Benefits
UCLA researchers report that DHA, found in fish oil, increases the production of LR11, a protein that is known to destroy the “plaques” associated with the disease. People with Alzheimer’s don’t have as much of this protein. (100% of people with DS will eventually get Alzheimer's -Andi.)
Plaques are deposits of a protein called beta amyloid that are thought to be toxic to neurons in the brain, leading to Alzheimer’s. Since having high levels of LR11 prevents the toxic plaques from being made, it’s surmised that low levels may be a factor in causing the disease. (Ma, QL, et al. J Neurosci. 2007 Dec 26;27(52):14299-307.)
If that’s not enough to put fish oil on your list of “must haves,” consider this: Another study has found that DHA helps to protect brain cells from the neurotoxins that increase your risk for Parkinson’s disease. These include the industrial degreaser trichloroethylene (TCE), found in drinking water near sites where it’s been used. (Bousquet, M., FASEB Jo, Nov. 21, 2007 online edition.)
Research suggests that protective blood levels of DHA can be reached by getting 180 mg a day from fish oil. (This is the adult dose. See more on dosage below. -Andi)
http://www.westonaprice.org/
Cod Liver Oil Basics and Recommendations
Written by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
Sunday, February 08 2009 20:36
Once a standard supplement in traditional European societies, cod liver oil provides fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which Dr. Price found present in the diet of primitives in amounts ten times higher than in modernized diets. Cod liver oil supplements are a must for women and their male partners, to be taken for several months before conception, and for women during pregnancy. Growing children will also benefit greatly from a small daily dose.
Cod liver oil is also rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docasahexaenoic acid (DHA). The body makes these fatty acids from omega-3 linolenic acid. EPA is as an important link in the chain of fatty acids that ultimately results in prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones while DHA is very important for the proper function of the brain and nervous system. Those individuals who have consumed large amounts of polyunsaturated oils, especially partially hydrogenated oils, who are suffering from certain nutrient deficiencies, or who have impaired pancreatic function, such as diabetics, may not be able to produce EPA and DHA and will, therefore, lack important prostaglandins and necessary fats for the brain unless they consume oily fish or take a cod liver oil supplement.
Buy cod liver oil in dark bottles and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Please read Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Cod Liver Oil: Some Clarifications below for amounts to give to adults and children and for recommended brands. Cod liver oil is easy to take when stirred into a small amount of water or fresh juice.
Dr. Price always gave cod liver oil along with high-vitamin butter oil, extracted by centrifuge from good quality spring or fall butter. He found that cod liver oil on its own was relatively ineffective but combined with high vitamin butter oil produced excellent results. The butter oil contains what he called Activator X, now considered to be vitamin K2, which works synergistically with vitamins A and D (see Chris Masterjohn's article "On the Trail of the Elusive X Factor: A Sixty-Year Old Mystery Finally Solved"). Your diet should include sources of vitamin K, such as good quality butter from grass-fed cows and/or high-vitamin butter oil, fat from grass-fed animals, cheeses from grass-fed animals and duck or goose liver, along with cod liver oil.
Vitamin A, Vitamin D & Cod Liver Oil: Some Clarifications
Several visitors to our website have noted inconsistencies in various statements about vitamin A, vitamin D and cod liver oil. These issues revolve around questions of dosage and safety.
Vitamin A Dosage
We have pointed out that concerns about vitamin A toxicity are exaggerated. While some forms of synthetic vitamin A found in supplements can be toxic at only moderately high doses, fat-soluble vitamin A naturally found in foods like cod liver oil, liver, and butterfat is safe at up to ten times the doses of water-soluble, solidified and emulsified vitamin A found in some supplements that produce toxicity.(1) Additionally, the vitamin D found in cod liver oil and butterfat from pasture-raised animals protects against vitamin A toxicity, and allows one to consume a much higher amount of vitamin A before it becomes toxic.(1-3) Liver from land mammals is high in vitamin A but low in vitamin D, and should therefore be consumed with other vitamin D-rich foods such as lard or bacon from pasture-raised pigs, egg yolks, and oily fish, or during months in which UV-B light is sufficient to provide one with adequate vitamin D.
As a general guideline, we recommend the following doses of vitamin A from cod liver oil, along with a nutrient-dense diet that contains other vitamin A-rich foods:
Children age 3 months to 12 years: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 5000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from about 1 teaspoon of regular cod liver oil or ½ teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil.
Children over 12 years and adults: A maintenance dose of cod liver oil that provides about 10,000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from 2 teaspoons of regular cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil.
Pregnant and nursing women: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 20,000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from 4 teaspoons regular cod liver oil or 2 teaspoons high-vitamin cod liver oil.
Please note that these recommended doses are 2-5 times greater than the U.S. RDA for children, 4 times greater than the U.S. RDA for adults and 8 times greater than the U.S. RDA for pregnant women. The RDA values are based on studies conducted in the general population, which is now recognized to be largely deficient in vitamin D. For a discussion of studies showing that vitamin A consumption up to 30,000 IU per day by pregnant women does not result in a greater risk of birth defects, see Vitamin A for fetal development. This article also describes the vital role played by vitamin A in the development of the fetus. Pregnant women may wish to consult their health practitioner about taking cod liver oil during pregnancy.
Individuals under stress or wishing to use cod liver oil to treat a disease condition may take much larger doses, even up to doses providing 90,000 IU vitamin A per day, for a period of several weeks.
Vitamin D Dosage
Our recommended brands of cod liver oil (see below) will provide with the above recommended dosages for cod liver oil about 500-1000 IU vitamin D for children, 1000-2000 IU vitamin D for adults, 2000-4000 IU vitamin D for pregnant and nursing women and up to 9000-18,000 IU for those taking large amounts of cod liver oil to deal with stress and disease.
In 1997, the Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine set the tolerable upper intake level (TUIL) for vitamin D at 2000 IU per day. However, the vitamin D content experts on the Upper Limits Panel objected to this limit, and several prominent vitamin D researchers have called for an upward revision of the limit. Experiments show that even during the winter with a low vitamin D intake, humans will exhaust stores of vitamin D at a rate of 3000-4000 IU per day, an amount that many people require to maintain optimal levels of the vitamin in the blood. Extensive exposure to summer sun at mid latitudes naturally produces levels of vitamin D in the blood equivalent to what is attained by supplementing with a continued daily dose of 10,000 IU, suggesting humans are designed to tolerate such large amounts of vitamin D.(4)
If you are a lifeguard or spend a lot of time in the sun, you do not need to take supplemental vitamin D; however you still need to consume adequate vitamin A. Animal studies show that even moderate amounts of vitamin D increase the body's need for vitamin A, whether the vitamin D is provided in the diet or by UV light (2,5). So, if you cut back or eliminate cod liver oil in the summer, be sure to consume plenty of oily fish, liver, butterfat and egg yolks from grass-fed hens to ensure adequate vitamin A.
For a discussion of Vitamin D Toxicity, see http://www.vitamindcouncil.
This does not mean we do not recommend that some individuals have their vitamin D levels tested. Such testing can be very useful in determining vitamin D status and the effectiveness of cod liver oil or vitamin D supplements. Optimal serum vitamin D levels should be in the range of 30-50 ng/mL (see discussion at [link "Potential Dangers of Vitamin D, page 24 of Spring 2009]).
Brand Recommendations
Most brands of cod liver oil go through a process that removes all of the natural vitamins. The resultant product contains very low levels of vitamin A and virtually no vitamin D. Some manufacturers add manufactured vitamins A and D to the purified cod liver oil and until recently, one manufacturer added the natural vitamins removed during processing back into the cod liver oil. Fortunately, we now have available in the U.S. a naturally produced, unheated, fermented high-vitamin cod liver oil that is made using a filtering process that retains the natural vitamins.
The high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil is sold as a food so does not contain vitamin levels on the label. However, after numerous tests, the approximate values of A and D have been ascertained at 1900 IU vitamin A per mL and 390 IU vitamin D per mL. Thus 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil contains 9500 IU vitamin A and 1950 IU vitamin D, a ratio of about 5:1.
Dosage
Based on these values, the dosage for the high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil is provided as follows:
Children age 3 months to 12 years: 1/2 teaspoon or 2.5 mL, providing 4650 IU vitamin A and 975 IU vitamin D.
Children over 12 years and adults: 1 teaspoon or 10 capsules, providing 9500 IU vitamin A and 1950 IU vitamin D.
Pregnant and nursing women: 2 teaspoon or 20 capsules, providing 19,000 IU vitamin A and 3900 IU vitamin D.
Please note that the fermented cod liver oil contains many co-factors that may enhance the body's uptake and usage of vitamins A and D; in fact, many have reported results equivalent to those obtained from high-vitamin cod liver oil with half the recommended dose, that is ¼ teaspoon or 1.25 mL for children age 3 months to 12 years; ½ teaspoon or 5 capsules for children over 12 years and adults; and 1 teaspoon or 10 capsules for pregnant and nursing women.
As of Spring, 2009, we recommend the following brands of cod liver oil. Sources of high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil and high-vitamin cod liver oil with natural vitamins added are in the BEST category; sources of processed cod liver oil with synthetic vitamins in the right proportions are in the GOOD category. We do not recommend brands of cod liver oil that have only low levels of vitamins A and D.
In the United States
BEST (Available Online/Mail Order):
Green Pasture Products: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil, (402) 858-4818, greenpasture.org
Dr. Ron's Ultra-Pure: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil, (877) 472-8701, drrons.com
Radiant Life: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil and Premier High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil, (888) 593-8333, 4radiantlife.com
Azure Standard: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil, (541) 467-2230, azurestandard.com
Natural Health Advocates: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil, 888-257-8775, building-health.com/
See our list of local chapter leaders and members who sell fermented cod liver oil.
GOOD (and available in Stores):
Carlson's soft gel Cod Liver Oil 1,000 mg capsules
NOW double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
Sonne's Cod Liver Oil
Twin Labs Cod Liver Oil
In Europe
BEST:
Natural Food Finder: naturalfoodfinder.co.uk/
Red23: red23.co.uk carries Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Q Naturals Webstore - Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver and High Vitamin Butter Oil www.qnaturals.nl
GOOD:
Healthspan Ltd., 0800 73 123 77, healthspan.co.uk
Goldshield, goldshield.co.uk
Lysi, nordicstore.net
In Australia
BEST:
Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil, email greenpastures.com.au
Blue Ice High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil, The Nourishing Cafe, nourishingcafe.com, email edie@nourishingcafe.com
GOOD (in stores):
Melrose Cod Liver Oil, email geoff@melrosehealth.com.au
In New Zealand
BEST:
South Island: Carolyn Searle C.B.P., Natural Health, Fax/Phone: 0064-3-382-8866, email: thrive@xnet.co.nz. Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil
North Island: Green Pasture Cod Liver Oil, butter oil and therapeutics. Order online at www.codoil.co.nz.
GOOD (in stores):
Balclutha: Jennie Edmonds, Balclutha Organic Minimart, Phone: 03 418 2201 or 0274375474, email: jennie@edmonds.co.nz. Melrose Cod Liver Oil
Mosgiel health shops, Melrose Cod Liver Oil
In Canada
BEST:
eatkamloops.org, carries Green Pasture's FCLO, FSLO, BO and CO. For more information please read: http://eatkamloops.org/
Family Herbal Clinic (AB) carry Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil, (780) 419-2699, www.familyherbalclinic.com
Lori Clapp (AB) carries Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil (780) 417-3952, lifeworthwhile@gmail.com
Mother Earth (ON) carries Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil, motherearthnaturalhealth.ca.
St. Francis Herb Farm, Inc., 1-800-219-6226, www.stfrancisherbfarm.com
In Hong Kong
BEST:
Leung Chun Sun, tcleuncsc@yahoo.com.hk carry Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil.
References
Myhre, et al., "Water-miscible, emulsified, and solid forms of retinol supplements are more toxic than oil-based preparations," Am J Clin Nutr, 78 (2003) 1152-9.
Aburto, et al., "The influence of Vitamin A on the Utilization and Amelioration of Toxicity of Cholecalciferol, 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol, and 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol in Young Broiler Chickens," Poultry Science, 77 (1998) 570-577.
Metz, et al., "The Interaction of Dietary Vitamin A and Vitamin D Related to Skeletal Development in the Turkey Poult," J. Nutr. 115 (1985) 929-935.
Heaney, Robert P., "The Vitamin D requirement in health and disease," Journal of Steroid Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 97 (2005) 13-19.
Aburto and Britton, "Effects of Different Levels of Vitamins A and E on the Utilization of Cholecalciferol by Broiler Chickens," Poultry Science, 77 (1998) 570-577.
Masterjohn, Chris, "Dioxins in Animal Foods: A Case for Vegetarianism," October 17, 2005.
Product I use
Product: http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/ButterCodLiverBlend/index.cfm
Why Butter & Fish Oil work together
Here's some more info on the cod liver oil that was on a recent forum post:
http://www.westonaprice.org/
Article Summary
In 1945, Dr. Weston Price described "a new vitamin-like activator" that played an influential role in the utilization of minerals, protection from tooth decay, growth and development, reproduction, protection against heart disease and the function of the brain.
Using a chemical test, he determined that this compound—which he called Activator X—occurred in the butterfat, organs and fat of animals consuming rapidly growing green grass, and also in certain sea foods such as fish eggs.
Dr. Price died before research by Russian scientists became known in the West. These scientists used the same chemical test to measure a compound similar to vitamin K.
Vitamin K2 is produced by animal tissues, including the mammary glands, from vitamin K1, which occurs in rapidly growing green plants.
A growing body of published research confirms Dr. Price's discoveries, namely that vitamin K2 is important for the utilization of minerals, protects against tooth decay, supports growth and development, is involved in normal reproduction, protects against calcification of the arteries leading to heart disease, and is a major component of the brain.
Vitamin K2 works synergistically with the two other "fat-soluble activators" that Price studied, vitamins A and D. Vitamins A and D signal to the cells to produce certain proteins and vitamin K then activates these proteins.
Vitamin K2 plays a crucial role in the development of the facial bones, and its presence in the diets of nonindustrialized peoples explains the wide facial structure and freedom from dental deformities that Weston Price observed.
DHA - Brain Boosting and Mercury Protecting
Not only does your heart and circulatory system love DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement., so does your brain. Your brain cells would much rather make themselves of fatty acids from DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement., compared to potato chips or French fries – something to ponder. A variety of new animal studies illustrate the brain power of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement..
One study showed that DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. was able to maintain1 “marked neurite-promoting potential in neurones from adult and aged animals.” The ability to generate nerve-related projections from existing old brain cells is truly amazing, and supports the notion of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. as a superior brain anti-aging nutrient.
Another study showed that DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. helped maintain brain plasticity2 and cognitive function, protecting against scar tissue formation in the brain. The effects of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. and exercise had a combined synergistic value in terms of further enhancing brain health. The researchers showed that brain brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was boosted by DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. and the result was further enhanced by exercise. BDNF is the life force of brain rejuvenation, and here are two easy ways to boost BDNF levels.
Another DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. study tested if DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. could protect brain glial cells (astrocytes) and neurons from exposure to methylmercury3. Exposure to mercury without protection by DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. caused these brain cells to have severe free radical distress and reduced mitochondrial activity (energy production). Pretreatment with DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. completely prevented these adverse effects of mercury on brain cells.
DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. is one potent nutrient for brain health.
Sources
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/dha_brain_boosting_and_mercury_protecting/
Why Might Vitamin K2 be so Beneficial for Your Heart?
Vitamin K (through fermented cod liver oil -Andi) engages in a delicate dance with vitamin D; whereas vitamin D provides improved bone development by helping you absorb calcium, there is new evidence that vitamin K2 directs the calcium to your skeleton, while preventing it from being deposited where you don't want it -- i.e., your organs, joint spaces, and arteries. A large part of arterial plaque consists of calcium deposits (atherosclerosis), hence the term "hardening of the arteries."
Vitamin K2 activates a protein hormone called osteocalcin, produced by osteoblasts, which is needed to bind calcium into the matrix of your bone. Osteocalcin also appears to help prevent calcium from depositing into your arteries. In other words, without the help of vitamin K2, the calcium that your vitamin D so effectively lets in might be working AGAINST you -- by building up your coronary arteries rather than your bones.
This is why if you take calcium and vitamin D but are deficient in vitamin K, you could be worse off than if you were not taking those supplements at all, as demonstrated by a recent meta-analysis linking calcium supplements to heart attacks.
This meta-analysis looked at studies involving people taking calcium in isolation, without complementary nutrients like magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin K, which help keep your body in balance. In the absence of those other important cofactors, calcium CAN have adverse effects, such as building up in coronary arteries and causing heart attacks, which is really what this analysis detected. So if you are going to take calcium, you need to be sure you have balanced it out with vitamin D and vitamin K.
For more info: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/16/fatsoluble-vitamin-shown-to-reduce-coronary-calcification.aspx
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