Is a salmon fish oil supplement a good investment in your health? While eating that particular species is supposed to be accompanied by numerous health benefits, there are some side effects too that you need to know about when it comes to supplementation. You’ll find out why in this article.
Contains Contaminants
The salmon’s place on the food chain means that it consumes large amounts of smaller species, many of which are bottom feeders. Bottom feeders contain large amounts of PCBs and other industrial pollutants.
Research has shown that mercury is present in all lakes, oceans and streams that have been tested to date. The presence of mercury is due primarily to coal-burning electricity plants.
All species that swim in mercury-laden water will contain the heavy metal. Omega 3 fish oils derived from those species will also contain it.
Again, because of the salmon’s place on the food chain, it is more likely to contain more mercury. Another problem has to do with the salmon’s habitat.
The Atlantic farm-raised species will have higher mercury and PCB content because the Atlantic Ocean is more heavily polluted. On top of that, the farm-raised varieties do not naturally have the pink color. The filets contain artificial coloring.
An antioxidant called astaxanthin is naturally responsible for the pink color. Astaxanthin can provide numerous health benefits, but artificial astaxanthin is derived from petrochemicals, which are believed to cause numerous health problems.
It is for those reasons that health experts recommend buying Wild Pacific varieties for eating. But a Wild Pacific salmon oil supplement would be expensive, if you could find one, and there are other problems.
Environmental Effects
Most omega 3 fish oils have no negative effect on the environment, because they are byproducts of the fishmeal industry. Fishmeal is foodstuff for farms of all kinds and is used in making pet food.
The popularity of the Wild Pacific species for eating has led to some environmental issues. Buying a salmon oil supplement could contribute to those problems because the species is not one that is normally used in the fishmeal industry.
If the catch is taken solely to make the supplements, it can endanger the wild populations, which are already threatened by over-fishing. While people have a choice about the source of their omega 3 fish oils, much of the wildlife in the Pacific depends on the salmon. They literally do not have a choice.
Lack of DHA
Omega 3 fish oils vary in terms of their DHA content, because species vary. Tuna oils are among the highest in total omega-3s and in total DHA. But, tuna oils must be molecularly distilled in order to remove mercury and other contaminants.
Less Anti-Inflammatory Activity
Research has shown that some natural oils, such as those derived from the New Zealand hoki fish, have higher anti-inflammatory activity than those that have been concentrated to increase omega 3 content. So, there is something about the natural oils that is responsible for reducing inflammation. We just don’t know what.
Hoki oils do not require molecular distillation because they are free of any detectable level of contaminants. The populations of hoki are not threatened by over-fishing.
It would not be safe to take a salmon fish oil supplement that has not been molecularly distilled on a regular basis, for the reasons mentioned above. Natural hoki oils would be a much better choice.
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