Do pricier omega-3 supplements offer any benefits over the less expensive ones?
No. Which is why “the omega-3 supplements we use in clinical studies are made from sardines and anchovies—the cheap stuff,” says Mark Moyad, MD, the Phil F. Jenkins director of alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. “Overpriced salmon and cod-liver oil supplements offer no greater health benefit.” In fact, studies show that some pricier varieties may actually have hidden health risks. A standard serving of cod-liver oil (three teaspoons), for example, contains nearly 15,000 IUs of vitamin A, and recent research has found that a dose of more than 5,000 IU can increase the risk of bone loss and promote fractures. “The liver can also concentrate harmful toxins, which can make their way into the supplements,” says Dr. Moyad. In a study of 21 popular omega-3 supplements at England’s University of Surrey, scientists found that cod-liver oil often contains high doses of pesticides and environmental toxins such as PCBs and PBDEs (a common ingredient in fire retardan
