On top of that, DHA Script – DHA plus vitamin D3 – is my custom formula, and is definitely NOT a copycat.
I designed it to be as fresh and as potent as possible by importing the freshest oils from Germany! My formula contains both EPA and DHA, but the DHA component is higher to support your brain, heart, and mood.*
It’s been tested to be free of the contaminants normally associated with inferior brands of fish oil. The softgels are small and most of all, my brand has 2,500 IU natural vitamin D in it.
When you put DHA and vitamin D3 together, it’s a marriage made in heaven. Vitamin D is a powerful immune modulator and a fat-loving antioxidant, and the synergy of omega 3s with Vitamin D is absolutely awesome.*
Vitamin D is also an excellent antioxidant which helps preserve the freshness of my essential fatty acids. And, when it comes to your heart, which is a muscle by the way, the vitamin D helps with muscle health.*
There’s actually a fish oil organization called GOED – it stands for Global Organization for EPA and DHA. This is specifically for fish oil makers, not all other supplements. GOED plays a huge role in making supplement makers accountable for what they produce for you, the consumer. GOED was established in 2002 and it sets very strict quality and purity standards for fish oil makers. It’s an important step toward standardizing fish oils in our industry, but they can’t address all the quality-related issues that have popped up in such a worldwide industry.
Figuring Out Whether What You're Buying is Natural vs. Synthetic
There are two types of fish oil supplements that are available today. One is the “triglyceride” form, and the other is the “ethyl ester” form. When I use the term “triglyceride” for fish oils, it’s a good thing. Don’t think of triglycerides like those that are in your arteries. It’s not the same thing.
Triglycerides are made of fatty acids (such as EPA and DHA) and they are attached to a glycerol backbone. This is the molecular form of fatty acids that makes up virtually all fats and oils in both animal and plant species. This is considered natural. The omega 3 fatty acids that occur in fish are almost exclusively the triglyceride form.
In the last 10 years we’ve seen the “ethyl ester” form pop up into the market. These are fatty acids (such as EPA and DHA) but they are attached to an alcohol molecule, specifically “ethanol.”
In fact, these “ethyl esters” are synthetic, created in a lab and they are not naturally occurring in fish. The fatty acids get chemically glued to an alcohol backbone in this case. This process occurs in a lab. The reason they do this is to concentrate the dose, and perhaps get a patent.
DHA Script by Suzy Cohen is a high DHA product, providing 500 mg of DHA in a once-daily softgel, and the fish oils are “natural” in that these are fatty acids that occur normally in a fish.
A “triglyceride” type of fish oil is one that you might find in nature and it is not heavily refined like an “ethyl ester” type of fish oil supplement. This should be disclosed on the label.
Now, I know what you're thinking... What fish do we use? Where is it sourced? Is it high quality?
My brand of fish oil supply only comes from deep ocean waters, not farm-raised fish. We use fish oil supplies that come from anchovies, sardines, and mackerel from the cold, deep waters of South America. This is not farm-raised fish oil.