Fish oil supplier underlines supplement safety

Related tags Fish oil supplements Polychlorinated biphenyl Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins Salmon Leiner health products

Supplement maker Leiner Health Products has released results of an
analysis of its fish oil supplements to reassure consumers of the
safety of its products, following new findings that farmed fish
could be toxic for humans.

The study, to be published in the journal Science​, found that farm raised salmon contained high levels of pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Dioxins and PCBs are implicated in causing cancers, hormone disruption, developmental and neurological problems.

Leiner however argues that fish oil supplements can be purer than fish and are still safe to take. It also claims that it requires all fish oil suppliers to use wild fish caught in deep water rather than farmed fish.

Consumption of fish oil supplements has grown rapidly in recent years on the back of research that associates the omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish with reduced risk of heart disease and, increasingly, protection against certain mental disorders such as Alzheimer's.

But the recent study of more than two metric tons of North American, South American and European salmon, which showed that PCBs and other environmental toxins are present at higher levels in farm-raised salmon than in their wild counterparts, could not only impact fish sales but also pose a threat to consumption of fish-derived supplements.

Leiner Health Products says that random tests carried out by the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy (USC) on 18 different lots of fish oil supplements found no PCBs, dioxins or heavy metals such as lead, cadium, mercury or arsenic in any of the samples.

The finding "proves that people can take fish oil supplements without risking their health due to possible environmental contaminant intake"​, according to Dr Roger Clemens, director of Analytical Research & Services, USC School of Pharmacy.

The study follows recent media scrutiny of the US Food and Drug Administration's warnings on mercury contamination of fish stocks.

Leiner​, the largest manufacturer of store brand vitamins, minerals and supplements in the US, uses molecular distillation to remove pollutants from fish oil, which traps virtually all contaminants, it claims.

Related topics Markets Omega-3s & Nutritional oils

Related news

Related products

show more

Nutriterra DHA Canola for Global Omega-3 Day

Nutriterra DHA Canola for Global Omega-3 Day

Content provided by Nuseed Nutritional | 28-Feb-2024 | Data Sheet

March 3 is Global Omega-3 Day. While almost everyone needs more omega-3, not everyone tolerates marine oil. Nutriterra DHA Canola makes it easy to celebrate...

Krill oil supports six key areas of healthy aging

Krill oil supports six key areas of healthy aging

Content provided by Aker BioMarine | 14-Feb-2024 | White Paper

The global population is getting older—according to WHO by 2050 the world’s population over 60 years will double and the population above 80 years will...

Consumers' growing demand for Omegas

Consumers' growing demand for Omegas

Content provided by Fruit d'Or | 13-Feb-2024 | White Paper

Consumers are increasingly interested in the benefits of omegas supplements. According to forecasts for 2023–2030, the global omega-3 market is expected...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars