When Is the Best Time To Take Omega-3?

Omega-3 supplementation is popular. It is so popular, in fact, that among adults age 20 and over, it’s the third most popular supplement taken in the United States. 

Although omega-3 has some positive benefits, it has a major Achilles’ heel: omega-3s are prone to oxidation and rancidity, resulting in that awful, fishy aftertaste. In addition, there are some other reasons omega-3 might not be the best option for essential fatty acid supplementation. 

Together, we’ll talk about omega-3 and when you should take it to avoid fishy aftertaste. We’ll also compare it to a newly discovered fatty acid called C15:0 and learn which is more effective and has fewer side effects. 

Spoiler alert: it isn’t omega. 

What Is Omega-3?

Omega fatty acids were discovered more than 90 years ago. There are several omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. However, only one omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and one omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) are essential. EPA and DHA are generally not recognized as essential. 

Interestingly, only one omega-3 fatty acid, known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) without docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has demonstrated the heart-protective benefits attributed to omega-3 supplementation in large, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trials. 

This is interesting because most omega-3 supplements contain a blend of ALA, EPA, and DHA. That means the benefits we’re looking for in our omega-3 supplement might not be as available to us as we thought. 

Side Effects of Omega-3

Anyone who has taken omega-3 fish oil supplements knows the fishy aftertaste is awful. Even so-called burpless formulas aren’t able to completely eliminate the fishy taste. There’s a good reason why. 

Omega-3 is found in oily fish, and supplement companies harvest the oil from these fish by sourcing it from their skins and organs. By the time the oil in these fish is harvested, processed, and end up in your fish oil supplements, some of that oil has already started to break down. 

An independent study found that more than one in 10 fish oil supplements were rancid on store shelves, meaning they were rancid at the time of purchase and consumption. 

Further, excessive consumption of omega-3 fatty acids could lead to other troublesome side effects, like:

• low blood pressure
• thinning of blood
• excessive bleeding if an injury were to occur
• increased risk of bruising

While many people in the U.S. have lower levels of omega-3, having a true omega-3 deficiency is rare. If you’re taking a fish oil supplement, you might not need it. You could be getting your RDA of omega-3 from your diet. 

When Should I Take Omega-3?

There’s no recognized ‘best time’ to take omega-3 supplements. Taking them with food may aid absorption, but whether you take them with your morning, afternoon, or evening meal doesn’t matter. 

Omega-3 supplements may cause heartburn and gastrointestinal discomfort, so taking them at bedtime may be a better option. Taking omega-3 at bedtime may reduce the fishy flavor you are awake to experience, but you may still wake up with fish breath, so be warned. 

Are There Other Options for Fatty Acid Supplementation?

Yes. Pentadecanoic acid, or C15:0 for short, was studied head to head against the purest, most effective form of omega-3 (EPA). Not only did C15:0 come out on top, but it was proven to be better, broader, and safer than omega-3. And the best part is, C15:0 is available in a pure powder in the fatty15 supplement that is not prone to oxidation or rancidity and doesn't have the fishy aftertaste. 

C15:0: The New Essential Fatty Acid 

It was discovered by chance. Researchers studying longevity in Navy dolphins discovered that some populations of dolphins had longer, healthier lifespans than others. The key to understanding why the healthier population was healthier turned out to be in their diets. A particular odd-chain, saturated fatty acid called C15:0 was the top predictor of the dolphins that lived healthier for longer.

Fast-forward 10 years, the doctors and scientists took their discovery further and learned that these health-promoting benefits were available to humans, too. Since their initial discovery in 2020, there have been over 100 peer-reviewed studies that support the health benefits of C15:0. 

How Does C15:0 Work?

C15:0 works by integrating into our cells to support and strengthen them by:

• Improving and strengthening cell membranes. Cell membranes become weak with age. As a sturdy fatty acid, C15:0 integrates into cell membranes to keep them strong.
  
  
• Fixing broken mitochondrial function. With time, Mitochondrial function begins to decline. Mitochondria begin to produce less adenosine triphosphate (ATP) And produce more reactive oxygen species (ROS). C15 0 supports mitochondrial function and increases ATP levels within cells by 350% while reducing ROS output by up to 45%.
  
  
• Improving “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.
  
  
• Improving liver enzymes.
  
  
• Supporting the gut microbiome. 

In addition, when C15:0 (in the supplement fatty15) was compared directly to the highest performing, purest omega-3 (EPA), C15:0 came out on top.

C15:0 vs. Omega-3

The peer-reviewed publication ‘Broader and safer clinically-relevant activities of pentadecanoic acid compared to omega-3’ was published in 2022 and showed that C15:0 is:

• Better. C15:0 has over 26 clinically relevant benefits compared to omega-3, which had only 10.
  
  
• Broader. C15:0 repairs 2.5 times more cell types than omega-3.
  
  
• Safer. C15:0 is safe for 12 out of 12 cell types tested, while omega-3 was found to be toxic to 33% of cell types in its highest dose.

Many of the reasons why C15:0 performed significantly better than omega-3 were due to its structure. Omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is liquid at room temperature and subject to oxidation. This means it can become rancid, just like cooking oil that stays in your pantry too long. C15:0 does not have this issue because it is a sturdy fatty acid that is a solid at room temperature and is not prone to oxidation or going rancid.

Further, C15:0 was found to be so essential for our long-term health that if we have low levels, we are at risk of developing a newly characterized nutritional deficiency syndrome called Cellular Fragility Syndrome.

What Is Cellular Fragility Syndrome?

As published in the scientific journal Metabolites, low body levels of C15:0 can result in fragile cells that accelerate cellular aging and increase the risk of developing chronic metabolic, heart, and liver conditions. This nutritional C15:0 deficiency syndrome has been named Cellular Fragility Syndrome and may be impacting as many as 1 in 3 people worldwide.

Worldwide, C15:0 levels hover below 0.2% of total fatty acid counts. Scientists believe that the optimum levels fall between 0.2% and 0.4%. Notably, Blue Zone residents (where people consistently live to be healthy, happy octogenarians) have much higher C15:0 counts, registering approximately 0.64% of their total fatty acid count. 

This is a problem because Cellular Fragility Syndrome is linked to ferroptosis, a particular type of cell death that was discovered in 2012 by Columbia University researchers. Ferroptosis is continually associated with negative health impacts, like NAFLD, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic health issues. 

Luckily, research has shown that increasing circulating levels of C15:0 not only provides the longevity benefits already discussed but also fixes Cellular Fragility Syndrome. 

Are You Deficient?

Possibly. The only way to know if you are truly deficient is to have a blood test performed. 

You can have your healthcare provider perform a fatty acid test or click here to order an at-home testing kit. If you find out you are deficient, you can improve your health and prevent Cellular Fragility Syndrome by increasing your C15:0 levels. 

That leaves one final question: How do you get more of it in your body? For C15:0, the answer is a bit more complex than simply adding a few additional foods to your plate.

Sources of C15:0

Unlike omega-3, which is abundant in many plant-based and animal foods, C15:0 is only found in trace amounts in full-fat dairy products and in the skins and heads of some fish. A decrease in the consumption of whole-fat dairy products, along with changes in agricultural practices that decreased population-wide C15:0 levels, helps to explain why levels of this fatty acid are currently so low. 

After all, who do you know that still drinks whole milk? Unfortunately, consuming more whole milk and full-fat butter isn't a great solution for increasing your levels of C150. There are a few reasons why.

Absorption Issues

In milk (and other foods), C15:0 is attached to branches of lipids called triacylglycerides, aka triglycerides. That means our gut has to use digestive enzymes to break down these triacylglycerides to release C15:0 as a free fatty acid. 

Once C15:0 is released, it is ready to be absorbed. These multiple steps can make our absorption of C15:0 from foods less efficient. 

Bad Fats

While the good C15:0 fatty acid is present in whole-fat dairy products in trace levels, there are much higher levels of 'bad' even-chain saturated fatty acids that continue to be associated with poorer health. That is probably why studies evaluating the effects of milk on our health are mixed (some say dairy fat is bad for us, while others say it is good for us). 

Calories and Sugar

Whole-fat dairy products provide a wallop of calories, including sugars (aka lactose). The calories in whole-fat milk likely explain why a large-scale recent study showed that adults who drink more dairy milk are more likely to have a higher body weight.

Cow Involvement

Sourcing your C15:0 from whole milk involves, well, cows. If you are vegan or have a desire to reduce reliance on animals, consuming more dairy isn’t the solution for you. Plant-based milks like soy milk and almond milk do not contain any C15:0. Further, cows fed corn have significantly less C15:0 in their milk.

For these reasons, getting your C15:0 from a supplement is a good option. 

Fatty15: The C15:0 Supplement

Fatty15 is the first and only supplement to contain the vegan-friendly version of C15:0 known as FA15™. This fully sustainable, pure powder form of C15:0 is all you need to elevate your circulating levels of C15:0. 

One capsule per day contains 100 mg of C15:0 and nothing else. It is already in free fatty acid form, ready to be absorbed by your body, and contains just one calorie: no sugar, bad fats, or other ingredients. All the C15:0 you need, nothing you don’t. 

Take It Any Time

With fatty15, you don’t have to worry about weird side effects, rancidity, or fishy aftertastes. Instead, you simply get longevity-promoting benefits that quite literally let you protect your cells against the aging process. 

You can take fatty15 at any time of day and enjoy the benefits for your long-term health. In terms of self-care, it’s an easy and proactive way to care for your cells and yourself. 

 

Sources:

Dietary Supplement Use Among Adults: United States, 2017–2018

Revealed: many common omega-3 fish oil supplements are ‘rancid’

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake by Age, Gender, and Pregnancy Status in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2014

Efficacy of dietary odd-chain saturated fatty acid pentadecanoic acid parallels broad associated health benefits in humans: could it be essential? | Scientific Reports

A review of odd-chain fatty acid metabolism and the role of pentadecanoic Acid (c15:0) and heptadecanoic Acid (c17:0) in health and disease | PubMed

Effect of an Asian-adapted Mediterranean diet and pentadecanoic acid on fatty liver disease: the TANGO randomized controlled trial | ScienceDirect

Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0), an Essential Fatty Acid, Shares Clinically Relevant Cell-Based Activities with Leading Longevity-Enhancing Compounds

The Cellular Stability Hypothesis: Evidence of Ferroptosis and Accelerated Aging-Associated Diseases as Newly Identified Nutritional Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0) Deficiency Syndrome

Dairy consumption and overweight and obesity: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies - Louie - 2011

Circulating fatty acids and endocannabinoidome-related mediator profiles associated to human longevity | GeroScience