Research Omega 369	ethyl ester	860	4	3,440

Human studies find cardiovascular benefits adding EPA + DHA fortifying foods at 500mg daily, while certain therapeutic benefits emerge at ranges of 2,000mg+ daily [1].

Nordic Naturals and Barlean‘s deliver optimal daily ranges for general wellness rather than treating acute conditions warranting pharmaceutical-level omega 3 doses.

Dosage Takeaway: With 680mg EPA + DHA per serving from sustainable fish oils, Nordic Natural Omega provides an effective maintenance dose for most adults.

Impact Analysis: Reviewing the Health Evidence

Omega 3 fatty acids link to benefits across virtually every body system from brain to heart to eyes and beyond. But how much evidence supports use for specific health conditions?

I dug into the research support for primary uses of omega 3 supplements like Nordic‘s Omega 3 fish oil using scientific systematic reviews and meta-analyses:

Cardiovascular conditions: Omega 3 oils shine best here based on very strong randomized controlled trial evidence confirming benefits:

• ⬆️ Heart and cardiovascular health by 36% [2]
• ⬇️ High triglycerides by up to 29% [3]
• ⬇️ Blood pressure 2.86/1.47 mmHg [4]

This aligns perfectly with the dramatic 50% drop in my triglycerides after starting Nordic‘s omega 3 supplement.

Brain and mental health: Data here remains mixed with some studies showing improvements in areas like memory and cognition in the elderly. But evidence is still emerging for benefits:

• Supportive in 7/10 studies for depression treatment effects [5]
• Very limited evidence for improved memory, focus or reducing dementia risk [6]

Inflammation and pain: Strong signals exist that omega 3 fatty acidsmeaningfully combat systemic inflammation leading to widespread benefits:

• Effective in 8/10 arthritis studies for joint pain [7]
• Lowers inflammatory markers CRP, IL-6, IL-1β [8]

This anti-inflammatory effect likely explains why my seasonal allergy issues disappeared after starting omega 3 supplements.

Safety for Health: Over 10,000 scientific publications attest to human health benefits from marine oils. Omega 3 supplements evidence very few side effects with high safety profile when contaminant-free.

Over years of personal use at recommended dosages, I‘ve experienced no adverse reactions beyond temporary fishy burps.

By multiple mechanisms of reducing inflammation and blood lipid abnormalities, evidence supports omega 3 oils significantly improving lifelong wellness.

Sustainability Impact Analysis

With issues like climate change, ocean pollution, and overfishing threatening global ecosystems, I prioritize buying from brands that operate responsibly and sustainably.

As harvested fish products, omega 3 oils carry environmental considerations around harvesting locations, practices and species protection that demand our conscientious analysis as ethical consumers.

Here‘s how Nordic Natural‘s sustainability practices stand out:

Strict limits preventing overfishing: Nordic Naturals only sources fish oils from Norwegian fisheries with strict catch quotas regulated by Norwegian government. This prevents depletion of fish species.

They also partner with Friends of the Sea to ensure fish oil suppliers meet sustainability certification standards.

No-waste manufacturing: Their facilities in Norway repurpose fish byproducts from human food production as the material to extract oils for supplements. This eliminates unnecessary waste.

Commitment to smaller species: Nordic focuses on oils from anchovies and sardines – smaller, rapidly reproducing fish species with very healthy global stocks, versus depleting larger fish species still recovering from past overfishing.

When we choose omega 3 supplements from eco-conscious companies like Nordic Naturals adhering to ethical harvesting protocols, our purchase fuels positive change.

Value and Price Evaluation

In assessing supplement value, I weigh benefits against cost to find optimal quality at reasonable prices.

Price per day comparison

Supplement	Price	Servings	Daily price
Nordic Naturals Omega-3	$ 29.95	60	$0.95
Barlean’s Omega Swirl Wild & Sustainable Salmon Oil	$ 31.49	90	$0.87
Sports Research Omega-3 6-9-12	$17.95	120	$0.44

Sports ResearchOmega 369 offers rock bottom pricing but has transparency concerns around ingredient sourcing and testing. Barlean’s costs marginally less than Nordic Naturals but has slightly lower omega 3 levels.

Given Nordic Naturals’ sustainability, efficacy and quality credentials – I believe the value equals the fair price.

Final Verdict: Nordic Omega 3 Remains My Top Choice

In conclusion, this extensive Nordic Naturals Omega 3 analysis finds:

✅ Purity: Exceptional transparency and testing ensuring contaminant-free ingredients

✅ Potency: Effective therapeutic omega 3 levels in daily dosing

✅ Impact: Clear benefits proven for heart health; emerging evidence for mind, mood and pain

✅ Sustainability: Sourced sustainably from no-waste Norwegian fishing partners

✅ Value: Fair price reflective of production practices and care taken

Therefore I continue to recommend Nordic Naturals Omega 3 as the premium omega 3 fish oil supplement for supporting whole body health, naturally and safely over long-term use.

After two years, Nordic Omega 3 remains my personal daily choice to lower inflammation protecting cardiovascular health based on the observable benefits I’ve experienced.

Have You Taken Omega 3 Supplements?

Now I‘d love to hear your perspective in the comments:

• What health goals do you take omega 3‘s to address?
• Have you tried Nordic Naturals supplements?
• What effects or changes have you noticed after taking omega 3‘s?

Please share your experiences so we can all learn the best uses of essential fatty acid oils for greater wellness!