how is it safe to give children with autism fish oil if it contains mercury?

[Britney S]

There's research and everything saying that fish oil helps children with autism, but it also contains mercury which is not good for them. It sounds contradictory.

 

[Merie]

i think that it might be fine my brother takes meds for like bipolar and adhd... and his dr just said he couldl take fish oil tablets... but who knows it may be diff for you... ask the dr they should tell you right away!

 

[Mikey]

Mercury, like ALL other elements have differing types (has something to do with isotopes...only half remember that from chemistry). The type found in fish is different than the type found in injection preservatives.Also, a lot research done has found there is no "detectable" amounts of mercury in fish oil, mainly because the mercury is not soluble in oil itself.

 

[Heidi]

Fish has things in it like selenium, which attracts heavy metals like mercury. Thus, if you take fish oil that already has mercury in it, then that is a problem. But, if you get fish oil that is from non-contaminated waters or has been processed to remove the mercury, then you get the benefits of fish oil, helping you detox, rather than it adding toxins. Thus, the trick is taking fish oil that is not contaminated. There are several brands that either process the mercury out or test the fish oil for mercury on a regular basis to make sure the fish they use is not contaminated. This fish would have to be caught in only a few select water bodies, since most water is now reported to be contaminated. We have taken fish oil, and now take cod liver oil. This difference is very noticeable when we take these oils. My children are recovered from autism, but it took much more than cod liver oil/fish oils. But, the oils did definitely help in decreasing ADHD symptoms. I love it and still take it. The best brand on the market is currently said to be Carleson's. You can go to www.heidinotes.com to learn more of my views on autism, ADHD, etc.

 

[schloop]

most high quality fish oils are purified, then tested by a third-party company.

 

[patricia]

"Higher Nature" Essential Omegas are screened for any metals - I would highly recommend these.

 

[Ron Novik]

Hi, There are several brands of fish oil capsules that are mercury-free, which can be found in most drug stores. The manufacturer will display this fact very clearly on the label for health-conscious consumers to observe.I would suggest refraining from given children anything that many contain even small doses of mercury (e.g., fish oil that hasn't been screened for mercury), since mercury tends to accumulate in our bodies and children are even more susceptible to it's harmful effects to the brain, kidneys and heart.If you want to find out more about mercury poisoning and how to detect for mercury in your own home I suggest you follow the links I posted under sources.Keep safe,Ron Novik(M.Sc. Chemistry)