Nordic Naturals Vitamins Review: Ingredients, Safety, and More

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Nordic Naturals is best known for their fish oil products, but this company has so much more to offer when it comes to quality dietary supplements.

In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about Nordic Naturals, including what they offer, their safety and quality standards, and how they stack up among other brands.

What is Nordic Naturals?

Joar Opheim started Nordic Naturals in 1995. Opheim grew up in Norway and was disappointed with the quality of fish oil products when he moved to the U.S. to complete his education.

He began bringing fish oil back from Norway to share with friends in California and realized there was a demand for high quality fish oil supplements in the United States. Opheim began selling his fish oil products, and the company quickly became successful due to their commitment to quality, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.

Today, Nordic Naturals is the No. 1 fish oil company in the United States. In addition to selling marine oils like fish and algae oil, Nordic Naturals also offers vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant supplements as well as probiotics and collagen products.

Unlike many other companies, Nordic Naturals is a family-owned business with no shareholders. The Opheim family remains committed to producing high quality, third-party tested supplements.

Every supplement is third-party tested by independent laboratories for potency, purity, and freshness. Nordic Naturals also provides certificates of analysis (COA) for all of their supplements, which show that the products meet international quality standards. 

In addition to prioritizing product safety and quality, Nordic Naturals also strives to reduce their impact on the environment. The company only uses non-endangered, wild-caught fish and sources their fish products from fisheries certified sustainable by Friend of the Sea, a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect marine habitat.

What’s more, the Nordic Naturals factory in Norway runs on biofuel made using leftover fats from fish oil processing, which minimizes the company’s carbon footprint.

Nordic Naturals products

Nordic Natural offers over 100 supplements, including:

• fish and algae oil
• collagen
• B vitamins
• vitamin A
• vitamin C
• vitamin D
• vitamin E
• curcumin
• prebiotics and probiotics
• CoQ10
• magnesium
• melatonin
• zinc
• algae oil
• digestive enzymes
• vitamin E
• borage oil

Nordic Naturals also offers multinutrient supplements and supplements intended to support specific aspects of health, including vision, immune function, and joint mobility. Certain products are designed for children, pregnant people, and infants.

Below, we list a few of the most popular supplements offered by Nordic Naturals.

Best for cognitive health

Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2X

• Price: $$$
• Active or key ingredients: omega-3s EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) 
• Form: softgels
• Dosage: 2 softgels per day
• Servings per container: 30

The Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2x supplement provides 2,150 milligrams (mg) of omega-3s per two softgel serving. EPA and DHA have powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body, and supplementing with these fats can be effective for conditions like arthritis, depression, high triglyceride levels, and more (1).

What’s more, taking in optimal amounts of omega-3s helps support brain health and improve blood flow in the brain. In addition, it may improve memory, cognitive well-being, and learning (2).

Best for adults over age 50

Nordic Naturals Vitamin B Complex

• Price: $
• Active or key ingredients: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), B12 (cobalamin)
• Form: capsules
• Dosage: 1 capsule per day
• Servings per container: 45

Nordic Naturals Vitamin B Complex is a high quality B complex vitamin that contains all eight B vitamins in absorbable forms, including methylcobalamin and 5-MTHF.  This supplement is certified vegan and is free of milk, soy, and gluten.

As we age, our ability to absorb certain nutrients, such as vitamin B12, declines. Older adults also tend to have lower levels of certain B vitamins, including B12 and folate. So, many people ages 50 and over could benefit from supplementing with a B complex vitamin (3, 4).

Best for sleep and stress

Nordic Naturals Magnesium Complex

• Price: $
• Active or key ingredients: magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurinate, and magnesium aspartate
• Form: capsules
• Dosage: 3 capsules per day
• Servings per container: 30

Magnesium is a mineral necessary for critical processes like blood sugar and blood pressure regulation, energy production, and nerve function.

Magnesium also helps regulate the body’s response to stress. Many people’s diets are low in magnesium, and being stressed can significantly reduce magnesium levels. Having low magnesium levels can worsen your ability to deal with stress and may cause symptoms like anxiety and irritability (5, 6).

What’s more, magnesium activates GABA, one of the main neurotransmitters responsible for sleep regulation. Research suggests that taking a magnesium supplement is effective for improving sleep quality, and it may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer (7).

Taking a magnesium supplement can help you maintain optimal magnesium levels, which can help your body deal with stress and improve your sleep quality. 

Nordic Naturals Magnesium Complex contains a blend of three highly absorbable forms of magnesium: magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurinate, and magnesium aspartate. A 3-capsule serving covers 54% of the Daily Value (DV) for this important mineral.

Best vegan omega-3 supplement

Nordic Naturals Algae Omega

• Price: $$
• Active or key ingredients: EPA and DHA from algae oil
• Form: softgel
• Dosage: 2 softgels per day
• Servings per container: 30

People who follow a vegan diet restrict seafood products, including fish oil supplements. Because of this, vegans may develop low blood levels of omega-3 fats, which can compromise overall health.

Plant-based sources of EPA and DHA are available. Algae oil is a vegan-friendly alternative to fish oil that is effective at raising DHA and EPA levels in the body (8). 

Nordic Naturals Algae Omega provides 715 mg of EPA and DHA derived from sustainably sourced microalgae. This product is certified vegan and is free of gluten.

Best for skin health

Nordic Naturals Vitamin A + Carotenoids

• Price: $
• Active or key ingredients: vitamin A as beta-carotene, lycopene, mixed carotenoids, and astaxanthin
• Form: softgel
• Dosage: 1 softgel per day
• Servings per container: 30

Vitamin A is essential for skin health. It stimulates special cells called fibroblasts to produce collagen and elastin, two proteins that provide the skin with structure and elasticity. It also helps protect against collagen degradation. A lack of vitamin A in the diet can compromise skin health and impair the skin’s ability to heal (9).

Nordic Naturals Vitamin A + Carotenoids covers 100% of the DV for vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, a plant-based form of vitamin A. In addition to beta-carotene, it also includes astaxanthin and lycopene, which are carotenoid compounds that may help protect against sun damage and keep the skin looking youthful (10, 11).

Nordic Naturals Vitamin A + Carotenoids is free of gluten, dairy, and artificial colors and flavors.

Best vitamin D gummy

Nordic Naturals Zero Sugar Vitamin D3 Gummies

• Price: $
• Active or key ingredients: vitamin D
• Form: gummy
• Dosage: 1 gummy per day
• Servings per container: 60

Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are extremely common. In fact, over 1 billion people are considered vitamin D deficient and 50% of the world’s population has vitamin D insufficiency (12).

Vitamin D is necessary for bone health, calcium absorption, immune function, growth and development, and more. Having deficient or suboptimal levels can significantly affect health and may increase the risk of heart disease (12).

Because vitamin D isn’t naturally found in many foods and most people aren’t able to maintain healthy vitamin D levels through sun exposure, supplementation with vitamin D is the most effective way to increase and maintain optimal vitamin D levels.

For people who can’t tolerate swallowing pills, Nordic Naturals offers a gummy vitamin D supplement that provides 1,000 IU of vitamin D per serving. Unlike most gummy vitamins, Nordic Naturals Zero Sugar Vitamin D3 Gummies are free of added sugar and are sweetened with xylitol.

Ingredient quality and safety

Unlike many popular supplement companies, Nordic Naturals is committed to supplement quality and safety.

All Nordic Naturals supplements are third-party tested by independent laboratories for potency, purity, and freshness. Customers can also find COAs for every Nordic Natural supplement by entering their product lot number on the Nordic Naturals website.

The COAs provide testing results for heavy metals, nutrient profiles, environmental toxins, and more.

Additionally, Nordic Naturals offers supplements such as fish oil and CoQ10 that are NSF Certified for Sport, which is an independent third-party testing certificate verifying that products do not contain any of more than 270 substances currently banned by major athletic organizations.

Nordic Naturals supplements contain bioavailable forms of nutrients that are easily absorbed by the body.

For example, Nordic Naturals uses minerals like magnesium glycinate and zinc glycinate. These are more easily absorbed by the body compared with magnesium oxide and zinc oxide, which are commonly found in dietary supplements (13, 14, 15).

Nordic Naturals does their best to minimize their impact on the environment by sourcing their fish oil from certified sustainable fisheries, using recyclable packaging, and offsetting their carbon emissions by using biofuel to run their Norway-based factory.

Customer reviews and brand reputation

Nordic Naturals has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2010 and currently holds an A+ rating. In order to earn BBB accreditation, a business must meet accreditation standards, which include building customer trust and using ethical business and advertising practices.

In terms of customer satisfaction, most Nordic Naturals products are highly rated on Amazon.

For example, at time of publication, the Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega supplement has 43,673 ratings on Amazon, 84% of which are 5 stars.

Customers state that Nordic Naturals supplements are high quality and report that the supplements have benefited their hair, skin, and joint health.

Nordic Naturals products are trusted by healthcare professionals and are often recommended by doctors and dietitians.

Nordic Naturals vs. competitors

Here’s how Nordic Natural stacks up to other popular supplement brands.

Frequently asked questions about Nordic Naturals

Is Nordic Naturals a good brand?

Yes, Nordic Naturals is a high quality supplement brand often recommended by dietitians and physicians.

Where are Nordic Naturals products made?

Nordic Naturals fish oil products are made at the Nordic Naturals manufacturing facility in Norway. The company’s liquid, soft gel, and gummy products are made in the United States.

Does Nordic Naturals have heavy metals?

No, Nordic Naturals uses a process called molecular distillation to remove impurities like heavy metals. Customers can access COAs online, which provide results for product heavy metal testing.

Is Nordic Naturals third party tested?

Yes, all Nordic Naturals products are third-party tested for quality and purity.

Is Nordic Naturals FDA approved?

Nordic Naturals has earned current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) certification from NSF International. CGMPs are regulations set by the FDA that ensure safe manufacturing and processing of supplements.

Takeaway

Nordic Naturals is a supplement company that offers a large selection of dietary supplements, including fish oils, algae oil, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and more.

All Nordic Naturals supplements are third-party tested, and the company is proud to offer COAs for their products. What’s more, Nordic Naturals uses sustainable, high quality ingredients and offers supplements suitable for people following vegan and vegetarian diets.

If you’re looking to purchase high quality supplements from a reputable company, consider Nordic Naturals.