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Seal oil is intermediate to fish oils in omega-3 long chain, polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega-3 LCPUFA) content. It contains about 20 % of omega-3 LCPUFA, of which about 7.5 % are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), about 4 % are docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), which is more than double the concentration of the commercially available fish oils, and about 8.5 % are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DPA is very desirable, especially because it can easily be converted to DHA or to EPA, depending on physiological requirements. Equally importantly, recent studies have shown DPA to be a more powerful anti-atherogenic compound than EPA and DHA and to be the most important of the three fatty acids for maintaining the integrity of arterial walls.
The fatty acid profile of seal oil is advantageous in other respects as well, compared to fish oils. It is very low in arachidonic acid (about 0.5 %), an n-6 fatty acid, which is a precursor of thromboxanes, compounds which promote blood clotting instead of blood thinning. Fish oils contain from 1.0 –2.5 % of this acid. Seal oil is high in oleic acid, about 24 %, which is about double that of most fish oils. Oleic acid is the primary fatty acid (80 %) found in olive oil. Palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid implicated in atherosclerosis, is low in seal oil compared to fish oils, whereas its monounsaturated isomer palmitoleic acid, which is similar to oleic acid, is very high compared to fish oils.
Another very significant advantage of seal oil over fish oils is the location of EPA, DPA and DHA in the triglyceride structure of the oil. These three acids are primarily located on the two ends (Sn1 and Sn3) of the glycerol backbone rather than in the middle (Sn2) position, as is the case with fish oils. This means that they are more easily absorbed during digestion.
Finally, the cholesterol concentration in Arctic Omega-3 Seal Oil is significantly lower than in fish oils due to the lower levels found in blubber oil compared to those found in the whole body oils of fish. Cholesterol is also lower in Arctic Omega-3 Seal Oil than in other seal oils due to the unique processing. Lower cholesterol allows a higher daily intake of omega-3 oil.
