Cod Liver Oil For Vitamin D
When I was a kid, I had to take cod liver oil daily. I think it was for the vitamin D. Now that I hear that we all need more D, Im wondering if cod liver oil isnt the way to go.
Andrew Weil, M.D. |September 11, 2006
I sympathize. I also had to take a daily dose of cod liver oil when I was a kid. I certainly didnt love it. Today you can get it in capsules or as a flavored liquid thats much more palatable than the stuff we took.
Youre quite right that cod liver oil is a good source of vitamin D. According to the National Institutes of Health, it gives you 1,360 IU per tablespoon . However, at least some kinds of cod liver oil provide as much as 13,500 IU of vitamin A, and thats way too much.
The Upper Limit of vitamin A set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences is 10,000 IU per day. Although it is an essential nutrient, an excessive, chronic intake of the form of vitamin A from animal sources can be toxic, leading to hair loss, confusion, liver damage, and more recently discovered bone loss. Instead, I recommend getting your vitamin A as beta-carotene in addition to other mixed carotenoids, which are plant pigments found in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables and dark leafy greens. The body can make all the vitamin A it needs from beta-carotene. Unlike vitamin A, beta-carotene is water-soluble and nontoxic. Very high intakes 100,000 IU or more a day can turn your skin orange.
Andrew Weil, M.D.
Smoked Oyster And Cod Liver Pate Recipe
By: Summer Yule · This post may contain affiliate links.
Hey, liver haters! One bite of this smoked oyster and cod liver pate recipe may have you singing a different tune. Cod livers have a much milder flavor than chicken or beef liver. A veritable nutrient powerhouse, cod liver is packed with omega-3s and vitamin A. Meanwhile, the oysters are an excellent source of protein and iron. Perhaps just as important, this liver spread is delicious!
This recipe for smoked oyster and cod liver pate came about as part of my personal goal to learn to love liver.
Yes, it is fine to skip a few healthy foods if you dislike them. Nevertheless, I thought Id work on my dietary quality a little more. Its one of my current self-improvement goals.
Repeated exposure to a non-preferred food is one of the techniques that is supposed to expand the palate. I can tell you that I dont think Ill ever love beef liver with onions, regardless of how many times I try them.
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This cod liver has a much milder flavor than beef liver. When you add in the smoky oysters, shallots, and garlic,the dreaded liver flavor is nearly absent.
As an added benefit over beef liver, the canned seafood hereis ready to eat, cutting down on prep time. If you are on a tight budget,canned seafood tends to be less expensive than fresh. Why not give this recipea go?
Cod Liver Oil Basics And Recommendations
Last updated 2019 Concerns about Fermented Cod Liver OilQuestions and Answers About Fermented Cod Liver Oil JUMP TO: Brand Recommendations Updated 2019 Once a standard supplement in traditional European societies, cod liver oil provides fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which Dr. Price found present in the diet of primitives in amounts ten times higher than in modernized diets. Cod liver oil supplements are a must for women and their male partners, to be taken for several months before conception, and for women during pregnancy. Growing children will also benefit greatly from a small daily dose.
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Cod Liver Oil Side Effects
Cod liver oil can have side effects regardless of whether or not you’re consuming too much of it. According to the Cleveland Clinic, common cod liver oil side effects include bad breath or a metallic taste in your mouth, upset stomach, dry skin and headaches.
You shouldn’t worry too much about these side effects, however. They are often easily resolved over time or by switching to a different product manufacturer. However, you should talk to your doctor if you experience side effects such as:
- Changes in the color of your urine
- Changes in your vision
- Skin rashes
- Bruising or excessive bleeding
These side effects are more serious and may be symptoms of too much cod liver oil.
Fish oil is unlikely to cause you any problems if you’re consuming about a teaspoon or less per day. However, according to the Cleveland Clinic, even in small doses, the various ingredients in cod liver oil have the potential to interact with medications used to:
- Reduce bile acid from the body, like cholestyramine
- Reduce cholesterol, like colestipol
- Promote bone health, like calcitriol
- Promote weight loss, like orlistat
- Treat kidney disease, like doxercalciferol
- Prevent blood clots, like warfarin
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stomach problems or kidney or liver disease, talk to your doctor before taking cod liver oil or any similar products regularly.
How To Choose Cod Liver Oil
Though it is important to know how much cod liver oil to take every day, another equally important thing is to choose the right type of cod liver oil. Consider the following points and do keep them in mind when you buy the supplement.
1. Check for High Omega-3 Content
Cod liver oil contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. One teaspoon of it has 2894 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, 2502 mg of which is eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid . These two are the most important omega-3 fatty acids and provide many health benefits. When choosing a cod liver oil supplement, look for how much EPA and DHA one dose provides. It should typically be 450 mg per capsule.
2. Look for Lower Vitamin A Content
Cod liver oil contains very large amounts of vitamin A. So be careful to select the variety which is low in vitamin A. Vitamin A gets stored in the body and excessive intake can lead to toxicity. Adults should not consume more than 10,000 IU of it per day. When taking cod liver oil supplements, decrease other foods and supplements that contain vitamin A.
3. Avoid Oils with PCBs
4. Palatability Considerations
Some people find it hard to swallow cod liver oil and prefer capsules. The capsules are more expensive than the liquids but they are easy to digest and do not cause any stomach upsets or nausea. These are also easy to swallow. The only down side is that you need to take a couple of them to get the recommended daily allowance of omega-3 fatty acids.
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How You Administer Cod Liver Oil Matters
Eating fish, even oily fish, will not provide the levels of nutrients found in cod liver oil, and taking fish oils is not the same as taking cod liver oil. Salmon oil, which has significant health benefits, has only one-fifth the potency of cod liver oil.
Most cod liver oil has a vitamin D to vitamin A ratio of 1 to 10. If a teaspoon of cod liver oil contains 500 International Units of vitamin D, it contains about 5,000 IU vitamin A. However, some brands, such as Carlson Labs, which is sold in health food stores, have a much lower vitamin A ratio. One teaspoon of Carlson Labs cod liver oil contains 500 IU vitamin D and only 1,250 IU vitamin A. This proportion helps prevent vitamin A toxicity, especially in dogs who eat large amounts of beef liver or receive vitamin A from other sources.
Heavy metals and other contaminants are always a concern when dealing with ocean fish, but all cod liver oil sold in the United States is tested according to protocols of the Association of Analytical Communities. It must be found free of detectable levels of 32 specific contaminants, including mercury, cadmium, lead, and PCBs, before it can be imported.
How Long Can You Keep Cod Liver Oil
Store unopened bottles of cod liver oil in a cool, dry location that is protected from temperature fluctuations. Once cod liver oil is opened, keep the tightly capped bottle in the refrigerator. Some cod liver oil manufacturers recommend using the refrigerated oil within three to four months after opening.
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Can I Take Omega
Evening primrose oil is an omega-6that contains GLA , an essential fatty acid that is hard to come by in our diets but that we can make ourselves through linolenic acid.
Its safe to take both, but remember that omega-6 is already very prevalent in our diets and one reason to take omega-3 is to try to reset this imbalance. If youre taking evening primrose oil for a medical reason it may be best to take it at a different time of day to your fish oil.
What Are Todays Most Popular Mg Per Day Cod Liver Oils Models
There are many mg per day cod liver oils items accessible today for men and women seeking quality and reliability. Every mg per day cod liver oils model follows the same essential premise. But they appeal to various users.Its no secret that certain products appeal to specific populations. What if you could see which products were the most popular across all consumers? You can, and weve got the list. Check out our collection of products that appear to appeal to all ages, genders, and locations.
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Is It Best To Take An Omega
There are a number of reasons why people preferliquid supplements over capsules, and vice versa. This is why Bare Biology offers both.
The key benefit of taking omega-3 in liquid form is that oil tends to be absorbed better. You rely on your digestive system to effectively break down the capsule before it can absorb the omega-3. Most brands use pork or beef gelatin, which is very tough and therefore harder to breakdown. We use fish gelatin, which is easier on your digestion and also means our supplements are suitable for non-meat eaters.
The key benefit of taking capsules is convenience. There are no drips and no risk of spilling the supplement, which makes them more suitable when youre travelling.
So What Is The Best Omega
Taking an omega-3 fish oil is such an easy, accessible and affordable way to keep your levels of this important nutrient high.
However, to see a benefit experts agree between 2,000mg-3,000mg per day for at least three months is ideal. Luckily you can get this dose by taking just one teaspoon per day of a clinical strength omega-3 fish oil such as Life & Soul from Bare Biology. Other brands may say 1,000mg on the packaging, but be wary as this is normally just the weight of the capsule and the amount of EPA and DHA may well be far less.
If youre finding it hard to take you could always start with half a teaspoon of oil first or just one capsule and work your way up to the maximum dose.
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Whats The Right Omega 3 Dosage For You
Taking 2000 3000 mg of EPA/DHA daily will cover most adults omega-3 needs. But other factors like diet, genetics, lifestyle, age, body weight, health condition, and the bioavailability of the product used also play a big role .
To account for these individual differences, you can take a quick blood test to determine your omega-3 index level. Having an omega-3 index of at least 8% is considered most desirable for heart health.
How Long Does It Take To Work
Milligram for milligram, cod-liver oil is among the best value health and fitness supplements you can buy, suitable as a general health supplement and to aid specific exercise regimes. Taking a cod liver oil capsule isnt a quick fix it takes a while for the positive nutrients to build up in your system, so you should approach supplementation as a long-term dietary change.
Exactly how long depends on the level of omega-3 you already have in your brain, liver and heart. If you take cod liver oil every day, it will start having a beneficial impact on your cardiovascular health and other factors within 2 to 3 weeks.
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A Few More Things To Know About Cod Liver
Cod liver is rich in healthy omega-3s and monounsaturated fats. Unlike cod, which is a low-fat protein, cod liver is rich in DHA and EPA.
This leads to a topic Ive mused about a bit on social media concerning conditional versus essential fatty acids . Why arent DHA and ARA considered EFAs, rather than ALA and LA? Doesnt that make sense, since the primary importance of LA and ALA are as precursors to ARA and DHA ?
Animal-based foods are the main sources of DHA and ARA inthe diet. The conversion of the precursors to DHA and ARA are known to be quitelow. Animal-based foods might be thought of as far more criticalnutritionally if mainstream perspectives were changed regarding EFAs.
Similarly, the preformed vitamin A in animal-sourced foods is highly bioavailable, while the body must convert provitamin A carotenoids to vitamin A. The conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A is not as efficient as once thought. It depends on factors such as which food matrix contains the provitamin A and individual variation.
Some of us may convert provitamin A carotenoids to vitamin A more easily due to genetic variations. Provitamin A carotenoids might not be a good vitamin A source for those subjects of the poor converter phenotype. Mild vitamin A deficiency may affect the person in subtle ways, such as difficulty seeing at night.
We generally donot know who is a poor converter and who isnt. Why not protect yourself byincluding some vitamin A in your diet from animal-based sources?
Where Do You Buy Tinned Cod Livers
Cod liver oil is extremely easy to find in my area. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find tinned cod livers at any of the stores that I typically shop at. If you live in a major metropolitan area, you may have better luck than I am having.
Since my preference is for whole and minimally processed foods, I wanted to find the cod livers instead of using the oil. Happily, Amazon carries canned cod livers in a variety of brands. I went with the King Oscar brand since I have enjoyed their other seafood products in the past.
I was happy with my purchase and would recommend it to others who cant find cod liver locally. The other seafood ingredient, tinned smoked oysters, tend to be very easy to find.
Using a blend of oysters and cod liver in this pate helps tohide the liver flavor. Also, using multiple tins of liver would have made a servingof this pate extraordinarily high in vitamin A.
The oysters are higher in protein and iron than the codliver. Using different types of seafood here gets you a wider range of nutrientbenefits.
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Most Americans Do Not Get Enough Omega
In spite of the many benefits of omega-3s, an estimated 95% of Americans do not have optimal omega-3 levels .
Even regular omega-3 supplement users can be omega-3 deficient, as a study from Grassroots Health demonstrated. Of 494 supplement users, only 19% achieved adequate omega-3 index scores .
Why do so many supplement users struggle to get an effective omega-3 dosage?
While the reasons may vary from genetic differences to poor compliance, one big culprit is the surprisingly small servings of EPA and DHA found in most products. Indeed, fish oil capsules typically only contain 10 15% the amount of omega-3s used in successful clinical trials!
Cod Liver Oil The Forgotten Food
In this video, originally featured on America Now, wellness and nutrition expert Peggy Hall discusses the possible health benefits of cod liver oil and the differences between cod liver oil and fish oils.
Cod liver oil is one of the richest sources of vitamin D available. Sun exposure is also important, because the body cannot get all of its vitamin D needs from food sources.
Vitamin D is calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood, two factors that are extremely important for maintaining healthy bones.
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with osteomalacia and osteoporosis.
It may also affect the risk of cancer, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure , multiple sclerosis, and other conditions.
However, more reliable studies are needed to confirm some of these associations.
- Vitamin A: 4,500 international units
- Vitamin D: 450 IU
- Saturated fatty acids: 1.017 g
- Monounsaturated fatty acids: 2.102 g
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 1.014 g
- Cholesterol: 26 milligrams
cautions that high fish consumption can cause side effects because of environmental toxins in fish, such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and other contaminants.
However, the authors note that the processing that is involved in preparing supplements reduces the risk of environmental toxins and hypervitaminosis, or excess consumption of vitamins.
The of vitamin D is 4,000 IU a day for adults aged 19 years and over.
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Is It Safe To Take Omega
Fish oils are contraindicated with all blood thinningdrugs. Therefore its not recommended anyone has omega-3 fish oil while taking them.
Similarly there is a contraindication with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. Its best to wait at least four hours after taking them before taking fish oil. If youve been taking these sorts of drugs for long periods of time, its worth consulting your GP or a registered healthcare practitioner.
