# Triglyceride instead of ethyl ester: why binding form and dose decide with omega-3

> Same milligram figure, different absorption - the binding form of the fish oil explains a large part of it. What bioavailability research shows, and how WOO® Omega-3 is dosed.

Two omega-3 tins can state the same number of milligrams - and still deliver different amounts into your blood. The reason is rarely printed on the front: it comes down to the chemical binding form of the fatty acid molecule, and to the dose you actually take.

## Triglyceride or ethyl ester - the difference in the gut

In fish, EPA and DHA occur naturally as triglycerides: three fatty acids on a glycerol backbone. To concentrate an oil industrially, that backbone is removed, which produces ethyl esters. Pancreatic lipase in the small intestine cleaves those considerably more slowly than triglycerides. Dyerberg and colleagues (2010) compared several formulations over two weeks and found higher incorporation into red blood cells for the triglyceride form than for ethyl esters. Schuchardt and Hahn (2013) reached the same picture in their review.

## Why the meal is part of the equation

The second lever is banal and still constantly overlooked. Lawson and Hughes showed as early as 1988 that taking omega-3 capsules with a fat-rich meal markedly increases absorption - even more pronounced for ethyl esters than for triglycerides. The mechanism is simple: dietary fat stimulates bile secretion and lipase activity. Capsules on an empty stomach are simply wasted potential.

## The Omega-3 Index makes intake measurable

Instead of guessing, you can measure. Harris and von Schacky described the Omega-3 Index in 2004: the share of EPA and DHA among the fatty acids of the erythrocyte membrane, expressed as a percentage. The target range is around 8%; typical Western values sit well below that. Because erythrocytes live about 120 days, the index responds slowly: it reflects supply over months, not yesterday's capsule.

## The dose decides which claim applies at all

This is where things get regulatorily interesting, because authorised claims are tied to concrete daily amounts. At **1 capsule per day**: DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and normal vision; EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function. At **3 capsules per day**: DHA and EPA contribute to the maintenance of normal blood triglyceride levels. At **4 capsules per day**: DHA and EPA contribute to the maintenance of normal blood pressure. Anyone expecting the effect of the higher tier while taking the amount of the lowest will be disappointed - not by the product, but by the arithmetic.

## How WOO® Omega-3 approaches the topic

**[WOO® Omega-3](/en/shop/woo-omega-3-can)** addresses exactly these three points: triglyceride capsules instead of ethyl esters, high-dosed with 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA per capsule, and a dosage you can match to the tier you want - 1 to 4 capsules daily, swallowed whole with plenty of water **with a meal**. One tin contains 120 capsules.

Two notes belong here: the product contains fish, and the capsule shell is made of bovine gelatine and glycerol. It is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women. The stated maximum recommended daily amount must not be exceeded.

## Frequently asked questions

**How long until the Omega-3 Index changes?**
Reckon with three to four months before a new equilibrium in the erythrocyte membrane is reached. Measuring earlier does not give a stable picture.

**What helps against fishy burping?**
Take the capsules with your main meal and store the tin cool and dark. Burping often points to oxidised oil - freshness is a quality marker for fish oil.

**Is plant-based ALA from linseed oil enough?**
As a sole source, hardly. Conversion of alpha-linolenic acid to EPA in humans runs in the low single-digit percentages, and to DHA considerably lower still, as Burdge and Calder summarised.

## Sources

Dyerberg J et al. (2010), Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids - Bioavailability of marine n-3 fatty acid formulations.
Schuchardt JP & Hahn A (2013), Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids - Bioavailability of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
Lawson LD & Hughes BG (1988), Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications - Human absorption of fish oil fatty acids as triacylglycerols, free acids, or ethyl esters.
Harris WS & von Schacky C (2004), Preventive Medicine - The Omega-3 Index: a new risk factor for death from coronary heart disease?
Burdge GC & Calder PC (2005), Reproduction Nutrition Development - Conversion of alpha-linolenic acid to longer-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in human adults.

*WOO® Omega-3 - in the NEMAPO shop.*