The Truth about Pure Omega3

Are you really buying pure omega3 supplements? How do you know? Some manufacturers can prove it.

In the US, it is up to health supplement manufacturers to be sure that the products they sell are safe. The products are not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, unless there are safety complaints from healthcare practitioners.

Some manufacturers claim to provide pharmaceutical grade fish oil. In the US, there is no such thing.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has the same standards, but they went one step further by limiting the total PCBs that may be present. Some manufacturers adhere to the International Fish Oil Standards, which are slightly better than those set by the CRN.

Some manufacturers have their own specifications, because they really want to provide pure omega3 supplements. In order to do that, they have to spend a little extra money.

A special laboratory analysis is required to test for contaminants at the p arts per billion (ppb) or parts per trillion (p-p-t) levels. A supplement manufacturer cannot conduct the testing in their facilities. They are simply not equipped.

So, they have to pay an independent laboratory to test for them. The better manufacturers test each batch before the oils are encapsulated. Some manufacturers test after encapsulation, which is inaccurate for measuring the level of oxidation or freshness.

If the manufacturer goes to the effort of having the testing conducted, they will surely want their customers to know about it. So, if the company you are thinking of buying from does not mention that testing was conducted, it probably was not and you are probably not getting a pure omega3 supplement.

After testing a sample, the laboratories provide the manufacturers with a Certificate of Analysis or COA. Today, many of the better manufacturers post a copy of the COA on their websites.

At first glance, a COA may seem a bit daunting. In many cases, there is some detectable level of mercury or other contaminants. It is very comforting to see a COA that says not detected on the lines next to mercury, lea d and other hazardous heavy metals.

In this writers opinion, pure omega3 should be free of dioxins and PCBs, at the p-p-t level. Those chemicals are known to cause cancer. We are exposed to enough cancer-causing agents on a regular basis. We dont want them in our health supplements.

Freshness is just as important as purity. If the fish have been allowed to spoil, before they are processed, the oils will contain free radicals. Free radicals play a role in the development of cancer. As mentioned above, we are exposed to enough of them. We dont want them in our health supplements.

If you really want to buy pure omega3 supplements, look for the COA and read it. Thats your guarantee.

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