Metabolic and Mental Health
The More I Learn About Cod Liver Oil, The More Compelling It Gets.
Here is what happens when A, D, and Omega letters combine in a single nutrient.
I have been researching the benefits and using cod liver oil since the early 1980s. In this post, I summarize my findings on the health benefits of this valuable nutrient under eight headings by leveraging research published in reliable information sources.
What is Cod Liver Oil?
Livers of some animals are nutritious foods humans have consumed for centuries. However, cod liver seems to have unique nutrients making combined health effects for the human body.
Cod liver oil is extracted from the liver of Atlantic cod fish. The oil is a mixture of glycerides of fatty acids, such as gadoleic, oleic, and palmitoleic acid. In 100 grams of cold liver oil, 23 grams is saturated fat. It also includes around half a gram of cholesterol.
Cod liver oil includes both DHA and EPA, known as omega-3 fatty acids, which I introduced in a previous article. The nutritional value of cod liver oil makes it a vital supplement publicly available in many countries.
Most cod liver oil products, as liquids in bottles or capsules, are mostly produced in Norway, Iceland, Poland, and Japan. Europeans, especially in Scandinavian countries, use it abundantly. It is also widely used in the UK.
Dr. George T. Griffing (MD and Professor of Medicine) posted an article to MedScape in 2008 titled “Mother Was Right About Cod Liver Oil.” He emphasizes the traditional use of cod liver oil, which scientists now find the reasons for benefits. His research in the field is exemplary.
Since the 1980s, the more I have learned about cod liver oil, the more I realized its value. As recommended by my parents, I used it myself and encouraged my loved ones to use it with support from healthcare professionals.
Common Use Cases and Benefits of Cod Liver Oil
In this section, I summarize my findings under eight headings to make this piece digestible and practical.
Extended literature indicates many more use cases, speculates potential benefits and proposes new studies considering its extended and safe use by the public.
However, I focussed on well-documented benefits from reliable sources. I won’t go into details as there are over 1,500 medical reports on the use of cod liver in literature. I also excluded medical use cases such as surgery.
1 — Addressing Vitamin A and D Deficiencies
Both vitamins A and D are critical for immune health. However, they have many more functions in the body. A teaspoon of Cod liver oil ( 5 ml) includes 90% of the recommended vitamin A daily intake and 113% of the Vitamin D.
In addition to the immune system, Vitamin A is also necessary for the reproduction system, vision, and functioning of several organs.
I documented my reviews of Vitamin D in previous articles. Interested readers might check this story titled Here’s Why Vitamin D As a Steroid Hormone, Not Just Another Supplement.
One of the most common public health concerns with vitamin D deficiency was rickets. I will cover it in the next section.
2 — Treating and Preventing Rickets
Cod liver oil has been successfully used since 1917s to prevent and treat rickets. As pointed out in this paper, “At the turn of the 20th century, rickets was rampant among the poor children living in the industrialized and polluted northern cities of the United States.”
“With the discovery of vitamin D and the delineation of the anti-rachitic properties of cod-liver oil by the 1930s, it became possible to not only treat but also eradicate rickets in the United States.”
This paper on JAMA Pediatrics provided a historical perspective. The paper informs that “Cod liver oil prevented the development of rickets in 34 of 37 infants treated for six months and in 7 of 12 treated for four months. Of the 16 infants who did not take the prescribed treatment, rickets progressed unremittingly in 15.”
3 — Reducing Inflammation and Improving Immunity
Studies indicate that those who live with a deficiency of vitamins A and D face a greater risk of chronic inflammation and immune disorders.
A combination of vitamin A, D, and omega-3 fatty acids from cod liver oil looks efficient in lowering inflammation and improving immune system functions.
Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation by suppressing inflammatory proteins. Vitamin A, as an antioxidant, lowers oxidative stress and reduces inflammation.
4 — Reducing Joint Pain and Improving Arthritis Symptoms
As the cod liver is considered an anti-inflammatory supplement, researchers tried it for treating rheumatoid arthritis.
A pilot study included 43 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who consumed one gram of cod liver oil daily for three months. Decreases occurred in morning stiffness (52.4%), pain (42.7%), swollen (40%) joints, and pain intensity (67.5%).
95% of patients tolerated it well. Therefore researchers suggested that “Cod liver oil can be recommended for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.”
Another study included 58 patients who were on painkillers like NSAIDs for arthritis. 39% of patients in the cod liver oil group reduced their daily NSAID requirement by around 30%.
Thus, the study suggests that “cod liver oil supplements containing n-3 fatty acids can be used as NSAID-sparing agents in rheumatoid arthritis patients.”
5 — Enhancing Eye Health
Millions of people are affected by vision issues. I documented my findings and perspectives in an article titled Here’s How I Improved My Eye Health with Five Healthy Lifestyle Habits.
Two of the critical nutrients that I touched on in the article were Vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin D also indirectly affects eye health as it reduces inflammation.
Many studies highlight the importance of vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids in protecting the eyes and maintaining vision. Anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin A and omega-3 acids lower the risks of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.
6 — Lowering Heart Disease and Stroke Risks
Omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to cardiovascular health, as I mentioned in my previous articles. One of the key benefits of omega-3 fatty acids is lowering triglycerides.
In addition to the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, I also come across animal studies using cod liver oil to test the effectiveness of atherosclerosis inhibition.
Researchers studied the effect of cod-liver oil on the development and progression of coronary artery disease in swine subjected to coronary balloon abrasion and fed an atherogenic diet for eight months.
The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that “in our animal model, dietary cod-liver oil retarded the development of coronary artery disease, possibly through changes in prostaglandin metabolism.”
Another animal study published in Circulation concludes that “ dietary supplementation of cod-liver oil delays the impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxations in hypercholesterolemia and in atherosclerosis, partly because of an improved release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor and partly because of an improved relaxation of coronary smooth muscle to the factor.”
7 — Reducing Anxiety and Depression
Mental health literature has documented the effects of chronic inflammation on mental health conditions and neurodegenerative disorders.
Thus, the anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D, A, and omega-3 acids in cod liver oil are thought to lower anxiety and depression symptoms.
This 2007 study in the Journal of Affective Disorders titled “Associations between cod liver oil use and symptoms of depression” investigated 21,835 subjects aged 40–49 and 70–74 years in Norway.
The study concluded that “regular use of cod liver oil is negatively associated with high levels of depressive symptoms in the general population.”
The effects of vitamin D on the brain are well-researched. The primary mechanism is that this steroid hormone can bind receptors in various brain regions and stimulate serotonin, an essential neurotransmitter for mood-boosting and overall mental health.
8 — Improving Bone and Gut Health
As I mentioned in my previous articles, vitamin D is critical in calcium metabolism affecting bone health.
I documented bone health in a previous article titled, Improve Bone Health and Reduce the Risks of Osteoporosis in 3 Steps.
As cod liver oil provides an adequate amount of vitamin D, it is believed to improve bone health. I haven’t come across specific studies investigating cod liver oil yet.
In addition, I read some studies that cold liver oil could improve gut health. The theory is that cod liver might create antiulcer activity in the gut.
For example, one of the animal studies concluded that “cod liver oil increases the healing of gastric ulcers and prevents the development of experimentally induced gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats.”
Conclusions and Takeaways
Cod liver oil is a natural product extracted from Atlantic Cod fish, usually well-prepared by supplement companies. However, not all companies might follow the rules and regulations. Therefore, we need to purchase them from reliable sources.
Even though my diet includes enough vitamin A, D, and omega-3 fatty acids, I take one capsule daily with my dinner. Initially, I tried the liquid version but found it difficult to drink. I purchase them from trusted health shops and always check the expiry dates.
Overall, the literature indicates that one teaspoon of cod liver oil is safe for healthy individuals. However, the high dose of vitamin A in cod liver needs to be taken into consideration, especially for those with underlying health conditions.
For example, the high amount of vitamin A combined with other nutrients and supplements might lead to vitamin A toxicity, which is a severe health issue. Nevertheless, just 5 ml of the cod liver by itself does not cause vitamin A deficiency daily.
In addition, as cod liver oil can make the blood thinner, those with blood thinning medication must be careful. Pregnant women always need advice from family doctors before using any supplement, even if they are sold over the counter.
If you haven’t used it before, it is wise to discuss with your family doctor whether it might interfere with your medical conditions or medications.
I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:
Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
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