A Look at the Health Benefits of Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil Supplements

by Patsy Hamilton

Pharmaceutical grade fish oil health supplements are distilled or refined to remove unwanted, sometimes harmful contaminants. Companies use a variety of processes. Molecular distillation seems to remove the most contaminants from fish oil. Pharmaceutical grade simply means that the fish oil would not be used for other purposes or that it is safe for human consumption.

Supplement manufacturers are responsible for the quality and safety of the supplements that they produce. They are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, but must report to the Federal Trade Commission. Consumers who are unhappy with or concerned about the safety of a product may file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. It is now possible to file a complaint on-line.

Pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements are recommended for a variety of health benefits, primarily because of the omega-3 fatty acids that they provide. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to the body, but the body does not produce omega 3 fatty acids, so omega 3s must be obtained from food. Years ago, parents gave their kids cod liver oil which was nasty tasting and smelling. Today’s pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements are odorless and tasteless and are usually purchased in capsule form, so they are easy to swallow and easy to add to a healthy diet. However, not all fish oil supplements are the same.

Some manufacturers do not distill their fish oil; pharmaceutical grade classification requires filtering to remove contaminants, but not all manufacturers use molecular distillation. Some companies promote their products as “natural”, because they do not distill the oil. They claim that these oils provide more health benefits than distilled oils, but they also admit that they contain more contaminants. There are maximum allowable levels of certain contaminants, including mercury, and some of these products contain the maximum allowed.

For a person who eats certain types of fish on a regular basis, taking a fish oil supplement that is not distilled may not be safe. Mercury builds up in the tissues and organs of fish and people. It takes a number of years for a person’s body to rid itself of mercury, so continuing to eat fish that is contaminated or oils that are not distilled can cause numerous health problems, particularly for children. Women who may become pregnant are also advised to avoid certain types of fish and non-filtered fish oil, pharmaceutical grade or otherwise, because of the risks to their unborn children.

In fish, mercury builds up in the liver, tissues and other organs. Older, larger and predatory fish (those that eat other fish) will have higher levels of mercury contamination than younger, smaller, non-predatory fish. Oil, pharmaceutical grade or other wise, which comes from older, larger or predatory fish, will also contain higher levels of mercury and other contaminants.

Some manufacturers are extra careful about their pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements. These manufacturers use oil from the tissue and not the liver of fish, select fish that are not predatory and swim in clean ocean waters, while still using molecular distillation to remove any and all contaminants. Some are not as careful.

At least one manufacturer of dietary supplements uses shark liver oil, probably the worst choice of all for a dietary supplement. Not only are most shark species endangered, but they have longer life spans, meaning more exposure to mercury. They eat other fish, which contain mercury and the liver is the dumping ground for all of this.

Consumers must be careful when purchasing dietary supplements. When it comes to omega-3 supplementation, selecting pharmaceutical grade fish oil is the first, but not the only step. To learn more about how to select the best fish oil dietary supplements, please visit the Fish Oil Guide.

Patsy Hamilton was a healthcare professional for over twenty years before becoming a freelance writer. Currently she is writing a series of articles about omega-3 fatty acids. Read more at http://www.best-fish-oil-dietary-supplements.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patsy_Hamilton

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