IO Genix Omega 3 - Essential Fatty Acids EPA DHA

What is IO Genix Omega 3?

It is a fish oil supplement in softgel capsules, with a daily serving of two capsules providing 2,000 mg of fish oil and 12 mg of vitamin E. The bottle covers 45 servings, that is a month and a half.

The formula is short: fish oil, vitamin E in the form of d-L-alpha-tocopherol acetate, and a shell made of gelatine, glycerine and water. Because the shell is gelatine, the product is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans — this is something few product pages mention, and it rules out a proportion of buyers straight away.

The vitamin E is not there by chance: polyunsaturated fatty acids oxidise, and adding a fat-soluble antioxidant to the oil is the usual way of slowing that process inside the capsule. At 12 mg per serving, it also reaches 100% of the nutrient reference value. The product sits in our omega 3 and IO Genix sections.

What does a two-capsule serving contain?

Pack size: 45 servings of 2 capsules. NRV for vitamin E within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 12 mg.

The two “not disclosed” lines deserve a pause, because they are the single most important point on this page. The manufacturer declares 2,000 mg of fish oil but does not publish, in the labelling data available to us, the EPA and DHA contents. Yet those two figures, and those alone, are what makes it possible to compare one omega 3 with another. A fish oil can contain 18% EPA-DHA or 60%: the weight of oil tells you nothing.

The direct consequence, and we own it: we cannot use any of the authorised claims for omega 3. The wording “EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart” assumes an intake of at least 250 mg a day, and “DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and normal vision” assumes 250 mg of DHA. With no declared content, those thresholds cannot be verified. We would rather say so than repeat a figure found elsewhere: check the EPA/DHA statement printed on the bottle you receive, that is what counts.

What we can state without reservation concerns vitamin E: vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. At 100% of the NRV per serving, the regulatory threshold is comfortably cleared. On the published data as it stands, that is the only claim usable on this product.

One last safety marker: EFSA regards 5 g a day of combined EPA and DHA as an intake that raises no concern in adults. A serving of 2 g of total oil stays well below that, whatever the actual concentration.

How do you take IO Genix Omega 3?

Serving: 2 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with a meal, morning or evening, it makes no difference. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: ongoing, as the manufacturer sets no fixed course length.

The “with a meal” instruction is not optional here, unlike with many supplements. This is an oil and a fat-soluble vitamin: their absorption depends directly on fat being present in the stomach at the same time. Two capsules swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water means part of the product goes to waste.

The remedy for fishy repeats, which is the leading reason people give up on this type of product, comes down to two tricks. Take the capsules in the middle of the meal rather than at the start, and keep the bottle somewhere cool: oil that has been warmed goes rancid, and a rancid capsule announces itself the moment you wake up.

On the time of day, the manufacturer does not take a view, and rightly so: omega 3 has no acute effect, only regularity counts. Take it at whichever meal you will reliably remember, which is usually dinner.

One combination precaution to finish: the manufacturer asks you to avoid taking it alongside an anticoagulant without medical advice. That question is one for your doctor, never for a product page.

Who is this omega 3 right for, and who is it not right for?

It is aimed at people who eat little oily fish — sardine, mackerel, salmon, herring — which is to say most people. Two capsules a day at dinner, one bottle every six weeks: it is an undemanding supplement, and its simplicity is its main selling point.

The product contains FISH. Traces of GLUTEN, EGG, MILK and SOYA are possible. The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and rules it out for under-18s. It asks you to consult a healthcare professional in case of a clotting disorder, anticoagulant treatment or cardiovascular disease. Store in a dry place, away from light and moisture.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans, since the capsule is gelatine and the contents are of marine origin. Nor is it suitable if you want to compare EPA and DHA doses precisely: with no published contents, the comparison cannot honestly be made, and that is this product's real limitation.

What not to expect from it. It is neither a cardiovascular treatment nor a performance product. No claim can be made here beyond the vitamin E one, and an omega 3 supplement does not replace two portions of fish a week — it fills a gap, and does nothing more than that.

Marine omega 3 or plant-based omega 3?

This is the only real choice in the category, and it turns not on a matter of principle but on a difference between molecules.

A fish oil supplies EPA and DHA directly, the two fatty acids the European claims relate to. A flaxseed-based plant omega 3, such as the one in the TrainedByJP range, supplies alpha-linolenic acid, which the body has to convert into EPA and then DHA — a conversion known to be limited. The authorised wording is not the same either: ALA “contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels”, which is a different matter.

Plant omega 3 is the better choice, and the only possible one, if you are vegan, allergic to fish, or if the marine aftertaste has made you give up in the past. That is reason enough: a product taken every day beats a better-designed product that stays in the cupboard.

Fish oil keeps the advantage on direct EPA and DHA intake. That said, on this particular product those contents are not published: if your aim is to reach the 250 mg a day that unlocks the claims, choose a product in the category that states its figures. To round things off in winter, our vitamin D section answers a neighbouring and far better documented need; and if it is the antioxidant side that interests you, the vitamin E and CoQ-10 sections offer dedicated formulas.

Frequently asked questions

How much EPA and DHA are in one serving?

The manufacturer does not publish these contents in the labelling data available to us. We will not invent them: they are, however, the only figures that allow two omega 3 products to be compared, since the weight of fish oil carries no informative value on its own. Check the statement on the bottle you receive.

Why does it have to be taken with a meal?

Because this is an oil and a fat-soluble vitamin. Their absorption depends on fat being present in the digestive tract at the same time. Two capsules on an empty stomach with a glass of water means part of the product is lost — and it is a very common mistake.

How do you avoid fishy repeats?

Two habits are enough in most cases: swallow the capsules in the middle of the meal rather than at the start, and keep the bottle somewhere cool. Oil that has been warmed goes rancid, and a rancid capsule announces itself immediately. If the problem persists, a plant-based omega 3 will settle the matter.

How long does a bottle last?

Forty-five days, at two capsules a day, that is 45 servings. The manufacturer sets no fixed course length and recommends ongoing use: with this type of nutrient, it is regularity over several months that counts, not an intensive three-week stint.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No, on two counts. The shell is gelatine of animal origin, and the contents are a fish oil. A vegetarian or vegan should turn to a plant-based omega 3, bearing in mind that it supplies ALA rather than EPA and DHA.

Can it be taken alongside anticoagulant treatment?

Not without medical advice: that is the precaution explicitly stated by the manufacturer, which also covers clotting disorders and cardiovascular disease. This question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist, the only people who know your medication.

What is the vitamin E doing in the formula?

It plays two roles. Inside the capsule, it is a fat-soluble antioxidant that slows the oxidation of the oil. In the body, at 12 mg per serving, that is 100% of the NRV, it allows the only regulatory wording usable on this product to be applied: vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

Where can you buy IO Genix Omega 3?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. This is a supplement that works over the long run: better to order one in advance than to break off for three weeks.

At the Vendargues store, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a category where we systematically turn the bottle over before selling it, so we can read the EPA-DHA line together. It is the only figure that matters, and many customers discover on that occasion that until then they had been comparing weights of oil. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.