Q&A WITH DR. HARVEY

Q: Is your high grade fish oil in the triglyceride form or in the ethyl ester form? – Patrick Grimes

A: The quick answer to your question is that the omega-3s in our High Grade Fish Oil product are in the triglyceride form. Let me give everyone a quick primer on this topic since I will assume most people reading this may not be aware of why the question and our products are important.

The molecular form of fish oils is one of the most controversial and debated quality issues within the dietary supplement industry. Triglycerides (TG) are the natural molecular form of fats and typically found in food sources. Ethyl esters (EE) are a synthetically derived alternative form. The majority of fish oil concentrates sold in the U.S. and globally is EE with only a small portion of fish oils sold as the natural TG form. It is far more costly to process fish oils in the TG form. The digestion and absorption bioavailability mechanisms are key differences between both forms. 

There are numerous published studies on the bioavailability of fish oils in the EE and TG form. Most studies measure the amount of EPA and DHA in the blood following the ingestion of a test dose sample. The overall scientific evidence suggests that fish oil EPA and DHA (48%) in the TG (36%) forms are far better absorbed than EPA and DHA in the EE form. Omega-3 fish oils in the EE form are much less stable and readily oxidize compared to the natural TG form. Fish oils in the natural triglyceride form offer numerous advantages as compared to fish oils in the ethyl ester for in terms of safety, enhanced bioavailability, high stability and is the form found in nature.

A: MaxPro would be a safe protein snack to take in-between meals during your pregnancy. I would not recommend MaxPro as a meal replacement since it does not contain added vitamins, minerals or fiber. If you are looking for an all natural option, we have a MaxPro Natural Vanilla flavor. It is always advisable to let your doctor know of any supplements you are taking during each trimester of your pregnancy.

Q: My trainer says to take 5 grams of BCAAs before my workout. I don't see the grams of doseage on the Max Amino Acid capsules bottle, just the quantity per serving. – Kent McCallister

A: Each serving of Amino Max is 6 capsules. A serving would provide approximately 663mg or .663g of the branched-chain amino acids leucine, valine and isoleucine. Since your trainer recommends a much higher dose before your workout, Amino Max may not be the best option. You would have to take about 7.5 servings (45 capsules) to meet the 5g requirement. For you, I would recommend Pro BCAA, which was developed specifically for those requiring a higher potency of the BCAAs per serving. Pro BCAA has 7g of the BCAAs per serving, which would adequately meet your needs. We have also added glutamine, glycine and citrulline malate to the formula so it's much more comprehensive. We now have three great flavors of Pro BCAA including pink lemonade, watermelon and tangerine. MS&F