I'll Take Menhaden

Omega Protein is not exaggerating, however, when it plays up the importance of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that they can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death, reduce arterial plaque, and slightly lower blood pressure. Omega-3’s protective powers also go beyond fighting heart disease. They also improve brain functioning, alleviate inflammatory diseases, and may prevent breast cancer. A recent study by the National Institutes of Health revealed that children whose mothers had high intake of omega-3 during pregnancy have higher IQ’s, better fine-motor skills, and sharper social skills than those whose moms did not. And the British-based Mental Health Foundation has gone one step further, drawing a link between decreased omega-3 consumption over the past five decades and the prevalence of depression and other psychological illnesses.

So is popping menhaden in capsule form the best way to get your daily omega-3 boost? Not necessarily. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that people with healthy hearts get their omega-3 fix by eating at least two servings of fatty fish every week as a source of long-chain omega-3. It also recommends eating soy, flaxseeds, walnuts, and canola and soybean oils, all of which are rich in another form of omega-3. It recommends omega-3 supplements only to people with coronary heart disease or high triglyceride levels. So if your coronary health is good, there’s probably no rush to supplement your diet with a product such as OmegaPure.

Yet if you’re concerned about high mercury levels in farmed salmon or tuna, menhaden may start to sound more appealing. Unlike most fatty fish, plankton-swilling menhaden eat near the bottom of the food chain and have low mercury levels. But menhaden oil has plenty of competition when it comes to other fish-oil supplements. In a survey of 75 fish-based omega-3 supplements, the environmental group OceansAlive found that 80 percent met the strictest standards for eliminating contaminants such as mercury and dioxins. OmegaPure told OceansAlive that it complied with FDA guidelines, but it did not say whether it also followed the group’s more stringent standards.

In short, when it comes to finding good sources of omega-3, there are plenty of other fish in the sea besides menhaden. But perhaps the most important reason for looking for alternatives is the sustainability of the menhaden fishery. Despite Omega Protein’s reassurances that menhaden are “found in abundant quantities,” the fish’s steady decline is having disastrous effects on the Chesapeake Bay and other coastal areas where the species once thrived. Measured against such ecological damage, the benefits of menhaden oil seem slight. After all, being heart-smart shouldn’t mean being heartless.