Veganism is on the rise due to growing concerns about the environment and perceived health benefits. However, certain nutrients such as EPA & DHA are difficult to obtain from plant-based diets. Until recently, the only supplemental source of long-chain omega-3s was fish oil. Igennus has recently launched a vegan omega-3 product which combines algae-sourced EPA & DHA with the additional benefit of astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant. In this hour-long webinar, Dr Danielle Crida discusses: - The importance of omega-3s and the omega 6:3 ratio - Vegan options for omega-3 supplementation - Our new Vegan Omega-3 & Astaxanthin product - How to assess omega-3 requirements and measure response to supplementation - Ensuring optimal nutrition on a plant-based diet: common nutrient deficiencies and how to address them

1. Vegan Omega-3 & Astaxanthin
and
Optimal Vegan Nutrition
Dr Danielle Crida MBChB, Dip Nutr.
Nutritionist, Igennus Healthcare Nutrition
1

2. The importance of marine food
“ Even during periods of bitter warfare the people from the mountain
district would come down at night and place in caches delicious plants
which grew only at the higher altitudes. They would return the
following night to obtain the sea foods that were placed in the same
caches by the people from the sea” Weston A Price

3. Importance of long-chain omega-3s
DHA & EPA
• Blood pressure
• Triglycerides
• Heart function
• Brain function
• Vision
• Brain & vision – foetus
& breastfed infants

4. Vegetarian, vegan & plant-based diets
• ~10% UK vegetarian/vegan/ flexitarian
• 700,000 vegans in UK
Reasons:
• Ethical
• Environmental
• Religious
• Health
• Trendy

5. Main dietary sources of omega-3 –
short- vs. long-chain
Short-chain (ALA, SDA)
• Seeds - e.g. flax, chia
• Seed oils - e.g. flaxseed oil
• Nuts - e.g. walnuts
Long-chain (DHA, EPA)
• Oily fish - e.g. salmon,
mackerel, sardines,
herring, anchovies

6. Short- to long-chain omega-3
conversion
ALA
SDA
ETA
EPA
DHA
• Short-chain omega-3s
convert extremely poorly
to EPA & DHA
• ALA - 8%
• SDA - 30%
Influenced by:
• lack of micronutrient
cofactors
• age
• gender
• medical conditions
• omega-6 in diet

7. Omega 6:3 ratio and imbalance
• High ratio = pro-inflammatory
• Imbalance counteracts some
health benefits of diet
• Omega-6 sources plentiful
(nuts & seeds, oils, grains)
• Limited dietary sources of EPA
& DHA

8. Omega-3 supplements
Seed oils e.g. flaxseed
Mostly ALA
Echium seed oil
SDA & ALA (& ‘good’ omega-6, GLA)
Fish oil
EPA only
DHA & EPA
DHA only
Algae oil
DHA only
EPA & DHA Max ratio 1:2
ALA
SDA
ETA
EPA
DHA

9. Omega-3 supplements
Seed oils e.g. flaxseed
Mostly ALA
ALA
SDA
ETA
EPA
DHA

10. Omega-3 supplements
Echium seed oil
SDA & ALA (& ‘good’ omega-6, GLA)
ALA
SDA
ETA
EPA
DHA

11. EPA raising capacity of 1000mg of
plant seed oils
Flaxseed oil Echium seed oil Hempseed oil
LA (omega-6) 13.3% 14.6% 56%
GLA (omega-6) 0% 11.2% 4%
ALA (omega-3) 55.8% 32.5% 22%
SDA (omega-3) 0% 14.4% 2%
ALA to EPA (8%) 45mg 26mg 1.76mg
SDA to EPA (30%) 0mg 43mg 0.6mg
TOTAL EPA (mg) 45mg 69mg 2.4mg

12. Omega-3 supplements: long-chain
Fish oil
EPA only
DHA & EPA
DHA only
Algae oil
DHA only
DHA & EPA Max ratio 2:1
ALA
SDA
ETA
EPA
DHA

13. Algae oil
• Only plant-based source of long-chain omega-3
• Algae = primary source of DHA & EPA in marine food
chain (not fish !)

14. Algae oil
• Schizochytrium species
microalgae
• Grown in closed system on land
– contaminant free and does
not disrupt ocean ecosystem
• Initially available as DHA only,
now available as DHA & EPA
with ratio 2:1
• EPA-rich algae oil does not yet
have novel food approval

15. Sustainability
• Not possible to fulfil EPA &
DHA requirements of world
population from fish alone
• Microalgae use carbon as
energy source – offset
excess carbon dioxide in
environment
• Thrive in deserts where
farming is not possible
• Algae not used for oil is used
for other products - e.g.
animal feed

16. Good at raising omega-3 index
• 12-week intervention
254mg/day algae DHA & EPA
Omega-3 index increased from 3.1 to 4.8.
87% achieved omega-3 index of >4% after
supplementation.(Sarter et al. 2015)
• 8-week intervention with 940mg/day
algae DHA saw omega-3 index increasing
from 4.8 to 8.4% with DHA rising from 4.4 to
7.9% and EPA from 0.41 to 0.48%,
suggesting retroconversion (Geppart et al.
2005)

17. Supplemental EPA vs DHA
• DHA: structure
• EPA: inflammation & immunity
• Almost all of us have lower levels
of EPA than DHA
• DHA proven in pregnancy for foetal brain & eye development
but EPA:
o helps DHA cross placenta and incorporate into foetal brain
cells (Greenberg et al. 2008)
o counteracts pro-oxidant high dose standalone DHA
o counteracts naturally pro-inflammatory pregnancy
environment
o Higher AA:EPA ratio increases pre-eclampsia & preterm labour

18. Who is algae oil for ?
• Vegans
• Vegetarians
• Fish allergy/side effects
• Environmentally-focused
• Those wanting DHA-rich
product
o Pregnancy
o Breastfeeding
o Young children
o Eye conditions

19. Who is algae oil not for ?
• Those wanting an EPA
only or EPA-rich oil
o Inflammation
o Immunity
o When initiating
supplementation
o Proven low EPA in
relation to DHA
• Cost

20. Introducing : Igennus Vegan Omega-3
& Astaxanthin
• 100% plant-based DHA & EPA
• Combined with astaxanthin
• High strength 55% omega-3
(higher than standard fish oil but
not as concentrated as Igennus
fish oils)
• Nature-identical triglyceride
form for high bioavailability
• Naturally free from
contaminants
• Superior to short-chain omega-3
plant products
• Sustainable

21. Nutritional information
Per capsule Per dose
Omega-3 algae oil 645mg 1290mg
Of which docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA)
200mg 400mg
Of which eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA)
100mg 200mg
Rosemary extract 2mg 4mg
Tocopherols 1.42mg 2.8mg
Ascorbyl palmitate 0.2mg 0.4mg
AstaPure® Haematococcus pluvialis
microalgae (10% astaxanthin
complex)
5.25mg 10.5mg
of which astaxanthin 0.5mg 1mg
of which lutein 4.5mcg 9mcg
of which canthaxanthin 2.5mcg 5mcg
of which zeaxanthin 0.375mcg 0.75mcg
of which violaxanthin 0.0625mcg 0.125mcg

22. Nutritional information & dosage
• Free from: fish, dairy, gluten, lactose,
soya, yeast, artificial colours and flavours;
not tested on animals; non-GMO
• Halal & kosher
• Easy to swallow capsules
• Dosage:
o Adults & children aged 12+: take 1 capsule twice daily.
(600mg)
o For intensive support, the dose can be increased to 4 capsules
daily. (1200mg)
o Children aged 6-12 yrs: 1 capsule daily. (300mg)

23. Igennus Vegan Omega-3 vs other supplements
Per dose Per 1 gram oil
Vegan
omega-3
Vegan
omega-3
Krill oil
(1)
Cod liver oil
(2)
Fish body oil
(3)
EPA & DHA
(%)
55% 55% 23% 21% 30%
DHA 400mg 298mg 60mg 80mg 120
EPA 200mg 149mg 128mg 80mg 180
Astaxanthin 1mg 75mcg 50mcg - -
(1)(2)(3) = specific examples of commonly available brands online/high street brands

24. Benefit of added astaxanthin
• Astapure ®:natural extract from
H.pluvialis microalgae
• Contains astaxanthin and other
beneficial carotenoids
• Nature’s most potent antioxidant
• Twice the astaxanthin of krill oil
• Protects the algae oil from oxidation
and protects cells from oxidative
stress and damage by free radicals
• DHA more susceptible to oxidation
than EPA – algae oil is DHA-rich

25. Omega-3 & Astaxanthin: Research
1. Combined fish oil and astaxanthin supplementation modulates rat
lymphocyte function : The combination of astaxanthin and fish oil
could be a good strategy to prevent oxidative stress induced by
polyunsaturated fatty acids and also to potentiate immuno-
modulatory effects of fish oil. (Otton et al., 2012)
2. Combined astaxanthin and fish oil supplementation improves
glutathione-based redox balance in rat plasma and neutrophils.
Beneficial effect of fish oil plus astaxanthin on immune competence
(redox balance, lower free radical generation, better white blood
cell function) reinforces the hypothesis that habitual consumption
of omega-3 and astaxanthin lowers risk of vascular and infectious
diseases. (Barros et al., 2012)

26. Igennus Vegan Omega-3 & Astaxanthin in pregnancy
• DHA contributes to normal brain and eye
development of foetus and breastfed infants in dose of
200mg/day in addition to recommended daily
intake for omega-3 fatty acids (250mg DHA&EPA)
• BUT pregnant women advised to have no
more than 2 portions fish/week re potential
contaminants – can’t meet targets without supplements
• Some products focused on pregnancy use DHA only or a low daily dose
• Benefits of additional EPA:
o Helps DHA cross placenta
o Counteracts pro-oxidant effect of high dose standalone DHA on placenta
o Counteracts naturally inflammatory pregnancy state
o Higher AA:EPA ratio increases pre-eclampsia & preterm labour
• Anti-oxidant benefit of astaxanthin in naturally pro-oxidant pregnancy environment

27. • Opti-0-3 finger-prick test
• Omega-3 index
• Omega 6:3 ratio
• AA:EPA ratio
• Personalised product recommendation
• Personalised dosage recommendation
• Monitoring response to supplementation
Measuring omega-3 status & requirements

28. Still a place for Echium seed oil ?
• Contains GLA good for skin (anti-ageing, smoothing,
hydrating, anti-inflammatory, repair), hair, PMS symptoms
• Contains oleic acid (anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular)
• Converts more to EPA than DHA – EPA-depleted who can’t
take fish oil
• Favourable effect on cholesterol
by different mechanism to long chain omega-3
(decreased total cholesterol and LDL, VLDL)
• Effect of Echium oil compared with marine oils on lipid profile and inhibition of hepatic steatosis
in LDLr knockout mice. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-12-38
• Consumption of echium oil increases EPA and DPA in blood fractions more efficiently compared
to linseed oil in humans. doi: 10.1186/s12944-016-0199-2
• The impact of polyunsaturated fatty acid-based dietary supplements on disease biomarkers in a metabolic
syndrome/diabetes population. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-13-196
• Metabolism of stearidonic acid in human subjects: comparison with the metabolism of other n-3 fatty acids.
doi:10.1093/ajcn/77.5.1140

29. Optimal vegan nutrition –
focus on nutrient deficiencies

30. Vegan nutrient deficiencies in UK
Almost inevitable
• long-chain omega-3 – EPA &
DHA
• vitamin B12
• vitamin D
• iodine
Possible
• calcium
• iron
• vitamin K2
• zinc

31. A word about short-chain omega-3 & 6
(long-chain EPA & DHA covered already)
Good sources of ALA
(short-chain omega-3)
• flaxseeds & flaxseed oil
• chia seeds
• hemp seeds
• walnuts
Sources of LA
(short-chain omega-6)
• vegetable (seed) oils
• grains
• grain-fed animal products
• nuts e.g. almonds
• seeds e.g. sunflower
• processed food
• fried foods
• excess omega-6 further
decreases conversion of ALA
to EPA & DHA

32. Vitamin B12
• Important for methylation, amino
acid, fatty acid & cholesterol
metabolism, red blood cell
production & DNA synthesis and
nervous system function
• Deficiency causes fatigue, anaemia,
neuropathy, cognitive difficulties,
shortness of breath
• B12 is stored and recycled in the
body so can take years to manifest
• Only reliable source of B12 for vegans
– fortified foods or supplements
Solution:
• All vegans need B12
• Cyanocobolamin not recommended
• Methylcobolamin
/adenosylcobalamin
/hydroxocobalamin
• Absorbed better in small regular
doses than large doses
• Reference intake: 2,5 mcg/day
• Supplement: 10-1000 mcg/day
• Blood testing: active vs total B12

33. Vitamin D
• Important for immunity,
hormone production, cognitive
function and bones
• Deficiency causes bone
abnormalities and chronic
disease
• Mushrooms exposed to UV light
contain vitamin D2 but levels
decrease with storage and
cooking
Solutions:
• All in UK should supplement Oct –
March (at least !)
• Reference intake: 10mcg
(400IU)/day
• Supplement: 10mcg(400IU) –
50mcg(2000IU)/day
• Vitamin D3 more effective than
D2
• Vegan D3 from lichen
• Blood testing: 25-hydroxy vitamin
D - from GP or private

34. Iodine
• Important for thyroid function
• Deficiency causes
hypothyroidism and goitre in
adults, cretinism in babies,
abnormal cognitive
development in children
• UK does not iodise salt
• Although plant foods provide
iodine, amount present
depends on the soil content
• Sea vegetables rich in iodine
but in unpredictable amounts
Solution:
• Half a teaspoon iodised salt
per day, OR
• 2 sheets nori/day, OR
Supplement:
• Reference intake:
150mcg/day
• Supplement: 150mcg/day

35. Zinc
• Important for immunity, wound
healing, cognitive function, growth,
protein & DNA synthesis and enzyme
reactions
• Deficiency causes poor immunity,
lack of taste & smell, poor growth &
development in children, skin rashes,
cognitive problems
• Phytates in grains, nuts & seeds and
legumes bind zinc
• Vegan diets naturally lower in zinc,
high in phytates and high in copper
(zinc-copper balance)
Solution:
• Good intake of zinc rich plant foods:
legumes, seeds, nuts, wholegrains
• Food preparation methods: soaking,
sprouting, fermenting, cooking to
minimise phytates
• Optional supplementation up to
20mg/day

36. Vitamin K2
• Important for heart, bones &
teeth
• Vitamin K1 converted to K2 but
inefficiently
• Sources of K1 include green leafy
and cruciferous vegetables,
lentils, and some fruits, e.g.
blueberries
• Food sources: natto (!)
• Less, variable amounts in
sauerkraut, tempeh, kombucha
Solution:
• A whole food, plant-based diet
which includes fermented foods
should provide enough vitamin
K1 and keep your gut healthy for
optimal vitamin K2 synthesis and
total vitamin K absorption
Supplementation may be beneficial
• in ‘unhealthy’ vegan diets or
vegans with gut health issues
• if taking a calcium or high dose
vitamin D supplement
• if targeting heart, bone &tooth
health

37. Calcium
• Important for healthy bones, muscles, heart
& blood vessels, nervous system and normal
blood clotting
• Deficiency causes bone disease in children
and adults, muscle cramps and neurological
problems
• Sources include fortified plant milk & fruit
juice, calcium-set firm tofu, blackstrap
molasses, leafy greens, sesame & chia seeds,
almonds, beans, oranges and dried figs
• Calcium absorption inhibited by oxalates in
raw spinach, chard, rhubarb and beet greens
and by phytates in grains, nuts, seeds &
legumes
Solution:
• Eat calcium-rich whole plant foods daily
• Consider calcium-fortified soya milk
• Lightly cook oxalate-rich foods, e.g.
spinach or if eating greens raw choose
kale or rocket
• Soak, sprout, ferment and cook food to
decrease phytates
Supplementation may be beneficial
• If tofu and fortified drinks cannot be
consumed
• In peri-menopausal period due to
accelerated bone loss
• If targeting bone health
• Supplementation should ideally combine
calcium with magnesium and vitamins D &
K2

38. Iron
• Important for haemoglobin
• Deficiency causes fatigue,
pallor, dizziness and
shortness of breath
• Vegan diets contain the less
bioavailable non-haem iron
• Sources include legumes,
grains, nuts & seeds and
leafy greens
• Phytates, tannins & caffeine
decrease iron absorption
• Vitamin C increases iron
absorption
Solution:
• Include a source of vitamin C
with all meals
• Avoid drinking tea or coffee
with meals
• Soak, sprout, ferment and
cook to decrease phytates
• Only use high dose iron
supplements if proven
deficiency

39. Track your nutrient intake
• Mobile apps, e.g. Cronometer, MyFitnessPal

40. Blood tests to consider
• Opti-0-3 omega home finger-prick test
• 25-hydroxy vitamin D (GP)
• Active Vit B12 (holotranscobalamin) (private)
• Iron Profile (GP/private)

41. Recommended for general vegan health
Year round Winter top up

42. Summary: Vegan nutrition in UK
Definitely supplement:
• omega-3 EPA & DHA
• vitamin B12
• vitamin D
• iodine
Consider supplementing:
• calcium
• iron
• vitamin K2
• zinc

43. Summary: Vegan Omega-3 & Astaxanthin
• 200mg DHA & 100mg EPA per
capsule
• Superior to short-chain plant
omega-3
• Sustainable
• Naturally free of contaminants
• Ideal for vegans, in pregnancy
and breastfeeding
• Antioxidant benefits from
astaxanthin

44. References
• Barros M, et al. (2012) Combined astaxanthin and fish oil supplementation improves glutathione-based redox balance in rat plasma and
neutrophils. Chem Biol Interact. 2012 Apr 15;197(1):58-67.
• Botelho, P et al. (2013) Effect of Echium oil compared with marine oils on lipid profile and inhibition of hepatic steatosis in LDLr knockout mice.
Lipids Health Dis. 2013; 12: 38 doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-12-38
• Craddock JC, Neale EP, Probst YC, Peoples GE. Algal supplementation of vegetarian eating patterns improves plasma and serum docosahexaenoic
acid concentrations and omega-3 indices: a systematic literature review. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2017 Dec;30(6):693-699
• Fokkema MR, Brouwer DA, Hasperhoven MB, Martini IA, Muskiet FA. Short-term supplementation of low-dose gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), alpha-
linolenic acid (ALA), or GLA plus ALA does not augment LCP omega 3 status of Dutch vegans to an appreciable extent. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent
Fatty Acids. 2000 Nov;63(5):287-92.
• Geppert J, Kraft V, Demmelmair H, Koletzko B. Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in vegetarians effectively increases omega-3 index: a
randomized trial. Lipids. 2005 Aug;40(8):807-14.
• Gerster,H. (1998) Can adults adequately convert alpha-linoleic acid to EPA & DHA ? Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1998; 68(3):159-73
• Greenberg, J, Bell S & Van Ausdal W. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy. Rev. Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Fall; 1(4): 162-169.
• Harris WS.Achieving optimal n-3 fatty acid status: the vegetarian's challenge... or not. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1:449S-52S.
• James, M., Ursin, V. Cleland, L. (2003) Metabolism of stearidonic acid in human subjects: comparison with the metabolism of other n-3 fatty acids.
Am J Clin Nutr 2003;77:1140-5. DOI:10.1093/ajcn/77.5.1140
• Kuhnt, K. et al. (2016) Consumption of echium oil increases EPA and DPA in blood fractions more efficiently compared to linseed oil in humans.
Lipids Health Dis. 2016 Feb 18;15:32. doi: 10.1186/s12944-016-0199-2.
• Lee, T. et al (2014) The impact of polyunsaturated fatty acid-based dietary supplements on disease biomarkers in a metabolic
syndrome/diabetes population Lipids Health Dis. 2014 Dec 16;13:196. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-13-196
• Mattei R, et al. Astaxanthin limits fish oil-related oxidative insult in the anterior forebrain of Wistar rats: putative anxiolytic effects? Pharmacol
Biochem Behav. 2011 Sep;99(3):349-55.
• Messina, V. Vegan Nutrition Guide. Available from https://www.vegan.com/nutrition/
• Nichols PD, Petrie J, Singh S. Long-chain omega-3 oils-an update on sustainable sources. Nutrients. 2010 Jun;2(6):572-85.
• Otton R, Marin DP, Bolin AP, de Cássia Santos Macedo R, Campoio TR, Fineto C Jr, Guerra BA, Leite JR, Barros MP, Mattei R. Combined fish oil
and astaxanthin supplementation modulates rat lymphocyte function. Eur J Nutr. 2012 Sep;51(6):707-18
• Sarter B, Kelsey KS, Schwartz TA, Harris WS: Blood docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in vegans: Associations with age and gender
and effects of an algal-derived omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Clinical nutrition 2015, 34:212-218.
• Rooke, J. (2013) Do carnivores need Vitamin B12 supplements ? Available from https://baltimorepostexaminer.com/carnivores-need-vitamin-b12-
supplements/2013/10/30
• The Vegan Society. Calcium. Available from: https://www.vegansociety.com/sites/default/files/uploads/downloads/Calcium%20PDF.pdf
• The Vegan Society. Nutrition overview. Available from: https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrition-overview
• The Vegan Society. Omega-3 & Omega-6 fats. Available from: https://www.vegansociety.com/sites/default/files/uploads/downloads/Omega-
3%20%26%20omega-6%20fats%20PDF.pdf
• The Vegan Society. Vitamin B12. Available from: https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients/vitamin-b12
• The Vegan Society. Iron. Available from: https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients/iron
• Wang C, Harris WS, Chung M, Lichtenstein AH, Balk EM, Kupelnick B, Jordan HS, Lau J. n-3 Fatty acids from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not
alpha-linolenic acid, benefit cardiovascular disease outcomes in primary- and secondary-prevention studies: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr.
2006 Jul;84(1):5-17. Review.

45. Commercial Technical Nutrition advice
Mina Nazemi
Commercial Director
minan@igennus.com
Dr Nina Bailey
Head of R&D
ninab@igennus.com
Danielle Crida
Nutritionist
danielle@igennus.com
Contact