People who take certain brands of fish oil supplements, seeking benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids are also exposing themselves to unnecessarily high levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, newly released test results show.
Brands were tested in private laboratories by environmental lawyers as part of a labelling lawsuit in California. The results show a major discrepancy in the level of PCB contamination, attorney David Roe told reporters Monday.
"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. 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," said Roe.
That's the good news for consumers, he added.
"Some companies do a lot better job than others, and we think this is something people should know."
The group tested 10 brands of the more than 100 fish oil supplement products on the market.
Eight of the 10 makers and sellers of fish oil, shark oil, fish liver oil and shark liver oil supplements have PCB contamination above the so-called "safe harbour" limits set for human PCB consumption under California's Proposition 65, the results show.
The state law requires consumers to be warned about such exposures on product labels. None of the products contains such a warning, but some brands highlight how their supplements are treated to remove or reduce PCBs.
That's why consumers beyond California should care, said environmental researcher Chris Manthey, one of the plaintiffs in the case.
"But since they don't say how much PCB contamination is still left, even consumers who choose "treated" supplements don't know what PCB levels they're swallowing along with their daily Omega-3."
When tested for total daily exposures to PCBs, Now Foods Salmon Oil, available in Canada, had the highest levels, according to the test results. When weighed for toxicity, Nature Made Cod Liver Oil, available to Canadians through online stores, had the highest levels, the results, posted at fishoilsafety.com, show.
In the initial tests of 10 products, those with the lowest overall levels of PCBs at the recommended daily dose were, in order, Solgar Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, TwinLab Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, GNC Liquid Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, and TwinLab Emulsified Norwegian Cod Liver Oil.
After weighting to determine how toxic some of the contaminants are, the products that ranked the lowest for toxicity were, in order, TwinLab Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, TwinLab Emulsified Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, Solar 100 per cent Pure Norwegian Shark Liver Oil Complex, and Nature Made Odorless Fish Oil.
"Without more testing, we can't know whether this group includes the worst in the market — or the best," the plaintiffs wrote in backgrounder of the 10 brands.
Although banned many years ago, PCB compounds are extremely persistent in the environment because they don't break down quickly. That means they accumulate in the food chain, including in fish. PCBs been officially recognized for 20 years as causing cancer and reproductive toxicity.
"We know for sure that more is worse than less, and our tests show that some fish oil supplements have many times as much PCBs as others. California has set a daily intake that represents 'no significant risk' of PCBs causing cancer, which some of these products exceed by up to a factor of 10. But there is no official safety level for PCBs causing reproductive toxicity. So the only guideline consumers can follow is that less is safer," the plaintiffs wrote in the backgrounder.
California-based Pharmavite LLC, manufacturer of Nature Made dietary supplements, immediately challenged the results, saying the company complies with California's Proposition 65 and meets or exceeds "the most exacting standards" known to the supplement industry.
In addition, Nature Made's fish oil products have been awarded the United States Pharmacopeia Verification Program mark for omega-3 fish oil purity, potency and quality, and the Nature Made Fish Oil received a "Best Choice" rating based on a survey conducted by Environmental Defense when the group evaluated fish oil supplements for environmental contaminants, the company said in a statement.
The appetite for Omega-3 supplements continues to grow as the health benefits of fatty acids become cemented in the minds of consumers. Studies show they may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
Since 2006, the U.S. market for Omega-3 supplements has doubled, to an estimated $1 billion. Meanwhile, market research firm Packaged Facts estimates global retail sales for Omega-3 enhanced food and beverage products will rise from $4.6 billion in 2007 to $8.2 billion by 2012.
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