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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 12:55:42
Hello, I'm new here.
Sorry if this has been covered before.
I've been doing some book and internet research on fish oil supplements. I have seen a few other threads here on the same topic, so figure you guys must know something about this stuff, but I didn't see the answer to my question. :)
I really want to take the supplements, but I was convinced, after reading "Omega Rx" from Dr. Sears, that I needed to take the pricey "pharmaceutical grade" fish oil supplements. I realize that he makes money from the endeavor, so I am skeptical, but also still concerned about contaminants from the cheaper brands.
I have seen the consumerlabs.org (sp?) report, which is a few years old, and which found no contaminants in 40 brands tested. I just wonder if that report is reliable and also whether there have been any newer studies.
So, does anyone know of any recent studies proving that cheaper fish oil brands don't have contaminants? Any other reason to believe that there are not contaminants in the cheaper brands??
Many thanks!
Posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 13:01:52
In reply to spend money on pricey fish oil supplements?, posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 12:55:42
I also saw an earlier thread response explaining that heavy metals cannot contaminate the fish oil. I still felt concerned because I'm pretty sure that heavy metals are not the only potential contaminants.
Thanks again to anyone who responds!!
Posted by Dan Perkins on December 31, 2004, at 14:36:00
In reply to p.s., posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 13:01:52
The highest-quality contaminate-free fish oil that I have come across is the cod liver oil from Carlson's. Just take a tablespoon a day and you are set. It's relatively cheap stuff, it can be bought at most health food stores, and it is one of the healthiest substances that you can put in your body (physical and mental health).
>
>
Posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 17:42:53
In reply to Re: p.s., posted by Dan Perkins on December 31, 2004, at 14:36:00
I'm just trying to understand. Please know I really don't know the specifics, but my vague understanding was that there was something in Cod Liver Oil that is not in other fish oils, or vice versa, somehow I thought Cod Liver Oil didn't confer the same benefits. Does it have omega-3's, like EPA, etc.?
I'm truly just trying to understand. I appreciate your post--I have wondered about Cod Liver Oil. I think Dr. Sears bashes on Cod Liver Oil in his book--but I can't recall why. I think it might have been the contaminants, so if you have found a reliable brand, then maybe that's a non-issue.
Anyway, thanks. I appreciate your advice.
Posted by Dan Perkins on December 31, 2004, at 18:44:21
In reply to Re: p.s., posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 17:42:53
No problem. The only difference between Cod Liver Oil (CLO) and fish oil is that CLO has vitamins A & D, which is very much a good thing. Other than that, it has the same omega-3s, EPA, DHA, etc.
Dr. Mercola (mercola.com) is a big advocate of CLO and has a ton of information on it on his website.
As far as brand, I have heard only good things about Carlson's, which is available in health food stores and on the internet (vitaminshoppe.com has good prices).
> I'm just trying to understand. Please know I really don't know the specifics, but my vague understanding was that there was something in Cod Liver Oil that is not in other fish oils, or vice versa, somehow I thought Cod Liver Oil didn't confer the same benefits. Does it have omega-3's, like EPA, etc.?
>
> I'm truly just trying to understand. I appreciate your post--I have wondered about Cod Liver Oil. I think Dr. Sears bashes on Cod Liver Oil in his book--but I can't recall why. I think it might have been the contaminants, so if you have found a reliable brand, then maybe that's a non-issue.
>
> Anyway, thanks. I appreciate your advice.
Posted by Larry Hoover on January 1, 2005, at 23:14:29
In reply to spend money on pricey fish oil supplements?, posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 12:55:42
> Hello, I'm new here.
>
> Sorry if this has been covered before.
>
> I've been doing some book and internet research on fish oil supplements. I have seen a few other threads here on the same topic, so figure you guys must know something about this stuff, but I didn't see the answer to my question. :)
>
> I really want to take the supplements, but I was convinced, after reading "Omega Rx" from Dr. Sears, that I needed to take the pricey "pharmaceutical grade" fish oil supplements. I realize that he makes money from the endeavor, so I am skeptical, but also still concerned about contaminants from the cheaper brands.
>
> I have seen the consumerlabs.org (sp?) report, which is a few years old, and which found no contaminants in 40 brands tested. I just wonder if that report is reliable and also whether there have been any newer studies.
>
> So, does anyone know of any recent studies proving that cheaper fish oil brands don't have contaminants? Any other reason to believe that there are not contaminants in the cheaper brands??
>
> Many thanks!There may be certain fat-soluble contaminants in some fish oils. Those would include PCBs, some pesticides, dioxins, dibenzofurans, and such like.
Really, all food is contaminated with these things. Even organic foods. It's all a matter of degree.
Certain brands of fish oils do declare that they have been cleaned up to non-detectable contaminant levels. Those include Eskimo and Carlson's fish oils. There's more about this in the link I'll provide in a minute.
There are no heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead) in fish oils. Those metals do not physically interact with fats in such a way that they can even dissolve in it. They bind with proteins, which are thoroughly removed from fish oils. No proteins means no heavy metals. No special treatment required to get them out.
Whether you want to pay the extra money for somebody like Sears to profit from your situation is up to you, but I hope you catch a small bit of the cynicism in my voice.....err, typing.
Here's a pretty decent summary of the contaminant issue:
http://www.google.ca/groups?selm=fXRIc.11766%24RD4.875328%40news20.bellglobal.com&output=gplainLar
Posted by Larry Hoover on January 1, 2005, at 23:18:55
In reply to Re: p.s., posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 17:42:53
> I'm just trying to understand. Please know I really don't know the specifics, but my vague understanding was that there was something in Cod Liver Oil that is not in other fish oils, or vice versa, somehow I thought Cod Liver Oil didn't confer the same benefits. Does it have omega-3's, like EPA, etc.?
Cod liver oil contains fairly robust amounts of vitamins A and D. According to some recent research, vitamin D deficiency is widespread. The current RDAs for vitamin D might be only about 5% of what they might truly be.
> I'm truly just trying to understand. I appreciate your post--I have wondered about Cod Liver Oil. I think Dr. Sears bashes on Cod Liver Oil in his book--but I can't recall why. I think it might have been the contaminants, so if you have found a reliable brand, then maybe that's a non-issue.
>
> Anyway, thanks. I appreciate your advice.Some cod liver oils can be contaminated with those fat-soluble pollutants. The liver, after all, is the organ that accumulates these things to detoxify the body. That said, if you choose a quality cod liver oil product (like Carlson's), you will have a safe source.
There is a slightly different balance of DHA to EPA in cod liver oil, heavier on the DHA than fish oils contain. For that reason, I take both fish oil and cod liver oil, to make sure I get enough EPA.
Lar
Posted by LOOPS on January 3, 2005, at 19:37:21
In reply to Re: p.s. » steady, posted by Larry Hoover on January 1, 2005, at 23:18:55
Hi -
I'm presently taking NOW brand fish oil concentrated at 60% om 3 per g. This is the cheapest brand I've found and it seems to be working (I take 6-8 capsules a day). I have no idea how 'clean' this brand is, but I feel fine so far! I too take cod liver oil, but only a small amount of Solgar (I take less so I can afford a 'good' brand). The NOW brand has added vit E (very small amount).
I think as long as you buy the fish oil from a reputable company you'll be ok. I figured that the NOW brand is so big and reputed to sell good quality supplements for less (they can, as they are so big I suppose and complaints won't do them any good) they're fish oil is likely to be good quality.
If you do well on less fish oil, then I personally would go for the Carlsons or even that omega-brite stuff; but let's face it, when you start upping the dose to like 3-?g pure omega-3, things start to get pricey.
I also recently got shipped some Twinlab emulsified fish oil, which works out at around 1.6g omega-3 per tablespoon. Unfortunately, this is a messy way to do it (taste not so bad), but cheaper. I'm maybe also not too keen on letting sit around an opened bottle of fish oil, even if it has been mixed with antioxidants.
The best place I found for ordering stuff over the web is betterlife.com - they have like loooads of brands really cheap and the shipping is peanuts (I live in Chile so that is saying something).
I heard iherb.com is good - unfortunately they don't ship here (waa).
Ah fish oil my friend.
Loops
Posted by Darwin on January 4, 2005, at 3:26:53
In reply to spend money on pricey fish oil supplements?, posted by steady on December 31, 2004, at 12:55:42
If you shop around, you can find quality at a very reasonable price.
Last time I checked, Dr. Sears "Omega Rx" was about 3 times the cost of what appears to be the *exact* same product sold at iherb.com named "Rx Omega-3 Factors". So please do not reward price gougers. Shop around for the best price.
Darwin
Posted by KaraS on January 4, 2005, at 17:05:51
In reply to Re: spend money on pricey fish oil supplements? » steady, posted by Darwin on January 4, 2005, at 3:26:53
> If you shop around, you can find quality at a very reasonable price.
>
> Last time I checked, Dr. Sears "Omega Rx" was about 3 times the cost of what appears to be the *exact* same product sold at iherb.com named "Rx Omega-3 Factors". So please do not reward price gougers. Shop around for the best price.
>
> Darwin
I take Rx Omega-3 Factors (which I buy from iHerb.com) and I'm very happy with it so far.
Posted by tensor on January 6, 2005, at 2:19:12
In reply to Re: spend money on pricey fish oil supplements? » steady, posted by Larry Hoover on January 1, 2005, at 23:14:29
Hi Larry,
> There are no heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead) in fish oils. Those metals do not physically interact with fats in such a way that they can even dissolve in it.
I read this:
Moreover, because the ocean waters of many parts of industralized nations are contaminated, oils from fish are also contaminated with heavy metals, such as mercury and PCB's.
from:
http://www.nutritional-supplement-info.com/fish-oil-epa-and-dha.htmlCan fish oil be contaminated with heavy metals?
Regards,
Mattias
Posted by Larry Hoover on January 6, 2005, at 11:11:15
In reply to Re: spend money on pricey fish oil supplements? » Larry Hoover, posted by tensor on January 6, 2005, at 2:19:12
> Hi Larry,
>
> > There are no heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead) in fish oils. Those metals do not physically interact with fats in such a way that they can even dissolve in it.
>
> I read this:
> Moreover, because the ocean waters of many parts of industralized nations are contaminated, oils from fish are also contaminated with heavy metals, such as mercury and PCB's.
> from:
> http://www.nutritional-supplement-info.com/fish-oil-epa-and-dha.html
>
> Can fish oil be contaminated with heavy metals?
>
> Regards,
> MattiasNot refined fish oil, no. The allegation made at this website is false.
Metals are not soluble in fats. Metals are water-soluble, and they tend to bind to protein because protein has lots of charged surfaces.
Crude fish oil, or unrefined fish oil, contains a lot of what are called co-extractives, including some protein. It's kind of like crude oil from the ground. There's gasoline in there, but you have to do some more work to separate it out.
Crude fish oil is a commodity, like wheat or pork bellies. A good part of it comes from the fish farming industry, as a by-product of the production of the fish food pellets.
When it is intended for human consumption, it has to be refined. It is totally unpalatable in its crude form. It stinks horribly, and would make you sick to the stomach if you consumed any of it. So, they refine it. In that processing, all the metals are automatically removed. They don't do anything special to get the metals out. It's just part of the physical effect of preparing it for human consumption. The metals disappear along with all the other nasty co-extractives. What you're left with, the fish oil for human consumption, is quite safe.
The website you were reading is just trying to sell you their own product, at increased profit to them.
Here's a recent laboratory analysis:
http://www.consumerlab.com/results/omega3.aspLar
This is the end of the thread.
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