Holland & Barrett Triple Omega 3-6-9 Capsules
Omega 3 6 9 capsules supply three families of fatty acid in one softgel, and the omega-3 in them helps support normal heart, brain and vision function, taken at two capsules a day with meals.
The three are not equal, and that is the most useful thing anyone can tell you about this category. One of them is genuinely worth buying as a supplement. One of them almost everybody already eats too much of. And the third your body makes for itself and cannot run short of. Knowing which is which changes what you buy, so it comes first.
Which of the Three You Actually Need
Omega-3 is the one. Specifically EPA and DHA, the two long-chain forms found in oily fish. EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function; DHA supports the maintenance of normal brain function and normal vision. Those are the established effects, and both require 250mg a day to hold.
Omega-6 is the one you are already getting. It comes from sunflower oil, maize oil, soya oil and almost everything fried or processed. Very few people eating a normal diet anywhere are short of it, and in Kenya, where sunflower and maize oil are the everyday cooking fats, a shortage is unlikely.
Omega-9 is not essential at all. Your body manufactures oleic acid, which is what omega-9 means, and it is the main fat in olive and avocado oil besides. There is no such thing as an omega-9 deficiency in a person who eats food.
So a capsule containing all three is, in practice, a capsule containing one thing you want and two you do not need to buy.
The Part That Works Against Itself
The omega-6 in a blend reduces how much use your body gets from the omega-3 in the same capsule. This is not a marketing quibble, it is a shared-enzyme problem.
The plant omega-3 in flaxseed oil is alpha-linolenic acid, ALA, and the body has to convert it into EPA and DHA to use it. The same enzymes handle omega-6, so the two compete. Conversion measures better when the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the diet is lower, and worse when it is higher.
And the conversion is poor even at its best. Measured efficiency from ALA to DHA ranges from around 4 per cent down to less than a tenth of one per cent. In one study no DHA formation was detectable in men at all, against roughly 9 per cent in women, which is thought to relate to hormonal differences.
The practical meaning: flaxseed oil is not a substitute for fish oil for most people, and putting starflower oil beside it does not help.
What This Means for Buying It
If you eat oily fish rarely and want the heart, brain and vision effects, what you need is a stated amount of EPA and DHA. A plain fish oil that prints those two numbers on the label lets you check you are getting the 250mg the effects require. A three-oil blend shares the capsule between them, so less of it is the part that does the work, and this label does not state how much.
Ask our pharmacist to compare this against the plain fish oil on the same shelf before you decide. We would rather tell you that now than have you take two capsules a day for six months of something that suits somebody else.
Where a blend does make sense is if you specifically want gamma-linolenic acid from starflower oil, which some people take for skin or for cyclical breast tenderness, and would otherwise buy separately. If that is you, this is a reasonable way to get both.
What Is in the Capsule
Fish oil supplying EPA and DHA, flaxseed oil supplying alpha-linolenic acid, starflower oil supplying gamma-linolenic acid, and vitamin E, which helps protect cells from oxidative stress and also keeps the oils from going rancid in the softgel.
The amounts of EPA and DHA are not printed on this listing. They are the two numbers that decide whether a fish oil is worth taking, so ask us and we will get them from the carton before you buy.
How to Take It
Two capsules daily with meals. Taking them with food matters more than usual here: these are oils, and fat is absorbed alongside other fat. Taking them with the largest meal of the day works best.
If you get fishy repeats, taking them with food usually settles it, and keeping the bottle in the fridge helps as well. Give it three months before judging anything, since the effects here are measured rather than felt.
Before You Start, Check These
Speak to our pharmacist first if any of these apply:
- Warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel or any blood thinner — fish oil has a mild effect on how readily blood clots, and it adds to what the medicine is already doing.
- Surgery or a dental extraction coming up — tell whoever is operating, and ask us how far ahead to stop.
- Fish or shellfish allergy — this contains fish oil. It is not suitable for you, and it is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans either.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding — omega-3 matters in pregnancy, but the right product is one made for it. Ask us rather than using this.
- Epilepsy — starflower oil is traditionally cautioned against where seizures are a concern.
- Children — this is an adult dose and an adult capsule to swallow.
Side Effects
Mild and common rather than serious. Fishy aftertaste or repeats, a loose stool, or mild indigestion. Taking the capsules with a meal, and refrigerating them, deals with most of it.
Tell us about easy bruising or bleeding that takes longer to stop than usual, particularly if you take anything that thins the blood.
Storing It
Keep the bottle tightly closed, cool, dry and out of direct sunlight. Oils go rancid with heat and light, and a fish oil that smells strongly off should not be taken. The fridge is a good place for it once opened. Use within the date on the label and keep out of reach of children.
Where to Buy Omega 3 6 9 Capsules in Kenya
Order online and we deliver countrywide, or collect from our pharmacy at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. We send orders to Nairobi and every neighbourhood around it — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Rosslyn, Kitisuru, Lower Kabete, Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Buruburu, Donholm, Embakasi, Ngong Road, Kasarani, Roysambu, Zimmerman, Githurai, Ruaka, Banana Hill, Two Rivers, Village Market and Pride Lands — and across Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru and Ngong.
Beyond the capital we deliver to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Athi River, Kitengela, Kajiado, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Webuye, Kitale, Nandi Hills, Iten, Kapenguria, Embu, Meru, Chuka, Kerugoya, Murang’a, Othaya, Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Maralal, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Mwingi, Makueni, Emali, Kibwezi, Voi, Taveta, Wundanyi, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi, Lamu and Hola. Packed to travel, cool-boxed where the weather calls for it, and tracked from our counter to your door.
Across Africa, ask us before you order. We have sent orders to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and as far as Malawi, and we will quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of the continent. What we need to know first is your country’s import rules for food supplements and how long the parcel will be in transit; we will tell you plainly if a destination is not worth the shipping cost.
Living abroad? Order from wherever you are and we deliver to your family here in Kenya. Kenyans in the UK, the United States, Canada, South Africa and the Gulf order from us regularly for parents and relatives at home. You pay online from where you live, we deliver to their door anywhere on the list above, and we confirm with you once it has arrived. Give us their name, their phone number and the estate or town they live in, and we will do the rest.
Why Buy Your Omega 3 6 9 Capsules from HealthAlone Kenya?
HealthAlone is a pharmacist-led health ecosystem licensed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and our stock is original, sealed and correctly stored.
We will tell you that of the three omegas only one is worth supplementing for most people, that the omega-6 in a blend competes with the omega-3 beside it, and that the two numbers you should be comparing are EPA and DHA. If a plain fish oil suits you better, we will say so and show you both.
It is one more step in our vision: building Africa’s most trusted health ecosystem, accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do omega 3 6 9 capsules actually do?
The omega-3 part does the work. EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function, and DHA supports normal brain function and vision, at 250mg a day. Omega-6 is something most diets already contain plenty of, and omega-9 is not essential because the body makes it.
Do I need omega 6 and omega 9?
Almost certainly not as a supplement. Omega-6 comes from sunflower, maize and soya oil and nearly everything fried, so shortage is rare. Omega-9 is oleic acid, which your body manufactures and which is the main fat in olive and avocado oil.
Is a 3-6-9 blend better than plain fish oil?
For most people, no. A blend shares the capsule between three oils, so less of it is the EPA and DHA that carry the evidence, and the omega-6 competes with the omega-3 for the same conversion enzymes. If you want the heart, brain and vision effects, compare the stated EPA and DHA on both and ask us.
How much EPA and DHA are in it?
The listing does not state it, and those are the two numbers that decide whether a fish oil is worth taking. Ask us and we will read them off the carton for you before you buy.
Is flaxseed oil as good as fish oil?
No, for most people. Flaxseed gives alpha-linolenic acid, which the body must convert into EPA and DHA. Measured conversion to DHA runs from about 4 per cent down to under a tenth of one per cent, and in one study no DHA formation was detectable in men at all.
Can I take it with warfarin or aspirin?
Ask us first. Fish oil has a mild effect on clotting and it adds to what a blood thinner is already doing. It is usually manageable, but your clinic should know.
Is it suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
No. It contains fish oil. If you want a plant-based omega-3, ask us about an algal oil, which supplies DHA directly rather than relying on conversion.
I am allergic to fish. Can I take it?
No. This contains fish oil and is not suitable for you.
Why do I get a fishy aftertaste?
It is the oil repeating. Take the capsules with a meal rather than on their own, and keep the bottle in the fridge. Both usually deal with it.
Should I stop before surgery?
Tell whoever is operating and ask us how far ahead. Because of the mild effect on clotting, many surgeons prefer fish oil stopped a week or two beforehand.
How long before it works?
Give it three months, and understand that what you are buying is a measured effect rather than something you feel. If you are taking it and noticing nothing, that is the expected experience.
Where can I buy omega 3 6 9 capsules in Kenya?
From HealthAlone, online for delivery countrywide or over the counter at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. We deliver across Nairobi — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Lavington, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Kasarani, Roysambu, Githurai, Ruaka and Banana Hill — and to Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru, Ngong, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Kitengela, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kitale, Embu, Meru, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Makueni, Voi, Taveta, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi and Lamu. Outside Kenya we have delivered to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and Malawi, and we quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of Africa on request.
