For quite some years it has been accepted wisdom that cod liver oil is good for you. Maybe it was your grandmother who first told you about the benefits of cod liver oil.

Is this the case? Are there cod liver oil benefits or is it a myth? Has modern science confirmed that there are indeed cod liver oil benefits? And are there risks to taking cod liver oil?

Yes in fact your grandmother wasn’t wrong, there really are benefits to taking cod liver oil, and science has now confirmed it.

The majority of the benefits of cod liver oil relate to the Omega 3 content, because of course cod liver oil has Omega 3 fats in it. And as you would know if you have read some of our other information there is a wide range of benefits from adding some more Omega 3 to your diet.

Cod liver oil also has beneficial vitamins as well, such as vitamins A and D. Vitamin D is an important vitamin in the body because it helps us process calcium so is useful for strong bones and is therefore helpful in preventing osteoporosis.

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 as well as cod liver oil benefits there are risks too. Yes it’s got good Omega 3 fats, but vitamin A is a bit of an issue.

And there’s something else to worry about too. A risk you may not have thought of. The oil comes, as the name suggests, from the livers of cod fish. These come from the North Sea and it’s well known that North Sea fish can be contaminated with toxins like heavy metals, mercury and PCBs. Not a lot but enough to worry.

They weren’t there when your grandmother took here cod liver oil, but they are 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 there are excellent Omega 3 supplements that are free of the contaminants that you may get from cod liver oil. Not all are though.

So yes there can be benefits to taking cod liver oil, and risks. But there are ways to get the benefits of the Omega 3 fats without the risks by taking Omega 3 capsules that are clean and free of vitamin A. Your grandmother was right, there’s just better ways to get the benefits now.

I tell you on my website how to find the best Omega 3 supplements.

Tags: Heart

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