Question

I believe EO-3 is a marine oil, and I’d like to feed it to my horse. Is it made from a specific fish or a variety of fish, and is the oil protected from oxidation in some way? I can see that the omega-3 fatty acids are high, but what is the remainder, please?

Answer

EO-3 is almost entirely composed of a marine oil (not diluted with other oils) sourced from a single fish: menhaden. Menhaden is a small foraging fish with a short lifespan harvested using sustainable practices and sourced directly from the fishery. A small amount of flavoring is added to the oil to boost palatability.

EO-3 contains a selection of mixed tocopherols as “sacrificial antioxidants” that are added to protect the essential fatty acids from oxidation and improve shelf life. While approximately 40% of EO-3 is made up of omega-3 (32%) and omega-6 (8%) fatty acids, which are specific polyunsaturated fatty acids, the remainder contains other types of fatty acids that are naturally occurring in fish oil (saturated, monounsaturated).

EO-3 features two long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, commonly referred to as EPA and DHA, respectively. EPA and DHA are two of the most biologically active omega-3 fatty acids, providing many physiological benefits to horses. They are most well known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Marine-derived oil such as EO-3 are direct sources of these important fatty acids.

In an effort to supplement horses with omega-3s, horsemen will sometimes reach for flax byproducts, including flax oil, yet these do not contain EPA and DHA. Instead, they contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that must be broken down to EPA and DHA through enzymatic involvement. Unfortunately, conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA is inefficient, as demonstrated by a study completed at Kentucky Equine Research.