Rumor 1 : The "golden ratio" of EPA and DHA is supposed to be 3 : 2?

Answer : Wrong. There is no so-called golden ratio, it is a marketing gimmick. The 3 : 2 ratio of EPA and DHA is mainly because the extracted fish oil from small deep-sea fish species (such as sardines and anchovies) contains approximately 180 mg (18%) of EPA and 120 mg (12%) of DHA per 1000 mg of fish oil.

In fact, the ratio of EPA to DHA in fish oil varies by different fish species. For example, the ratio of EPA to DHA in cod liver oil is approximately 9% and 14% whereas the ratio in salmon is approximately 9% EPA and 10% DHA. In terms of the functions of EPA and DHA, everyone has different needs. In general, infants, school-age children, pregnant women, and silver-haired people have a greater demand for DHA. On the other hand, for people love to eat large amounts of fish and meats, or have physical conditions that may be caused by improper diet, their demand for EPA is relatively higher. There is no so-called golden ratio, everyone's needs are different, therefore different fish oil formulas are required. Some manufacturers take the easy approach and sell the same kind of fish oil to all people. This is not right. For example, children and pregnant women are advised to avoid consumption the fish oil with too high EPA.

Rumor 2 : You can't co-supplement fish oil and calcium, there will be a saponification reaction, and even cause diarrhea?

Answer : Wrong. Fish oil and calcium together do not produce a saponification reaction. This is a misconception.

Let us first understand what is the saponification reaction. The occurrence of the "saponification reaction" mainly requires the existence of three conditions, including :

  • Grease
  • Strong alkali aqueous solution (such as sodium hydroxide, etc.)
  • The temperature must be at least 70 degrees

The saponification reaction is an exothermic reaction and a slower chemical reaction. Therefore, vigorous reactions such as constant and rapid stirring of the solution at high temperature or in a physical way are required to promote the reaction.

After understanding the saponification reaction, let's get back to discuss the issue of fish oil and calcium. Basically, most of the calcium is neutral to weakly alkaline, so it is not compatible with the strong alkali required for the saponification reaction. If the calcium is a strong base, you probably already burned your mouth and stomach while you were supplementing with calcium capsules.

For the temperature part, human body maintains a relatively constant body temperature, and the body temperature is kept at around 37.5 degrees C. Even if you have a fever, exceeding 40 degrees C is very serious; you should run to see a doctor in that case. How can it be possible to reach the 70 degrees required for the saponification reaction? In the digestive and peristaltic part of the stomach, there is a big difference from the rapid stirring required to cause the saponification reaction. It is difficult to form the conditions for the saponification reaction. Therefore, the co-supplementation of fish oil and calcium is safe and it doesn't cause the saponification reaction.

Rumor 3 : What is the "Triglyceride Type" emphasized by fish oil products? Will it cause the lipid levels in my blood too high!?

Answer : Wrong. "Triglyceride Type (TG)" represents the molecular type of fatty acids in fish oil. The natural triglyceride type of fish oil means that these fats are easier to be digested and decomposed during the digestion process, compared with the concentrated synthetic ethyl ester type (EE) fish oil on the market. It can increase the absorption rate and utilization of omega-3 fatty acids in the human body.

As for "the doubts whether it will cause high blood lipids (triglycerides) ", actually this refers to another type of triglycerides. These blood lipids do not come from the fat in the die. Instead, due to the excessive consumption of carbohydrates, the body produces too much insulin in the blood for metabolism, which in turn leads to synthesis by the liver. Thus, fish oil in the form of triglycerides has nothing to do with your blood lipids!

Rumor 4 : Dripping fish oil on the styrofoam will cause the styrofoam to melt, is it because the fish oil contains organic solvents!?

Answer : Wrong. This issue is actually a completely wrong perception. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has previously published answers regarding the rumor. The explanation of the Ministry of Health and Welfare is quoted as follows: "For some fish oil supplements on the market, when dropping it onto styrofoam, the styrofoam was dissolved. The phenomenon is due to the EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) contained in fish oil has a higher content of "ethyl ester". The structural polarity of this component is similar to that of styrofoam, so it will be miscible with styrofoam, which is a normal phenomenon. The highly concentrated ethyl ester (EE) form in the fish oil is precisely the reason causes this situation to occur. This also means that you must not use styrofoam containers to contain concentrated fish oil products.

On the other hand, concentrated fish oil in the form of natural triglycerides does not cause this situation.

Rumor 5 : Some advertisements state that krill oil has a higher human body utilization rate of EPA and DHA, so taking krill oil is better than fish oil!?

Answer : Wrong. In a randomized double-blind experiment published in the journal Lipids in Health & Disease in 2015, a total of 66 subjects targeted triglyceride fish oil (TG) and ethyl fish oil (EE) and krill oil (Krill Oil). After 4 weeks of continuous supplementation, it was found that at the same dose, compared with fish oil, the effect of krill oil is not much different in its bioavailability.

In addition, krill is a shrimp-like crustacean, which plays a very important role in the marine food chain. Considering the significant impact of krill catching on the ecological chain, it has been explicitly prohibited by laws in the West Coast of the United States, Norway and Antarctica. 

TruOmega's highly concentrated fish oil comes from small fish species, including sardines and anchovies. It is abundant in quantity, has a shorter life cycle, and reproduces quickly. It is not only less likely to accumulate environmental pollutants, but also suitable for a sustainable environment in terms of the source of fish oil.

Rumor 6 : It says over the Internet that only supercritical extraction technology can extract good fish oil!?

Answer : Wrong. This propaganda is from some specific manufacturers, and it is unfair. The process of extracting fish oil depends on different manufacturing plants using different technologies, including traditional wet pressing, supercritical extraction, molecular distillation and natural enzyme extraction. Each making process has its own patents and characteristics. Regardless of the technology, the focus is on the quality of the extracted fish oil. Just like fishing, fishing with a cast net or fishing with a fishing rod cannot define the deliciousness of the fish. Whether it is delicious or not is related to the fish itself, not by the method of fishing. 

The effectiveness of fish oil supplements depends on three key points : freshness, concentration of EPA and DHA, and content per serving. To be fair, no matter what kind of extraction method, as long as the quality and indicators of the extracted fish oil can meet the international standards and specifications; it is a good fish oil supplement.

Rumor 7 : It is dangerous for pregnant women to consume EPA-containing fish oil, but algae oil is safe!?

Answer : Wrong. In fact, none of the studying mentions that taking EPA can put pregnant women at risk and there is no death has ever occurred. Instead, some studies have pointed out that a small amount of EPA has positive benefits for pregnant women. In fact, pregnant women can take EPA, but it is recommended to consume only a small amount of EPA. As a result, the fish oil with a high EPA content is not suitable under the circumstances.

The omega-3 supplementation for pregnant women is generally recommended not to consume fresh seafood more than twice a week, because there may still be heavy metals or environmental pollutants. It is better for pregnant women to supplement with highly purified fish oil or algae oil supplementary source. It is also advised to consume at least 200 – 300 mg of DHA per day, because DHA is very important for the development of the fetus. As for the EPA part, it can be obtained from the diet or choose fish oil containing only a small amount of EPA. However, it is NOT recommended to supplement with the fish oil formulations with high concentrations of EPA.

Rumor 8 : It is normal for fish oil to have a fishy smell, and it does not matter after consumption!?

Answer : Wrong. In fact, the heavier the fish oil smell, the less fresh it represents. Just like if you eat fresh fish food or seafood, there should not be a strong fishy smell. The strong fishy smell normally means that the food has become corrupted. For fish oil supplements, the strong fishy smell also means that the fish oil has been oxidized and corrupted. The oxidized fish oil may cause nausea burps after taking. Researches have also found that oxidized fish oil with a strong fishy smell is harmful to the human body, which can cause many risks and side effects.

To know if your fish oil is fresh, you can see whether the fish oil supplement has a freshness index test. The complete freshness index value includes the AV, PV and TOTOX. Or in an easy way, you can just puncture the fish oil capsule you have. If it appears a strong fishy or unpleasant smell, it means that your fish oil may have been oxidized and is not good for taking. The freshness of fish oil is also absolutely related to the efficacy.

Rumor 9 : Edible linseed oil is the same as fish oil and has the same effect!?

Answer : Wrong. Omega-3 essential fatty acids cannot be produced by the human body, so they are called "essential". Omega-3 essential fatty acids can be divided into two main types of sources : plant sources (linseed oil, walnuts, etc., containing ALA), or marine sources (fish oil, etc., containing EPA and DHA).


The ALA of linseed oil can be synthesized into EPA and DHA in the human body. However, the rate of the human body converts ALA to EPA and DHA is slow and is affected by many factors. For example, the vegetable oils, fast food and baked foods may contain too much omega-6 in the diet, trans fatty acids, drinking, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies (such as vitamin B3, B6, zinc, magnesium, etc.). In addition, ALA is mainly used in the body as a source of energy, but EPA and DHA can directly improve and help our health.



Deep-sea fish are the most direct source of EPA and DHA. According to researches, the human body's ability to convert ALA to EPA may only be 8%, while DHA is only 0.5%. Most people cannot even convert ALA to DHA. Flaxseed oil is a healthy oil, but it does not provide you with the benefits of EPA and DHA.

Rumor 10 : The food in our daily diet can satisfy our demand for omega-3!?

Answer : Wrong. In the United States, more than 95% of Americans cannot get enough omega-3 from their diet. Although Taiwan is surrounded by the sea and has a wealth of seafood food options, most people still do not eat fish twice a week. Especially under the busy modern life and westernized diet, it is even more difficult to achieve.

Although most fish contain omega-3, DHA and EPA are mostly present in cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, anchovies, or tuna. Other white or less fatty fish, such as cod or shellfish, contain less EPA and DHA. In addition, large fish species such as swordfish have a long life cycle in the ocean and contain more heavy metals or pollutants in their bodies. Therefore, they are not safe to eat, especially for pregnant women.

How to get enough EPA and DHA? It is actually very simple. Choose TruOmega, it is fresh with high concentration content, and sourced from small deep-sea fish species. 1~2 capsules per day, you can easily meet the needs of your body for a day. The highly purified TruOmega is pure, safe and pollution-free; there is no need to worry about any possible environmental pollutants.