HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - The traditional diet of Greece and cancer.

R.B. · 07-02-2006, 09:40 AM

If you have questions check the manufacturers web site these trials are general and not specific and buy reputable brands I guess.

These trials below would suggest that as far as mercury etc goes that fish oils are low risk - possibly lower levels than whole fish which is comforting but no reason not to eat the original food source as well.

Little fish in general terms don't live as long and so have lower contaminates.

Big fish shark swordfish are reported as having "higher" levels, so are possibly not the best everyday menu item.

There are also other pollutants eg dioxins etc but the solution is to stop putting them into the environment. They will also be concentrated in land animals etc. However the trial below would suggest that the risks of organochlorines in fish oil are lower that those in fish.

As to species bottom feeders particularly, but other fish as well that come from potentially polluted inland waters or industrial outlet areas to the sea (e.g. Baltic) are reported as containing on average more pollutants.

Many of the heavy metals also have natural sources volcanoes etc but we are adding to them significantly industrial pollution, incineration, fossil fuels, metal production etc. So do amalgam fillings etc - dentists are reported as having higher mercury levels etc. so whilst not good the risk of pollutants has to be kept in perspective in balancing risks and benefits.

So one less thing to worry about may be fish oil.

RB

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

1: Z Ernahrungswiss. 1989 Mar;28(1):76-83. Related Articles, Links

[Contaminating substances in 22 over-the-counter fish oil and cod liver oil preparations: cholesterol, heavy metals and vitamin A]

[Article in German]

Koller H, Luley C, Klein B, Baum H, Biesalski HK.

Institut fur Physiologische Chemie II, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitat, Mainz.

Fish oil capsules are increasingly used by self-medicating patients. We studied 22 commercial fish oil and menhaden oil preparations in respect to accompanying substances that could be harmful. The substances measured were: cholesterol as determined by gas liquid chromatography, heavy metals measured by atomic absorption, and vitamin A as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The contents of cholesterol and heavy metals were in ranges which can be regarded as negligible; the content of vitamin A in menhaden oils, however, was found in amounts which warrant that pregnant women do not exceed the dosage as recommended by the manufacturers.

PMID: 2718527 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

1: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2003 Dec;127(12):1603-5. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Measurement of mercury levels in concentrated over-the-counter fish oil preparations: is fish oil healthier than fish?

Foran SE, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB.

Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass 02114, USA.

CONTEXT: Fish consumption has been associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have illustrated that the high mercury content in cold-water fish may negate the cardiovascular benefits of fish meals. Fish oils have similar antiatherogenic properties to fish, and similar studies should be performed to determine the level of mercury in fish oils. OBJECTIVE: To determine the concentration of mercury in 5 over-the-counter brands of fish oil. RESULTS: The levels of mercury in the 5 different brands of fish oil ranged from nondetectable (<6 microg/L) to negligible (10-12 microg/L). The mercury content of fish oil was similar to the basal concentration normally found in human blood. CONCLUSIONS: Fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and their consumption is recommended to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. However, fish such as swordfish and shark are also a source of exposure to the heavy metal toxin, mercury. The fish oil brands examined in this manuscript have negligible amounts of mercury and may provide a safer alternative to fish consumption.

PMID: 14632570 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

1: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005 Jan;129(1):74-7. Related Articles, Links
Click here to read
Measurement of organochlorines in commercial over-the-counter fish oil preparations: implications for dietary and therapeutic recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids and a review of the literature.

Melanson SF, Lewandrowski EL, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB.

Clinical Laboratories Division, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

CONTEXT: The consumption of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids is advocated by the American Heart Association to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. However, fish contain environmental toxins such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides, which may negate the beneficial cardiovascular effects of fish meals. Toxin levels vary depending on both the fish source and the specific toxin, and neither farm-raised nor wild fish are toxin free. Fish oil supplements also prevent the progression of coronary artery disease and reduce cardiovascular mortality. However, only sparse data exist on the level of toxins in fish oil. In a previous study we showed that the amount of mercury in 5 over-the-counter brands of fish oil was negligible. OBJECTIVE: To determine the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and other organochlorines in 5 over-the-counter preparations of fish oil. DESIGN: The contents of 5 commercial fish oil brands were sent for organochlorine analysis. RESULTS: The levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorines were all below the detectable limit. CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil supplements are more healthful than the consumption of fish high in organochlorines. Fish oils provide the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids without the risk of toxicity. In addition, fish oil supplements have been helpful in a variety of diseases, including bipolar disorder and depression.

PMID: 15628911 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

07-02-2006, 09:40 AM	#20
R.B. Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,843	Toxic heavy metals and fish oil mecury etc. If you have questions check the manufacturers web site these trials are general and not specific and buy reputable brands I guess. These trials below would suggest that as far as mercury etc goes that fish oils are low risk - possibly lower levels than whole fish which is comforting but no reason not to eat the original food source as well. Little fish in general terms don't live as long and so have lower contaminates. Big fish shark swordfish are reported as having "higher" levels, so are possibly not the best everyday menu item. There are also other pollutants eg dioxins etc but the solution is to stop putting them into the environment. They will also be concentrated in land animals etc. However the trial below would suggest that the risks of organochlorines in fish oil are lower that those in fish. As to species bottom feeders particularly, but other fish as well that come from potentially polluted inland waters or industrial outlet areas to the sea (e.g. Baltic) are reported as containing on average more pollutants. Many of the heavy metals also have natural sources volcanoes etc but we are adding to them significantly industrial pollution, incineration, fossil fuels, metal production etc. So do amalgam fillings etc - dentists are reported as having higher mercury levels etc. so whilst not good the risk of pollutants has to be kept in perspective in balancing risks and benefits. So one less thing to worry about may be fish oil. RB http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum 1: Z Ernahrungswiss. 1989 Mar;28(1):76-83. Related Articles, Links [Contaminating substances in 22 over-the-counter fish oil and cod liver oil preparations: cholesterol, heavy metals and vitamin A] [Article in German] Koller H, Luley C, Klein B, Baum H, Biesalski HK. Institut fur Physiologische Chemie II, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitat, Mainz. Fish oil capsules are increasingly used by self-medicating patients. We studied 22 commercial fish oil and menhaden oil preparations in respect to accompanying substances that could be harmful. The substances measured were: cholesterol as determined by gas liquid chromatography, heavy metals measured by atomic absorption, and vitamin A as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The contents of cholesterol and heavy metals were in ranges which can be regarded as negligible; the content of vitamin A in menhaden oils, however, was found in amounts which warrant that pregnant women do not exceed the dosage as recommended by the manufacturers. PMID: 2718527 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum 1: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2003 Dec;127(12):1603-5. Related Articles, Links Click here to read Measurement of mercury levels in concentrated over-the-counter fish oil preparations: is fish oil healthier than fish? Foran SE, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB. Division of Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass 02114, USA. CONTEXT: Fish consumption has been associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have illustrated that the high mercury content in cold-water fish may negate the cardiovascular benefits of fish meals. Fish oils have similar antiatherogenic properties to fish, and similar studies should be performed to determine the level of mercury in fish oils. OBJECTIVE: To determine the concentration of mercury in 5 over-the-counter brands of fish oil. RESULTS: The levels of mercury in the 5 different brands of fish oil ranged from nondetectable (<6 microg/L) to negligible (10-12 microg/L). The mercury content of fish oil was similar to the basal concentration normally found in human blood. CONCLUSIONS: Fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and their consumption is recommended to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. However, fish such as swordfish and shark are also a source of exposure to the heavy metal toxin, mercury. The fish oil brands examined in this manuscript have negligible amounts of mercury and may provide a safer alternative to fish consumption. PMID: 14632570 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum 1: Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005 Jan;129(1):74-7. Related Articles, Links Click here to read Measurement of organochlorines in commercial over-the-counter fish oil preparations: implications for dietary and therapeutic recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids and a review of the literature. Melanson SF, Lewandrowski EL, Flood JG, Lewandrowski KB. Clinical Laboratories Division, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. CONTEXT: The consumption of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids is advocated by the American Heart Association to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. However, fish contain environmental toxins such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides, which may negate the beneficial cardiovascular effects of fish meals. Toxin levels vary depending on both the fish source and the specific toxin, and neither farm-raised nor wild fish are toxin free. Fish oil supplements also prevent the progression of coronary artery disease and reduce cardiovascular mortality. However, only sparse data exist on the level of toxins in fish oil. In a previous study we showed that the amount of mercury in 5 over-the-counter brands of fish oil was negligible. OBJECTIVE: To determine the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and other organochlorines in 5 over-the-counter preparations of fish oil. DESIGN: The contents of 5 commercial fish oil brands were sent for organochlorine analysis. RESULTS: The levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorines were all below the detectable limit. CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil supplements are more healthful than the consumption of fish high in organochlorines. Fish oils provide the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids without the risk of toxicity. In addition, fish oil supplements have been helpful in a variety of diseases, including bipolar disorder and depression. PMID: 15628911 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Last edited by R.B.; 06-28-2009 at 04:51 AM..