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