Dr. Mercola March 02 2002 870 views
By Dan Vergano
The FDA recommends pregnant women avoid: Swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish
The Environmental Working Group says pregnant women should avoid:
The Food and Drug Administration softened its warning to pregnant women about the dangers of mercury in some fish, notably tuna, under industry pressure, an environmental group charges in a report released March 1.
The FDA rejects the charge.
A 2000 National Academy of Sciences report estimated 60,000 women nationwide are putting their fetuses "at risk" of brain damage because of mercury in the fish they eat.
Last year, the FDA warned pregnant women not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. But the agency said they could eat up to 12 ounces - equal to two cans of tuna - of any other fish weekly, potentially exposing them to mercury levels that the NAS report deemed dangerous.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), an organization best known for raising concerns about pesticides, obtained 1,036 pages of FDA transcripts from focus group meetings with consumers conducted two years ago to test safety messages about mercury and fish. EWG officials say FDA scientists told participants that following the agency's advice wouldn't protect a fetus from harm.
"What we see in the FDA documents is an agency in disarray," says Laura Chapin of EWG. The focus group meetings show the FDA was considering a broader warning for pregnant women that would limit tuna steak consumption to three times monthly and canned tuna to 9 ounces weekly.
Some women in the focus groups said they ate a can of tuna daily while pregnant. Of the five most popular seafoods - shrimp, trout, salmon and catfish are the others - only tuna has worrisome mercury levels, EWG says.
In one focus group transcript, an FDA scientist warns that a woman should eat only 1 cans of tuna a week. In another, the same scientist says, "The action levels we have in place are not protective enough for this - the fetuses." But Chapin's group says that after three meetings with the seafood industry, the FDA opted only to suggest that pregnant women eat fish in moderation.
About 40 states have separate mercury-level fish warnings to pregnant women. The EPA recommends that pregnant women and young children eat only small amounts of fresh-caught fish once a week.
USA Today March 1, 2002
The Environmental Working Group is to be commended for their fine work in evaluating the FDA transcripts and bringing this to public attention.
Previously they have provided us with an answer to a more definitive answer to a common question I receive - "What are "safe" fish to eat?"
Please be wise as a serpent and understand that the new FDA recommendations on fish safety are a result of a clear conflict of interest. You will be far healthier if you follow the National Academy of Science recommendations.
It is most unfortunate that the mercury pollution from the coal plants has so contaminated the waterways and the fish, as they are such a healthy food. One needs to be aware that all fish are potentially contaminated with mercury. However I would revise the EWGs list of safe fish by excluding the shellfish and fish without scales and including a small safe fish, sardines. So here is my list of safe fish:
Summer Flounder Wild Pacific Salmon Croaker Sardines Haddock Tilapia
Not a very big list. It is important to note that farmed fish are very similar to commercial beef. The fish are fed grain products and the beneficial omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are totally distorted. Additionally, non-organic grain is used so the fish pick up the pesticides that were used on the grains and also that run-off from neighboring farmland.
So I would recommend limiting fish consumption. There is another option that I will be discussing in about two weeks which does "solve" the problem and allow you to obtain the good nutrition of the fish while avoiding the mercury and pesticides.
Farm raised fish do not avoid the problem -- they still have the mercury and are worse since they are high in omega 6 not omega 3 because they are fed corn.
Personally, I stopped eating all fish more than a year ago. I receive my vitamin D and omega 3 fats from two daily tablespoons of Carlson's cod liver oil.
Stay tuned.
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