Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Almost all fish oils tested have been found free of contaminants. See Consumer Reports and ConsumberLab.com test results. On 6/22/05, drsusanforshey <drsusanforshey@...> wrote: Is anyone concerned over the high levels of polybrominated diphenylethers and similar toxins in retail fish? My understanding is these compounds bioacumulate at levels commensurate with consumption.Have fish oil pills been tested for these compounds?Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and in people: ameta-analysis of concentrations. Hites RA.School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University,Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. HitesR@...Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in many types of consumer products. Perhaps as a result of theirwidespread use and their lipophilicity, these compounds have becomeubiquitous in the environment and in people. This review summarizesPBDE concentrations measured in several environmental media and analyzes these data in terms of relative concentrations, concentrationtrends, and congener profiles. In human blood, milk, and tissues,total PBDE levels have increased exponentially by a factor ofapproximately 100 during the last 30 yr; this is a doubling time of approximately 5 yr. The current PBDE concentrations in people fromEurope are approximately 2 ng/g lipid, but the concentrations inpeople from the United States are much higher at approximately 35 ng/glipid. Current PBDE concentrations in marine mammals from the Canadian Arctic are very low at approximately 5 ng/g lipid, but they haveincreased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 7 yr.Marine mammals from the rest of the world have current PBDE levels ofapproximately 1000 ng/g lipid, and these concentrations have also increased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 5 yr.Some birds' eggs from Sweden are also highly contaminated (atapproximately 2000 ng/g lipid) and show PBDE doubling times ofapproximately 6 yr. Herring gull eggs from the Great Lakes region now have PBDE concentrations of approximately 7000 ng/g lipid, and theselevels have doubled every approximately 3 yr. Fish from Europe haveapproximately 10 times lower PBDE concentrations than fish from NorthAmerica. From these and other data, it is clear that the environment and people from North America are very much more contaminated withPBDEs as compared to Europe and that these PBDE levels have doubledevery 4-6 yr. Analyses of the relative distributions of the mostabundant PBDE congeners (using category averages and principal component analysis) indicated that these patterns cannot yet be usedto assign sources to these pollutants.PMID: 14998004There was a strong positive relationship between PBDE concentrationsin human milk and dietary intake of fish and shellfish, which was established in the women from responses to a questionaire on foodconsumption habits. The results of this study of food productscommonly consumed in Japan and the levels found in nursing women raisea concern about low level PBDE contamination of fish and other foods intended for human consumption.PMID: 11999792Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in retail fish and shellfish samplespurchased from Canadian markets.Tittlemier SA, Forsyth D, Breakell K, Verigin V, JJ, Hayward S. Food Research Division and Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology,Health Canada, Banting Research Centre 2203D, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,K1A 0L2.Fish and shellfish retail samples (n = 122) were purchased from three Canadian cities in the winter of 2002 and analyzed for a total of 18polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners. The samples (salmon,trout, tilapia, Arctic char, mussels, oysters, shrimp, and crab)represented the range of fish and shellfish commercially available to Canadian consumers at the time of purchase. Trout and salmon(geometric mean SigmaPBDE = 1600 and 1500 pg/g, wet weight,respectively) were found to contain significantly higher amounts ofPBDEs than the mussel, tilapia, and shrimp groups (geometric mean SigmaPBDE = 260, 180, and 48 pg/g, wet weight, respectively). Thesedifferences in SigmaPBDE concentrations among fish and shellfishproducts were partly driven by differences in lipid content among thesamples. Mean SigmaPBDE concentrations in domestic samples were also significantly greater than in imported samples, possibly reflectingglobal environmental distribution of PBDEs. These concentrationdifferences will contribute to variations in dietary exposure to PBDEswhen assorted fish and shellfish items from various origins are consumed. PMID: 15675828 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Hi : Well who says these levels are " high " ? This reminds me of a fuss people were making here about a year ago about PCBs in farmed fish. The fact was they were talking parts per TTTTrillion. So I emailed the original source of the data and asked them two questions. First, did they disagree we were talking parts per trillion, and second, did they have evidence that eating fish containing parts per trillion of PCBs was harmful? Of course, they did not reply. Indicating to me they had no such evidence. I am beginning to get the impression that when people do this research and find the numbers are too small to worry about they just change the units. From PPM, which used to the the standard measure for many of these things, to 'ng' and if that didn't make the numbers LOOK big enough then, now I see, they are using 'pg'. Soon no doubt they will start using 'fg' when it is necessary to cause the desired degree of alarm, and whatever the next unit up (down) the list is. The studies you posted quoted data mostly as ng/g. Which is BBBillionth of a gram per gram. Pretty small. But I see the canadians didn't seem to think that quoting something as a mere 1.6 ng/g would sound alarming enough, so they quoted it as 1600 pg/g. I wonder why they didn't quote it as 1600000 fg/g. That would have REALLY attracted attention. But as to whether I am worried about it or not, the answer is " No! " at least until someone shows me evidence of harm at lower levels. Look at your own post. Apparently marine mammals are not only EATING stuff with a concentration of 1000 ng/g .............. their bodies CONTAIN 1000 ng/g. And they are mammals, in many ways very much like us. And they seem to be doing OK on it. So far at least. So it seems to me that we need hardly be concerned about eating stuff containing 1000 ng/g - or I would prefer to quote it: one part per million. Of course if a serious source comes up with evidence indicating these levels are harmful to humans then I will certainly pay attention. Rodney. > Is anyone concerned over the high levels of polybrominated diphenyl > ethers and similar toxins in retail fish? My understanding is these > compounds bioacumulate at levels commensurate with consumption. > > Have fish oil pills been tested for these compounds? > > > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and in people: a > meta-analysis of concentrations. > > Hites RA. > > School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, > Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. HitesR@I... > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in > many types of consumer products. Perhaps as a result of their > widespread use and their lipophilicity, these compounds have become > ubiquitous in the environment and in people. This review summarizes > PBDE concentrations measured in several environmental media and > analyzes these data in terms of relative concentrations, concentration > trends, and congener profiles. In human blood, milk, and tissues, > total PBDE levels have increased exponentially by a factor of > approximately 100 during the last 30 yr; this is a doubling time of > approximately 5 yr. The current PBDE concentrations in people from > Europe are approximately 2 ng/g lipid, but the concentrations in > people from the United States are much higher at approximately 35 ng/g > lipid. Current PBDE concentrations in marine mammals from the Canadian > Arctic are very low at approximately 5 ng/g lipid, but they have > increased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 7 yr. > Marine mammals from the rest of the world have current PBDE levels of > approximately 1000 ng/g lipid, and these concentrations have also > increased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 5 yr. > Some birds' eggs from Sweden are also highly contaminated (at > approximately 2000 ng/g lipid) and show PBDE doubling times of > approximately 6 yr. Herring gull eggs from the Great Lakes region now > have PBDE concentrations of approximately 7000 ng/g lipid, and these > levels have doubled every approximately 3 yr. Fish from Europe have > approximately 10 times lower PBDE concentrations than fish from North > America. From these and other data, it is clear that the environment > and people from North America are very much more contaminated with > PBDEs as compared to Europe and that these PBDE levels have doubled > every 4-6 yr. Analyses of the relative distributions of the most > abundant PBDE congeners (using category averages and principal > component analysis) indicated that these patterns cannot yet be used > to assign sources to these pollutants. > PMID: 14998004 > > > There was a strong positive relationship between PBDE concentrations > in human milk and dietary intake of fish and shellfish, which was > established in the women from responses to a questionaire on food > consumption habits. The results of this study of food products > commonly consumed in Japan and the levels found in nursing women raise > a concern about low level PBDE contamination of fish and other foods > intended for human consumption. > PMID: 11999792 > > > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in retail fish and shellfish samples > purchased from Canadian markets. > > Tittlemier SA, Forsyth D, Breakell K, Verigin V, JJ, Hayward S. > > Food Research Division and Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, > Health Canada, Banting Research Centre 2203D, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, > K1A 0L2. > > Fish and shellfish retail samples (n = 122) were purchased from three > Canadian cities in the winter of 2002 and analyzed for a total of 18 > polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners. The samples (salmon, > trout, tilapia, Arctic char, mussels, oysters, shrimp, and crab) > represented the range of fish and shellfish commercially available to > Canadian consumers at the time of purchase. Trout and salmon > (geometric mean SigmaPBDE = 1600 and 1500 pg/g, wet weight, > respectively) were found to contain significantly higher amounts of > PBDEs than the mussel, tilapia, and shrimp groups (geometric mean > SigmaPBDE = 260, 180, and 48 pg/g, wet weight, respectively). These > differences in SigmaPBDE concentrations among fish and shellfish > products were partly driven by differences in lipid content among the > samples. Mean SigmaPBDE concentrations in domestic samples were also > significantly greater than in imported samples, possibly reflecting > global environmental distribution of PBDEs. These concentration > differences will contribute to variations in dietary exposure to PBDEs > when assorted fish and shellfish items from various origins are consumed. > PMID: 15675828 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 True, lower levels for human toxicity are not fully known but, in rodents, repeated exposure to PBDEs has shown toxic effects. These compounds do bioaccumulate in the tissue over time, and it is estimated that fish consumption contributes roughly 1/2 of the exposure. Add to the recipe a bit of mercury and PCB and 'what have you' contamination and I begin to wonder what level of fish consumption is actually safe. > > Is anyone concerned over the high levels of polybrominated diphenyl > > ethers and similar toxins in retail fish? My understanding is these > > compounds bioacumulate at levels commensurate with consumption. > > > > Have fish oil pills been tested for these compounds? > > > > > > > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and in people: a > > meta-analysis of concentrations. > > > > Hites RA. > > > > School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, > > Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. HitesR@I... > > > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants > in > > many types of consumer products. Perhaps as a result of their > > widespread use and their lipophilicity, these compounds have become > > ubiquitous in the environment and in people. This review summarizes > > PBDE concentrations measured in several environmental media and > > analyzes these data in terms of relative concentrations, > concentration > > trends, and congener profiles. In human blood, milk, and tissues, > > total PBDE levels have increased exponentially by a factor of > > approximately 100 during the last 30 yr; this is a doubling time of > > approximately 5 yr. The current PBDE concentrations in people from > > Europe are approximately 2 ng/g lipid, but the concentrations in > > people from the United States are much higher at approximately 35 > ng/g > > lipid. Current PBDE concentrations in marine mammals from the > Canadian > > Arctic are very low at approximately 5 ng/g lipid, but they have > > increased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 7 yr. > > Marine mammals from the rest of the world have current PBDE levels > of > > approximately 1000 ng/g lipid, and these concentrations have also > > increased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 5 yr. > > Some birds' eggs from Sweden are also highly contaminated (at > > approximately 2000 ng/g lipid) and show PBDE doubling times of > > approximately 6 yr. Herring gull eggs from the Great Lakes region > now > > have PBDE concentrations of approximately 7000 ng/g lipid, and these > > levels have doubled every approximately 3 yr. Fish from Europe have > > approximately 10 times lower PBDE concentrations than fish from > North > > America. From these and other data, it is clear that the environment > > and people from North America are very much more contaminated with > > PBDEs as compared to Europe and that these PBDE levels have doubled > > every 4-6 yr. Analyses of the relative distributions of the most > > abundant PBDE congeners (using category averages and principal > > component analysis) indicated that these patterns cannot yet be used > > to assign sources to these pollutants. > > PMID: 14998004 > > > > > > There was a strong positive relationship between PBDE concentrations > > in human milk and dietary intake of fish and shellfish, which was > > established in the women from responses to a questionaire on food > > consumption habits. The results of this study of food products > > commonly consumed in Japan and the levels found in nursing women > raise > > a concern about low level PBDE contamination of fish and other foods > > intended for human consumption. > > PMID: 11999792 > > > > > > > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in retail fish and shellfish samples > > purchased from Canadian markets. > > > > Tittlemier SA, Forsyth D, Breakell K, Verigin V, JJ, Hayward S. > > > > Food Research Division and Division of Biostatistics and > Epidemiology, > > Health Canada, Banting Research Centre 2203D, Ottawa, Ontario, > Canada, > > K1A 0L2. > > > > Fish and shellfish retail samples (n = 122) were purchased from > three > > Canadian cities in the winter of 2002 and analyzed for a total of 18 > > polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners. The samples (salmon, > > trout, tilapia, Arctic char, mussels, oysters, shrimp, and crab) > > represented the range of fish and shellfish commercially available > to > > Canadian consumers at the time of purchase. Trout and salmon > > (geometric mean SigmaPBDE = 1600 and 1500 pg/g, wet weight, > > respectively) were found to contain significantly higher amounts of > > PBDEs than the mussel, tilapia, and shrimp groups (geometric mean > > SigmaPBDE = 260, 180, and 48 pg/g, wet weight, respectively). These > > differences in SigmaPBDE concentrations among fish and shellfish > > products were partly driven by differences in lipid content among > the > > samples. Mean SigmaPBDE concentrations in domestic samples were also > > significantly greater than in imported samples, possibly reflecting > > global environmental distribution of PBDEs. These concentration > > differences will contribute to variations in dietary exposure to > PBDEs > > when assorted fish and shellfish items from various origins are > consumed. > > PMID: 15675828 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 It's not only retail fish I worry about. I've heard news stories about wild fish also containing high levels of these compounds. I've not heard of comprehensive testing of fish oil capsules, but my bet is that they have the compounds as well. If I knew where to get them tested, I'd pay to have mine tested. Diane > Is anyone concerned over the high levels of polybrominated diphenyl > ethers and similar toxins in retail fish? My understanding is these > compounds bioacumulate at levels commensurate with consumption. > > Have fish oil pills been tested for these compounds? > > > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the environment and in people: a > meta-analysis of concentrations. > > Hites RA. > > School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, > Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. HitesR@I... > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in > many types of consumer products. Perhaps as a result of their > widespread use and their lipophilicity, these compounds have become > ubiquitous in the environment and in people. This review summarizes > PBDE concentrations measured in several environmental media and > analyzes these data in terms of relative concentrations, concentration > trends, and congener profiles. In human blood, milk, and tissues, > total PBDE levels have increased exponentially by a factor of > approximately 100 during the last 30 yr; this is a doubling time of > approximately 5 yr. The current PBDE concentrations in people from > Europe are approximately 2 ng/g lipid, but the concentrations in > people from the United States are much higher at approximately 35 ng/g > lipid. Current PBDE concentrations in marine mammals from the Canadian > Arctic are very low at approximately 5 ng/g lipid, but they have > increased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 7 yr. > Marine mammals from the rest of the world have current PBDE levels of > approximately 1000 ng/g lipid, and these concentrations have also > increased exponentially with a doubling time of approximately 5 yr. > Some birds' eggs from Sweden are also highly contaminated (at > approximately 2000 ng/g lipid) and show PBDE doubling times of > approximately 6 yr. Herring gull eggs from the Great Lakes region now > have PBDE concentrations of approximately 7000 ng/g lipid, and these > levels have doubled every approximately 3 yr. Fish from Europe have > approximately 10 times lower PBDE concentrations than fish from North > America. From these and other data, it is clear that the environment > and people from North America are very much more contaminated with > PBDEs as compared to Europe and that these PBDE levels have doubled > every 4-6 yr. Analyses of the relative distributions of the most > abundant PBDE congeners (using category averages and principal > component analysis) indicated that these patterns cannot yet be used > to assign sources to these pollutants. > PMID: 14998004 > > > There was a strong positive relationship between PBDE concentrations > in human milk and dietary intake of fish and shellfish, which was > established in the women from responses to a questionaire on food > consumption habits. The results of this study of food products > commonly consumed in Japan and the levels found in nursing women raise > a concern about low level PBDE contamination of fish and other foods > intended for human consumption. > PMID: 11999792 > > > > Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in retail fish and shellfish samples > purchased from Canadian markets. > > Tittlemier SA, Forsyth D, Breakell K, Verigin V, JJ, Hayward S. > > Food Research Division and Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, > Health Canada, Banting Research Centre 2203D, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, > K1A 0L2. > > Fish and shellfish retail samples (n = 122) were purchased from three > Canadian cities in the winter of 2002 and analyzed for a total of 18 > polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners. The samples (salmon, > trout, tilapia, Arctic char, mussels, oysters, shrimp, and crab) > represented the range of fish and shellfish commercially available to > Canadian consumers at the time of purchase. Trout and salmon > (geometric mean SigmaPBDE = 1600 and 1500 pg/g, wet weight, > respectively) were found to contain significantly higher amounts of > PBDEs than the mussel, tilapia, and shrimp groups (geometric mean > SigmaPBDE = 260, 180, and 48 pg/g, wet weight, respectively). These > differences in SigmaPBDE concentrations among fish and shellfish > products were partly driven by differences in lipid content among the > samples. Mean SigmaPBDE concentrations in domestic samples were also > significantly greater than in imported samples, possibly reflecting > global environmental distribution of PBDEs. These concentration > differences will contribute to variations in dietary exposure to PBDEs > when assorted fish and shellfish items from various origins are consumed. > PMID: 15675828 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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