A new phospholipid technology provides higher omega-3 levels at lower doses and is customizable for specific health benefits.

There is no disputing it. Omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentanoic (EPA) acids, are critical for the healthful operation of the human body, with a substantial amount of supporting evidence. The trouble is the body cannot produce these essential nutrients on its own and must accumulate them through the diet. Because most American’s don’t eat enough fish containing these healthy fats, the demand for omega-3 fish oil supplements remains important.

In fact, fish/animal oils are among the top-selling ingredients in several key supplement categories, according to data from Nutrition Business Journal’s Condition Specific Report 2022. They are listed as a primary ingredient in categories including support for heart, brain, vision, joint and pre- and post-natal care, and they will represent a nearly $1.3 billion U.S. market in 2023.^[1]

Clinical comparison

Naturmega set out to compare Ruby-O’s bioavailability with that of a comparable dose of krill oil in a recent clinical study.^[3] The direct comparison was important so that Naturmega could see both the functionality and absorption properties of Ruby-O™, which contains a higher concentration of EPA and DHA, as compared to krill. “The most interesting result we found with the bioavailability study is the concentration and quick rate of EPA and DHA reaching the blood absorption profile,” explained Daniel Minski, director of operation for Originates, the distributor of Ruby-O™ in North America. “The results of this study indicate that the average levels of EPA, DHA and EPA+DHA from a single dose of Ruby-O™ were higher than after a single dose of the krill oil product during the first 10 hours,” he said.

The study importantly illustrates both safety and functionality of Ruby-O™, Minski noted. “The data shows that Ruby-O™ provides 64% more EPA+DHA than the krill oil supplement in a single capsule, which resulted in higher AUC for EPA+DHA during the first 10 hours following a single dose.

Customized concentrations

To create these customized concentrates, Naturmega uses a proprietary technology–molecular distillation–which allows concentration of the EPA and DHA using temperatures below 120°C to avoid deterioration in the oil’s molecular structure.

Of course, the most important raw material in Ruby-O is the fish oil itself, which comes from deep-water fish from the Peruvian coasts considered the cleanest in the world, which means less concern about pollutants. And it’s suitable for use in a variety of delivery formats including chews, gummies, powders and softgels.

Ultimately, Ruby-O™ is a customizable and sustainable solution for today’s evolving omega-3 market. “Ruby-O´s versatility is important because you can decide the amount of EPA and DHA you need according to your functionality target,” Minski added. “EPA and DHA omega-3s are transported better by Ruby-O´s phospholipids so they can deliver higher and faster EPA and DHA.  This capacity of delivering an omega-3 is the one that matters most when thinking in delivery systems, you can use them as a delivery platform.”