what is the difference between flax oil, flax seed oil, fish oil and the omega 3?

Question

I've been taking the omega 3 from iceland health but it's really expensive ($60 dlls for 30 softgels) so I went to wal-mart but saw all of these names and just got confused. which is best?

Answer 1

omega 3 fatty acid is the active ingredient you are looking for... both fish oil & flax seed oil contain Omega 3 (fatty acid)... BUT you will have to take about 10x the flax seed oil to get the benefit of fish oil (I wont go into the biochemistry of it but I have taken post-doctoral nutrition classes on the subject).

You do NOT need to spend $60 a bottle for the stuff.
You do need at least 1500 mg/day of Omega 3. You should be able to find that for about $30 a month somewhere....
WalMart may have it, Costco may have it, GNC may have it...
BUT make sure it has been purified has been tested not to contain any PCBs, dioxin, , mercury or heavy metal. It will say this on the label. If it does not, dont buy it... cheap stuff sometimes is the unpurified fish oil that contains a lot of toxin... you dont want to take that.

Answer 2

Flax oil is pressed out of the seeds from Flax which is a plant .
Omega-3 is derived from fish which is an animal .
Omega-3 fish oil from salmon is best . Go to Wallgreens and get theirs . Sometimes they have deals when you buy one you get one free .I buy 250 softgels (1000 mg each); I think I paid like $12 .

Answer 3

Good answer from laughingfish. I just wanted to add that flax oil is made from the seed, just like flax seed oil.

The most effective way to take flax oil is in a liquid. It is in the refrigerated case. It goes rancid rather rapidly, so check the date. Barlean's brand is great because it has a high lignan content and is packaged in a light-proof container. You can just take it by the spoonful or put it in a smoothie or make salad dressing out of it. It has a pleasant, nutty flavor but with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Typically, flax oil is more expensive than fish oil, because it is not as abundant. It is especially recommended for women with hormone issues.

If you decide to use fish oil, I recommend you purchase it from a natural foods store. You may pay a bit more but they're more likely to carry mercury-free fish oil, enteric coated. Fish oil is especially beneficial for relief of arthritis and as a source of vitamin A. Again, I recommend the liquid over the pill, because it is more absorbable. Buy it in emulsified mint or lemon flavor. Fish oil is not for people with liver disease.