Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil Review

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil is designed to provide you with omega3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA to achieve several health benefits. This dietary supplement is supposed to improve your immune system, reduce body’s inflammatory response, and increase brain function. Most people use it as a nootropic supplement to treat or prevent brain related problems, but the problem is that there is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of omega3 supplements for improved cognitive function.

According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, which included a comprehensive survey on the use of complementary health approaches in the United States, fish oil supplements are the nonvitamin/nonmineral natural product most commonly taken by both adults and children. The survey findings indicated that about 7.8 percent of adults (18.8 million) and 1.1 percent of children age 4 to 17 (664,000) had taken a fish oil supplement in the previous 30 days. Does this mean you should also take Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil? We do not think so.

When you decide to use a dietary supplement to increase your intake of omega3s, you need to pay attention to how much of EPA and DHA is available per serving. In case of Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil, you get 300mg of DHA and 60mg of EPA. The supplement claims to be different in that it has a higher percentage of EPA and DHA, as compared to many other commercially available dietary supplements. Experts believe that most of the neurological benefits come from DHA, but again, you may not be getting enough of DHA and EPA to see effects.

It is thought that regular intake of omega3s can help improve symptoms of depression. However, there is not enough scientific evidence to support this claim. In fact, many studies have noticed no benefit of omega3s in relieving depression symptoms. For instance:

• In women with major depressive disorder during the perinatal period, supplemental fish oil (414mg EPA and 1638mg DHA) failed to find any evidence for an antidepressive effect over 6 weeks of supplementation. Source

Also note that you may not see any benefits even when you take 1638mg of DHA on a regular basis. This is a lot more than what you get in each serving of Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil. In fact, some studies have found that even if you increase the amount of EPA, you may still experience no significant change in depressive symptoms. For instance:

• In 20 patients with major depressive disorder, supplemental ethyl ester EPA at 2g daily for 4 weeks noted significantly reduced symptoms associated with fish oil relative to placebo by week 3. The authors were not sure if this was due to fish oil per se or due to augmenting lithium as antidepressant (such a phenomena has been reported elsewhere). Source

However, it is important to point out that some studies support the use of omega3s to reduce anxiety. For instance:

• Fish oil, at 2.5g omega-3 (2085mg EPA, 348mg DHA) in a cohort of medical students was able to reduce anxiety by 20% (as assessed by Beck Anxiety Inventory) with no effect on depressive symptoms (as assessed by Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale). Source

Even this study explains two things: you need to take larger amounts of EPA and DHA, which you do not get from Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil, and you may still notice no change in depressive symptoms. Another study confirms the same:

• In 33 otherwise healthy adults given 4g of fish oil (1,600mg EPA and 800mg DHA) for 35 days (dietary intake of fish at baseline not reported) noted that, alongside a somewhat normalized plasma ratio of omega 3:6 there was an improvement in overall mood state (more vigour with less aggression, fatigue, and depression). An increase in processing accuracy (reduced error frequency) and reduced reaction time were both noted. Source

Interestingly, you may notice some anti-depressive benefits by increasing your intake of EPA.

• A significant antidepressant effect was found to be associated with EPA, but not DHA, according to meta-analysis. The optimal dose was around 1,000mg EPA (2-4g not being significantly better and sometimes worse) and the antidepressive effects only persisted in persons with worse baseline depression. Studies in persons with mild depression failed to find a significant anti-depressive effect. Source

The important thing to note is that you need to take up to 1,000mg of EPA to see results, which is of course not something you get from each serving of Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil, and the supplement may work only for people with worse depression. You should be looking for something else to treat mild depression.

Another interesting thing is that supplementing with EPA is going to work only when you take it in the right amount. It does not always mean that you should take larger doses. For instance:

• In persons with persistent depression, only 1g of EPA was associated with reduced depressive symptoms while 2g and 4g failed to confer similar benefit. Source

It means that you are not going to see results if you take more than what your body requires, which is another reason why believe that you should avoid putting your money on Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil, and instead focus more on getting omega3s from dietary sources.

It is also thought that supplementing with omega3s may help treat ADHD in children. Unfortunately, scientific studies do not confirm this claim. Some studies have noticed positive effects on working memory, but other parameters were unaffected. For instance:

• Children with ADHD were given 600 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA or olive oil placebo daily for 16 weeks. Patent- and teacher-rated behavioral assessments were taken, as well as assessments of cognition, working memory, and attention. No change in any parameters except for working memory was seen. Working memory, via the HAWIK-IV test, increased significantly in the supplemented group by about 4 points. Source

Even for cognitive decline, you need to take a lot more of DHA than what you find in each serving of Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil. Here is a study to confirm it:

• 900mg of DHA alone in adults with cognitive decline (aged 55 or older) without any neural pathology (Alzheimer’s, etc.) was able to improve immediate and delayed Verbal Recognition Memory, but failed to improve working memory or executive functions.

It is also thought that since omega3s help reduce inflammation in the body, they may help protect against cardiovascular disease. Again, you will not find enough scientific evidence to support this claim. Here is what experts say:

• There has been a substantial amount of research on supplements of omega-3s, particularly those found in seafood and fish oil, and heart disease. The findings of individual studies have been inconsistent. In 2012, two combined analyses of the results of these studies did not find convincing evidence these omega-3s protect against heart disease.

You may get some benefits if you are going to use it for rheumatoid arthritis. For instance:

• There is some evidence that omega-3s found in seafood and fish oil may be modestly helpful in relieving symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis. For most other conditions for which omega-3s have been studied, definitive conclusions cannot yet be reached, or studies have not shown omega-3s to be beneficial.

Quite interestingly, whatever little research available to confirm the heart benefits of omega3s is based on getting it from dietary sources. It means it is unclear if you are going to get similar benefits through supplementation.

• Epidemiological studies done more than 30 years ago noted relatively low death rates due to cardiovascular disease in Eskimo populations with high seafood consumption. Since then, much research has been done on seafood and heart disease. The results provide moderate evidence that people who eat seafood at least once a week are less likely to die of heart disease than those who rarely or never eat seafood.

It is also true in case of eye and brain related problems, as there is not enough research to confirm that supplementation is as beneficial as getting omega3s from dietary sources. For instance:

• Diseases of the eye, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD; an eye disease that can cause vision loss in older people) and dry eye syndrome. Studies have shown that people who eat diets rich in seafood are less likely to develop the advanced stage of AMD. However, a large National Institutes of Health (NIH)–sponsored study, called Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), indicated that supplements containing EPA and DHA did not slow the progression of AMD in people who were at high risk of developing the advanced stage of this disease.

Some new guidelines are also available today. For instance:

• The Federal Government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 includes a new recommendation that adults eat 8 or more ounces of a variety of seafood (fish or shellfish) per week because it provides a range of nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids. (Smaller amounts are recommended for young children.)

It means that if you are eating 8 ounces of seafood a week, there is no need to waste your money on a supplement like Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil, as it is not going to make any difference to your brain or overall health.

Many people turn to the supplements like Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil, because they cannot get it from dietary sources such as shellfish because of fish allergies. However, it is important to keep in mind that if you have fish allergies, it does not imply the fact that you can safely use fish oil supplements. Not enough scientific evidence is available to confirm it.

The thing is that to make omega3 fatty acids work you need to take enough of EPA and DHA on a daily basis. What you get from Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil is not going to make a huge difference, because you need to take large doses when trying to get specific benefits from omega3 supplementation. Moreover, it is difficult to confirm if supplementing with omega3s is going to work as effectively as getting it from dietary sources. It actually mean that if you pay attention to your diet and include seafood in it, you do not really need to put your money on a supplement like Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil.

What Does Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil Claim To Do?

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil provides you with omega3 fatty acids and claims to help you in many different ways. Here are some of its claimed benefits.

• Improves lipid profiles
• Reduces inflammation in the body
• Boosts your immune system
• Protects your eyes and prevents eye-related problems
• Supports cognition and reduces stress
• Maintains an emotional balance

Does Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil Work?

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil is like many other dietary supplements that promise serious benefits because of omega3s. It certainly provides you with a good dose of EPA and DHA, but unfortunately, that is not good enough. You need to take large doses of DHA to see cognitive benefits, but that is not the case with Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil.

Moreover, many studies have shown the benefits of omega3s only when you get these fatty acids from dietary sources; you may notice no effect whatsoever when supplementing with omega3s. If you want to use Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil specifically to boost brain function, you will be hugely disappointed. It is better to put your money on a different nootropic supplement with scientifically proven brain-boosting ingredients.

What Are The Ingredients of Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil?

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil uses Tuna to provide you with omega3 fatty acids. There is 1,330mg of Tuna oil in each serving along with 300mg of DHA and 60mg of EPA. Other ingredients include water, glycerin, gelatin, sunflower oil, and soy.

Does Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil Have Any Side Effects?

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil offers omega3 fatty acids and is generally free of any side effects. However, some customer reviews suggest that you are likely to develop mild gastrointestinal problems in the beginning. Some other side effects are quite similar to issues associated with any other fish oil product. For instance, you may experience problems like heartburn, bad breath, belching, rash, loose stools, nausea, nosebleed, and indigestion.

Are There Any Customer Reviews For Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil?

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil makes big claims, but you are not going to see positive reviews supporting those claims. In fact, customer reviews for Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil are quite disappointing. For instance:

This thing did not work for me even though I tried it for a month or so. I do not think it is a right choice if you really want to boost brain function.

Mmmm tuna oil! I think it helps, but how do you really know? And can you imagine how they make these things? Do they just put a bunch of tuna into a juicer? Wow, delicious. Makes you wonder, right?

Does Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil Offer a Money-Back Guarantee?

There is no clear information regarding the process of returning the product and getting a refund.

Where Can I Buy Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil?

Standard Process Omega-3 Tuna Oil is available for purchase through the official site, but you can order it through third-party retailers as well.