Watsonville, CA, Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the supplement market flooded by varying quality standards, experts at Nordic Naturals have revealed four essential questions every consumer should consider before buying. As the leader in omega-3s, Nordic Naturals has established a new benchmark to help buyers evaluate supplement purity, potency, freshness and absorption.
Nordic Naturals is the #1 selling omega-3 brand in the U.S.‡
“The supplement aisle can be confusing, and most shoppers don’t know what to look for,” said Kate Turner, MA, RD, CPT, Head of Consumer Education at Nordic Naturals. “We built our Nordic Standard because we believe these four, science-backed factors—purity, potency, freshness and absorption—should be non-negotiable for every supplement brand. That’s why we’re sharing them. Every consumer should be asking these questions, no matter what brand they’re considering.”
The Four Questions to Ask
According to Turner, the four questions below can help shoppers make smart choices when choosing a supplement.
Is it pure? Check if the brand tests for contaminants like heavy metals. Third-party purity testing from independent labs is the gold standard – it means someone outside the company verified what’s actually in the bottle. Brands like Nordic Naturals offer transparency with testing results for each batch, available via a QR code on the label that makes it easy to look up a Certificate of Analysis for that batch of products.
Is it potent? Check the label for exact ingredient amounts. Look for the actual milligram amounts of active ingredients, like EPA and DHA for fish oils, not just the amount of total omega-3s. If the label is vague or uses undefined “proprietary blends,” that’s a warning sign that the brand may be using minimal amounts.
Is it fresh? Nutrients break down over time, especially fish oils. A red flag: if a fish oil smells or tastes fishy, it’s likely rancid – meaning the omega-3s have oxidized and lost potency. Good brands maintain freshness, carefully controlling how products are processed, packaged, and stored to prevent degradation. Also, check product packaging for manufacturing dates.
Will my body absorb it? Not all forms of nutrients work equally well. Check the supplement facts label for the specific form listed. For example, for fish oil, look for “triglyceride” or “re-esterified triglyceride” form omega-3s, which are better absorbed than “ethyl ester” form omega-3s. If the label doesn’t specify the form or uses vague language, the active ingredients may not be provided in absorbable forms that the body can utilize effectively.
“When consumers understand these four factors, they realize that not all supplements are created equal and they have the knowledge to make a more educated choice,” Turner added. “Manufacturing supplements to these exceptional, science-backed standards is more complex, more labor-intensive, and more demanding—but that’s exactly the point. Because when your nutrients meet a higher standard, your health and your life can, too.”
Nordic Naturals has built its 30+ year reputation on exceeding category standards across purity, potency, freshness, and absorption. The brand’s uncompromising commitment to the Nordic Standard reflects its positioning as both a category leader and innovator, and, according to Turner, the company hopes to help educate consumers and set expectations for other manufacturers to follow.
About Nordic Naturals
Nordic Naturals is proud to be the #1 selling omega-3 brand in the U.S.‡, trusted by millions of consumers and healthcare practitioners worldwide. Founded in 1995, Nordic Naturals set a new standard for the omega-3 industry by pioneering manufacturing methods to produce exceptionally high-quality omega-3 fish oils. Today, the company supports a healthy world with a growing portfolio of expertly formulated supplement products, each crafted to the rigorous Nordic Standard for purity, potency, freshness, and absorption. Discover the power of omega-3 at nordic.com.
‡ Based on Stackline, Nielsen, and SPINS annual sales data in the U.S.
Each Nordic Naturals product is crafted to the rigorous Nordic Standard for purity, potency, freshness, and absorption.
Press Inquiries
Katie Whitlock
kwhitlock [at] laughlin.com
http://www.nordic.com
