Re-esterified triglycerides increase Omega-3 bioavailability by 70%
Re-esterified triglycerides: up to 70% better absorption of Omega 3s
The body better absorbs and uses Omega-3s taken in the form of re-esterified triglycerides. This is shown by research by one of the leading experts on Omega-3s, Jorn Dyerberg.
According to the Danish epidemiologist and his colleagues at the University of Copenhagen and Aalborg Hospital, Denmark, the bioavailability of Omega-3s in such formulations is 50 percent higher than that of other forms, includingcod liver oil. The news appeared in the pages of the journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids.
Omega-3 rich foods: the benefits according to expert
The first clues about the benefits of Omega-3 rich foods, such as oily fish, date back to the 1970s. They were discovered by Dyerberg himself, who revealed their usefulness in protecting the cardiovascular system. Since then, the benefits of Omega-3s have been recognized for other areas as well:
- joint well-being
- mood
- fetal development
- prevention and some forms of cancer
Despite much research on the usefulness of these fatty acids, one problem still remains: how to ensure adequate intake of these valuable nutrients. Dyerberg and colleagues pointed out the lack of accurate information regarding the bioavailability of EPA and DHA taken in their different formulations. Therefore, the expert decided to test the availability of 5 types of fish oil supplements on the market.
The different formulations of Omega-3
Several formulations of Omega-3 concentrates have been developed over the years:
- free fatty acids (FFA)
- Ethyl esters (EE)
- re-esterified triglycerides (rTG)
The latter are forms obtained fromfish oil, in which about 30 percent of the triglycerides are modified to increase the content of Omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In this way EPA and DHA come to constitute 60% of the content.
The details of the research
The study by Dyerberg and colleagues focused on the differences between the natural triglycerides contained here:
- fish oil
- cod liver oil
- ethyl esters
- free fatty acids
- re-esterified triglycerides
In total, 72 individuals aged 21 to 56 years were involved. Each participant received a daily dose of Omega-3s between 3.1 and 3.6 grams of EPA and DHA for 2 weeks. At the end of the trial, the researchers found that the bioavailability of Omega-3 was 73 percent in the case of ethyl esters, 91 percent in the case of free fatty acids, and 124 percent in the case of re-esterified triglycerides. The authors explain that if these data are balanced taking into account the dosages used, the bioavailabilities increase to 76, 86 and 134 percent.
Unexpected results
The researchers concluded that the re-esterified triglycerides have superior bioavailability, while the ethyl esters are the least absorbable and least usable forms by the body. Free fatty acids fall somewhere in between, corresponding to the bioavailability of triglycerides in natural fish oils. One of the most interesting results obtained in this study is the fact that the bioavailability of re-esterified triglycerides is greater than that of Omega-3s contained in natural forms, especially in cod liver oil. One possible explanation for this phenomenon could lie in the fact that the re-esterified forms contain diglycerides and monoglycerides in addition to triglycerides.
Source
1. Dyerberg J, Madsen P, Møller JM, Aardestrup I, Schmidt EB, "Bioavailability of marine n-3 fatty acid formulations," Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2010 Sep;83(3):137-41.
