The YOU Docs, an influential duo consisting of Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen, have endorsed algae-sourced omega-3 fatty acids in their syndicated newspaper column in recent months. It’s a recommendation that Dr. Mark Edwards, vice president of corporate development and marketing at Algae Biosciences Incorporated, has greeted with enthusiasm.
AlgaeBio will soon begin commercial production of its ultra-pure omega-3 fatty acid oils, sourced from marine algae and grown in abundant Arizona sunlight, at its production facilities in the high desert plains near Holbrook.
“The YOU Docs reflect the substantial recent medical research supporting the critical antioxidants found in omega-3 fatty acids,” says Dr. Edwards. “And as mainstream doctors recognize and recommend the substantial human and ecological health benefits from algae omega-3s, consumers will begin to shift from fish-based to vegetarian-based omega-3s.”
Dr. Oz, who hosts The Dr. Oz Show on television sets across the United States, is vice-chairman of cardiovascular services at New York-based Columbia University Medical Center’s Department of Surgery. Dr. Roizen, meanwhile, is chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic.
Back in February, the YOU Docs wrote in their column: “We YOU Docs choose algae-based omega-3 supplements . . . we like them because they avoid potential toxins such as mercury and PCBs that can be in fish-derived oils. They also deliver plenty of DHA — one form of omega-3 that readily converts into the other, called EPA.”
Just last week, the YOU Docs supported that stance in another syndicated column on omega-3s, writing: “Missing out on these good fats, also found in salmon, trout, and the fish-free algal oil capsules we prefer, shrinks your brain and boosts dementia risk. . . . You can get DHA from fish oil. But if you don’t like fish oil or are a strict vegetarian, pop what we pop: algal-oil capsules. Algae-based DHA omega-3 supplements get their fats from the same place fish do: microscopic algae.”
AlgaeBio and Global Health Trax of Vista, Calif., have in place a sales and distribution contract that gives GHT exclusive rights to purchase and distribute AlgaeBio’s ultra-pure, omega-3 fatty acid oils to the nutraceutical, food additive, and animal feed markets. AlgaeBio is soon expected to complete a $5-million, first-phase expansion process at its production facilities, and begin large-scale commercial production of its highly regarded algal oils.
The initial output of AlgaeBio’s algal oils — which will be packaged for consumers by GHT as AlgaeBio Omega-3 Origins, and made available in both adult and child dosage — will contain equal parts of the long-chain essential fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) at a blended ratio of 40 per cent.
Dr. Edwards points out that the absence of residual toxins and heavy metals is just one reason to choose algae-sourced omega-3s — there’s also the sustainability issue.
“Fish populations are plummeting globally, and scientific consensus recommends a 50 per cent reduction in the catch of small fish, which are currently the primary source of fish oil,” says Dr. Edwards. “Fish do not synthesize omega-3s. They get their omega-3s from their algae diet. Algal omega-3s enable humans to consume healthier omega-3s while preserving dwindling fish populations.”
