1. Little Fish, Little Toxins
When the manufacturers of fish oil supplements make their product, they tend to use young fish. In fact, most of these fish are younger than the fish we eat. This means they swim in the water for less time and don't absorb as many of the fish oil contaminants as some of the older, larger fish. This practice of using fish low on the food chain keeps the concentration of toxins out of the fish oil and therefore out of you.
2. Run It Through the Filter
Most makers of fish oil supplements are aware of the possible fish oil contaminants in their products and try to protect their consumers by distilling their products. Some, like Nordic Naturals, even go as far as molecular distillation, which ensures you get pure fish oil. This process does remove some of the vitamins contained in the fish oil, such as vitamin A and D, however it does not make the oil harmful as some may claim.
3. Get Your Daily Gram
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends people with heart disease get at least one gram of omega-3 fatty acids every day. You can meet this requirement through fish oil supplements, such as cod liver oil, or a serving of fatty fish, such as salmon daily. Any one of these sources may contain fish oil contaminants. Cod liver oil, if it is not molecularly distilled, is most likely to have PCBs, mercury, or other heavy metals in it. The salmon, if it is farm raised, can have PCBs, mercury or other contaminates as well. To get your gram with as few contaminates as possible, try wild caught salmon or distilled fish oil.
4. Supplement Safer
While most fish oil supplements are safe, it is always best to ask the right questions. The processing that fish oil goes through may concentrate the fish oil contaminants, therefore making your supplement less safe than the fish dinner alternative. The American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) has specific methods used to detect certain contaminates in fish oil as well as recommended oil processing methods. Be sure to ask your fish oil manufacturer if they are following the AOCS methods of processing and testing.
5. Test Your Best
Standardization of supplements, which is testing to make sure that each batch of fish oil is the same as the next, is not required in the United States. Fish oil contaminates, as well as the amount of omega-3s may vary from bottle to bottle if the manufacturer does not take this extra step in the manufacturing process. The maker must hire an independent lab and because of the costs involved, they usually charge a premium price for their product.
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