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For free friendly advice or to order over the phone with a card call: 01772 883950
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Fish oil supplements and mercury
Most of us are now well aware that fish can contain potentially high levels of mercury and other contaminants. Mercury is a highly toxic metal that is released into the atmosphere mainly as a result of modern day industrial processes. Once in the air it is then free to fall as rain, sleet or snow into our rivers, lakes and seas.
After it has found its way into the water, bacteria causes the mercury to turn into methylmercury, an even more dangerous form to humans, which is then consumed by the fish and builds up to greater levels over a period of time. Consequently, predatory fish that eat a lot of other fish or fish that live a long time can have cumulative mercury levels that are much higher than smaller fish that have relatively short life spans. You can check out high and low risk fish at www.oceansalive.org.
As a result, we are advised to restrict our consumption of fish, particularly shark, tilefish and swordfish, amongst others, which can be extremely high in mercury. Sadly, most fish are now affected to some degree. This is a horrifying reality, as most of us are also well aware of the health benefits to be gained from eating more fish, particularly oily fish, as they contain the essential Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Studies are revealing that both EPA and DHA are equally important for the body but EPA is the one proving to be responsible for most of the health benefits. We are able to convert EPA into DHA if enough EPA is present so it is vital that we get enough EPA.
Fish oil supplements can be an excellent and safe way of ensuring an adequate supply of EPA but only if the fish oil has been through processes to remove the mercury and other toxins that are harmful to health. Molecular distillation, for example, is a process where at very high speeds, the oil is subjected to a spinning motion and the different elements within the fish oil are then separated according to their molecular weight. In this way, mercury can be extracted from the fish oil along with other elements that are not wanted or required. Similarly, carbon filtration can remove mercury by separating the components according to weight so that the mercury can be filtered out. Our brand Pure EPA has been through this process twice!
Many fish oils on the market today are lower grade oils containing relatively small amounts of EPA and or DHA and which have not been through these ultra-refining processes so are very likely to contain mercury and other toxins such as PCBs and Dioxins. To avoid the risk of harmful exposure to these contaminants and to get the maximum health benefits from a fish oil, it is advisable to choose an ultra refined fish oil that is high in concentrated EPA.
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For free friendly advice or to order over the phone with a card call: 01772 883950
Omega 3 fish oils Pure EPA is available exclusively from mind 1st.
Mind1st Information Line: 01772 883950
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