Many people take fish oil supplements to get the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids. But is it really healthy? A California lawsuit filed by David Roe suggests that by taking some pills, consumers maybe ingesting chemicals banned in 1979. The lawsuit names five makers of supplements found to contain polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, drugstores CVS and Rite Aid, which sell those products, and Omega Protein Inc., of Houston, a large producer of omega-3 fish oil.
Suit is pending in San Francisco Superior Court contending Proposition 65 which requires consumers to be warned when products contain significant levels of toxic ingredients has been violated. Allegedly, some of the tested supplements exceed California's daily limit for PCBs by ten times according to Roe. (There is no set level for the risk of birth defects according to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.)
Suit is pending in San Francisco Superior Court contending Proposition 65 which requires consumers to be warned when products contain significant levels of toxic ingredients has been violated. Allegedly, some of the tested supplements exceed California's daily limit for PCBs by ten times according to Roe. (There is no set level for the risk of birth defects according to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.)
Benson Chiles, director of the Coastal Ocean Coalition in New Jersey, warns, "Buyer beware."
The defendant manufacturers contest the results of the tests and insist that their products are safe. Twinlab's chief science officer, Greg Grochoski, said the two Twinlab Norwegian cod liver oils tested are safe because they are distilled to reduce impurities. (Twinlab products apparently were reported as having among the lowest levels of impurities among the products tested.)
The defendant manufacturers contest the results of the tests and insist that their products are safe. Twinlab's chief science officer, Greg Grochoski, said the two Twinlab Norwegian cod liver oils tested are safe because they are distilled to reduce impurities. (Twinlab products apparently were reported as having among the lowest levels of impurities among the products tested.)
The public relations firm of Porter Novelli responded for Pharmavite LLC. ,
They claim that Nature Made fish oil supplements comply with all federal laws as well as "the stringent industry standards" set by the Council for Responsible Nutrition.
All fish found in oceans and rivers contain at least trace amounts of PCBs. The question becomes at what level does it become unsafe? The tests attempted to measure PCBs in two ways. One way determines daily exposure to PCBs by looking at all 209 separate compounds in the PCB chemical family. The second way looks at toxicity based on the 12 most toxic compounds in the PCB family. Some supplements did better than others. For more information, consult:
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11 comments:
OH, Sh!t. I thought by taking fish oil I was doing the healthy thing.
Cancer v. heart disease, may be your choice.
This has my heart racing. How can we tell if our supplements were tested?
Certainly if they distill the fish oil it ought to be safe.
Chill out... it's only pcps
I was told the Omega 3 pills at Whole Foods dont have that in them.
Shop at Whole Foods!!!
Hope you are right. Who is the manufacturer of your fish oil pills?
Scary stuff!
Spammers will be billed for advertising!
and i thought fish oil was good for me
This has my heart racing. How can we tell if our supplements were tested?
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