Numerous studies in recent years have emphasized the value of omega-3s for well-being. Our bodies cannot synthesize omega-3s, so we must obtain them in our food. The most common way that people obtain omega-3 is by eating fish. However, this article will illustrate the difficulty with deriving omega 3 fatty acids from fish, and then will clear up what to look for in fish oil supplements.
Fish Is Not a Safe Source of Omega-3 Any Longer
Previous to fish oil supplements, ingesting fish was the exclusive way to get omega-3s in our diet. This was an ideal method, but the actualities of an industrialized planet means more water pollution. The end result is that fish have become tainted with all varieties of poisonous contaminants like PCBs, mercury, arsenic, dioxins and heavy metals. These toxins play a part in a wide array of chronic conditions such as cancer, blindness, birth defects and even death.
Omega-3 Supplements Are Also Polluted
Because of these problems, more and more people are turning to fish oil supplements as a an answer. But, fish oil capsulesare affected by the same risks, despite the fact that the majority of fish oil companies claim that their fish oils are pure. A fairly new study by the Food Standards Agency in the UK instigated the removal of several fish oil products due to extreme levels of toxins!
Also, turn your attention to this shocking report from Greenpeace about OmegaProtein, the largest maker of fish oil supplements on the planet. Their investigative video attests that OmegaProtein's fish oil wares were discovered to be contaminated by poisonous amounts of flame retardants! However, perhaps we should take this news with skepticism considering Greenpeace's ideological leanings, but if factual, it is extremely alarming!
Now that you are aware of some of the uncertainties possible in fish oil supplements, what can you do about it? Fortunately, there are a handful of criterion that make it straightforward to judge an omega-3 supplement for potency and purity.
The Gold Standard: The International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) Program
The preeminent way to know if an omega-3 product is a pure, quality supplement is by selecting one that's been consistently tested by the International Fish Oil Standards program, or IFOS. The IFOS program is a voluntary 3rd-party testing institution that measures fish oil supplements along 5 criteria:
* Passes All Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and World Health Organization (WHO) Testing Categories * Equal to or More than 60% Omega-3 Fatty Acid Concentration * Amount of Oxidation Lower Than 75% of CRN Requirement * PCB Quantity Lower Than 50% of Council for Responsible Nutrition Requirement * Dioxin Levels Lower Than 50% of World Health Organization Standard
These guidelines were chosen because the standards applied by the CRN (Council for Responsible Nutrition) and WHO (World Health Organization) were not stringent enough to allow larger doses of omega-3 fish oil. To get the rewards of fish oil, one must regularly take much more than simply the 1 gram everyday that has been usually recommended. The reason only 1 gram has been advocated, however, is due to pollution risks. This is obviously not a problem if you're taking an IFOS-certified supplement.
If you're not supplementing with an IFOS-certified brand, you are certainly more at risk of ingesting contaminants. Chances are, in spite of the fact that your fish oil brand may profess to be decontaminated by "superior molecular distillation" (a marketing trick), it may not be safe to take. Since the International Fish Oil Standards program reports the results of their studies on their website, you can look up the best brands of fish oil supplements available.
Fish Is Not a Safe Source of Omega-3 Any Longer
Previous to fish oil supplements, ingesting fish was the exclusive way to get omega-3s in our diet. This was an ideal method, but the actualities of an industrialized planet means more water pollution. The end result is that fish have become tainted with all varieties of poisonous contaminants like PCBs, mercury, arsenic, dioxins and heavy metals. These toxins play a part in a wide array of chronic conditions such as cancer, blindness, birth defects and even death.
Omega-3 Supplements Are Also Polluted
Because of these problems, more and more people are turning to fish oil supplements as a an answer. But, fish oil capsulesare affected by the same risks, despite the fact that the majority of fish oil companies claim that their fish oils are pure. A fairly new study by the Food Standards Agency in the UK instigated the removal of several fish oil products due to extreme levels of toxins!
Also, turn your attention to this shocking report from Greenpeace about OmegaProtein, the largest maker of fish oil supplements on the planet. Their investigative video attests that OmegaProtein's fish oil wares were discovered to be contaminated by poisonous amounts of flame retardants! However, perhaps we should take this news with skepticism considering Greenpeace's ideological leanings, but if factual, it is extremely alarming!
Now that you are aware of some of the uncertainties possible in fish oil supplements, what can you do about it? Fortunately, there are a handful of criterion that make it straightforward to judge an omega-3 supplement for potency and purity.
The Gold Standard: The International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) Program
The preeminent way to know if an omega-3 product is a pure, quality supplement is by selecting one that's been consistently tested by the International Fish Oil Standards program, or IFOS. The IFOS program is a voluntary 3rd-party testing institution that measures fish oil supplements along 5 criteria:
* Passes All Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and World Health Organization (WHO) Testing Categories * Equal to or More than 60% Omega-3 Fatty Acid Concentration * Amount of Oxidation Lower Than 75% of CRN Requirement * PCB Quantity Lower Than 50% of Council for Responsible Nutrition Requirement * Dioxin Levels Lower Than 50% of World Health Organization Standard
These guidelines were chosen because the standards applied by the CRN (Council for Responsible Nutrition) and WHO (World Health Organization) were not stringent enough to allow larger doses of omega-3 fish oil. To get the rewards of fish oil, one must regularly take much more than simply the 1 gram everyday that has been usually recommended. The reason only 1 gram has been advocated, however, is due to pollution risks. This is obviously not a problem if you're taking an IFOS-certified supplement.
If you're not supplementing with an IFOS-certified brand, you are certainly more at risk of ingesting contaminants. Chances are, in spite of the fact that your fish oil brand may profess to be decontaminated by "superior molecular distillation" (a marketing trick), it may not be safe to take. Since the International Fish Oil Standards program reports the results of their studies on their website, you can look up the best brands of fish oil supplements available.
About the Author:
Read more about fish oil supplements by visiting Brittany W. Wallace's website. Brittany is a health and nutrition expert that studied fish oil omega 3 benefits for nearly a decade.
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