Omega XL - The Fish Oil Alternative

What Makes It Different?

The marine lipid Omega XL is rather unusual compared to other omega 3 supplements. This is a result of its' ingredients, and the way the supplement is made. It has higher concentrations of the beneficial fatty acid DHA, as well as being much more bioavailable than the other fish oil concentrates on the market.

As a result, it has proven to be very effective in a range of health problems associated with inflammation.

What Is Omega XL?

Omega XL was developed as a result of research into the unique properties of one of its' ingredients - the NZ Green lipped mussel. The scientific name of the New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel is perna canaliculus.

Perna canaliculus first came to the attention of medical researchers because the Maoris living along New Zealand's coast did not seem to get arthritis very often. These Maoris traditionally ate the green lipped mussels abundant in the area, every day.

It was discovered that the NZ green lipped mussel was a strong anti-inflammatory agent. Not only was it rich in the healthy omega 3 fatty acids, but it had a unique combination of fatty acids that wasn't found in any other marine or plant life, anywhere.

Omega XL was developed with this in mind. Researchers looked at a number of factors that would affect the potency of perna canaliculus. This included:

• the way the active ingredeints of the NZ green lipped mussel were extracted
• how other omega 3 fatty acids affected the potency of the green lipped mussel when they were combined with it
• the best way to combine other oils with perna
• the most bioavailable type of omega 3 fatty acid

Extraction Of The NZ Green Lipped Mussel

NZ green lipped mussel supplements come in two main types, and not all are created equal. Some companies use a freeze-dried powder extract of the mussel, which has a strong fishy smell. Others use a lipid extract, which is an extract of the oils (and it is this that has performed so well in studies).

This variation in the NZ green lipped mussel supplements that are available can mean that the product you buy may not be as effective as you have been led by scientific studies to believe, because it is chemically quite different to the ones used in successful trials.

For example, a company that makes a well known lipid extract on-sells the mussel powder that remains after they use all the lipids for their own product. The mussel extract they on-sell is still highly nutritious - it contains betain, glycosaminoglycans (including chondroitin sulphate and heparin) and 18 amino acids.

However - this mussel extract - without the lipids - is not going to be very effective for people with inflammatory conditions. Or for healthy people looking to boost their vital intake of DHA and EPA.

So, the type of green lipped mussel extract, and its nutrient profile, is very important if you want the anti-inflammatory benefits shown in the studies. Extracts without the lipids do have some anti-inflammatory effects, but they are much less, and certainly not as reliable.

Omega XL was in fact developed to maximize the natural anti-inflammatory effect of the New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel. It uses a lipid extract, which reflects the high EPA to DHA ratio that is unique to the NZ green lipped mussel. It does not use the freeze-dried components, which also means it does not have a fishy taste or smell.

Other Problems With Green Lipped Mussel Extracts - Consumer Beware

Early studies on the effectiveness of NZ green lipped mussel for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis had conflicting results. This is probably due to the fact that many of the green lipped mussel supplements used an extract that wasn't stabilized - and all of the studies that found no anti-inflammatory effect used non-stabilized extracts.

It was only in 1986 that extracts became available that were stabilized with a preservative - and some cheaper extracts today may still not be stabilized.

"In a further twist, Waitzer (John Waitzer from Pharmalink) said that unless the mussel material is stabilized before being freeze-dried, and within 12 hours of removal from the sea, the lipid fractions oxidize quite quickly and lose their therapeutic properties. Moreover, the oxidation of the lipids causes the betain, glycosaminoglycans and amino acids to turn rancid, and neutralizes their activity.

He said this means that many powders on the market have little or no anti-inflammatory activity.

"It is ludicrous for any company to claim an anti-inflammatory effect from the lipid fractions contained in their mussel powder unless it has been stabilized," he said. " (Nutraingredients)

As highlighted in this article, both types of green lipped mussel extract are on the market - the effective, stabilized form, and the ineffective, non-stabilized form. The non-stabilized varieties are often cheaper, as most inferior products are.

Omega XL only uses stabilized green lipped mussel extract.

Other Ingredients In Omega XL

Omega XL is not only made of green lipped mussel extract. It also contains fish oils, although the exact type and combination is something of a trade secret. However, when the makers of Omega XL were researching the green lipped mussel, they looked at the effect of combining different blends of omega fatty acids with it.

They found that some omega fatty acid combinations increased the effectiveness of it as an anti-inflammatory, and some actually decreased it.

As a result, they were able to be very precise in the combination of essential fatty acids they used with Perna canaliculus.

The end result was a synergistic blend of highly effective omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil, with the active, lipid extract of the NZ green lipped mussel.

And in the process of developing the Omega XL supplement, they actually increased the concentration of DHA and EPA available in the supplement. This made it very concentrated and effective. It also means you have to take a lot less capsules to get the same effect.

In the raw Omega XL oil, the concentration of DHA is 10%, and the concentration of EPA is 5%. However, in the finished Omega XL supplement, the concentration of DHA is 60%, and the concentration of EPA is 70%. That's a massive increase.

Compared to regular salmon or cod liver oil, you'd have to take 500 capsules to every 1 omega XL capsule to get the same levels of EPA and DHA.

Problems With Other Fish Oil Concentrates

Omega XL is not the only omega 3 marine oil concentrate on the market, but it does have some very important differences with regards the quality of the supplement, when compared to other fish oils. There are about 5 companies worldwide that sell a concentrated fish oil product. However, they all convert the omega 3 fatty acids in their supplements to a chemical form known as 'ethyl esters'.

Ethyl ester fish oils are also called synthetic fish oils. Omega 3 fatty acids, in their natural form, are triglycerides. Triglycerides are also esters, but they have a very different chemistry. And this becomes important when looking at how well the body absorbs - and uses - the different types of marine oils.

In naturally occurring triglyceride marine oils, the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA exist in combination with glycerol, a type of fat. In ethyl ester marine oils, this glyercol has been removed, using ethanol, usually by a process called molecular distillation.

Molecular distillation uses very high temperatures (about 460° Fahrenheit or 260° celcius) and a chemical solvent, ethanol, to extract the oils in the presence of a vacuum. Both of these have an impact on the quality of the final product. The result is a compound known as an ethyl ester.

Unfortunately, ethyl ester marine oils aren't as well absorbed by the body. So, even though you may be buying a concentrated fish oil, if it is made with molecular distillation, as most are, then the benefits of the concentrated form are pretty much gone.

In the studies published on Pub Med, where ethyl ester fish oils were compared with natural, triglyceride fish oils, the triglyceride fish oils were found to be better absorbed by the body. Ironically, to get any benefit from ethyl ester fish oils, you need to eat them with a high fat, high calorie meal! Even then, you don't get 100% absorption of the ethyl ester fish oils - only about 60%, which is up from a low 20% absorption without a fatty meal.

In contrast, triglyceride fish oils were 69% absorbed without a fatty meal, and 90% absorbed with a fatty meal.

Omega XL Marine Oil Extraction

Omega XL lipids are extracted using a process called supercritical fluid extraction. Despite the sound of the name, supercritical fluid extraction actually produces a better quality marine oil extract:

• it does not use a chemical solvent like ethanol
• it is lower in temperate and hence better preserves the natural structure of the oils
• the end product is a natural oil
• it produces high concentrations whilst retaining purity
• there are no solvent residues in the extract
• it produces a very stable product
• it is an environmentally friendly process without toxic waste and by-products

The temperatures used in supercritical fluid extraction are much lower, which means the purity of the marine oils are preserved.

Because of this different extraction process, omega XL lipids are actually a very bio-available concentrated omega 3 oil. It has pure forms of EPA and DHA, and thus the true benefits of a high potency fish oil are experienced.

Omega XL Benefits

Omega XL is a potent anti-inflammatory supplement. It has been used by people with

• Alzheimer's
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Bursitis
• Crohn's Disease
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Eczema
• Fatigue
• Gout
• Heart Disease
• High Cholesterol
• High Blood Pressure
• Hypertension
• Lupus
• Menstrual Pain
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Obesity/Overweight
• Periodontal Disease
• Psoriasis
• Raynaud's Disease
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Stroke

Omega XL can be safely used by children, pets, and adults of all ages. Because it is so concentrated, yet available to the body in a form it recognizes naturally, Omega XL doesn't need to be taken in huge quantities. 1 to 2 capsules is enough - and provides significantly more EPA and DHA than regular fish oils. This makes it very cost-effective in the long run.