There are several positive health effects associated with using fish oil supplements like cod liver oil. Healthy fats, vitamins, and antioxidants abound in it.
Cod liver oil, like conventional fish oil, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to a variety of health advantages, including decreased inflammation and cholesterol levels.
Vitamins A and D, which are found in abundance, also contribute to overall health.
These are nine ways in which cod liver oil can help you out, according to research.
These are nine ways in which cod liver oil can help you out, according to research.
A good source of vitamins A and D.
Most of your daily vitamin A and D needs may be met by consuming cod liver oil, making it a very healthy food choice.
The liver of the Atlantic cod is often used to make cod liver oil.
In order to alleviate joint discomfort and cure rickets, a disorder that causes youngsters to have weak bones, cod liver oil has been utilised for hundreds of years.
Cod liver oil is technically a fish oil, although it has quite different properties than conventional fish oil.
Cod liver oil is derived from the livers of cod, while regular fish oil comes from the tissue of oily fish including tuna, herring, anchovies, and mackerel.
The liver has a high nutritional value since it contains so many essential nutrients.
Here are some of the benefits you may reap from just one teaspoon (5 ml) of cod liver oil:
- Calories: 41
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Omega-3 fatty acids: 890 mg
- Monounsaturated fat: 2.1 grams
- Saturated fat: 1 gram
- Polyunsaturated fat: 1 gram
- Vitamin A: 195% of the RDI
- Vitamin D: 75% of the RDI
It is 195% of the Recommended Daily Intake of vitamin A.
Seventy-five percent of the Recommended Daily Intake for Vitamin D
A single teaspoon of cod liver oil has 192% of your daily vitamin A needs and 75% of your vitamin D needs, making it a very healthy food choice.
Vitamin A plays numerous important roles in the body, including ensuring proper vision, cognitive function, and skin health.
Cod liver oil contains a lot of vitamin A, and the maximum recommended daily allowance (RAE) for men and women over 19 is 3000 mcg. The amount of RAE in a teaspoon of cod liver oil is 1350 mcg.
Vitamin D, which is abundant in cod liver oil, helps regulate calcium absorption, which is crucial for strong bones.
Potential anti-inflammatory
Proteins that contribute to chronic inflammation may be inhibited by the omega-3 fatty acids found in cod liver oil. Vitamins A and D, which have antioxidant effects, may be found in abundance in cod liver oil.
Inflammation is a normal bodily response that speeds up the healing process and aids in the fight against infections.
Sadly, chronic low-grade inflammation can persist in some people for a very long time.
Chronic inflammation is dangerous and has been linked to an increased risk of hypertension and other disorders.
There is some evidence that the omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil can lessen chronic inflammation by inhibiting the proteins that contribute to it. They include IL-1, IL-6, and TNF- (1).
Antioxidant vitamins A and D can be found in cod liver oil. By scavenging and eliminating potentially dangerous free radicals, they can help decrease inflammation.
Vitamin A and D deficiency have been linked in studies to a higher risk of chronic inflammation.
Improves bone health
Vitamin D is essential to the maintenance of strong and healthy bones, and cod liver oil is an excellent source of this nutrient. Those who reside a great distance from the equator should prioritise it over all others.
It is critical to preserve healthy bones as you age.
This is due to the fact that beyond the age of 30, you begin to lose bone mass. This can cause to fractures later in life, particularly in women following menopause.
Cod liver oil is an excellent source of vitamin D and may help to prevent age-related bone loss. This is because it aids your body’s absorption of calcium, a crucial mineral for healthy bones, from the intestines.
In fact, studies suggest that, when combined with a calcium-rich diet, taking a vitamin D supplement like cod liver oil helps decrease bone loss in adults.
Additional clinical and longitudinal research is needed to better understand vitamin D’s impact on bone density in healthy youngsters.
Obtaining adequate vitamin D through foods and supplements, such as cod liver oil, is especially critical for those who live far from the equator, because their skin does not receive enough sunshine to synthesis vitamin D for up to six months of the year.
Reduces joint discomfort and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
It is possible that persons who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and take cod liver oil would have less joint discomfort as a result of the oil’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a kind of arthritis that is caused by an autoimmune illness that causes damage to the joints.
There is presently no treatment for rheumatoid arthritis; however, previous research show that cod liver oil may help lower joint discomfort and improve other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint stiffness and edoema.
In a previous trial, participants took a capsule containing one gramme of cod liver oil once a day for a period of three months. They discovered that it significantly decreased rheumatoid arthritis symptoms such as morning stiffness, discomfort, and edoema.
In a previous study including 58 participants, researchers studied whether or not ingesting cod liver oil may alleviate the discomfort associated with rheumatoid arthritis to the extent that would enable patients to reduce their use of anti-inflammatory drugs.
By the conclusion of the research project, 39 percent of participants who took cod liver oil were able to safely cut their use of anti-inflammatory medicine by more than 30 percent (25Trusted Source).
It is thought that the omega-3 fatty acids included in cod liver oil may help decrease inflammation in the joints and protect against damage to the joints.
Enhance eye health
Vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids may be found in abundance in cod liver oil, and these nutrients may help prevent vision loss from inflammatory eye illnesses including glaucoma and macular degeneration (AMD).
More than 2.2 billion individuals throughout the world suffer from some form of vision impairment .
The most common causes of blindness are glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, although there are numerous more (AMD).
Inflammation has a role in each of these illnesses’ development and progression.
Animal research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids lower glaucoma risk factors such eye pressure and nerve damage.
In addition, compared to diets low in vitamin A, those high in vitamin A may help prevent both glaucoma and AMD.
Although vitamin A is beneficial for eye health, excessive intake can lead to vitamin A toxicity and should be avoided.
Eliminate Potential Heart Risk
Potential heart disease risk factors may be mitigated by using cod liver oil. Most studies combine cod liver oil with conventional fish oils, therefore further research is needed to determine its effect on heart disease risk factors.
More than 17.9 million people die every year from cardiovascular disease.
Those who consume fish on a daily basis have been demonstrated to significantly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. The omega-3 fatty acids found in it are responsible for this impact.
Several studies have demonstrated the heart-healthy effects of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in cod liver oil have been shown to lower blood triglycerides by 15-30%.
The omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil can increase HDL cholesterol, the healthy kind of cholesterol that’s associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
Even while there is some evidence that fish oil supplements like cod liver oil can help lower cholesterol and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, there isn’t much to suggest that they can actually prevent heart attacks or strokes.
While many research lump cod liver oil in with conventional fish oil, there have been few that precisely evaluate the link between the two.
Thus, further studies on the correlation between cod liver oil and heart disease risk factors are required.
Decrease the impact of anxiety and depression
Anxiety and depression are widespread conditions that affect more than 615 million individuals globally.
Studies show an intriguing relationship between chronic inflammation and anxiety and depression. Several studies have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil help decrease inflammation and anxiety and depression symptoms.
An previous, extensive study with 21,835 participants indicated that those who consistently consumed cod liver oil had less symptoms of sadness or depression and anxiety.
Despite the fact that omega-3 fatty acids lower anxiety and depression symptoms, their overall effect appears to be minimal.
In a meta-analysis of 26 research including 1,478 participants, omega-3 supplements were just marginally more beneficial than placebos for lowering depressive and anxious symptoms.
In addition, several studies have established a correlation between increasing blood levels of vitamin D and a reduction in depressive symptoms, but the evidence is not yet extremely strong. More research is required.
Several studies show that vitamin D can bind to receptors in the brain and trigger the production of mood-improving chemicals such as serotonin, so reducing depressive symptoms.
Possible aid for stomach and gut ulcers
Ulcers are shallow cuts that can be found in the lining of the stomach or the intestines. They may produce symptoms such as discomfort, nausea, and pain in the upper abdomen region.
In most cases, the condition is brought on by bacterial infections, smoking, an excessive use of anti-inflammatory drugs, or an excess of acid in the stomach (47Trusted Source).
Research conducted on animals suggests that cod liver oil may be beneficial in the treatment of ulcers, particularly those that occur in the stomach and intestines.
Researchers discovered that both low and high dosages of cod liver oil helped mend ulcers in the animal models that they tested it on. The ulcers were located in the stomach and the intestines (48).
Even though using cod liver oil to treat ulcers appears to have some potential, further research on people is required before definitive recommendations can be made.
Simple to include into your existing eating routine.
Including cod liver oil into your diet is really simple. It is available in a variety of forms, but the most prevalent are liquid and capsule.
There are no established cod liver oil consumption standards, hence the majority of recommendations are based on acceptable dietary amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin D.
The typical daily dose is 1–2 teaspoons, however it is generally safe to take up to 1 tablespoon per day. Since higher dosages might result in an overabundance of vitamin A, they are not suggested (49Trusted Source).
Cod liver oil can function as a blood thinner, thus certain individuals must be cautious while consuming it.
Consult your doctor before using cod liver oil if you use blood pressure or blood thinning drugs.
In addition, pregnant women should see a physician before taking vitamin A, since excessive amounts may be harmful to the unborn child.
One kind of fish oil supplement known as cod liver oil is exceptionally nutrient-dense. It is incredibly practical, and it has an excellent balance of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin D in its composition.
If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, using cod liver oil may help you experience less symptoms of the condition, including less pain in your joints, less inflammation, and stronger bones.
If you are interested in trying out dietary supplements, a typical dose is one to two tablespoons of liquid cod liver oil taken daily. The pill shape is another option you have.
If you find that one of these options makes you gag, you might find it helpful to take them on an empty stomach before eating or to mix them with a few sips of water.
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