Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular: Dose, Uses & Safety

Dale Whitcomb is fifty-eight and tunes pianos for a living, mostly in church fellowship halls and school band rooms across three counties of western North Carolina. He can hear a string sitting two cents flat over the noise of a floor buffer. At a September checkup, his practitioner wrote Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular on the back of an appointment card and asked him to think about it before his spring visit.

The card is clipped to the sun visor of his van, next to a receipt for the fish oil he already takes: a drugstore bottle with 1,000 mg printed across the front in bigger letters than the brand name. The job means a lot of kneeling, under keybeds and beside pedal lyres on bare linoleum, and by Thursday his knees and lower back have opinions about every one of those floors. The gray months make him short with customers, too, which his wife noticed before he did. He hasn't ordered the new bottle. He can't work out why one soft gel would beat the two he already swallows, or what EPA has to do with any of it.

Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular is a concentrated fish oil soft gel that delivers 660 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 60 mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in the natural triglyceride form. Ortho Molecular formulates it to maintain normal inflammatory balance, support a positive mental outlook, support joint comfort and musculoskeletal integrity, and maintain healthy cardiovascular function and blood sugar balance already within normal levels. The label dose is 1 soft gel capsule per day, or as recommended by your health care professional, and each bottle holds 60. It suits adults who want an EPA-heavy omega-3 rather than an even EPA and DHA blend, usually because a practitioner has asked for more EPA specifically. It contains fish and is made without gluten, corn, yeast, or artificial colors and flavors.

What is Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular?

It is a fish oil concentrate built around one omega-3. The Supplement Facts panel lists two actives: 660 mg of EPA and 60 mg of DHA per soft gel. That is roughly eleven parts EPA to one part DHA. In ordinary fish oil the two sit in the same general range as each other, so this ratio is deliberate, not a quirk of the fish.

Ortho Molecular is open about where it fits. Its own product page says EPA/DHA combination formulas "remain the backbone of any fish oil regimen," and presents Select EPA as a high-intensity formula for more targeted uses. That is a manufacturer telling you this is not the first fish oil most people should buy. We agree.

The oil is sourced off the Chilean coast. According to the brand's product information sheet, it is enzymatically purified, vacuum-distilled, and independently tested to ensure heavy metals, pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are removed to undetectable levels. A small antioxidant blend of natural tocopherols, rosemary extract and ascorbyl palmitate is there to protect the oil from oxidizing in the bottle. The capsule shell is gelatin, so it is not a vegetarian product.

On Covenant's shelf, Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular sits beside two siblings: Orthomega 820, the brand's balanced everyday fish oil, and Orthomega Select DHA, which flips the ratio the other way. Ortho Molecular sells through licensed health care practitioners, and at Covenant this is a clinic-access product, so you register (free) before ordering.

What the "1,000 mg" on a drugstore bottle actually means

This is the part most fish oil pages skip, and it is the answer to Dale's question. The big number on the front of a retail bottle is usually the total weight of oil in the softgel, not the omega-3s inside it. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that a typical fish oil supplement provides about 1,000 mg of fish oil containing 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA, and that amounts vary widely between products. The rest is other fats.

Run the math on Dale's two drugstore softgels and he gets something like 360 mg of EPA a day. One soft gel of Select EPA gives 660 mg. The only way to compare fish oils honestly is to turn the bottle around and read the EPA and DHA lines on the Supplement Facts panel, then multiply by the number of softgels you actually take.

OrthOmega Select EPA - 60 CT

$52.90

Orthomega® Select EPA by Ortho Molecular Products – High-Concentration EPA Omega-3 Support Orthomega® Select EPA by Ortho Molecular Products is a concentrated EPA omega-3 supplement… Click here to read more

What is in Orthomega Select EPA, and how does EPA work?

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): 660 mg per soft gel

EPA is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid. Once absorbed, it is built into the membranes that wrap nearly every cell, and from there it is used as raw material for signaling molecules called eicosanoids.

Here is the mechanism Ortho Molecular points to. Your cells also make eicosanoids from arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fat that is plentiful in most modern diets. The manufacturer explains that eicosanoids formed from EPA counteract the activity of those arachidonic-acid-derived ones, and that this is the mechanism behind maintaining normal inflammatory balance. Put simply, the mix of fats in your membranes shapes the mix of signals your cells send. The more EPA there is to draw on, the more of that signaling comes from the EPA side.

The same membrane story applies to the brain and nerves. Ortho Molecular describes long-chain omega-3s such as EPA as important components of membranes in neurological tissue, where they affect membrane fluidity and influence synaptic function, and, in the brand's own careful wording, "possibly serotonin and dopamine metabolism." That "possibly" is worth noticing. The manufacturer isn't overselling the mechanism, and neither should we. This is the basis for its claim of high-intensity support for a positive mental outlook.

Why not get EPA from flaxseed or walnuts? Those foods supply alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant omega-3 the body can turn into EPA. Ortho Molecular, citing a review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, calls that conversion slow, and the NIH fact sheet linked above describes it as limited. Fish oil skips the conversion step and hands your body EPA ready to use.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): 60 mg per soft gel

DHA is the other major marine omega-3, and here it plays a supporting role. Sixty milligrams is a small amount on purpose. If your practitioner wants you on DHA, this is the wrong bottle, and Orthomega Select DHA (580 mg of DHA per soft gel) or Orthomega 820 is the better match.

The natural triglyceride form

Fish oil concentrates come in two main chemical forms. Ortho Molecular uses the natural triglyceride form, the same structure fat takes in fish and in your food. Many concentrated fish oils on the market use ethyl esters, a semisynthetic form that is cheaper to produce. The manufacturer's point is that your digestive enzymes, the lipases that break fat down, are built for triglycerides and handle ethyl esters less easily.

There is research behind that. In a 2010 study of 72 volunteers who took about 3.3 g of EPA plus DHA daily for two weeks, bioavailability from re-esterified triglycerides came out at 124% compared with natural fish oil, while ethyl esters came out at 73%. Two honest caveats: the study used a far larger daily dose than one soft gel, and it measured how much EPA and DHA showed up in the blood, not how anyone felt. It is still a useful reason to check the form on any fish oil label before you compare prices.

Who should take Orthomega Select EPA?

The manufacturer positions it for adults needing intensive nutritional support from EPA. In practice, that tends to look like this:

• An adult whose practitioner has asked for more EPA specifically, for example after reviewing a fatty acid blood test
• People who rarely or never eat fatty fish such as salmon, sardines or mackerel
• Someone already on a balanced fish oil who has been told to add EPA without doubling their DHA
• Adults with physical jobs or active hobbies who want nutritional support for joint comfort and musculoskeletal integrity
• Those looking for nutrition-based support for a positive mental outlook, alongside sleep, daylight and regular movement
• Anyone who would rather swallow one soft gel a day than three or four

Who should not take this

The manufacturer's caution, word for word: If you are pregnant or nursing, consult your physician before taking this product.

It contains fish, and some ingredients may interact with allergies. Speak with your provider before use.

And if what you actually want is DHA, or a general-purpose omega-3, this is the wrong formula for you. See the comparison below.

If you're not sure whether this fits your situation, Holistic Health Partners offers a free product consultation. We don't want you to buy more supplements. We want you to buy the right ones, and for a lot of people asking about EPA, the right one turns out to be a balanced fish oil.

How does Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular compare to Orthomega 820 and Select DHA?

Covenant carries Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular alongside the brand's other two concentrated fish oils. All three use the triglyceride form and the same one-a-day label dose. The difference is what is inside each soft gel.

The honest read: if nobody has given you a specific reason to want extra EPA, Orthomega 820 is the better default. It carries more total omega-3s per soft gel (950 mg against 720 mg), it gives you a meaningful dose of both EPA and DHA, and it comes in larger bottles. That is the brand's "backbone" formula, and our guide to Orthomega 820 covers it in detail.

Select EPA earns its place when EPA is the point. Your practitioner may want EPA high and DHA low, or may be adding EPA on top of a fish oil you already take. If you are shopping across brands, Thorne Super EPA Pro is another EPA-forward option, and our roundup of the best omega-3 fish oil supplements compares more balanced choices.

How should I take Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular?

The label says 1 soft gel capsule per day or as recommended by your health care professional.

Ortho Molecular doesn't say whether to take it with or without food. Our suggestion is to take it with your largest meal of the day. Your body releases fat-digesting enzymes when you eat, and a soft gel that arrives along with a meal tends to sit better, with fewer fishy burps, than one swallowed on an empty stomach with coffee.

Give it time. EPA works by gradually changing the makeup of your cell membranes, and that doesn't happen in a week. The studies Ortho Molecular cites ran from about eight weeks to three months, so plan to take it consistently for at least two to three months before you decide whether it is doing anything for you.

One more thing a label won't tell you. Some of the research behind EPA used 1 to 2 grams of EPA a day, which is two to three of these soft gels. That doesn't mean you should triple the dose on your own. It means "or as recommended by your health care professional" is doing real work on this label, and the right amount for you is a conversation worth having with the person who suggested it.

If you take another fish oil as well, add the EPA and DHA from both labels together so you know your real daily total.

What won't Orthomega Select EPA do?

This is the section most supplement pages leave out.

It won't replace a balanced fish oil for general nutrition. With only 60 mg of DHA, it is a specialist formula. The manufacturer says as much.

It won't work quickly. If you expect to feel different by the end of the first bottle, you may be disappointed. Two months of steady use is the minimum fair trial.

It isn't the same as prescription EPA. A prescription form of EPA exists. It is a medication taken at much higher doses, under a prescriber's supervision. Select EPA is a dietary supplement, not a substitute, and you shouldn't swap one for the other without talking to your prescriber.

It won't stand in for care when your mood is a real problem. Supporting a positive outlook through nutrition is reasonable. Low mood that lasts for weeks, or gets in the way of work and family, is a reason to talk to your doctor.

It won't fix a bad knee. Joint comfort support is not the same as treating an injury. A knee that swells, locks or gives way needs an exam, not a fish oil.

It won't do much if you already eat a lot of fatty fish. If salmon, sardines or mackerel show up on your plate a couple of times a week, ask whether you need a concentrated EPA product at all. Food is the cheaper fix, and it brings protein and other nutrients along with it.

OrthOmega Select EPA - 60 CT

$52.90

Orthomega® Select EPA by Ortho Molecular Products – High-Concentration EPA Omega-3 Support Orthomega® Select EPA by Ortho Molecular Products is a concentrated EPA omega-3 supplement… Click here to read more

Is Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular safe?

The manufacturer's caution, word for word: If you are pregnant or nursing, consult your physician before taking this product.

The product contains fish, and some ingredients may interact with allergies, so speak with your provider before use. It does not contain gluten, corn, yeast, or artificial colors or flavors.

Fish oil is generally well tolerated. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements describes the commonly reported side effects as usually mild: an unpleasant taste, bad breath, heartburn, nausea, digestive discomfort, diarrhea, headache and odoriferous sweat. Taking the soft gel with a meal helps with most of them.

As with any supplement, consult your healthcare provider before use, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

Is Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular worth it?

For the right person, yes. Orthomega Select EPA Ortho Molecular puts 660 mg of EPA into a single soft gel, in the triglyceride form, from a practitioner brand that publishes its testing standards and is candid that balanced fish oils should come first. It suits adults whose practitioner wants more EPA, people who rarely eat fatty fish, and anyone who wants EPA-focused support for joint comfort, inflammatory balance and a positive outlook without swallowing a handful of softgels.

It doesn't suit anyone looking for DHA, anyone with a fish allergy, or anyone who wants one all-purpose omega-3 and has no reason to tilt the ratio. For them, Orthomega 820 is the better buy. The honest trade-off is that the high EPA concentration that makes this formula useful also makes it narrow: you get a lot of one omega-3 and very little of the other.

Dale did the math on the back of the appointment card. His two drugstore softgels come to about 360 mg of EPA, and he is bringing both bottles to his spring appointment.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.