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Fishy about fish oil

Posted By: Sara M meta_seperate Date Posted: March 15th, 2010 meta_seperate Category:

Recently I was watching a news segment and saw a report on fish oil concerns. It felt so terrible to find that some of the good brands of fish oil are using chemicals, PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) and industrial chemicals that were banned in the 1970s because they caused cancer and birth defects. My family relies on fish oil for the omega-3 fatty acids, and we have been consuming fish oil since ages. The report presented a test of 10 different fish oil supplements and each contained PCBs. While searching for PCB, I found that, due to PCB’s toxicity and classification as a persistent organic pollutant, PCB production was banned by the United States Congress in 1979 and by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001. This was more than enough for me to be worried about the use of fish oil.
After seeing this report, my faith towards medicine is somewhat shaken. Now, I am so worried before buying vitamin pills that I see all the ingredients and search on Internet about them. I think I would rather stick to my fish diet and follow my doctors for omega fatty acid, rather than buying fish oil and inviting ailments. Undoubtedly, doctors and hospitals are the best place to ask for medicine rather than using own knowledge (ignorance) and getting into trouble.


1 Comment


Comment By: Phil J meta_seperate Date & Time: November 23, 2010 at 2:30 pm

"Undoubtedly, doctors and hospitals are the best place to ask for medicine rather than using own knowledge (ignorance) and getting into trouble."

I agree that private companies can be hit or miss with the quality of products that they provide and one should always be wary of what they put into their bodies when a good amount of commercial products is proven or likely to be detrimental to our health. HOWEVER your last statement is a very bold statement to say the least and on the behalf of the entire "ignorant" populace in which you include yourself I merely ask that you take it back :)

You may need to be just as wary with doctor/hospital provided "consumables" and in an attempt to promote your own health the whole "read and research about what I put into my body" craze should be applied across the board regardless of the sector from whence it came. Peace