Omega XL Reviews: Good Omega-3 Supplement?

Omega XL Review: Does this Omega-3 supplement live up to the hype?

There a lot of claims made about Omega XL supplements. Their Omega 3 poster boy is Larry King, Great Health Works have really put time into the social proofing on this product to give it as much credibility as possible.

So what are Great Health Works, Omega XL, and Larry K claiming that this product can do for inflammation and other issues?

They claim Omega XL:

• Supports Joint Health and Mobility
• Delivers Omega 3 and more
• Potentially support health conditions such as arthritis and high blood pressure
• Has 22x more Omega-3 Fatty Acids than Fish Oil to help joints
• Has no fishy aftertaste like with fish oils
• Produced from the Pristine Waters of New Zealand

And a lot more claims. The main marketing approach Omega XL products appear to be taking is “stop taking fish oil supplements, Green Lipped Mussel oil from New Zealand is better”.

They have a lot to say about fish oil and how it’s not the best way to get Omega 3 into your life. They really slam them on their fish oil aftertaste and claim they aren’t as easily absorbed as mussel oil. Omega XL is also a lot smaller than most fish oil supplements and tablets, yet Great Healthworks claim that OmegaXL can deliver 30 healthy fatty acids as opposed to the standard 2 that you get in fish oil supplements.

What’s in Omega XL?

Each Omega XL product contains one ingredient, and one ingredient only: the OmegaXL proprietary blend. This is literally just one ingredient which is patented Green Lipped Mussel extract (also known as PCSO-524). PCSO 524 contains omega 3 fatty acids, extra virgin olive oil and d-alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Although we know that the proprietary blend is 300 mg in this review, what we don’t know is the exact doses of the ingredients in Omega XL.

For example, how much of PCSO-524 is omega 3 fatty acids? How much of it is virgin olive oil? What about the Vitamin E? How can we, as a reviewer learn more about this?

It’s hard for us to gauge how effective this supplement will be in this review, because Great Healthworks (the manufacturer) have not disclosed that information. This lessens your ability to know just how effective it is for joint pain relief.

The majority of information that we know is that Omega XL uses Green Lipped Mussel Oil Extract from the waters of New Zealand. Great Healthworks claim that this is far better than any other type of fish oil supplements, and that New Zealand water is among the cleanest in the world.

Whatever the case may be, we’re only interested in the objective information and if this product really can help joint pain, and that’s what we’re hoping to uncover in this review.

Below we’ll give more of a report of the ingredients, Omega 3s and what you can expect from this product in general.

Note: To take Omega XL simply consume two pills per day. Each pill can be taken together.

As we’ve already mentioned, it’s a proprietary blend. OmegaXL proprietary blend contains PCSO-524 and also your Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Vitamin E. That’s all you can see on the bottle.

We don’t know the dosages of anything apart from the fact that there’s 300 mg in a capsule altogether. Those dosages could be super high or super low in either direction. 1 mg could be fatty acids, and 298.5 mg of it could be vitamin E, leaving just a small 0.5 mg for Olive Oil.

This would be a lot easier to investigate and review if Omega XL were more transparent about the dosages and omega 3s in their product.

This gives us the figures that PCSO-524 is roughly two thirds olive oil and one third Green Lipped Mussel. This is not ideal to read, given that olive oil is far cheaper to purchase in much larger qualities than Omega XL products.

Green Lipped Mussel Extract (PCSO-524)

There are not many manufacturers using Green Lipped Mussel extract as an alternative to fish oil supplements for EPA and DHA acids. The first reason that comes to mind for this is that there is not a lot of evidence and research on it to show that it is more effective for joint pain relief from the academic reviews.

There is no cut and dry breakdown of the fatty acids in Green Lipped Mussel, nor is there a distinct dosage presented for how much of it you’re actually getting in Omega XL products.

The only information that we can get about this ingredient is by looking into it’s patented name (PCSO-542) and seeing what research / evidence has been looked at into this particular nutrient.

In one of the main studies [2] wherein PCSO-542 and Fish Oil supplements were given to different groups of participants to compare results, the results seemed relatively similar. There was no placebo group. Both groups showed health benefits and pain reduction over a 12 week period. With the main difference being the fish oil supplements group experienced a level of side effects being the fishy aftertaste.

According to that study, there’s not much difference between the two – however, we would say that the group taking PSCO-542 were taking doses of 400 mg – which is significantly more than the entire proprietary blend of Omega XL products.

This means you may not get as much EPA and DHA as the subjects did in this trial.

The original study that we mentioned earlier that let us know what PCSO-524 actually contains doesn’t shed much light either. Again, it is compared against something that is not a placebo – only against pure olive oil.

The problem with there being no placebo group is that we have no evidence of how much of a difference this ingredient actually makes when compared to not taking it – unless they’re suggesting the olive oil in their product doesn’t provide any benefit.

Another issue that concerns us is that these studies are all funded by the makers of PCSO-524 (Pharmlink International Ltd. AKA Lyprinol – another joint pain supplement), which may compromise the information and evidence of this omega 3 supplement to some extent.

They are not an independent party, they are actively involved and sponsoring the research. This can lead to questions of credibility when it comes to the claims about joint pain. They have everything to gain from these studies showing positive benefits as an anti-inflammatory.

We would like to see studies and academic reviews on this nutrient from more independent parties, using a placebo group and seeing just how effective this mussel extract is for delivering healthy essential fatty acids.

Omega XL Side Effects

In this section, we’ll discuss if there are any side effects associated with using Omega XL products, and if there is anything that you have to worry about given the ingredients in this product, and the lack of transparency in terms of dosages by the manufacturer.

One thing is for sure, you know you’re not getting the aftertaste that you get with fish oils by taking these omega 3s!

What are the Side Effects of Taking Omega XL?

None. There doesn’t appear to be any side effects associated with the use of Omega XL. If you do an analysis of the ingredients, all you appear to be getting is olive oil (used a lot in cooking), Omega fatty acids, and Vitamin E. All of these ingredients are relatively harmless and unlikely to cause any side effects.

Even in the research that focuses primarily on PCSO-524, there are no side effects that have been reported.

Is there still a chance that you could experience side effects from using Omega XL products, though?

Potentially, as the Omega fatty acids in here are sourced from mussels. Although mussels fall into the mollusk category of shellfish, if you are allergic to shellfish or seafood – there is a chance that this supplement could trigger a reaction if you’re sensitive to fish.

Omega XL say that they have removed the allergenic proteins from the molluscan shellfish oil taken from the Green Lipped Mussel, we would still be extra cautious when it comes to using this health supplement if you are known to have reactions to shellfish.

There is always some concerns when it comes to seafood as well regarding high levels of mercury with fish – which could lead to other issues. More recently algae Omega-3 supplements have been looking more and more promising on the market – and are a great vegan alternative.

If you have any concerns about Omega XL – we suggest you seek medical advice from your doctor, or a medical professional.

Omega XL Reviews Mayo Clinic

There is no official Omega XL review from the Mayo Clinic from their members – or none that we could access anyway. However, there is a short minute long benefit from the Mayo Clinic which sums up the use of fish oil supplements and how it can help heart health, joint pain and more by taking an omega-3 supplement.

There are plenty of options out there when it comes to Omega-3 aside from Omega XL and regular fish oil supplements. There are now vegan alternatives that use Algae which is just as effective for delivering sufficient Omega 3 and fighting joint pain.

Omega XL Review Summary

Omega XL is not the best Omega 3 supplement that we’ve come across on the market – but it certainly isn’t the worst. The reason it’s so big doesn’t seem to be from their claims of how it differs to fish oil supplements, but more to the fact that they are running numerous commercials of product on a daily basis.

With customer reviews from celebrities such as Larry King – Omega XL are certainly forking out a lot of cash in marketing to promote this inflammation health supplement.

But does it really work? In our opinion, the formula may need some revision. Although it does have the benefits of an Omega 3 supplement – it does appear to be under-dosed in some areas.

We say this because of the research showing us that the core ingredient in Omega XL is 66% olive oil, rather than Omega 3 options like DHA and EPA.

And although it is an alternative to fish oil supplements, Omega XL is still not a vegan option. Most people who look for alternatives to fish oil supplements for Omega 3 are typically looking for a vegetarian of vegan alternative.

For the price, you’re paying an awful lot for something that is 66% percent olive oil, there are better ways to get your Omega 3s, but we respect the amount of promotion that has gone into this product – it’s really put them on the map.

Our Current #1 Omega-3:
Performance Lab

Performance Lab Omega-3 is currently the most effective Omega-3 supplement that we have come across on the market.

Being 100% vegan and sourced entirely from algae, it is one of the safest and cleanest forms of Omega-3 the market has to offer.

With a great 2:1 ratio of DHA to EPA, it balanced, easy to absorb and ideal for:

• Brain and Eye Performance
• Aiding Stiff Joints and Soothing Muscles
• Heart and Blood Pressure Support

You can find out about Performance Lab Omega-3, how it works and what it does below in our full review.

Read our
– Performance Lab Omega 3 Review –

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Omega XL FAQ

This is where we cover our most frequently asked questions about Omega XL. These are questions that we couldn’t fit into the main review – but are still important questions regarding the product.

Learn more about how this health supplement could help you with inflammation, the omega 3s and just general questions that we couldn’t find a way to organically work into the product reviews for this item.

Does Omega XL really work for pain?

Omega XL should have some effect when it comes to helping with back pain from joint discomfort. Omega 3s and other fatty acids in here are always good options for targeting pain relief and helping with inflammation, potentially with health conditions like arthritis.

However, what you need to consider is whether or not it is the best option for you. As you’ve seen in our review, we have numerous concerns about Omega XL.

There are other options out there on the market, for a similar price – if not cheaper. Just make sure you do your research first to make sure you’re getting the best price.

Is Omega XL FDA approved?

Omega XL is not FDA approved. That said, nor is any other any Omega 3 supplement, as they do not come under FDA review. Omega XL is a dietary health supplement – not a drug. By not being a drug, Omega XL cannot get approved by the FDA – purely because it doesn’t fall within their scope of what they cover.

Omega XL cannot be FDA approved a product that is an Omega 3 supplement, and is only available over the counter either in store or online with no prescription needed.

Does Omega XL help you lose weight?

There is some research into Omega 3 supplements and weight loss – however, the overall effects are far from significant from these products. Those in weight loss studies with Omega 3 supplements have seen that it can deliver very modest weight loss when used long term.

In short, it’s unlikely that this product will offer you much results in this department, if you’re looking to use it for weight loss – you may be disappointed.

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References:

[1] Mickleborough TD, Sinex JA, Platt D, Chapman RF, Hirt M. The effects PCSO-524®, a patented marine oil lipid and omega-3 PUFA blend derived from the New Zealand green lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus), on indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammation after muscle damaging exercise in untrained men: a randomized, placebo controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:10. Published 2015 Feb 19. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0073-z

[2] Zawadzki M, Janosch C, Szechinski J. Perna canaliculus lipid complex PCSO-524™ demonstrated pain relief for osteoarthritis patients benchmarked against fish oil, a randomized trial, without placebo control. Mar Drugs. 2013;11(6):1920-1935. Published 2013 Jun 5. doi:10.3390/md11061920