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Health Benefits of Cod Liver Oil: A Nutrient Powerhouse

| Modified on Jul 28, 2024
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Cod Liver Oil.

Cod liver oil, derived from the livers of Atlantic cod, is a popular dietary supplement known for its rich nutrient profile. It contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin D, making it a powerhouse for promoting overall health. This article explores the numerous health benefits of cod liver oil and why it's considered an essential supplement for many.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Essential for Heart and Brain Health

One of the primary benefits of cod liver oil is its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA and DHA. These essential fats play a crucial role in maintaining heart health by reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the risk of heart disease. Additionally, omega-3s are vital for brain health, supporting cognitive function, and potentially reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Vitamin D: Boosting Immune Function and Bone Health

Cod liver oil is a rich source of vitamin D, a critical nutrient for maintaining healthy bones and immune function. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is essential for bone health and preventing conditions like osteoporosis. It also plays a significant role in supporting the immune system, helping the body fend off infections and diseases.

Vitamin A: Essential for Vision and Skin Health

In addition to omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, cod liver oil is packed with vitamin A, which is crucial for maintaining good vision and healthy skin. Vitamin A supports the production of rhodopsin, a pigment in the eyes that helps with low-light vision. It also contributes to skin health by promoting cell production and repair, making it beneficial for conditions like acne or dry skin.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Cod liver oil's omega-3 fatty acids possess strong anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation in the body. This benefit is particularly valuable for individuals suffering from inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, as it may alleviate pain and improve joint mobility.

Supporting Mental Health

Research suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil may support mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. These fatty acids are believed to influence brain chemistry and signaling, which can improve mood and emotional well-being.

Cod Liver Oil vs. Salmon Oil: Which is Better?

Both cod liver oil and salmon oil are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, but they offer unique benefits. Cod liver oil is rich in vitamins A and D, making it ideal for supporting immune function, vision, and bone health. In contrast, salmon oil typically has higher concentrations of omega-3s but lacks the additional vitamins found in cod liver oil. The choice between these oils depends on individual health goals and nutritional needs, making it important to consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice.

Conclusion: The Nutrient Power of Cod Liver Oil

Cod liver oil is a nutrient-rich supplement offering a wide range of health benefits. From supporting heart and brain health to boosting the immune system and maintaining healthy vision and skin, its essential nutrients make it a valuable addition to your diet. As with any supplement, it's important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting, especially if you have any existing health conditions or concerns.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Asthma

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Posted by Shana (Miami, Florida, Usa) on 07/03/2010
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I suffered for years with asthma, made worse by cold wet weather. It was one of the reasons I moved to a warmer climate. Inhalers and other medications did not really work. It felt like a giant hand would just squeeze the air out of my lungs. Once I was at a lecture with a friend and he said people thought I was making fun of the speaker, when actually it was my wheezing! Both of my parents smoked,and I think I was dealing with COPD from the time I was five or six. I can remember hiding in closets as a small child so people wouldn't hear me wheeze and clear my lungs. I don't smoke, never have.

I researched for natural cures and found fish oil. I started taking it and the wheezing went away. My lungs feel pliant and able to open up. Wet and cold weather do not affect me anymore. I can breathe! When I don't take the fish oil, the wheezing comes back, so I'm convinced that what is what works for me.

The recommended amount I read is one teaspoon for every 50 lbs. of weight. That's what I take. I usually will take a liquid form, but sometimes pills, so I will take about three or so of those. My body lets me know how much works. I take the fish oil in the morning. I also take flax oil at night, one or two tablespoons. But when I only take flax oil, the wheezing comes back. It has to be fish oil (sorry vegetarians, I don't know any other answers for you).

In the winter I take cod liver oil, in the summer just regular fish oil. Both work as well, but the cod liver oil has vitamin D, which I feel I get enough of in the summer.

So I believe for me, the answer is that I need the omega 3 fatty acids for normal lung function.

The taste can be unpleasant, but there are flavored forms and then of course the pills, though they tend to be rather large.

Another bonus is that I notice my vision is much clearer when I faithfully take fish oil, particularly the cod liver oil. The owner of one of the vitamin stores I go to says that the elderly customers who have taken cod liver oil their entire lives often have 20/20 vision. I believe it.

I hope this can help someone and I'm really glad I found this site. I'm trying a few of the suggestions here and will post in a while when I see (or don't see) results.

Back Pain

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Posted by Wendy (London, England) on 03/31/2016
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I'm surprised by the Weston Price 2010 article which says cod liver oil is poison.

My husband had severe back pain to the point where he could hardly walk when he was around 30. He read at the time that cod liver oil would be beneficial so he started to take a dessertspoon full each day and within 3 months the pain was gone. He was some twenty or so years later, diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis through a problem with the eye which caused the back pain.

I won't say he never had another twinge but I could count on one hand the times this has happened. He has continued with the cod liver oil everyday of his life since and he is now 72 years of age.

I too take a capsule as I couldn't take it off the spoon. I am 68 and thank God I also can still get around without any arthritis.

I will take the point of Vit A interfering with Vit D as I personally have problems with chronic coughing and are upping my dose of Vit D to 4,000 IU per day and haven't been doing it long but have noticed a difference.

Ear Infections

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Posted by Tammy (Haledon, NJ) on 10/06/2006
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This wasn't on your site but I am a true believer in this, my son at 3 months of age suffered from constant ear infections. Once I gave him a dose of cod liver oil a day he hasn't had one since!!!! Also I believe the omega 3 fatty acids in cod liver oil pretty much made my kid way advanced in brain function. He is just 2 years old and can count to 30, knows all of his shapes and colors ta boot! Plus he originally had eczema and constipation and the oil cleared all of that up too!!

Eczema

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Posted by Bliss D. (Texas) on 01/27/2019
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Will add my vote for cod liver oil. It cured my eczema after a curious start. The first time I took the gelcaps, I had the worst itchiest night of my entire life, woke up in bloody sheets, but my eczema was completely calm by then, no itch, no blisters, and the edges of the patches were already healing, back to soft new skin. I have continued to experience four months of continuous healing of my skin, no more flares. I believe I will continue taking cod liver oil all my life. People should beware that some clo on the market has synthetic vitamins added to it. Stick to high quality pure cod liver oil.

Eczema
Posted by Jenna (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) on 08/06/2013
 ★★★★★

After years of doctors, dermatologists etc etc not to mention $$$ a naturopath put me on to high doses of Cod liver Oil for my eczema /dermatitis - in 2 weeks it was completely gone. Please please please try this for 2 weeks - say a capsule every meal ie 3 or 4 capsules a day and in 2 weeks it will be gone. She explained we need to moisturise from the inside out, Cod liver oil has Vit D and I also take Evening Primrose Oil which has Omega 6 - which fish oil doesn't have - Fish oil is not enough - just Google cod liver oil and eczema to see the results - How did I go so long when it was so simple!

Eczema
Posted by Macky (New Iberia, La) on 09/12/2009
 ★★★★★

My son had severe eczema from the time he was a few months old. I took him to 3 doctors and was given prescriptions that didn't cure him.He scratched til he bled. One day after fasting I read that a deficiency in vitamin A will cause dry, itchy bumps especially on the legs.

I gave him cod liver oil in a cup of juice with a top on it (sippy cup) because of the smell. The next week he did not have one spot on him and he is 18 years old now and never had that again.

Eczema, Adult Acne, Weak Nails

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Posted by Jules (Houston, Tx) on 11/13/2009
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Absolutley COD LIVER OIL!! Cured me as a child of eczema and cured me as an Adult. A family doctor when I was an infant in diapers, took one look at me and told my Mother..."Take her off cow's milk, give her goat's milk and Cod Liver Oil !"...and ALMOST instantly I was cured! As an adult I had bouts of adult acne off and on for years. Every remmedy in the book including Accutane...but the thing that cured it was to commit myself to Cod Liver Oil every day and my skin is CLEARING UP! My nails are growing, THE CUTICLE SOFTENED, no longer dry looking....... Absolutley COD LIVER OIL!!!! And... Mother knows best!

Insomnia

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Posted by Erika (Vancouver, Bc) on 08/04/2009
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Hi, my eyes have been sensitive to light lately, so I researched and found that it may be a lack of fish oils, so I started taking cod liver oil capsules and very suddenly I started sleeping like a log through the night. So I told my father to try the cod liver oil for his sleep problems and sure enough the very first night he slept through 8 hrs. (usually he gets 3 hrs. then wakes up!) People with insomnia try this and let others know. Note: On one site I read says that if you get oil reflux or diahrea it is due to the oil being old. I've been feeling very healthy lately with no daytime tiredness since I have started this as well as great bowel movements, and my farsightedness has become clearer. Good Luck. Erika

Plantar Fasciitis

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Posted by Mary (Syracuse, New York) on 05/15/2013
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I love this site! This is my first post. I'm a 55 year old female and have suffered a good deal of my life from plantar fasciitis. Of late, it has reached a point where if I sit for just a few minutes, any time during the day, I suffer just to get walking again! I came across some info on cod liver oil and decided to try it. Within about 3-4 days my pain was nearly gone! It has also greatly relieved my long standing head and neck pain/strain from wearing bifocals!

I take 2 teaspoons of lemon-flavored cod liver oil mixed up well with 2 teaspoons of milk once a day. Cod liver oil thins the blood, so if you are on blood thinners such as Plavix or Coumadin do not take it! Also, if you have an upcoming surgery, do not take for two weeks before hand! (and a bit after). Pregnant and breastfeeding moms should also avoid! Do your research!

Once you are on it, you can skip a dose or two, but if you stop it, the pain will return! When you stop it for a few days, you realize the benefits you were receiving from it! So, my plantar fasciitis is much better, but not cured.

Tooth Enamel

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Posted by Victoria (San Diego, Ca) on 08/11/2012
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My son, 6, just got his first adult teeth in the bottom recently. I became very alarmed as they did not appear healthy at all and looked like they were coming in covered with cavities. They were puny and yellow and mottled with a large crevice in the front of one that catches food. He has never had a cavity before, even though his dental care and brushing has been very sporadic as he used to fight me. Nonetheless his baby teeth were perfect and beautiful. The new ones are in stark contrast to the baby teeth. I went to his dentist immediately and was told he had a condition known as enamel hypoplasia -meaning little to no enamel developed during infancy - usually caused by a virus or some insult on the system during development. It may only affect these teeth or it could affect all of his incoming adult teeth - we won't know until they erupt. Needless to say I am very upset and feel guilty and terrible for him. If you see the photos online when kids have a full set of these -they are pretty monster looking - not a pleasant thing. Anyhow, I remembered reading in Weston Price's book on degenerative nutrition that native peoples show evidence of reversing tooth decay and caries so I began researching it. There is a really great book written fairly recently on the topic by Ramiel Nagel after reversing his young daughters rampant tooth decay and several of his own caries.

Basically, based on Weston Price's findings about nutrition, one needs to include a couple of missing essential nutrients in their daily diet. First you need to consume organ meats and bone broth. If you are like me you won't be able to get near organ meats so you will need to take fermented cod liver oil instead. The second ingredient you need to consume is K2, and to be more specific, the Mk-4 type of K2. This can be from high vitamin raw butter and/or milk from grass fed cows or goats. You can also now get K2 (mk-4) suppliments. Research has shown that they have now discovered that the mk-4 signals where calcium is deposited and caries it to the bones and teeth. Without mk-4 the body deposits it in soft tissues where it calcifies... Often leading to heart disease and related hardening of the arteries! Also, the calcium is often utilized by bacteria to make a hard shell that protects it from the immune system. Teeth are different from bone in the way they rebuild and protect themselves. Teeth use circulating saliva to deposit calcium, phosphorus, etc. I also read that teeth are composed of silica. Most tooth pastes include glycerine, which acording to Nagel coat the teeth and help prevent the reabsorption of these molecules in remineralization. So, it is best not to use glycerin products if you want to heal and remineralize the teeth. You can make your own remineralization paste or powder. Find the recipe online.

So, I have my two kids and me on a protocol where I make a drink with rice milk, 1/2 TBS liquid calcium/magnesium/phosphorus, 2 drops k2 (mk-4) and several drops of bioSil. The kids get 1/2 tsp of of fermented cod liver oil.

We brush using ionic toothbrushes.

After brushing and when my son is in bed I apply MI Paste to his bad teeth.

Also helpful is black walnut extract because it too helps remineralize the teeth.

I started seeing improvement in my son's teeth after only 1 week on treatment. The crater inthe front of his new tooth looks has progressively filled in with a white rim at the edges much the same way as a wound heals from the edges toward the center. The teeth look like they are becoming slightly whiter overall -compared to the white teeth next to them they do not appear as yellow as they did last week before we started the proticol. The teeth seem to be looking smoother. Oddly, they also appear to be bigger as if maybe there is a growth in enamel that is filling in the space all around and making them closer in size to the neighboring teeth. In the last week he had an upper front tooth begin erupting and I am also treating that tooth with the paste hoping to help avert any damage that has been done to it, if any. My own teeth feel glossier for longer after every brushing. I haven't noticed any difference with daughter's teeth yet. I'll give an update on son's teeth as this progresses. One other side note. This FCLO is more mild tasting than the regular CLO we have tried in the past. It also has this handy oral syrnge that plugs into a stopper so you can easily draw up the liquid. It is very expensive so you don't want to waste any. The syrnge allows you to shoot it at the back so you taste it less and anyhow you don't need to use as much because its much more nutritionally dense than regular CLO. I don't like paying this much money for FCLO, but teeth are worth it and besides the dental bill would be higher in the long run.

I did not see a section on earth clinic about reversing cavities or repairing rotten teeth. This is such an important topic and I hope that a new section can be created and other people can try this and share their results. The fact is that dentists don't have a clue about nutrition and how it affects the teeth. They treat our living tissues known as teeth as dead objects and just drill them and fill them when there might be another alternative. If this seems impossible, look up what scientists are currently doing regarding growing entirely new teeth from the jaws using ultrasound... Hope is on the horizon for those with missing or damaged teeth. Nonetheless, nutrition can improve our dental state and reverse some existing damage if we take the proper steps.

Replied by Heather
(Seattle, Wa)
03/19/2013
★★★★★

Agree with the cod liver oil remedy! After taking it, fermented or otherwise, my cavities were reversed and haven't come back after 4plus years. The fat-soluble vitamins A & D help to remineralize all your bones, including your teeth. I also reduced my refined sugar consumption, and ate plain full fat yogurt for breakfast daily... Probiotics, calcium, healthy fats, and fat-soluble vitamins = healthy, strong teeth and gums.

I don't brush every day, and I floss maybe 1x/week. The dentist says my mouth flora is in great shape, and I don't have obvious plaque issues (visible lines of it at the gumline). Heal your teeth from the inside out! I have also gotten all my amalgam fillings replaced with porcelain composits many years ago (pretty sure amalgams cause gum receeding).

BTW- the weston price foundation is awesome! Finally someone has the courage to speak the truth!

Replied by Had
(White River Jct, Vermont)
03/19/2013
★★★★★

The fermented cod liver oil also comes with butter oil, that boosts the cod liver oil. And fermented cod liver oil contains A, D, E, K and more. I'm using the FCLO as well as my grown daughter, both for rebuilding enamel. We have sensitivities to milk, so are passing on having a quicker healing w/ the Butter oil/Cod liver oil mix.

Viruses

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Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 01/09/2021 523 posts
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I also recall, from years ago, reading about the significance of both vitamins A AND D, together. Which made me think of Cod Liver Oil which led me to a preliminary clinical trial paper regarding Cod Liver Oil and Covid. Cod liver oil is where the vitamins A & D in A&D ointment come from. Oddly, it has the cod liver oil listed as the "inactive ingredient". Actually, I suppose it would be odd if they'd listed as the ACTIVE ingredient, instead which would have been like painting a big target on themselves...

From clinical trials starring Cod LIver Oil, "Ethics" section

"In conclusion, the study has a low risk of negative health-or other effects on participants and a high probability of identifying whether cod liver oil can prevent Covid-19 and other respiratory infections. Furthermore, the encouraging preliminary data suggests that the morbidity caused by Covid-19 will be significantly reduced in the cod liver oil group adding to the benefit of the study. Further adding to the benefit is the prospect of collecting high-quality data on the more general health effects of cod liver oil use. In total, we consider that the benefits of the study far outweigh the risks and disadvantages"



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