Supplementing Omega-3 fatty acids is one of the most important things you can do. The anti-inflammatory effects of Omega-3s EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) have been thoroughly researched, and have been proven to be beneficial, specifically for dogs. (If you want more background, please click here for a general article on Omega-3s, or click here to read about the various choices of Omega-3s available, and the pros and cons of each.)

A couple of years ago, your authors were  introduced to a non-fish form of Omega-3, an oil from New Zealand green-lipped mussels (GLM) called MOXXOR. We’ve taken a hard look at the data (pro and con), and are very impressed. The teeny tiny capsules are very easy to give by mouth. Of course, the capsules can also be punctured and and the oil added to food; the taste is definitely ocean, but it’s not strongly fishy.

MOXXOR mussels are raised in New Zealand, in clean waters that will never be tainted by Fukushima radiation. They are completely sustainable, and their cold-processing is far more humane than fish products can ever be. GLM oil’s mild taste and superior antioxidant characteristics have us convinced–and that’s not an easy thing to do! Here’s some technical background:

Greenlip Mussel Oil

New Zealand greenlip mussels (Perna canaliculus) are grown under a Sustainable Farming Program that ensures the long term viability of the greenlip mussel industry, with minimum impact on the environment. GLM are bi-valve mollusks known to be a rich source of 33 fatty acids, of which 18 are Omega-3s (including EPA and DHA). One of GLM’s unique array of Omega-3s is ETA (eicosatetraenoic acid). ETA, which is not found in any other foods to any measurable degree, has extremely powerful ant-inflammatory properties.

GLM oil has the following fatty acid profile:

• (EPA) Eicosapentaenoic C20:5n-3: 4.7%
• (DHA) Docosahexaenoic c22:6n-3: 3%
• Palmitic C16:0: 14.2%
• Myristic C14:0: 0.9%
• Myristoleic C14:1: 0.1%
• Penadecanoic C15:0: 0.1%
• Hexadencenoic C16:1: 2.9%
• Magaric C17:0: 0.2%
• Heptadecenoic C17:1: 0.1%
• Stearic C18:0: 2.5%
• Oleic C18:1n-9: 52.8%
• Linoleic C18:2n-6: 12.1%
• Octadecadienic C18:2: 0.8%
• Alpha Linoleic C18:3n-3: 1.0%
• Arachidic C20:0: 0.2%
• Eicosenic C20:4n-9: 0.7%
• Eicosatetraenoic C20:4n-3: 0.1%
• Arachidonic C20:4n-6: 0.3%
• Heneicosapentaenoic C20:5n-3: 0.1%
• Docosanoic C22:0: 0.1%
• Docosapentaenoic C22:6n-3: 0.3%
• Tetracosanoic C24:0: 0.1%

MOXXOR is the premier producer of New Zealand greenlip mussel oil: it is organic; sustainably grown; cold-extracted; and certified free of mercury and other toxins and pollutants. In order to ensure freshness, the mussels grown for MOXXOR are processed in a facility built on the shores of the Marlborough sound where they are grown and harvested (try visiting it on Google Earth, it’s amazing!). Because the southern hemisphere’s oceanic circulation is essentially isolated from the north, radiation from the Fukushima nuclear reactor cannot reach it. 

In addition, the other two components of MOXXOR, Sauvignon Blanc grape seed husk extract and kiwifruit seed oil, provide additional antioxidant power, including all eight components of the Vitamin E family. These ingredients safeguard Moxxor’s freshness and stability by scavenging the oxygen free radicals that cause rancidity. (We’ll talk more about antioxidants another day…there’s more news on that front all the time!)

MOXXOR’s cold processing makes it more bioavailable than other products. This, as well as the absence of fillers or carrier oils, is what allows the very small GLM oil capsule (far right in photo) to contain more antioxidant power than the larger krill oil capsules (center) and gigantic fish oil capsules (far left). [Photos enlarged for comparison.]

Click here for the shopping page or, if the link isn’t working, visit www.mymoxxor.com/holisticvet.

To sign up as a Preferred Customer (and get a big discount) and/or autoship, be sure to click the JOIN link in the upper right corner. Don’t worry, this does not obligate you to become a distributor (unless of course you want to!). You can cancel any autoship at any time, but you definitely want to get the Preferred Customer discount.