OmegaXL® Concentrate

Great HealthWorks® manufactures a concentrate of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from Blue Grenadier Fish. Manufacture is by a sophisticated process, part of which will be undertaken in a new high-tech supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) facility. The resultant product is unique in several ways. Key to achieving this uniqueness is the manufacturing process, which is subject to a pending patent. The process is the only means known (worldwide) to commercially manufacture the PUFA concentrate in its highly bio-available form, and GHW is the exclusive worldwide licensee of the process.

Like most fish oils, Blue Grenadier oil contains some of the two important omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both omega-3's are present at moderately high levels, but somewhat unusually the DHA is at a higher concentration than EPA is.

Both DHA and EPA are "essential fatty acids", meaning that they are necessary for good health, but are not synthesized in the human body, so must be consumed in the diet. DHA and EPA are not found in any plant or vegetable material, or in any terrestrial animal product. They are only available from fish. Awareness of the importance of these two compounds is growing rapidly, especially DHA. DHA is now known to reduce heart and artery disease, reduce the incidence of cancer, depression and infection. Is proven to aid in reducing inflammation and is necessary for the proper development and function of both the brain and the eyes. Children consuming DHA have been shown to have higher IQ and reduced anti-social behavior. Adequate DHA nutrition is considered very important for both the fetus and for children. DHA improves sports performance and endurance.

Experts are divided as to what constitutes adequate nutrition of DHA and recommendations for minimum daily consumption range from 250mg/day to 1200mg/day, with 500mg/day being an average recommendation for an adult. Average daily consumption in the US (and probably in most western countries) is 100mg/day, meaning there is a daily deficit of at least 400mg/day (to achieve minimum consumption), and probably more.

The GHW PUFA concentration process has several important features, resulting in a highly effective product.

• The concentration of DHA and EPA are increased substantially. Concentrations of DHA and EPA will be 60% and 70% respectively compared to about 10% and 5% in the raw oil.
• GHW blends produce a synergistic combination of fatty acids that are like no other EPA products.
• A major component of fish oils, and the second largest component of whole Blue Grenadier oil, is palmitic acid, which is known to contribute significantly to heart and artery disease. (Palmitic acid is the dominant component of butter, and thought to be a major contributor to its negative effects on the heart and arteries.) Virtually all the palmitic acid is removed from Blue Grenadier oil by GHW's PUFA concentration process. Other undesirable saturated fatty acids are also removed.
• Whilst the absolute level of DHA and EPA consumption in the diet is important, the ratio of various lipids to each other is also known to be very important in determining how various biochemical pathways operate. For example, the omega-3 : omega-6 ratio is now commonly held up by the medical community as a very important aspect of diet. By removing undesirable components (such as palmitic acid) whilst also concentrating DHA and EPA; the ratio of these desirable components to undesirable is altered very substantially. For example, the DHA: palmitic ratio is altered by a factor of 50 by the process.
• The PUFA concentration process substantially improves the bioavailability of the DHA and EPA. These acids are present in raw fish oil as components of a large molecule known as a triglyceride. Triglycerides are broken down in the gut by an enzyme (pancreatic lipase) to release the pure DHA and EPA, which are then absorbed through the gut wall into the bloodstream. The enzymatic breakdown process is normally inefficient and incomplete, so that not all the EPA and DHA consumed as triglyceride are absorbed. Independent research has shown that pure DHA and EPA, as in the GHW Blue Grenadier PUFA concentrate, are absorbed about 50% better than the triglyceride form (i.e. regular fish oil form) of these compounds.
• Because the GHW Hoki oil PUFA is more bioavailable and concentrated, it is a very cost effective means of delivering DHA and EPA. Daily dose requirements are reduced. So for example to obtain sufficient DHA from regular "18:12" soft gel capsules an adult would have to take at least 5 large capsules each day. Pregnant and breast-feeding mothers would need more. Using the GHW material one (or possibly two) smaller capsules would suffice.

Apart from better consumer acceptance of smaller and fewer capsules, there is a major saving in cost. There is a much lower encapsulating and packaging cost as a result of the more concentrated, more bioavailable material.

CAUTIONARY NOTE – BEWARE THE IMPOSTER : In an attempt to sell a concentrated form of omega-3, five companies worldwide sell a concentrated fish oil in which the omega-3's are converted to "ethyl esters". Independent research has shown that these ethyl ester forms of DHA and EPA are poorly absorbed. In fact the entire benefit of concentration is more than offset by the reduced bioavailability of these ethyl ester forms of the product. Vendors of these concentrates frequently do not always disclose that they are in an ethyl ester form. GHW is the only company selling pure DHA and EPA forms of fish oil concentrate.