Back in the day – like centuries ago – cod liver oil was touted as a cure-all. Want to prevent a cold? Take a spoonful of cod liver oil. Got rickets? One more spoonful.
I mean, we’ve all heard the saying, “A spoonful of cod liver oil makes the medicine go down,” right? Or, was that sugar?
Either way, cod liver oil is making a comeback these days. It’s being touted for numerous health benefits, even despite the fact there isn’t enough evidence to prove the claims.
So, is cod liver oil all it’s cracked up to be, or are there better fish in the sea?
Potential Benefits of Cod Liver Oil … and Other Fish Oils
Cod liver oil can be consumed by eating the liver of a cod fish. But unless you live by the sea, you’ve probably only seen cod liver oil in capsule or liquid form.
与大多数鱼油（来自其他来源）一样，鳕鱼肝含有omega-3脂肪酸，eicosatetraenoic酸（EPA）和docosahecahexaenoic Acid（DHA），这是一种与心血管健康，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，免疫，和脂肪发展。但是，与其他鱼油不同，鳕鱼肝确实包含相对较高量的脂溶性维生素A和维生素D。
“由于西方饮食的加工食品更高，因此许多成年人很难从饮食来源获得足够的omega-3脂肪。”横幅 - 大学医学中心凤凰城。“如此多的人寻求其他替代品，例如鱼油和其他基于植物的omega-3。但我不建议鳕鱼肝。”
What’s the Catch?
While cod liver oil and fish oils may provide some potential benefits, here are some reasons why you might want to reconsider cod liver.
Liver Toxins
Fish oil is taken from the flesh of various small, cold-water fish, such as mackerel, sardines and herring and even krill or algae oils. Whereas, cod liver oil is extracted from—you guessed it—the livers of cod fish. Why is this important? Because the liver is biologically designed to process toxins.
“鳕鱼是长寿鱼means they accumulate a lot more toxins than smaller-species, such as mackerel or herring,” Oikarinen said. “Those toxins accumulate over time and are also processed by the liver—the same organ that is used to extract oil.”
According to 2018 study研究人员发现，淡水鱼类中重金属的积累是肝脏和g是最大的。
The Ol’ Bait and Switch
Also, when you take cod liver oil, you might not actually be getting cod livers in your oil. Since the supplement industry isn’t regulated in the U.S., you might not be getting what is advertised. Many brands may use less expensive sources for oil and even supplement with synthetic or natural vitamin A. So, buyer beware.
Overfishing
If you are ecologically conscious, you may want to consider another source, since some species of cod are endangered. In fact, the Atlantic cod is currently considered容易灭绝。
危险出血的风险
Cod liver oilcan act as a blood thinner, so if you are on blood thinners, pregnant or pre-surgery, you’ll want to check with your doctor first.
Tips for Buying Fish Oils
If these reasons have steered you away of cod liver but you’re still in the market for a good fish oil supplement, here are some things to consider before taking the plunge:
- Check with your doctor firstif you are taking blood thinners, pregnant or are pre-surgery.
- Choose small-fish formulationssuch as mackerel, herring, krill or algae.
- 瞄准3至9克of total fish oil – that’s about 1 to 3 grams of EPA and DHA – a day.
- Look for supplements withthird-party certifications, such as the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) or NSF International, to verify ingredients and doses are accurately represented on the label.
- Check for smell.If your fish oil capsules smell terribly bad – like more than a little fishy – don’t take them. This could be a sign of a poor product.
- Some fish oils can give you some unpleasant burps. If this is the case,consider other fish-free waysto get your omega-3s in your diet, from foods like flaxseeds,chia seeds和混合蔬菜，或来自藻类的补充剂。
Looking for other ways to up your vitamins A, D and Omega-3s? Talk to your doctor or speak with a registered dietitian. To find a Banner Health specialist near you, visitvwin.comac德赢官方首页 。
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