TrainedByJP OH Mega V - Omega 3-6-9 Plant Flax

What is TrainedByJP OH Mega V?

TrainedByJP OH Mega V is a flaxseed oil in plant-based softgel capsules. Three capsules provide 3,000 mg of flaxseed oil, of which 1,650 mg is alpha-linolenic acid — the plant-derived omega-3 — along with 450 mg of oleic acid and 300 mg of linoleic acid. The bottle holds 180 softgels, which is 60 servings.

Flaxseed oil is one of the plant sources most concentrated in alpha-linolenic acid, often shortened to ALA. It is a short-chain fatty acid that the body cannot make and which therefore has to come from food: on that basis it is described as essential, in the same way as linoleic acid from the omega-6 family.

This product answers a precise need: supplying omega-3 without going through fish. That is what appeals to vegans, vegetarians and anyone allergic to marine products. The capsules are plant-based, made from tapioca starch and glycerine, with no gelatine. The rest of the British range can be browsed in our TrainedByJP section, and the other products in the category in our omega 3 section.

What does one serving of OH Mega V contain?

The figure to hold on to is the one for the full daily dose: 3,300 mg of alpha-linolenic acid across six capsules. It matters because a European claim is attached to it and its condition is a precise one: alpha-linolenic acid contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, provided an intake of 2 g a day. At six capsules you are comfortably above that; at three capsules only, you are below it and the claim no longer applies. This is the kind of detail that decides whether a product is genuinely worth it, and it is almost never explained.

Now for the most important thing on this page, and it does not work in favour of the sale. Alpha-linolenic acid is not equivalent to EPA and DHA, the two long-chain omega-3s found in fish. The body can convert ALA into EPA and then into DHA, but that conversion rate is low, particularly for DHA. In other words, a flaxseed oil, however well dosed, does not replace a fish oil for the functions that depend specifically on EPA and DHA — heart function, brain function, vision. Those three claims apply only to EPA and DHA, never to ALA.

That does not disqualify the product: ALA has its own claim, its own nutritional value, and for a vegan diet there are not ten solutions to choose from. But you need to know what you are buying. For anyone genuinely after EPA and DHA without fish, the only equivalent route is algae oil.

A word on the ratio in the formula: 1,650 mg of omega-3 to 300 mg of omega-6, roughly five to one in favour of omega-3. That is the reverse of the profile of the usual Western diet, which is heavily dominated by omega-6.

Ingredients list

Flaxseed oil, tapioca starch, glycerine, purified water. No animal gelatine, no dairy, no artificial colouring.

Made in a facility that handles CELERY, CRUSTACEANS, FISH, MILK, MUSTARD, PEANUTS, SOYA, GLUTEN, EGG, LUPIN, MOLLUSCS, NUTS, SESAME and SULPHUR DIOXIDE. The manufacturer specifies that the absence of gluten is not certified, although no gluten goes into the raw materials.

How do you take OH Mega V?

Dose: 6 capsules a day, in two servings of 3. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with meals, 3 in the morning and 3 in the evening. Frequency: two servings daily. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks minimum according to the manufacturer, then continuous use.

Six capsules a day is a lot, and it is this product's main constraint. Better to know it before buying: if you already struggle to swallow one capsule in the morning, six spread across the day will take real discipline. The 180-softgel bottle then covers only one month, where many customers imagine three. That is a direct consequence of the dose needed to reach the 2 g of ALA a day.

Taking them with a meal is not optional. Fatty acids need bile in order to be absorbed, and bile is only released in the presence of fatty foods. A capsule swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water loses part of its value.

Do not open the capsules and do not pierce them. Flaxseed oil is one of the most fragile oils there is: it oxidises very quickly on contact with air and light, and an oxidised oil no longer delivers what it promises. That is also why the bottle should be kept somewhere cool, dry and away from light, and why it is best closed carefully.

The manufacturer suggests pairing this product with a source of vitamin E, which protects fatty acids from oxidation. It also combines without overlap with a vitamin D, taken at the same fatty meal, and sits well alongside a plant protein in a routine free of animal products.

Who is OH Mega V for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at vegans, vegetarians and people allergic to fish and shellfish, for whom marine oils are ruled out. It is also an option for anyone who cannot tolerate the taste or the repeats that come with fish oil capsules: here, the problem does not arise.

It is not advised for people on anticoagulant treatment — warfarin, aspirin — without medical advice, nor for those with a clotting disorder. That is an explicit warning from the manufacturer, and it holds for every oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids at these doses. If this applies to you, the question is one for your doctor before you buy.

It is not advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional. The facility statement is very broad and should be read carefully by anyone with allergies.

What not to expect from it. It does not replace a fish oil for the functions linked to EPA and DHA: heart, brain, vision. It will neither make you lose weight nor build muscle. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal. And it does not make up for a diet with no quality vegetable oils in it: a tablespoon of rapeseed or flaxseed oil over raw vegetables remains an excellent idea, and costs a great deal less.

Plant omega 3 or fish oil?

This is the decisive comparison in this aisle, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a sales argument.

A fish oil supplies EPA and DHA directly, the two long-chain fatty acids carrying the most interesting claims: heart function, brain function, vision. It is the most direct route and the cheapest per milligram of useful fatty acid. If you eat fish, or have nothing against it, a concentrated marine oil will be more direct and cheaper per milligram of useful fatty acid.

Flaxseed oil supplies ALA, which the body converts poorly into EPA and very poorly into DHA. It has a claim of its own, on blood cholesterol, from 2 g a day. It is perfectly legitimate — it simply is not playing on the same ground.

When is it the better choice? When fish is ruled out: a vegan diet, an allergy to marine products, or a refusal of animal oils. In that specific case it is one of the few serious options, and a dose of 3,300 mg of ALA a day is a real dose. For a broader micronutrient intake, our multivitamins section answers another question, and our spirulina section a third one again.

Frequently asked questions

How much omega-3 a day does this product give?

1,650 mg of alpha-linolenic acid across three capsules, that is 3,300 mg at the full dose of six capsules. That figure matters: the European claim on the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels assumes 2 g of ALA a day, which only the full dose reaches.

Is it equivalent to a fish oil?

No, and that is the most important point on this page. Flaxseed oil supplies ALA, which the body converts poorly into EPA and very poorly into DHA. The claims on heart, brain and visual function apply only to EPA and DHA. For a genuine plant equivalent, only algae oil will do.

Why six capsules a day?

Because that quantity is what it takes to reach a meaningful ALA dose. It is the product's main constraint, and it also explains why a bottle of 180 softgels covers only one month. Three in the morning and three in the evening, with meals.

Do they have to be taken with a meal?

Yes. Fatty acids need bile in order to be absorbed, and bile is only released in the presence of food. Taking them on an empty stomach with a plain glass of water markedly reduces the return. Breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening work perfectly well.

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes, entirely. The oil comes from flaxseed and the shell is made of tapioca starch, glycerine and water, with no animal gelatine. That is in fact the main audience this product is aimed at.

Is there a fishy taste?

No, and that is a genuine argument in its favour. The complaint most often levelled at fish oil capsules — the fishy repeats, especially on an empty stomach — does not apply here. Flaxseed oil has no marine taste at all.

How long does one bottle last?

180 softgels at six a day: one month exactly. Since the manufacturer recommends a course of 8 to 12 weeks minimum, reckon on two to three bottles for a full course. That is a budget best anticipated at the first purchase.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP OH Mega V?

The bottle of 180 softgels can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we sell this product on one condition: that the customer knows a flaxseed oil is not a fish oil. Those who rule out fish leave with it; the others often leave with something else, and that is exactly as it should be. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.