04/16/2019 / By Edsel Cook
Rediscover the benefits of taking cod liver oil as a health supplement. This highly beneficial fish oil can alleviate the symptoms of gastric ulcers, support eye health, relieve pain from arthritis, strengthen the bones, and improve anxiety or depression.
Health care providers will almost always include fish oil in their recommended list of health supplements. Fish-based oils contain lots of omega-3 fatty acids that are potent anti-inflammatory substances. These good fatty acids can help reduce the risk of dementia, heart disease, and other chronic health problems.
Most fish oils are taken from the fatty tissues of anchovies, herring, mackerel, and other species that swim fairly near the surface of the sea. Cod liver oil, as its name suggests, comes from the liver of cod, which live in the depths of the ocean.
A cod’s liver contains high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D. The oil made from the liver of cod is understandably oozing with those vitamins and other essential nutrients.
A single teaspoon of cod liver oil provides 90 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A and 113 percent of the RDA for vitamin D. It also contains nearly 900 milligrams of DHA, EPA, and other omega-3 fatty acids. (Related: Scientists now understand why OMEGA-3s are good for your heart: They protect against DNA damage in the cells that line your blood vessels.)
Cod liver oil has been used for hundreds of years as a source of nutrition and as a natural remedy. It is traditionally prescribed to people who suffer from joint pain, rickets, and osteomalacia.
Cod liver oil is considered to be particularly effective in relieving osteomalacia, a type of bone degeneration believed to be connected to low levels of vitamin D. However, cod liver oil fell out of favor in recent years. This is a shame since there are many studies that demonstrate its considerable benefits to human health.
For example, Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy researchers gave cod liver oil to rats with gastric ulcers. They reported that the supplements not only sped up their recovery from gastric ulcers, but also prevented new ulcers from forming in the stomach.
People get gastric ulcers from inflammation caused by either bacterial infection or excessive use of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. Cod liver oil can prevent these ulcers from developing or heal them.
Cod liver oil provides additional nutritional benefits to different parts of the body. The vitamin A and omega-3 it contains can help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other eye problems.
For patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, cod liver oil offers relief from joint pain. It can also reduce morning stiffness, pain, swelling in the joints, and other symptoms of the chronic disease.
Because of its considerable vitamin D content, cod liver oil is good for people who are in their 30’s as their bone mineral density starts to go down at that age. Cod liver oil can prevent age-related bone loss in adults by helping the body absorb more calcium.
Last but not least, taking cod liver oil supplements helps alleviate anxiety and depression. Many mental health problems are linked to chronic inflammation, which cod liver oil can alleviate.
The anti-inflammatory activity of cod liver oil makes it a very powerful health supplement. Make sure to get your supply from sustainable sources so that they are free of additives and contaminants.
See FishOils.news for more articles on the health benefits of fish oils.
Sources include:
Tagged Under:
Cod liver oil, Fish Oil, food supplement, natural remedies, omega-3 fatty acids, supplements
This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author
COPYRIGHT © 2017 FOOD SCIENCE NEWS