If you have a question which is not covered here please contact us either via 'Liveperson' on our website, or use our contact form to email us, or telephone us.
We also have new FAQs posted daily in the “Q&A Directory” under Xtend-Life Blog, some of which may relate to this product or others… view
Xtend-Life daily Q&A Directory for more info.
How pure is Xtend-Life Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil?
This is one of our biggest strengths. We pride ourselves with having the toughest fish oil specifications in the world and we back this up with hard data from independent government approved laboratories. Refer to the links on Purity and Freshness for more info.
What is the recommended fish oil dosage?
We recommend between two to four soft gels per day. In other words one to two bottles of fish oil per month.
Can you overdose on Omega 3/DHAs?
There is some debate over a maximum level of omega-3 / DHA to take per day. Some ‘experts’ have claimed that mega doses are helpful for athletic purposes or even for people suffering from severe depression.
Our suggestion would be that you take between two to four soft gels of fish oil per day, unless you have severe depression or Crohn’s disease in which case the dose can be as high as six per day. Some people even get good results on just one soft gel per day.
However, it must be kept in mind that omega-3 / DHA also acts as a natural blood thinner. In other words like a natural form of aspirin. Therefore in high doses it has the potential of contributing to bleeding and bruising so if you are on blood thinning medication use with caution and consult with your doctor.
Some companies suggest much higher dose rates. Why don’t you?
This is likely to be because with most products you need to take more soft gels to get the same amount of DHA as we have in our advanced formula. The DHA in fish oil is what most people are looking for.
What size are the fish oil soft gels and are they easy to swallow?
The soft gels are an industry standard 1000mg soft-gel, and are quite easy to swallow.
If you still have some difficulty swallowing them, you can always puncture the soft gels you're about to take and squeeze the fish oil out onto food. This method is perfectly fine and won’t compromise the product’s efficacy.
When I take fish oil supplements I get a fish ‘repeat’ aftertaste and sometimes some stomach sensitivity. Are these side effects normal?
This is a common side effect with most fish oils but one that is rarely experienced by customers of Xtend-Life Omega-3 / DHA Fish Oil because of the purity of the oil. Many mass produced fish oils are somewhat rancid or oxidized. This is what causes the ‘repeating’. Because the Xtend-Life product is so fresh and pure you should not experience that problem. If you do then it may be because you have a digestive ailment. Nonetheless if it does happen just send back the opened bottle and we will give you a refund.
Why don’t you enteric-coat your fish oil soft gels?
It is best for the oil to be released in the stomach. Usually fish oil is only enteric-coated to mask rancid or oxidized oil.
Do you supply your omega-3 / DHAs in liquid form?
No. This is primarily because it is concentrated. You only need a total of two grams a day which is well less than a teaspoon full.
Why do you focus on DHA rather than EPA?
We choose to focus on DHA as this is in the best interests of our customers. Recent research confirms that it is the most valuable component of omega-3. (Remember that it is the most important fatty acid in the brain). In addition, it is difficult for the body to convert EPA to DHA because it has to add two carbon bonds. On the other hand the body only has to ‘drop off’ two carbon bonds from DHA to create EPA. Most manufacturers focus on EPA as it is easier to concentrate.
What is the DPA in the omega-3?
DPA is the third most common omega-3 in fish oil. There has not been a lot of research carried out on this component. However, it does appear that there are some real benefits from DPA as like DHA it is a complex fatty acid with 22 carbon bonds, unlike EPA which only has 20 carbon bonds. Our Omega-3 / DHA Fish Oil is quite rich in DPA compared to other fish oil products.
Can Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil be taken while pregnant or nursing? I am concerned about the Rosemary extract in the product
Most physicians recommend this product for pregnant or nursing mothers as it may help with positive development of the child’s brain, neurological and physical systems. It can also play a very important role in preventing post natal depression. This is because the fetus can draw off precious stores of the mother's DHA which can lead to depression. Regarding the Rosemary extract, we use only a trace amount (less than 10mg) for anti-oxidant purposes only, so therefore it is totally 100% safe.
Why don’t you use all hoki oil instead of hoki and tuna oil?
Well, if we did this then we would not have enough hoki oil to last through to next season. We are currently negotiating to have a greater number of boats allocate their catch to land-based processing for the coming season for us to take a portion and concentrate it. If we can do this then we will consider replacing the tuna oil and concentrating some of the hoki oil. In anticipation of being able to get greater amounts of the hoki fish, we are doing extensive testing to work out the proportions of hoki concentrate to use with the natural hoki in order to get the best results.
I keep my Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil gel caps in the freezer. Is this an acceptable practice?
That’s OK, but it is not really necessary unless you are going to keep them for a long time before using. Even then you could just put them in the fridge. Once the fish oil has been encapsulated, very little deterioration occurs - irrespective of how they are kept.
What is the soft gel made of?
It is made out of a highly purified pharmaceutical grade bovine gelatin extract. There is zero risk of BSE from using these soft gels which are a standard in the pharmaceutical industry.
Do you think the combination of the "Total Balance Premium" and "Omega-3 / DHA Fish Oil" will help with balancing weight? I wouldn't mind losing 5kg.
Yes, you may well find that this combination helps you lose a bit of weight. Sometimes it helps reduce any cravings because of the extra nutrients it provides.
Are there any side effects associated with taking Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil?
There have been no reported side effects of Xtend-Life Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil.
I am allergic to shellfish. Can I take your Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil?
So long as you can eat fish you will not have any problems.
I have a problem with stiff or sore joints, although I have not been diagnosed with arthritis. Will I notice a difference taking fish oil?
Yes, it is very possible you will notice quite a difference. General stiffness in joints and aching/creaking bones often benefit from a regular intake of omega-3 fish oil. Our omega-3 fish oil should be more effective than other oils for this objective as it has greater anti-inflammatory properties.
Why do you include rosemary extract with your fish oil?
Normally manufacturers include a little synthetic vitamin E oil as an anti-oxidant/preservative. Rather than do this we have used a special rosemary extract which is a very powerful anti-oxidant combined with a broad spectrum natural vitamin E oil. The anti-inflammatory study which we recently completed did, did not include this and we are doing some further studies with the extract included. We have reason to believe that the rosemary extract will increase the anti-inflammatory effects even further.
Is the tuna caught in a sustainable way? I am interested in this as I have heard that some tuna species are getting hammered by fishermen and some countries are very ruthless when it comes to catching them. I am trying to make the most sustainable choice when it comes to my fish oil caps.
Firstly, it must be remembered that only 50% of our Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil comes from tuna; the rest comes from our own sustainable hoki fishery. Tuna oil is a world-wide commodity and is collected by various companies from multiple sources and countries in the South Pacific - which extends as far as South America.
The tuna oil is a by-product of the tuna catch that is processed for food. The oil is sold in bulk to various commodity dealers throughout the world, who then sell it to processors. Most companies purify their oil by a simple molecular distillation process. We also use this method but before the molecular distillation we put it through an additional proprietary purification process that enables us to reach levels of purity that molecular distillation alone cannot provide. This is why the tuna oil that we are using in our blend has much better specs than normal. In addition to this, when it is blended with our natural hoki oil, the results are exceptional.
From a conservation point of view, the thing to keep in mind is that the tuna are not being caught specifically for their oil but for their food value. If they were just being caught for their oil alone, we would not be comfortable about using tuna oil as it could lead to unacceptable depletion levels. We will continue to monitor the situation and if the time came where we felt that the use of the tuna oil was contributing to the depletion of the species, we would definitely consider other alternatives. However, for the moment it is still a good choice due the naturally high levels of DHA found in tuna.
I have an 8-year old son who has been diagnosed with ADHD. Ideally, I would like to try a natural and healthy alternative to the pharmaceutical drugs which have been prescribed to him. Will the Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil help him?
Yes, indeed it will. Our Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil has a high level of DHA (nearly 30%) – the most complex of all omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and one which is readily absorbed by the brain before any other EFA. Unfortunately, children these days don’t get enough DHA in their diet which inevitably leads to them experiencing learning difficulties and having trouble focusing in class. Medical practitioners are quick to diagnose ADHD, prescribing various drugs and pharmaceuticals to children who simply may only have low levels of DHA.
Many scientists and health professionals have published an array of research papers highlighting the significant role played by DHA in the brain, as well as its contribution in reducing and even preventing the effects of ADHD in children.
Will I still be able to digest omega-3 fatty acids if I’ve had my gallbladder removed?
Thankfully, you don’t need a gallbladder to digest and absorb omega-3 fatty acids. The surgical removal of this organ has become a fairly common procedure in the medical fraternity. Despite the fact that your body cannot naturally produce bile to help digest dietary fat, omega-3 fatty acids nevertheless are still easily absorbed by your digestive system – with or without the presence of bile.
Does fish oil deplete fishery stocks?
In a simple answer…no, absolutely not. Fish oil is a byproduct from fisheries which catch the fish for its flesh. The balance of the fish is rendered into crude fish oil, ensuring that nothing gets discarded or wasted. The crude fish oil – which is a commodity for most fisheries – is sold for either use in its raw state or processed for other uses.
Of all the various applications that the crude fish oil is used for, only around 8% of it goes to the next stage which is refining in preparation for human consumption. Fish oil production has NO effect at all on conservation efforts because in addition to it being a byproduct from fish caught primarily for their flesh; it would not be economically viable to catch fish just for their oil.
The hoki oil we use in our Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil is still a byproduct but unlike general crude fish oil, it is all processed from one species - whilst fresh, not frozen. It is then handled directly to our specification which means that as the oil is rendered, it passes through a nitrogen ‘sparging’ system straight into a special container so it is not exposed to air. This is why our product is fresher than other consumer fish oils.
Back to top