Articles
Fish Oil During Pregnancy
My wife is pregnant. With twins! We get excited and nervous when it's time for our monthly doctor's visit. We do absolutely everything we can to make sure our little bundles of joy are growing and healthy. You probably know the feeling. Taking DHA Omega-3 during pregnancy is critical if you are not eating wild caught seafood several times a week. DHA is critical for your baby's brain and eye development. Your need for it increases through the course of your pregnancy.[/caption] As a nutritionist who has been studying fish oil and Omega-3 for over 20 years, it’s time to practice what I’ve been preaching for so long. I used to have a very hard time convincing pregnant women that they should take fish oil or eat fish. It was a tough sell. Women had been scared to death about the dangers of mercury in fish. In the 80's, we started avoiding the sun. And in the 90's, we started avoiding seafood. Thank you, TV. But things are changing. So is it safe? Yes. Absolutely! My pregnant wife takes 4 ultra-concentrated fish oil pills every day. (See her dosage details below) After working in the fish oil industry for almost 20 years, I know the risks. The risk is not fish oil. The risk comes from NOT eating fish or taking fish oil. Let's be honest - no one eats enough fish. So your baby's Omega-3 needs has to come from supplements. Not consuming enough DHA Omega-3 can lead to poor development of your baby's brain and eyes.* Pregnancy is not the time for discount fish oil. Algae-DHA and Ultra-concentrated fish oil are definitely cleaner and purer than regular drug store fish oils. And the peace of mind is worth the added cost. The Truth About Mercury and Fish Oil during Pregnancy The truth is, fish meat has mercury. Fish oil does not. I’ll explain why in a second. First, here are the fish to avoid: tilefish, shark, swordfish, and king mackerel. These fish are large predatory fish that live for many years, which gives them a chance to accumulate mercury in their bodies. Canned tuna and Halibut can also be high in mercury. Fish Oil During Pregnancy: OmegaVia is NOT a prenatal supplement. OmegaVia is perfect for you, mommy. But for baby, we recommend that you take a high-DHA supplement. We also make OmegaVia DHA 600. What’s safe to eat during pregnancy? Sardine and wild pacific sockeye salmon are both excellent. Fish oil does NOT contain high levels of mercury. Even the cheap, low-quality fish oils have virtually no mercury. Why? Because of three reasons: Methyl mercury, the form of mercury found in fish is not soluble in oil. The mercury is separated from the fish when the oil is extracted. The molecular distillation process used to make fish oil ensures that virtually all the remaining mercury in the crude oil is permanently removed. Good quality fish oils are made from small fish that are low on the food chain. These fish don’t have toxic levels of mercury to begin with. So even the cheap fish oils sold in Walmart do not have mercury in them. ConsumerLab.com tested 57 brands of fish oil and found no mercury in any of them. A few brands flunked other quality tests but that was because they had low-quality, rancid oil. Fish Oil During Pregnancy - Why is it Important? Omega-3 in fish oil is very important in the development of your baby’s brain and eyes. More than half of your baby’s brain and eyes are made of DHA Omega-3. Fish oil during pregnancy helps support: Baby's Brain Development* Baby's Vision Development* Child's Hand-eye Coordination in later years* * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. DHA can only come from food or supplements. There is no other way to get DHA Omega-3. Everyone needs DHA but the most important time to take fish oil is during pregnancy and during the first couple of years of your child’s life. Newborns' brains grow at a rate of 1% per day for the first 90 days. That might not seem like a lot, but if adults' brains were to grow at the same rate, our heads would balloon to the size of a water melon in 3 months. The American Psychiatric Association, worried that we were going to have a generation of unhealthy kids, sanctioned a full review of the risks and benefits. They gathered the top doctors in the field to issue a recommendation. And their recommendation was: Omega-3 EPA and DHA is not only safe but it’s also necessary to take fish oil during pregnancy. How much fish oil during pregnancy? Ten years ago, scientists said 300 mg of DHA should be the minimum. This is why the DHA pills your OB/GYN office gave you contain 200 to 300 mg DHA. But what scientists know about fish oil and pregnancy has changed in the last 10 years. Now, the latest consensus calls for a MINIMUM of 900 mg DHA per day. And that just covers the basic, bare-minimum needs for your baby and your body. 900 mg DHA is the new minimum. Turns out 90% of pregnant women were not even getting 300 mg a day. Then why does your prescription prenatal have only 300 mg DHA? Well, their dosage is based on old science. Drug companies and the FDA are very slow to react to new science. Here’s what some of the popular prenatal supplements contain: Expecta: 200 mg DHA per pill Prenate: 300 mg DHA per pill Prenexa: 300 mg DHA per pill CitraNatal: 300 mg DHA per pill Duet DHA EC: 295 mg DHA per pill NatureMade Folic Acid with DHA: 50 mg DHA per pill Not enough! Not even close! NatureMade Folic Acid with DHA contains ONLY 50 mg! That's crazy! There could be pregnant women taking this product and thinking that their DHA needs are covered. Not even close! Don't be that woman! The issue with Folic Acid While I'm ranting about low DHA levels in prenatal supplements, let me rant about Folic Acid for a second. Pregnant women need this B vitamin because most of us don't eat enough green leafy vegetables. We think taking Folic Acid will fix that problem. It won't. Almost 90% of Folic Acid is not absorbed. Green leafy vegetables have Folate. Not Folic Acid. Folic Acid is synthetic and not absorbed. Well, just enough of it is absorbed to prevent spinal health issues with babies. So if you want to really be good, eat green leafy veggies (a lot!) and supplement with FOLATE. Look for brands that use Metafolin or Quatrefolic. You won't find Folate in any of the samples your doctor gave you or in the other prenatals. Back to DHA Omega-3...and here's what my lovely wife took during her pregnancy: Two OmegaVia pills = 2210 mg Omega-3 (520 mg DHA) Two Carlsons Super DHA Gems = 1000 mg DHA For a total of 1520 mg DHA per day. Mostly for the twins. The above dosage also gave my wife 1760 mg EPA that her body desperately needs. So it's not just your baby who needs fish oil during pregnancy! A good friend of mine, Dr. John Olson, practices medicine in Indianapolis. He asked me what my wife was taking for DHA. Besides the Calcium, K2, Vitamin D, Multi, Folic and Iron, I told him about her Omega-3 routine. He said, "Not bad...but could be higher." OmegaVia now offers a DHA-only supplement OmegaVia DHA 600. NEW! OmegaVia DHA 600 - - the only pill that provides enough DHA for the second half of your pregnancy Contains 600 mg of DHA Omega-3 per pill Enteric coated to reduce odor and burps Purified to remove mercury. Always third-party certified for your peace of mind Other nutrient deficiencies to watch out for: Vitamin D3. Get plenty of mid-day sunshine. If you're pregnant during the winter, please take a supplement. Have your OB check your levels.* Magnesium. Most Americans are deficient in this mineral. Even if you eat a very good diet, you are going to be low in this nutrient. Eat more veggies, nuts and seeds.* Vitamin K2. Eat more European style hard cheeses like Jarlsberg, Gouda and Emmental. If you can't find these cheeses, eat any real cheese. K2 is important for your baby's facial, jaw, head and teeth development. Your baby's teeth, even their adult teeth are developed by week 11 of pregnancy. In other words, it is very hard to make good looking children without enough K2. I'd rather you get your K2 from cheese.* Iron. Half of all pregnant women are iron deficient. Choline. 90% of Americans do not get enough choline and it is crucial during pregnancy. I have no idea why DHA gets all the attention but choline does not. B-Vitamins. You already know you need Folate (Folic Acid). Folate is a type of B Vitamin. If you're a vegan or vegetarian, please consider taking a really good B-complex long before you get pregnant. If you're considering becoming both a vegan and mother at the same time, stop. Don't do it! Women don't bother taking prenatal vitamins BEFORE pregnancy, but that's when you need it most! Only 30% of women take prenatal vitamins BEFORE pregnancy. Iodine. Most pregnant women are marginally iodine deficient. Iodine is necessary for producing thyroid hormone, which is necessary for proper brain development. Shockingly, only half the prenatal vitamins (as of 2009) contained any iodine. And of the half that had iodine in the formula, less than half provided enough iodine. This is why I'm so disappointed with most prenatals. I suggest you get 500 mcg to 1000 mcg per day.* * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Your turn... Are you taking a prenatal DHA? If so, how much? Has you OB tested you for Vitamin D levels? Did you take B-complex vitamins before pregnancy? Do you take DHA in addition to what's in your prenatal?
EPA Fish Oil
EPA and DHA are the two major Omega-3 in fish oil. DHA is critical during pregnancy for the development of the fetal brain and eyes. It is also important for the growth of the baby’s brain after birth. Adults still need DHA for several functions, but as you get older the need to maintain healthy inflammation response is important. That's where EPA comes in. EPA also has some other unique benefits for adults. There is no magic EPA to DHA ratio, even though you will hear and read that there is. The truth is, both Omega-3 are extremely important and you need a lot of both. Why EPA Omega-3 is important: EPA protects the brain, the nervous system and the heart* EPA suports your body’s immunity* EPA supports healthy inflammation response* EPA support healthy mood* EPA helps maintain health throughout your life* * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Research suggests that improving omega-3 fat intake from a concentrated source may help support a healthy mood. Some, but not all studies, indicate that 2,000 mg of omega-3 fats daily may offer benefit. How is EPA different from DHA? EPA helps maintain healthy inflammation response* EPA competes with potentially harmful effects of excess Omega-6.* The reason why high EPA Omega-3 has such important benefits is because of its ability to influences the level of a substance called Eicosanoids.* Eicosanoids are powerful and out of control levels of it can influence health negatively.* High EPA fish oil supports heart health* Several clinical studies have shown the EPA can help support heart health* EPA fish oil and mood* Research suggests that improving omega-3 fat intake from a concentrated source may help support a healthy mood. Some, but not all studies, indicate that 2,000 mg of omega-3 fats daily may offer benefit.Research suggests that omega-3 supplements with a higher concentration of EPA may offer distinct support for mood health.* High-EPA Fish oil supports Mood health - DHA does not.* Research suggests that improving omega-3 fat intake from a concentrated source may help support a healthy mood. Some, but not all studies, indicate that 2,000 mg of omega-3 fats daily may offer benefit.Research suggests that omega-3 supplements with a higher concentration of EPA may offer distinct support for mood health.* (GEEK ALERT: If you really want to know, EPA Omega-3 is involved modulation of neurotransmitter turnover and phosphoinositol-mediated signal transduction, and L-type calcium channel regulation.*) * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Molecularly Distilled Fish Oil
Molecularly distilled fish oil is the most common type of fish oil. Here's why: Crude fish oil has a lot of gunk. Gunk that we don’t like or need. Molecular distillation is a technology for getting rid of this 'gunk,' although there are newer more expensive purification technologies now. I spent three years of my life becoming an expert at molecular distillation. Yep, it's as boring as it sounds! But it was my first job out of college and I got to live in sunny Florida. So I really can’t complain. Boring or not, molecular distillation is a powerful technology. Advantages of Molecularly Distilled Fish Oil Purity. Molecularly distilled fish oil is the purest. Concentrated Dose. More Omega-3 per pill. Less Odor. Less rancidity and oxidation. Disadvantages of Molecularly Distilled Fish Oil Cost. It’s a couple of pennies more than crude fish oil Why buy Molecularly Distilled Fish Oil? Like I said, crude fish oil has a lot of gunk. It has Omega-3, the good stuff. But it also has a pinch of mercury and a dash of industrial contaminants like PCB and Dioxins. The best way to remove pollution from fish oil is to use molecular distillation. Your Grandpa's Fish Oil The old technology simply boiled fish oil in a still. Just like moonshine. And as the oil boiled over, it was separated from harder-to-boil materials like waxes and mercury. It was a crude form of purification. The old technology worked. Sort of. It literally cooked the oil and the delicate Omega-3 for hours and sometimes days during the process. It removed most, but not all, of the pollutants. That’s how they made our parent’s and grandparent’s Cod Liver Oil. Ugh! New Technology: Molecular Distillation of Fish Oil With molecularly distilled fish oil, the crude oil is placed under extreme vacuum. Under such high vacuum, it is possible to “boil” the oil at very low temperatures. Fish oil boils well under its normal boiling point when placed under vacuum. And the contents of the oil are boiled off separately based on their molecular weight. EPA Omega-3 boils over first Then DHA Omega-3 is separated Molecules of mercury, PCB, Dioxins have different molecular weight and boiling points, so they are left behind in the “pot” Everything is purified molecule by molecule. There is very little mingling of molecules. The nasty mercury molecules stay in one place and the healthy Omega-3 in another. Now you have pure, concentrated fish oil. And no gunk. This is why molecularly distilled fish oil is recommended even for pregnant women. Matter of fact, it's the only kind you should take if you're pregnant. Molecular distillation of fish oil is fast The process is fairly quick. So delicate Omega-3 fatty acids are protected from breaking down and going rancid. Why is fast important? Well, if fish oil is cooked for a long time, it will not only go rancid, but it will start to form trace amounts of trans fats, which are unhealthy. Molecular distillation of fish oil produces ultra-pure, refined oil with virtually zero contaminants. So pure that it’s hard to even measure the level of contaminants with modern analytical techniques like gas chromatography or HPLC. Molecular distillation can remove heavy metals, Dioxins, PCBs and other toxins to BELOW detectable levels for human use. Another Benefit of Molecularly Distilled Fish Oil Molecularly distilled fish oil has high Omega-3 content. The only reason to take fish oil is the Omega-3. So why take unrefined fish oil with 30% Omega-3? Why take the other unwanted 70%? With molecular distillation, you can reach 50%, 60% or even 90% Omega-3 purity. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive. Purity has its price. But the benefits of a super-concentrated dose of Omega-3 are priceless.* Molecular distillation lets you get all the Omega-3 you need in a single dose. How to Tell if your Fish Oil is Molecularly Distilled It's often mentioned on the label Ask. Call or email your fish oil company. Summary Molecular distillation of fish oil is used to: Concentrate the Omega-3 in fish oil Purify the oil from contaminants and pollutants Reduce the fishy odor of crude fish oils Now THAT’S progress! * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Enteric Coated Fish Oil
What is Enteric Coated Fish Oil? Do you need it? Enteric coated fish oil does two things: It reduces fishy burps. Gross, I know. It protects the Omega-3 from harsh stomach acids. Stomach acids may destroy some of the Omega-3 in fish oil. Enteric coating prevents that.. Reducing fishy burps with enteric coated fish oil ‘Fishy burps’ is the #1 complaint about fish oil. This is unpleasant if the oil is rancid or old. It is really bad with discount fish oil that is close to its expiration. I usually don’t have this problem but occasionally, it happens. My wife complained about this when she first began taking fish oil pills. But now, she doesn’t have this problem either. I’ve talked to several hundred fish oil consumers and the ‘burping’ issue always comes up with those who are new to fish oil. Your body gets the hint and stops bothering you after a couple of months. Burping is not necessarily a sign of cheap or bad fish oil. It happens with all oils. You’d burp extra virgin olive oil if you took it in a pill. It’s just a bit more unpleasant when it happens with old, rancid fish oil. Enteric-coated fish oil does not dissolve in the stomach. It stays intact until it gets to the intestines. So no burping. The Science Behind Enteric Coated Fish Oil The New England Journal of Medicine published a paper that suggested that subjects needed only one-third the amount of fish oil if it was enteric coated. Delivering omega-3 intact to the intestines instead of the stomach, allowed more Omega-3 to be absorbed into the phospholipid membrane. The study was done on patient population with Crohn’s disease therefore, we cannot extrapolate that result to healthy population. Another paper compared studies that used enteric coated fish oil capsules - three studies used enteric coated capsules with positive results and one used ordinary gelatin capsules (no advantage). It should be pointed out that the enteric coated capsules were not compared with non-enteric ones - the placebo was vegetable oil. Controlling Fishy Burps There are two major types of enteric coating Synthetic coating Natural coating I prefer the natural option. I’m guessing you do too. But it’s not the most popular option. Why? Cost. The synthetic stuff is cheaper. Synthetic enteric coating is made from Methacrylic Acid Copolymer. This chemical is spray painted onto the outside of the pill. Large tumbling blenders that look like cement mixers are used to spray paint thousands of fish oil pills with this chemical. Enteric coated fish oil pills look frosty, not clear like regular pills. Methacrylic Acid Copolymer (or MAC as it is called in the industry) prevents the fish oil pill from dissolving in the stomach. Instead, it stays intact in the stomach and dissolves after the pill has moved beyond the stomach into the intestines. Once the pill is in the intestines, you cannot burp it back up. At least that’s the idea behind the technology. Is the synthetic enteric coating safe? Yes. I’ve thoroughly researched, investigated and talked to the nice people at BASF who makes this chemical. The chemical has been on the market for 50 years and has a proven record of safety. But still…when it was time for me to buy fish oil for my family or friends, I always went for the natural option. I simply don’t want to eat something called ‘methacryclic acid copolymer.’ Just doesn't feel right. Some manufacturers try to hide this chemical by calling it ‘aqueous coating’ or other fancy terms that sound less like a chemical. OK, what about natural enteric coating? Natural enteric coating is made from seaweed (algae) or tree bark (cellulose). So you might see the word ‘alginate’ on the label. Sometimes it is also called ‘natural food glaze.’ This technology is not as effective as the synthetic one. And it’s more expensive. But it’s worth it if you want a natural alternative. Enteric coating is not perfect Unfortunately, the technology does not always work. Many people still burp up after taking enteric coated pills. This is because, like paint on your walls: • Enteric coating can chip off • Enteric coating can crack • Coating may be too thin to be effective. In any of these cases, you may notice burps. Is there any risk to Enteric Coated Fish Oil? The greatest risk of enteric coating is that it can mask the rank odor of rancid, old, low-quality fish oil. This is why I hear the following complaints: “Enteric coating is a gimmick to hide low quality oil.” “Enteric coating is a way to inflate the price.” The complaints are always from marketers selling non-enteric coated fish oil. Enteric coating is NOT a gimmick. But the complainers have a point! Some companies use enteric coating as an odor-masking agent for lousy oil. And they may charge you more for it. Bottom-line: Enteric Coated Fish Oil Enteric coated fish oil prevents burps and is well-absorbed. It's a win-win. Especially if you start with high quality, ultra-concentrated fish oil. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
What is Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil?
Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil. What does that really mean? First, here is what Pharmaceutical grade fish oil is NOT: It’s not an official FDA term It’s not a medical term The term 'pharmaceutical grade' has become an unofficial measure of Omega-3 content. Regular consumers have started using the word ‘pharmaceutical grade fish oil’ in everyday language. It is common parlance. But it’s a phrase that has been used by the folks in the fish oil industry for about two decades. It's not the bread-n-butter fish oil sold at drug stores This oil most people have been buying for a long time, the ‘bread-n-butter’ grade oil is called ‘18/12 oil’. Eighteen-twelve. Most of the fish oil supplements are still 18/12 oils. It is a cheap commodity. It’s considered ‘entry level’ fish oil. In car terms, think Ford Escort. The quality of this oil can vary from excellent to scary. What does ‘18/12’ mean? Fish oil has two main types of Omega-3 fatty acids. The two main Omega-3s in fish oil are EPA and DHA. They stand for Eicosapentaenoic acid and Docosahexaenoic acid respectively. In 18/12 oils, there is approximately 18% EPA and 12% DHA. Together, there is a total of 30% Omega-3. The other 70% is mixture of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fats – stuff your body does not need more of. So if you buy a brand that says ‘1000 mg Fish Oil’ on the label, chances are that it is an 18/12 oil. So 30% of the 1000 mg is Omega-3. That’s 300 mg. 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA. For many years, almost all oils sold were 18/12 oils. Then, roughly a decade or so ago, a couple of fish oil producers began making slightly more concentrated oil. It had 30% EPA and 20% DHA. They contained 50% Omega-3. As you would expect, we called it ‘30/20 oil’. This required a lot more work and purification. It was also a lot more expensive than the old 18/12 oil. Since this new oil was much stronger, scientists had begun using 30/20 oil in human clinical trials. To justify charging a higher premium, clever fish oil marketers coined the term pharmaceutical grade fish oil. That was almost 20 years ago, long before prescription fish oils existed. 30/20 oil is no longer considered very strong and 30/20 oil is no longer called ‘pharmaceutical grade’. Why? Because there are much stronger oils available. There is the 40/20 oil. And the 36/24 oil. Both contain 60% Omega-3. Some marketers call these oils pharmaceutical grade. We don't agree. And most industry experts don’t consider 60% Omega-3 very strong. As of this writing, there are ultra-concentrated fish oils with 85 to 90% purity. OmegaVia contains oil of this purity. Features and benefits of pharmaceutical grade fish oil 85 to 90% Omega-3 Only 10 to 15% non-omega-3 oils (as opposed to 70% in 18/12 oils) Easy to get high doses of Omega-3, like the dosages used in clinical studies Feel the benefits of fish oil with fewer pills Fewer pills to swallow Repeated purification steps and/or CO2 chromatography required to reach high Omega-3 concentration removes virtually all heavy metals like mercury Virtually no environmental toxins Ultra-purity reduces fishy odor When you buy a pharmaceutical grade fish oil, you are not getting the old fish oil. You're getting the best of what modern technology can offer for your health.
Fish oil supplements and PCBs. Should you worry? Part 2
In part 1, we discussed a lawsuit filed in California that claims that 10 brands of fish oil supplements tested contain polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). PCBs are a group of toxic industrial compound that have been outlawed for a few decades. But they are persistent and still remain in the environment. The plaintiffs claim that manufacturers and sellers need to warn consumers under the state’s Proposition 65. GOED - the industry hall monitor Almost all fish oils made in North America and Europe are made to pass GOED standards. GOED is the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s. A non-profit hall-monitor of the fish oil industry. They set rules. Tight rules. And manufacturers have to sign an affidavit saying they will obey the rules. California Prop 65 sets ‘No Significant Risk Levels (NSRLs)’ related to carcinogenic activity and Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADLs) for chemicals that can cause reproductive toxicity. “While NSRLs have been set for PCBs in California, MADLs have not,” said Adam Ismail, Executive Director of GOED in an Industry Brief. “This group (plaintiffs) is actually asserting that since no regulatory body has set a limit related to reproductive toxicity, the default level should be zero,” continued Ismail. Zero? All living things and all foods on planet earth, unfortunately, contain very tiny amounts of PCBs. That’s sad. But true. So it cannot be zero. GOED says: “Thus far, toxicological assessments have not supported this position, but due to the unique nature of Proposition 65, the burden of proof is on the defendants in lawsuits to establish Safe Harbor limits.” In other words, we’ve looked at our food supply and there is always some PCB in everything. “PCBs are ubiquitous within the environment, which means that all fish—whether fish found in oceans and rivers or fish oil supplements—contain at least trace amounts of PCBs,” says Dr. Andrew Shao, Senior VP of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs of Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Washington, D.C., putting the issues in context. “In fact, conventional food forms of fish contain higher levels of PCBs than fish oil supplements in part because supplement fish oil products go through a refining process which reduces PCBs and other contaminants,” he added. In a rare and refreshing moment of openness, Shao stated, “The lawyers are using California’s Prop 65 statute to bring attention to their case by attempting to frame this as a public health concern, when in reality, fish oil has enjoyed decades of safe use.” It is still unclear who stands to benefit from this lawsuit. Or how. The FDA has set a tolerance level of PCB for fish at 2000 parts per billion. In comparison, the California Proposition 65 daily limit for PCBs for a cancer warning is 90 parts per million, which is significantly lower than what FDA deems safe. Fish can contain 22 times more PCBs than fish oil. The FDA Total Diet Study did a survey and they found PCB levels dozens or even hundreds of times higher in regular foods than in the level found in the 8 bottles of fish oil that part of the lawsuit. A can of tuna has almost 4000 ppb (parts per billion, also written as ‘ng’ sometimes) of PCB/serving. For comparison, a chicken breast has 2700 ppb. Pancakes contain 2000 ppb. Fish oil is allowed no more 90 ppb per serving. Most ultra-concentrated fish oils contain less than 10 ppb PCBs. Don’t take my word for it. Check out the third party results yourself. You’d have to eat 300 fish oil pills to equal the PCBs in one chicken breast. This is not a safety issue. It’s a legal issue. So the next time you jump out of a perfectly good airplane, worry about the parachute opening. Not about getting hit by lightning. As a consumer, what should you do? Demand transparency. There are several things you can do: Buy fish oil that have been tested by third party labs. Ask for the assay results. A few manufacturers will post the results on their web sites. This information can be hard to get from large retailers or manufacturers who get their oil from China or other unreliable sources. Do not buy Salmon, Cod or Tuna oils. Buy fish oil made from sardine, anchovy, menhaden, mackerel, hoki, whiting or pollock. Seasonal or short-lived fish do not have the opportunity to accumulate toxins in their body. Salmon, Cod and Tuna are large fish that live for many years – they accumulate toxins over the years. Buy brands that disclose the source of the oil. There are only a handful of fish oil purifiers. They are EPAX, Oranic Technologies, Omega Protein, Ocean Nutrition and Croda. We trust and buy from these sources. Transparency is expensive Very few brands reveal the source of their oil because transparency is expensive. Bulk fish oil can be purchased from China for a fraction of what it costs to buy EPAX or Ocean Nutrition oil. Most large mass-market retailers sell oil from China. A lot of the store-brand fish oil sold in the United States use unreliable fish oil from China. To be fair, Chinese oil is not always rancid or polluted. It’s the lack of traceability and accountability that we find disturbing. OmegaVia uses oil that is certified sustainable and all our certificates of analyses are available at IFOS, which raises transparency to new heights. Demand transparency. And get involved in your health.