New health supplement rich in benefits, good fat

BOULDER — Last October, Boulder-based OmegaTech Inc. launched a DHA-rich nutrition supplement and food additive with an array of documented health benefits, DHA Gold.

Not only can docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) protect against sudden death from abnormal heart rhythms, the long chain fatty acid was found to have other possible rewards, said Mary Van Elswyk, registered dietitian and assistant director of medical affairs for Martek Biosciences Boulder Corp., which acquired OmegaTech in April.

Other benefits of DHA included increased cognitive and visual acuity, lowering triglyceride levels, supporting the immune system, and enhancing development of the brain and central nervous system in infants, she added.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Business Cares: May 2024

As Mental Health Awareness Month unfolds in Colorado, it serves as a reminder of the collective responsibility to prioritize mental well-being.

William Barclay, a marine ecologist, founded OmegaTech in 1987 and is credited with discovering the omega-3 used in DHA Gold. Originally, Barclay was working on finding marine-based alternative fuel sources when he began to hear about omega-3 and all the health benefits it offers. Following a hunch, he abandoned his search for fuel alternatives and began looking for marine-based omega-3. On his second try out, collecting various different types of algae off the coast of California, he found the algae source that is now used in DHA Gold.

So much attention has been focused on the benefits of DHA that OmegaTech was acquired by the Maryland-based Martek Biosciences Corp. in an all-stock deal valued at $50 million. The Boulder-based division, renamed Martek Bioscience Boulder Corp., will continue to focus on DHA-enriched food and supplements for people of all ages.

DHA is an omega-3 derivative. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly unsaturated fats that occur naturally in fish and other marine products. DHA Gold, in contrast to other food supplements containing DHA on the market, is derived from marine algae, not fish.

?Obtaining omega-3 from fish has issues ? some perceived and some real,? said Van Elswyk. Perceived issues include a U.S. public that is generally unfamiliar with how to prepare fish, and therefor doesn’t consume it regularly. One of the real issues with fish in the possible contamination from pollutants, such as mercury.

OmegaTech’s product is made from homegrown algae in controlled environments so they can increase the consistency, purity and reliability of the DHA obtained, Van Elswyk said. ?Our product is a stable product. We know how much DHA is in it each time,? she said.

DHA Gold has a minimum of 36 percent DHA, while fish oil averages about 9 percent, she added. ?The algae is grown within a three-day time span and harvested within another day.? OmegaTech uses a patented technology to grow the algae in a fermentation process similar to yeast.

As of July, thanks to a flurry of published articles in various medical journals, OmegaTech already has experienced a spiked awareness of DHA. The April 11, 2002 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine printed a study that found men with high blood levels of long chain omega-3 fatty acids were strongly protected against sudden death from heart attack.

?The phone started ringing off the hook after the published reports about DHA appeared in April,? said Van Elswyk. In light of mounting favorable medical reviews, she expects the public will see a recommended daily allowance (RDA) for omega-3 to be announced sometime this fall. Numerous international markets already have established RDAs for omega-3 that range from 200 milligrams to 2000 milligrams.

Currently, Martek is pitching the benefits of DHA to companies with products such as yogurt, soymilk and cheese. Van Elswyk anticipates consumers will find DHA Gold-enriched foods in stores within the next 12 to 18 months.

Both OmegaTech and Martek believe the worldwide market for DHA-based food and beverages, which is estimated at $1 billion, will grow as awareness of the fatty acid’s nutritional benefits increases.