| If your family is eating fish to get the | | | | ***Although PCB's, which were once used as |
| benefits of the omega 3 oils in the fish, and | | | | insulating tools in electrical transformers, |
| you want to keep them safe and healthy, this | | | | were banned in 1977, they are fat soluble and |
| is one of those articles you'll want to read | | | | still in the fatty tissue of marine and |
| all the way to the end.News about the superb | | | | animal |
| health benefits of omega 3 fish oils are | | | | |
| everywhere. Medical science proves they help | | | | species. PCB's are linked to impaired |
| you think faster, improve memory, protect | | | | memory, certain cancers, and learning |
| your heart, eliminate or diminish many | | | | problems.The New England Journal of Medicine |
| symptoms of Autism and ADD/ADHD and even help | | | | reported on Sept. 12, 1996, that a study of |
| lower your blood pressure and | | | | 212 children born to women who had eaten PCB |
| cholesterol.BUT-- Are the fish oil | | | | contaminated fish from Lake Michigan, were |
| supplements you take safer than eating | | | | three times more likely to lag two years |
| fish?There's growing concern in the medical | | | | behind in reading comprehension and |
| community about the dangerous chemicals found | | | | |
| in fish (both wild and farmed), like mercury, | | | | adversely affected intellectual function.*** |
| PCB's, dioxins and other toxins.So, after a | | | | Dioxins ***Dioxins are by products of |
| thorough review of the medical literature, | | | | industrial chemicals and also accumulate in |
| here's the skinny on the "smart fats", | | | | the fatty tissue of fish. In various animal |
| whether the fish oil supplements you take are | | | | studies, dioxins have been found to cause |
| safe, and, if you eat fish, which type is | | | | birth defects, nerve damage, changes in |
| safest for your family?1. Is Your Tuna | | | | immune function, and higher levels of |
| Safe?On August 1, 2005, a Wall Street Journal | | | | miscarriages.4. Can You Get The Health |
| article, talking about the failure of the FDA | | | | Benefits Of Omega 3 Fish Oils Without The |
| to warn about the high levels of pollutants | | | | Risk?If you're a conscientious consumer and |
| in fish, told about a 10 year old boy | | | | pay attention to third party quality |
| suffering from mercury poisoning because his | | | | assurance programs, you can be absolutely |
| parents thought eating tuna fish was | | | | assured that the fish oil supplements you |
| safe.Sadly, the boy had recently acquired | | | | take are safe.BUT BEWARE - Not All Fish Oils |
| severe learning difficulties and neurological | | | | Are Created Equal.Recent medical journal |
| tests revealed he had nearly double the | | | | studies show that most "off the shelf" fish |
| mercury levels in his blood than the EPA | | | | oils were rancid, even before their |
| deems safe.Finally in March 2004, the FDA | | | | expiration date, and had high levels of |
| issued a mercury advisory recommending limits | | | | mercury, PCB's and dioxins. So before you |
| on tuna and other fish consumption for | | | | run to your local store or warehouse shopping |
| pregnant and nursing women and children, but | | | | center for |
| it was years too late for the 10 year old | | | | |
| boy.2. Mercury Levels In Some Common | | | | the least expensive fish oils, read on...5. |
| Fish.Note: Albacore, the most expensive type | | | | Who Are The Third Party Fish Oil Quality |
| of tuna, has nearly three times more mercury | | | | Assurors and Which Fish Oil Supplements Have |
| than other tuna. The source on this | | | | The Highest Rating?There are several |
| information is the FDA: Northeast | | | | organizations that independently insure the |
| | | | quality of fish oils and attest to the fact |
| States for Coordinated Air Use | | | | that there is no mercury, PCB's, dioxins, or |
| Management.Average Mercury (parts per | | | | other toxins in the fish oil.These labs are |
| million)Salmon | | | | highly regulated and rigorously test the fish |
| .01American Lobster .31Catfish | | | | to make sure that any contaminants are |
| .05Cod | | | | molecularly distilled out through many |
| .11Pollock | | | | steps.a. The IFOS - International Fish Oil |
| .06Swordfish .97Chunk | | | | Standards program.IFOS measures quality of |
| light tuna .12Albacore | | | | omega 3 products through more stringent |
| .35Note: There are no safe levels | | | | global standards than that of the World |
| of mercury, PCB's, dioxins | | | | Health Organization and the Council for |
| | | | Responsible Nutrition. Interestingly, the |
| for your body and brain.3. What Are These | | | | FDA standards for contaminants in fish oil |
| Pollutants, and What Are The Dangers of | | | | are the least stringent of all the |
| Mercury, PCB's and Dioxins?*** Mercury | | | | organizations.IFOS program uses a lengthy |
| ***Mercury is released into the air from coal | | | | series of dissolution rates, gas |
| burning power plants and solid-waste | | | | chromatography, and cold water vapor atomic |
| incinerators. When it gets into the water, | | | | absorption spectroscopy, etc., to determine |
| it converts into a dangerous neurotoxin which | | | | contaminants and omega 3 content as a |
| destroys nerve tissue.The largest fish, and | | | | percentage of weight. Further their program |
| predatory fish, naturally have the highest | | | | tests product levels at higher parts per |
| levels of mercury. But, watch out, when you | | | | trillion than any of the others to insure |
| eat the fish, methylmercury accumulates into | | | | greater safety.Products which have received |
| your bloodstream. Although it can be removed | | | | the highest IFOS Program rating:Although I am |
| over time, it takes more than a year to drop | | | | not recommending that you stop eating fish, |
| to safe levels.If you are in your child | | | | you would have to consume many pounds of |
| bearing years, pregnant, nursing or have | | | | possibly contaminated fish to obtain what you |
| young children, your risk of mercury toxicity | | | | could get in even one capsule of the purest |
| is even higher. Further, it can be passed | | | | omega 3 supplement.So here are the omega 3 |
| from the mother to the | | | | supplement products which have received the |
| | | | highest rating from IFOS program: fish oil in |
| unborn baby. It gets worse.According to the | | | | omega 3 supplements have hundreds of health |
| June, 1998 issue of the New England Journal | | | | benefits. If you want to improve your |
| of Medicine, researchers at Dartmouth College | | | | memory, think faster, remember longer, lower |
| found that children exposed to even low | | | | your blood pressure, |
| levels of methlymercury (evidenced in hair | | | | |
| samples) perform more poorly in cognitive | | | | eliminate many of the symptoms of Autism, |
| tests.Since 8% of US women of childbearing | | | | depression and ADHD, take a look at these |
| age have unsafe mercury levels, this means | | | | valuable supplements.(Medical disclaimer: no |
| that more than 300,000 babies are born at | | | | part of this article is intended to convey |
| risk for memory, language, physical and | | | | medical advice. Seek the advice of your |
| attention span impairments. A scary thought | | | | health care or medical professional before |
| isn't it?Every time I go to the supermarket, | | | | taking any supplements, and ask your doctor |
| I want to stop at the tuna fish aisle and | | | | whether you can take fish oils especially if |
| warn the moms buying all that tuna their kids | | | | you are currently taking blood thinning |
| are going to eat every day.*** PCB's | | | | medications). |