Omega-3 supplements are safe and necessary for improved health
 TORONTO(CNW), February 17,2004

If our fish is contaminated with PCBs and Mercury, are fish oil supplements as well? That is the question of the day, as
health-conscious consumers try to up their Omega-3 fatty acid levels. Dr. Alan Logan, ND FRSH, noted Omega-3 fatty acid researcher says no, there are Omega-3 supplements that are safe and necessary for improved health and research to back this up.

Recently, Harvard Medical School researchers examined commercially available fish oil supplements and found that they have only "negligible amounts of mercury."

In the study, published in Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, the authors state... "due to the lower measured concentrations of mercury in commercial fish oil preparations, consumption of fish oil may be preferable to consuming fish"

Further, they state... "The additional benefit of fish oil is that large doses of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can be ingested easily in a capsule without risk of toxicity."

"Look for Omega-3 supplements that are sourced from small, wild, ocean fish such as sardines, mackerel and anchovies," says Dr Logan. "These fish have a short lifespan and a low position on the food chain, therefore they are
not associated with high levels of contaminants."

And only purchase supplements from companies that use the strictest standards set by the U.S. FDA, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, and the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure any existing heavy metals or PCBs are removed. These supplements are most likely cleaned using the gentle, yet very effective, steam distillation method. It has no effect on the final product quality or bio-availability but ensures a safe, toxin-free fish oil. If you have problems eating fish and worry about the fishy aftertaste of many fish oils, looks for one that uses the unique id System(TM) enteric coating, that allows for better absorption with no fishy repeat, aftertaste or smell.

Dr. Alan Logan, ND
Dr. Alan C. Logan is a Connecticut Board Certified Naturopathic Physician and director of CAM Research Consulting. Dr. Logan graduated as valedictorian from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto. He has been published in a number of mainstream and complementary medical journals as well as having authored numerous articles for the lay press. Dr. Logan completed his training in mind/body medicine at the Mind/Body Institute of Harvard
Medical School in 2001.