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A brief history of cod liver oil

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, children were often fed a spoonful ofcod liver oil, a practice rooted in hundreds of years of folk medicine.

As medical science later confirmed, deriving important nutrients from certain foods is a useful complementary treatment method for certain conditions.

Rickets, a disease caused bya lack of vitamin D in the body, was common prior to the mid-1950s. The disease affected very young children, softening and deforming their bones. They’d outgrow it within a few years. By then, however, permanent damage had already occurred.

Cod liver oil was traditionally used to treat rickets, though scientific evidence that the oil’s high vitamin D content made this treatment effective wasn’t available until the 1930s.

In addition to vitamin D, cod liver oil is also rich invitamin A, making it very good for the bones, teeth, and eyes. It’s rich inomega-3 fatty acidsas well.

Toward the end of the 20th century, researchers began studyingfish oil. Unlike cod liver oil, fish oil doesn’t contain vitamins A and D. However, it’s much richer in omega-3 fatty acids than its counterpart. Omega-3s are excellent forheart health— and, as it turns out, forarthritis.

The twotypes of omega-3 fatty acidsfound in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) anddocosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

EPA and DHA canreduce inflammation, which causes swelling and pain. Research has indicated that both acids might suppress the body’s immune system. However, a 2016 study suggests that DHA might enhance immune function instead. DHA is more effective at reducing inflammation than EPA, but both have a role.

All of these effects makes fish oil potentially beneficial for people with arthritis.

EPA and DHA come with other health benefits: They can help preventheart attacksby making it harder for blood to clot. They help lowerblood triglyceride levelsandblood pressure. As well, EPA taken withstatin medicationis more effective in reducing the inflammation ofarteriosclerosisthan medication alone.

Cod liver oilis an excellent source of omega-3s, vitamin A, and vitamin D. It’s made fromcod liversthat are cooked and then pressed.

Fish oil supplements are made from a variety ofoily-fleshed, cold-water fish, includingmackerel, tuna, herring,salmon,andcod liver. They may also contain whale or seal blubber.

Fish oil contains only a small amount of vitamins and minerals, including iron,calcium, B vitamins, and vitamins A and D.

The term “arthritis” is derived from two Greek words: “arthro,” meaning “joint,” and “itis,” meaning “inflammation.” There are over 100 differenttypes of arthritis, and all of them affect the joints.

The most common isosteoarthritis (OA). It attacks the tough, flexiblecartilagein and around the joint. Caused mainly by wear and tear, osteoarthritis generally affects older people.

第二个最常见的关节炎rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is achronic autoimmune diseasethat causes the immune system to attack the joint’s synovial capsule and other soft tissues. Both types of arthritis cause inflammation andpainin the joints.

For the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil to work against arthritis, it’s necessary to consume a fairly large quantity of it each day. Fish oil — or cod liver oil — enclosed in capsules makes this fairly easy.

On the other hand, because cod liver oil contains very high amounts ofvitamin Aandvitamin D, taking too much can be toxic. For the purpose of treating arthritis, fish oil is the safer choice.

Shop forfish oil supplements.

Most people can take even large doses of fish oil without trouble. Nevertheless, some do report mild side effects, including:

Most of these side effects will be reduced or eliminated if you take fish oil immediately before a meal. You can also try freezing the capsules before taking them.

Talk with your doctor before you take fish oil for arthritis, especially in high doses.

It’s important to speak with your doctor if you’re already takingnon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)thatsuppress the immune system,blood thinners, orblood pressure drugs.

Check with your doctor before taking fish oil with any otheralternative or complementary remediesas well. They should be able to advise you about any potentialdrug interactions.