Fish oil news

[ParsleyTea]

Thanks for your input. Sounds like NOW uses the same manufacturer as a bunch of other companies, meaning that probably other Fish oil pills have too high PCB levels as well, they just weren't highlighted/tested in the lawsuit so we have no idea. I will probably go back to Nordic Naturals..or S.A.N. as they seem to really test their products.

That very well could be. It is once again hard to say - what is classified as dangerous levels to PCB's though? As the article points out, the FDA lists much higher levels as being dangerous compared to California's prop 65. And also what testing method did the group that sued these firms use? I've seen other industry papers ask this question. Testing methods is a problem for the health food industry. Sad to say, but for some items you can shop around for desired test results. Here is another article writes some about the testing topic in this dispute:

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/...ga-3-suppliers

‘We are in full compliance’: Sued omega-3 suppliers
By Shane Starling, 04-Mar-2010

Related topics: Quality control, Omega-3, Regulation, Nutritional lipids and oils, Cardiovascular health, Cognitive and mental function

Texan omega-3 supplier Omega Protein Corporation says its offerings meet international regulatory requirements, including the strict contaminants rules set out in California’s Proposition 65.
A legal case names Omega Protein and seven other omega-3 supplements brands and retailers for breaching limits for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) established under Proposition 65 and demands $2500 be paid to each person exposed to the PCB-containing products.

“The Company's products are in full compliance with all federal laws promulgated by the US Food and Drug Administration, standards of the European Commission and the labeling requirements of California's Proposition 65,” Omega Protein said.

“In addition, the company's products meet the rigorous standards for quality promulgated by both the Center for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3's (GOED).”

It added: “The Company has worked cooperatively with the groups behind the lawsuit in California for the past several months, sharing information and answering any questions that arose. There are many issues on which Omega Protein disagrees with the plaintiffs, including methods of measuring PCBs, the level of PCBs at which a warning would be required, testing protocols, and applicable industry standards. Omega Protein takes very seriously its obligations to meet regulatory requirements and consumer expectations for safe and effective products.”

The action, brought by the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation and two New Jersey residents, also cites three products manufactured by Illinois-based Now Foods.

“Proposition 65 often applies to very small levels of chemicals – levels that in some cases are much lower than those permitted by other laws,” Now said, noting it took the action very seriously.

“This lawsuit was not filed by the state of California or any governmental authority but was filed by private plaintiffs.”

Although not named in the action, Krill leader Neptune Technologies & Bioressources said its offerings also met Proposition 65 requirements that were based on labeling not safety considerations.

"We regularly have the purity of NKO rigorously tested at independent accredited laboratories for all potential contaminants including PCBs, dioxins, pesticides and heavy metals, among others,” said Dr Tina Sampalis, chief science officer at Neptune.

Daniel Fabricant, PhD, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Natural Products Association (NPA) said it was unfortunate the plaintiff was commenting on pending litigation.

“Maybe they don't feel strong about the science they have behind them in this case. It’s attorneys trying to win a case, nothing more, nothing less, it should have no bearing on the millions who take fish oil and benefit from it daily.”

Others named in the action are General Nutrition Corp, Pharmavite, Solgar, TwinLab Corp, Rite Aid, and CVS Caremark.

The action can be found here.


Fish oil is considered a "non profit" item by supplements sellers. Margins are slim.
Food companies prefer new items which sell with high mark ups. And softgel machines are expensive, messy to work with, and as some have described, an art to run.

I checked out the Now Foods web page and did not see a listing for owning softgel manufacturing machines. I know they did not have any 10 years ago. So chances are Now Foods bought their fish oil capsules from one of the larger softgel manufacturing firms. - as most other retails do.

[brwnbulker]

The action, brought by the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation and two New Jersey residents, also cites three products manufactured by Illinois-based Now Foods.
“Proposition 65 often applies to very small levels of chemicals – levels that in some cases are much lower than those permitted by other laws,” Now said, noting it took the action very seriously.

Basically NOW Foods is admitting that their products violate Prop 65, they just clarify that Prop 65 is a very high standard and their high levels are ok by other states. Still, I'd rather go with a company with some of the lowest PCB levels, not the highest, regardless of what the cutoff is.

[Viper098]

Seems with brands even stating no detectable levels of PCBs there is conflict as there are detectable levels per these tests. I have read even on Nordic Naturals site they say not detectable but then say, not detectable above 90ppt. So it is a play on words these companies are using especially when they do not state down to what level they are testing. Nature made says not detectable but does not say to what level which sucks.

[Marius_Ursus]

Seems with brands even stating no detectable levels of PCBs there is conflict as there are detectable levels per these tests. I have read even on Nordic Naturals site they say not detectable but then say, not detectable above 90ppt. So it is a play on words these companies are using especially when they do not state down to what level they are testing. Nature made says not detectable but does not say to what level which sucks.

Just goes to show that no matter what rule is put in place, someone somewhere will find a way around it if they want to.

[Karl_Hungus]

[QUOTE=Marius_Ursus;461076891]

It's probably the reduced inflammation property...sort of like what scares a lot of people from taking NSAIDs.

I like fish oil as much for the improved mood and memory results I get from it as any heart health benefits.

I've read that too. But IMO, the overall health benefits of fish oil outweigh any slight reduction in muscle gain.

[Viper098]

so does anyone know of a brand that has high levels of EPA and DHA and has tested clean for PCBs?

[Marius_Ursus]

so does anyone know of a brand that has high levels of EPA and DHA and has tested clean for PCBs?

You have a PM.

[AKMass]

I switched to using more krill oil awhile back. I like the fish oil benefits AND the astaxanthin benefits. No PCBs of course.

[rangerNY]

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), not a bounty hunter law firm under Proposition 65, should determine whether warnings on foods or supplements are appropriate, and what form they should take.

Laughable.

The FDA, to a great extent by its own admission, is not a watchdog organization. It exists to facilitate the process of getting products to market without having people drop dead immediately upon ingesting them. Beyond the egregious and obvious, any protection provided by the FDA is purely secondary to servicing its clients. Oh, and according to the FDA, its "clients" are food and drug companies. We're not part of that equation.

I'm strongly against lawsuit factories and the lawyers that run them, but putting product safety solely in the hands of the federal government as is stands today is completely ridiculous.

[theKurp]

I have now made a change and picked a brand that states clearly both on the bottle and website that they have taken extra steps in preparation to insure the quality and is PCB free.

Unfortunately, this buys you almost nothing. Supplements are unregulated. As such, manufacturers can put anything they want on the label and there is nothing to enforce that the contents match the labeling.

With regards to supplements, the best a consumer can do to both inform and protect themselves is to subscribe to consumerlabs.org and purchase products that are independently and repeatedly tested as safe, pure, and contain what is actually written on the label.

[bebeklein]

I've posted the below info before. But I'm curious to know if any of the ones listed have the "MEG-3" symbol . It also appears the Nature Made product was USP certified (based on the pic of the bottle I found nline)

My Kirkland brand has a Quality Purity Potency label indicating it's "molecular distilled" a process which removes mercury, PCBs and dioxins which guarantees purity and potency. And the fish oil supply comes from ocean water, not farm raised fish.

------------------------------

I look for the MEG-3 symbol.

The quality is more determined by the manufacturer, as opposed to the retail company.

Ocean Nutrition is the world's largest fish oil manufacturer. They're also a "leading proponent of the Global Organization of EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED) monograph, which establishes strict quality standards for manufacturing marine-sourced Omega-3 fatty acids."

Their brand is MEG-3 - you'd look for their little label somewhere on the label of the brand you're buying. Even the Costco brand uses MEG-3.

Read their site for all their QC information (MEG-3 has achieved USP verification, thus setting the standard for quality.) http://www.usp.org/USPVerified/dieta...ification.html

http://www.onc.ca/

I like the Kirkland Signature Enteric Coated Fish Oil (enteric helps avoid those smelly burps). 1 cap is 1200mg with 684 mg (EPA 410mg/DHA 274mg)...and it's made from anchovies & sardines

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...74681*&topnav=

[bebeklein]

You have a PM.

Care to share?

[Viper098]

Nature Made is listed as Passed on consumerlab.com as well as other vendors that are named in the lawsuit. So like WTF is going on. LOL This game being played with testing is ridiculous but on who's end, the people who brought the lawsuit or the companies?

[Marius_Ursus]

Care to share?

After what you did to me in Tripoli? Forget it!

[bebeklein]

After what you did to me in Tripoli? Forget it!

And I'd do it again!!!!!

[Marius_Ursus]

And I'd do it again!!!!!

And that's why I love you.

[bebeklein]

I downloaded this 8 page bulletin from the UC Berkeley Wellness site and it was very informative...definitely worth reading.

http://www.berkeleywellnessalerts.co...cr5=4438602595

Some sections of interest, including info about the USP logo (which Nature Made had) versus USP Verified.

Do fish oil supplements contain contaminants?
Recent analyses of dozens of brands of fish oil supplements, including
testing by ConsumerLab.com, have not found significant levels of mercury or unsafe levels of PCBs, dioxins, or other contaminants—
in inexpensive or pricey brands. This is not surprising, since mercury tends to accumulate in larger fish, and supplements are made from smaller species (such as anchovies or sardines) or algae (which supply only DHA). Moreover, mercury is water-soluble and thus tends to accumulate in the flesh of the fish, not in the fat or oil. Finally, most supplements are processed to reduce levels of PCBs and other contaminants.

Tips about fish oil supplements
-3 Before taking fish oil supplements for one of the diseases or conditions
listed above, discuss this with your doctor.
-3 Healthy people should aim for 500 to 1,000 milligrams of EPA/DHA a day, on average, from fatty fish and/or supplements. Eating fish is preferable, but if you eat it only occasionally, a daily supplement
is a good option.
-3 Look for the total amount of EPA and DHA on the label. It may say 1,000 milligrams of fish oil concentrate per capsule, but the small print may show only 300 milligrams of EPA and DHA (sometimes
listed simply as “omega-3 fatty acids”), which is the key number.
That would mean you need to take three capsules to get about 1 gram a day. Some capsules are more concentrated than others, though all are large in size.
-3 There’s no evidence that expensive over-the-counter (OTC) brands are better than store brands—or that special marine oils such as krill, or widely promoted Norwegian or Icelandic brands, are better. Claims about “molecular distillation” and other special purification processes are unverified. “Pharmaceutical grade” is meaningless on OTC capsules.
-3 Like all OTC supplements, fish oil products are unregulated, so you don’t really know what you are getting. Still, small recent tests found that nearly all supplements contained the amount of omega-3 fats listed on the labels—and did not contain any significant contamination.
That doesn’t mean that the next batches will be okay, of course, or that all other brands on the market are. The only regulated product is the prescription supplement, Lovaza, approved for treating high triglycerides.
-3 Some manufacturers claim to follow voluntary safety programs and standards, such as those from USP (U.S. Pharmacopoeia) or CRN (an industry group), but this is not verified. The only meaningful
seal on OTC products is the special “USP Verified” seal (as opposed to the simple USP logo), though few supplements have this.
-3 To reduce gastrointestinal problems such as belching, take the capsules with food, divide the doses among your meals, and start at a low dose and gradually increase it. Discarding supplements that have a rancid smell or taste—a sign they have spoiled (oxidized) or, possibly, were poorly purified—may also help.
-3 Don’t take cod liver oil, unless the label shows that its vitamin A content has been reduced. The oil usually contains very high levels of A, which may weaken bones and cause birth defects. And since it is made from livers, which filter out toxins, there is greater concern
about contaminants, even though the oil is supposed to be purified.

[older2533]

I like the Kirkland Signature Enteric Coated Fish Oil (enteric helps avoid those smelly burps). 1 cap is 1200mg with 684 mg (EPA 410mg/DHA 274mg)...and it's made from anchovies & sardines

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...74681*&topnav=

Me too. Everyone in my family takes them.

[bigvin73]

This might get some angry responses, but honestly i just read this whole thread and a couple things stand out for me. 1 The law suit is in California, not exactly a bastion for stability and level headedness as a state. 2 The eco-nazis are attached to this thing as it harms the wittle fisshys.

This very well might be a valid study, however, whenever I see enviro and california attached to a lawsuit I have to wonder if it holds water in the real world.

I apologize if this offended anyone, but I would trust a company as big as GNC (I won't buy anything there due to prices) a lot more then california or the environmentalists. Keep in mind these are the same people that shut off water supply to farm lands causing massive unemployment and further killing the states mess of an economy. All because some minnows might die in the pumps.

[ParsleyTea]

Nature Made is listed as Passed on consumerlab.com as well as other vendors that are named in the lawsuit. So like WTF is going on. LOL This game being played with testing is ridiculous but on who's end, the people who brought the lawsuit or the companies?

Hahah, interesting about consumerlab.com giving a passing grade to several of the companies involved in the lawsuit. Yeah, that sounds like the quirky world of lab testing.

It's a different topic, but along the same lines, was reading reporter John Stossel's blog about issues with prostate testing. Apparently there can be reliability problems with the PSA. From what I've seen of the testing world, I'm personally not surprised.

http://stossel.blogs.foxbusiness.com...ancer-testing/

[Legbuh]

I have NOW Flaxseed Oil, that should be relatively safe.

Just checked my pantry - I have NOW Omega-3, made from sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and soy derivatives. Hopefully these are safe.

I also take Kirkland (CostCo) brand fish oil, also from Anchovy and Sardines...knock on wood these are safe too.

If you believe soy=estrogen and low Test, then you may want to look into flaxseed as well. because they don't make protein out of it, it's not getting as much as a anti-hype. (I personally believe the soy estrogen link is BS).

I just checked my fish oil.. it's from sams and made from sardines, anchovies and something else. Either way, I'll finish it. Along with my tuna shake every morning.

[Marius_Ursus]

If you believe soy=estrogen and low Test, then you may want to look into flaxseed as well. because they don't make protein out of it, it's not getting as much as a anti-hype. (I personally believe the soy estrogen link is BS).

I just checked my fish oil.. it's from sams and made from sardines, anchovies and something else. Either way, I'll finish it. Along with my tuna shake every morning.

You're talking about flax oil and not whole flax and flax meal, right (which have actually been shown to support Testosterone support)? I have protein powder on my kitchen counter that has flax meal in it right now, so they do make protein out of flax seed.

What is it about the oil that would equate it to soy (theoretically)for lower test? I'm asking because the properties of the oils are very different.

Also, about soy products, it depends on whether or not it's GMO and how processed it is in its final, consumed form. Whole soy is hella good for you, and soy protein isolate is no different from any other protein isolate except in terms of bioavailability, and even that difference is negligible for most "athletes".

Even the woman doctor (can't remember her name) who wrote that anti-soy book last year came out just a few months after the book was published in an interview and said she regretted writing it because soy isn't as bad as she'd thought and admitted her writing of the book was reactionary. She then went on to warn against eating processed foods containing processed soy but supported the use of unprocessed or minimally processed soy products in moderation.

[Viper098]

The brand of fish oil I use is listed in the lawsuit and according to fishoilsafety.com my brand is loaded with PCBs.

Well, my brand is USP certified and has also passed consumerlab.com testing so the fish crazies can go pound salt since they are inferring there is a giant conspiracy with 3rd party testing facilities and the fishoil manufacturers. Maybe fishoilsafety.com is the one to watch.


My wife just called me from BJs wholesale and tells me their brand Berkley & Johnson are solely made from Krill and states on the bottle expected levels of PCBs which is less then 1ppb or 1ppt I could not make out what she said (stupid crappy cell phone) but I told her to buy it.

The bottle also described their process of molecular yadda yadda yadda to remove contaminants and it sounded like word for word that is on Nature Made packaging.

[theKurp]

Here is an interesting "Open Letter" to Tod Cooperman, founder and president of ConsumerLabs. What makes it particularly interesting is that Mr. Cooperman responds to the open letter as well as to comments by readers.

http://naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com/...umer-Labs.aspx

[jmac66]

Great info. Any of you taking Fish Oils capsules for the many health benefits they give might think about asking if your medical provider can prescribe it. As an Air Force Physician Assistant, I'm able to prescribe it to my patients. Just a thought.

[TooSlow]

When I read this, "Tuesday, a California based environmental group filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court", I didn't need to go any further.

[bigvin73]

When I read this, "Tuesday, a California based environmental group filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court", I didn't need to go any further.

My exact thoughts, see post 49, reps inc. Nm your on recharge, someone get him for me if you don't mind.

[musculardad]

Notch, thanks much buddy. I was totally out of the loop on this one.

[Viper098]

Here is the response to me questions from the fish oil manufacturer I use.


Dear xxxxxxx:

We recently received your e-mail regarding Nxxxxx Mxxx Fish Oil. We appreciate your question concerning Thank you for your interest in our brand and the time it took for you to contact us with your questions about Nxxxxx Mxxx fish oil products.

Here at Phxxxxxxxx, we take seriously our obligation to meet regulatory requirements and consumer expectations for safe and effective products. Specifically, our fish oil products comply with all Federal laws prescribed by the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), and individual State laws including California Proposition 65, as well as European Commission standards. In addition, our products meet and exceed the most exacting standards known to the supplement industry.


Nxxxxx Mxxx's omega-3 fish oil products use only the oil from sustainable, wild ocean fish, and do not use oil from farm-raised fish. Each batch of fish oil is processed using state-of-the-art molecular distillation or absorbent technology to remove PCBs and dioxins, which guarantees purity and potency.


All batches of Nxxxxx Mxxx fish oil are guaranteed to pass the stringent industry standards of the Council for Responsible Nutrition's Voluntary Monograph for Omega-3 Fatty Acids. These standards were created to reflect state-of-the-art processing and purification techniques for fish oil. In addition, many of our fish oil products have been awarded the United States Pharmacopeia ("USP") Verification Program mark for omega-3 fish oil purity, potency and quality. The USP is an authoritative and independent, not-for-profit, standard setting organization that promotes public health. This USP verification requires ongoing third-party product testing and manufacturing inspections and audits to ensure quality.


Nxxxxx Mxxx Fish Oil received a "Best Choice" rating based on a survey conducted by Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization representing more than 400,000 members, when the organization evaluated fish oil supplements for environmental contaminants.


Fish oil has many health benefits. Yet, most American diets fall short of critically important omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil supplements offer a convenient, inexpensive choice for consumers who want to incorporate fish oil into their diet. Please feel free to find more information on Nature Made fish oil on our website, www.NxxxxxMxxx.com. The limits are as follows:

Mercury 0.1 PPM = .1mcg/gram
PCBs 0.09 PPM = .09 mcg/gram

To put this in perspective it takes 1000 mcg to equal a mg and 1000 mg to equal a gram.

We usually fall well below these guidelines, however if desired we can also meet the guidelines. Our product is safe and very beneficial for consumption.

[Araj]

Yeah, California is always nuts with the banning and warnings on everything.
Theres soooo many products that California has a problem with or banned it's just become a bit of a joke.