You may have heard about Cod Liver Oil from your grandmother. For a long time there has been an accepted wisdom that cod taking liver oil supplements has been good for you.
So is it really true that there are benefits to taking cod liver oil or is it just a myth, and are there risks to cod liver oil supplementation?
You grandmother got it right, and science has confirmed that there are benefits to cod liver oil supplementation.
The main benefits of cod liver oil are from the Omega 3 fats that are found in it. And you are probably very aware now that there are a wide range of health benefits to taking more Omega 3 fats into your diet.
And there's vitamins too like vitamins D and A. Vitamin D has a role in helping prevent osteoporosis, as it helps process calcium.
However there is now some question over how much Vitamin A should be taken. And as there is quite a lot of vitamin A in cod liver oil there are risks of over consumption of vitamin A. For example in the US pregnant women are now advised to avoid vitamin A and this includes cod liver oil. Cod liver oil is not recommended in the UK.
So whilst cod liver oil has some good Omega 3 fats vitamin A is a bit of an issue. There are risks.
And there is also another risk too. Cod liver oil is sourced, as you might expect from the name, from the livers of cod taken from the North Sea. But in these times there are issues about contamination of fish in the North Sea. They can be contaminated with toxins like mercury, PCBs and heavy metals. Not high levels, but worrying.
When your grandmother took her cod liver oil this wasn't a problem. It is now.
A better way to source your Omega3 fatty acids, the major source of cod liver oil benefits, is to take the best Omega 3 supplements that are clean and free from the risk of excess vitamin A. Vitamin A comes from the liver of the fish but not the flesh, so it isnt a problem in Omega 3 supplements taken from the flesh of fish.
If you do need vitamin A or D supplementation it is quite possible to achieve this through a good vitamin supplement delivering regulated and lower levels.
And it's perfectly possible to get Omega 3 supplements that are quite clean and free of toxins, though not all are.
So yes, there are benefits to taking cod liver oil, but there may also be risks. You can get the benefits of taking cod liver oil supplements by taking the best Omega 3 supplements, without the risks.Your grandmother was right, in her day taking cod liver oil was a good idea. Nowadays theres still benefits to the Omega 3 fats, theres just better ways to get them.
Visit my website to find out which are the best Omega 3 supplements.
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Want to know more about the health benefits of Fish Oil? Or more about Cod Liver Oil Benefits in your diet? Visit Peter's Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.
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