Up to just recently, consumers have thought that it would be simple to find an omega 3 fish oil that is mercury free. Unfortunately, the pollution free claims of many omega 3 supplements are either not true or wildly exaggerated.
This is a story that did not exist 50 years ago. Finding omega 3 fish oil that is mercury free was not a problem. However, increasing human population combined with world wide trade has resulted in pollutants being as much a part of the ocean as the salt in the salt water.
This is a problem for several reasons.
1] The omega 3 fatty acids every one is looking for are most concentrated in are cold water fatty fish at the upper end of the food chain. This would include species like salmon, tuna or mackerel. Unfortunately, beside the nutrients, there can also be high concentrations of mercury and other heavy metals as well.
Think of it this way. In general, every step up the predatory ladder is an increase of omega 3s and mercury within each fish.
By the way, this is why the F.D.A. and other groups want us to limit our consumption of these types of species. Over time, these toxins can be dangerous.
2] Because of this, many people are turning to omega 3 fish oil supplements. Here is the issue. Because of a process called molecular distillation, finding an omega 3 fish oil supplement that is mercury free has actually become easier. It is all the other stuff that is the problem.
Do you want a product that contains:
Methacrylic Acid Copolymer, Hypromellose Phthalate, Triacetin, Hypromellose, Titanium Dioxide, Propylene Glycol, Polyethelene Glycol, Glyceryl Monostearate, Triethyl Citrate, Povidone, Vanillin, Talc, Polysorbate 80.
These ingredients are from a popular supplement. They are not alone. I could name other offenders. Talc is crushed rock. Titanium Dioxide is a paint additive. Most of these chemicals are not from the fish. They are added during storage and/or processing for various reasons, but higher profit margins are an important consideration. A quality product will have no chemical additives at all.
A final point. Do not be taken in by claims that a supplement is pure because the salmon came from some clean area. Salmon love to travel. For instance, an Alaskan salmon could spend as much time in California waters as any place near Alaska.
There is really only one reliable means of knowing that you are getting an omega 3 fish oil that is mercury free, not to mention other contaminants. Read the lab report [sometimes called a certificate of analysis] on the product. It should be on the companies website. If there is none, the question to ask is: why isn’t there one? Good companies do not have a problem with full disclosure.
Author Resource:
Get my free five-part mini course on the benefits of omega 3, including critical information on why you should take omega3 fish oil .
To sign up for the course and get more tips on the importance of omega 3, visit my website: http://www.omega-3-guide.com/
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