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PCB's Found in FISH OIL supplements

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
"The group tested 10 types of fish oil for PCBs and found extreme differences in the amount of PCB each contained. Some had very low levels; while others contained significantly higher levels.

"Consumers who want the health benefits of fish oil shouldn't also have to take the health risks of an extremely toxic man-made chemical," said David Roe, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs. "And they don't have to, since preliminary test results show that some fish oil brands have only 1/70th as much PCB contamination in them as others."

The capsules that showed the highest overall levels of PCB compounds were Now Foods Salmon Oil, Now Foods Double Strength Cod Liver Oil, Now Foods Shark Liver Oil, and Nature Made Cod Liver Oil.

The fish oil that contained the least amount of PCB were Nature Made Odorless Fish Oil, TwinLab Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, TwinLab Emulsified Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, Solgar 100% Pure Norwegian Shark Liver Oil Complex, and Solgar Norwegian Cod Liver Oil."

Perhaps this is one of the reasons Cheney's testing suggested that fish oil supplements were 'toxic'?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/detail?entry_id=58320

d.
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
This is SO disappointing.

Do you have info about the Nordic Naturals oils, and where they stand on the scale?

All I know is what's in the article. Maybe a google search will turn up more.

Also, note that some brands came out much better than others...and some would suggest that PCB's are everywhere...
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
I take fish oil to help my toxed out nervous system heal... am I making myself even MORE TOXIC with this?

:eek::eek::eek: It really truly sucks.
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
I take fish oil to help my toxed out nervous system heal... am I making myself even MORE TOXIC with this?

:eek::eek::eek: It really truly sucks.

I totally understand Dreambirdie. I'm sure this story will spread quickly, and we'll have answers soon from various companies...possibly some recalls. ???

Perhaps flax would help you? I had problems with flax oil, but about a month ago switched to flax seeds (grind them in a coffee grinder) and then add them to...whatever. They have helped my dry eyes...

d.
 

Hysterical Woman

Senior Member
Messages
857
Location
East Coast
Thanks for posting, Danny, altho it is very frustrating!!

Unfortunately it points out, once again, that we have to do our own research with supplements. Good companies should be having independent chemical composition analysis on their products. It's just a shame that as ill people we have to do this work ourselves. We need some kind of holistic organization that would check this stuff for us. Does such an animal exist?

Hysterical
 

sarahg

Admin Assistant
Messages
276
Location
Pennsylvania
(there was supposed to be a quote from Dreambirdie here, but it just disappeared into thin air)

Nordic naturals- They are a smaller brand and probably didn't get tested. They are one of the few I would trust, I seem to remember reading that they independently test batches for PCB's. Maybe their website would have more info? (on a completely unrelated note their kid's gumdrop vitamins are amazing!)

I wonder about metagenics also, I would trust them more than some of the other ones.

And I really worry about whoever manufactures it for prohealth, cause that is all I can afford right now but I would switch if I had better info. Does anyone know if there is a way to find out where prohealth gets it from? am I correct in my understanding that they do not manufacture the supplements themselves but just package and distribute things manufactured by a third party?
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Nordic naturals- They are a smaller brand and probably didn't get tested. They are one of the few I would trust, I seem to remember reading that they independently test batches for PCB's. Maybe their website would have more info? (on a completely unrelated note their kid's gumdrop vitamins are amazing!)

I wonder about metagenics also, I would trust them more than some of the other ones.

And I really worry about whoever manufactures it for prohealth, cause that is all I can afford right now but I would switch if I had better info. Does anyone know if there is a way to find out where prohealth gets it from? am I correct in my understanding that they do not manufacture the supplements themselves but just package and distribute things manufactured by a third party?

Dreambirdie, here's a statement from Nordic Naturals:

"Watsonville, CA (March 3, 2010) Nordic Naturals announced today that the companys products surpass all PCB standards set by Californias Proposition 65, the GOED voluntary monograph, and all international standards. Nordic Naturals products were not listed in the lawsuit filed in California alleging that eight fish oil companies did not properly label products regarding PCB levels under the states Proposition 65.

Since 1995, Nordic Naturals has been setting the standards for fish oil excellence while delivering third-party test results that reveal industry-leading purity and freshness. According to Joar Opheim, CEO and Founder, Nordic Naturals believes that consumers should have access to accurate information about environmental contaminants and that complete transparency around freshness and purity is essential. Nordic Naturals has taken a proactive approach to provide individuals with information regarding the purity, safety, and efficacy of its fish oils. Using the most advanced testing methods to detect PCBs, third-party tests show that Nordic Naturals products have no detectable levels at one part per trillion of Non-Ortho and Mono-Ortho PCBs (the most harmful PCBs which are not covered by Prop 65) and total PCBs are well below the Prop 65 limit of 0.09g/kg (0.09ppm or 90ppb)."

http://www.nordicnaturals.com/en/About_Nordic_Naturals/Press_releases/279/?ID=72

I agree Sarah...I have a feeling Metagenics has high standards...and also Thorne. I've been getting Thorne's Betaine HCL (hydrochloric acid capsules for low stomach acid) for a couple years, but suddenly last October they stopped producing it because they said their source for the raw material had run out (or something like that) and they could not find ANY OTHER 'pure' sources that met their standards. So was every other company selling contaminated HCL? Who knows...(I did go downhill big time during the last 3 months while on another brand, but I don't really think that was the reason at all). Finally got word about 2-3 weeks ago that Thorne is again selling it...

And yes, I doubt Prohealth manufactures their own supps. In fact many 'name' brands don't make their own stuff. They hire out to some manufacturer, then put their own labels on the products. Personally, I wouldn't buy a thing from Prohealth, not only because similar products can be found for lower prices elsewhere, but primarily because they've allowed bullying on their message boards for the last couple of years. A very negative environment (in my opinion) that I choose not to support.

d.