Fish oil supplements have become the number one supplement choice of Americans primarily because of their high omega 3 fatty acid content known to benefit health in numerous ways. In March 2010, however, the prestigious position fish oil supplements enjoyed was suddenly shaken when eight fish oil supplement companies were slammed with a lawsuit by the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation and two environmentalists from New Jersey for detectable amounts of PCBs present in their brand of fish oil supplements. Since then, many consumers have been thinking twice about ingesting fish oil supplements. With more than 100 fish oil brands in the market, just how concerned should we be about the quality of fish oil supplements?

This lawsuit has stirred up a heated controversy, and before being swayed by either side, facts should be carefully weighed against findings. Here’s an objective view to help you separate the facts from media hype.

What are PCBs?

Polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, or PCBs, are industrial chemicals. PCBs do not degrade easily and are present everywhere in the environment.

PCBs were used as insulating material for transformers and capacitors. In 1979, PCBs were banned by Congress. In 2001, a worldwide ban on PCBs was imposed through a U.N. Treaty. PCBs are linked to degenerative ailments, birth defects and nervous system damage, among a long list of other adverse health effects. Scientists have yet to determine safe amounts for consumption of PCBs and therefore, the controversy reigns.

The Background

Under California State Law (California Proposition 65), people should not be exposed to more than 90 nanograms of PCBs a day. Since safety consumption levels have not been determined for PCBs, California law requires companies to warn consumers if their capsules contain detectable amounts of PCBs. The lawsuit is based on a California law that "prohibits businesses from knowingly exposing individuals to listed substances without providing a clear and reasonable warning." [Source:Wikipedia]

The Specifics

• California’s Prop 65 follows a more conventional standard than the rest of the States. Even the Federal Drug Administration’s directive places the tolerance level of PCBs at 2 parts per million. This is a higher safety consumption level than California’s 90-nanogram per day ruling.
• The fish oil supplements found to be contaminated with more 90 nanograms of PCBs were mostly cod liver oil or shark liver oil supplements. The liver is the detoxifying organ which filters toxins from the body. Fish oil derived solely from the liver will definitely contain more toxins and needs to be filtered more carefully.
• Only 10 supplements were tested by the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation. In August 2008, Consumer Lab, a private third-party lab based in New York conducted independent evaluations of 52 fish oil supplements. According to Consumer Lab, "The good news is that every fish oil or omega-3 supplement in this review and quality rating guide lacked any detectable mercury and passed contamination limits for lead and PCBs." Out of 52, only 2 did not pass the test but it was not because they contained harmful levels of impurities or contaminants.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition states:

"The bottom line is that consumers, whether they live in California or elsewhere, should continue to feel confident in the safety and efficacy of their fish oil supplements. This lawsuit does nothing to change the strong science supporting the many health benefits of fish oil, which range from cardiovascular health to cognitive development of infants and young children, and the very low thresholds of PCBs which apparently trigger a labeling requirement in California cannot be extrapolated to demonstrate any actual risks at those levels. The health benefits for fish oil far outweigh any suggested, and unsupported, risks."

Choosing Safe, High Quality Fish Oil Supplements

Fish oil supplements have been used safely by consumers for decades. There are no adverse affects associated with the consumption of fish oil supplements when taken in healthy doses. There is simply no reason for consumers to be alarmed as long as they know for certain they are ingesting fish oil supplements that contain pharmaceutical grade fish oil. This type of fish oil supplement contains fish oil that is molecularly distilled, a process that takes place in a vacuum. It successfully removes heavy metal contaminants and PCBs so that fish oil is safe for consumption.

Triple Strength Omega-3 contains fish oil that has been molecularly distilled. The purity of the fish oil is above 90 percent, marking the highest quality level of fish oil supplements in the market. The total strength of omega 3 fatty acids is 2000 mg per serving and it has a DHA and EPA total of 1200 mg. Triple Strength Omega-3 offers you a safe, high potency fish oil supplement providing maximum potential for gaining the multiple benefits of omega 3 fatty acids to your health.