Fish Oil Can Cause Disease And Premature Aging
Every time you open your dog’s bottle of fish oil, something bad happens …
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil are extremely vulnerable to oxidative damage.
When these fat particles are exposed to oxygen (this is called oxidation), they break down into smaller compounds, like malondialdehyde (MDA), and they create oxygen-containing molecules called free radicals. Both MDA and free radicals cause premature aging and disease because they damage proteins, DNA, and other important cellular structures.
This damage is called oxidative stress and it leads to health problems, including gene mutations and cancer, and inflammatory conditions (which is ironic because you were giving your dog fish oil to fight against inflammation, not create inflammation)!
Most fish oil will be already oxidized before you even buy it. Oxygen leaks through the plastic container and even the gel caps, causing harmful oxidation. And even if your fish oil is in a glass container, every you time you open it to give some to your dog, oxidation occurs … and the risk of health issues goes up.
Fish Oil Contains Toxins
Although the fats stored in fish are nicely loaded with omega-3s, fat is also where toxins are stored. And our oceans are becoming more and more polluted by the minute.
Heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are a byproduct of our industrial lifestyle. They aren’t easily broken down, and they end up in the environment at low levels, especially in fish. And fish oil.
Heavy metals can cause nervous system dysfunction, blindness, certain cancers, irreversible liver and kidney damage and even death.
Along with heavy metals, there are other toxic compounds that accumulate in fish. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were banned in 1979 but they’re still found in the oceans and in fish. They can cause skin problems, muscle spasms, bronchitis and nervous system disorders.
Dioxins and furans have been linked to a number of adverse health effects including skin, liver and immune system problems, endocrine and reproductive disruptions and the development of certain cancers. This is especially a concern for young dogs.
Now almost any fish oil manufacturer will tell you their product is free of the above toxins … but independent lab analyses may say otherwise. So it’s essential to ask for a Certificate of Analysis (COA) from the manufacturer before you buy any fish oil. But a 2010 lawsuit found that even tested fish oils were still found to contain dangerous PCBs.
You Could Be Feeding Your Dog Radiation
In 2011, the Fukushima nuclear power plant was hit by a tsunami and its reactors melted down, causing radioactive water to seep into the Pacific ocean. Every day, 300 tons of this radioactive water still seeps into the ocean.
Today, the radiation has hit the west coast of North America and has contaminated most marine life. Fish on the west coast, including the salmon commonly used for fish oil, are testing positive for radioactive particles, such as Cesium-137 and Strontium-90. If your dog eats affected fish oil from Pacific fish, radioactive strontium and cesium can deposit in his bone marrow, where it can cause bone cancer and leukemia.
Fish oil manufacturers are testing their products for safety, but again, you’ll want a COA if you insist on feeding fish oil.