Cod-liver or fish oil is nutrient-rich food supplements that can help boost energy, libido, muscle growth, brainpower, and general health.
Fish/Cod-liver Oil Cholesterol
Cod-liver oil or fish oil is an abundant source of nutrients difficult to obtain elsewhere, such as vitamin A, arachidonic acid, DHA, and B vitamins.
Often many asked differences between fish and cod-liver oil, which is best? Fish oil and cod liver oil are different even though both from fish and have omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. So Fish Oil or Cod Liver Oil?
Extraction of Fish Oil is from the flesh of tuna, herring, cod and other deep-sea oily fish species. It is rich in EPA (18%) and DHA (12%) but doesn’t have many vitamins A or D.
Extraction of Cod liver oil is from the liver of the cod fish. Compared to fish oil, cod liver oil has less EPA (8%), and DHA (10%) but rich in vitamins A and D. Liver contains an anti-fatigue factor, extremely rich in carnitine, lipoic acid, and other energy-rich nutrients. Liver and cod-liver oil are by far the richest sources of vitamin A.
So, it is better to have both; one with high omega 3 and other with high vitamins A & D.
Benefits of vitamin A in cod liver oil
- Promote vision health
- Promote fertility in males and females
- Prevents childhood asthma
- Protect against oxidative stress
- Protect against environmental toxins,
- Prevent kidney stones
- Regulates blood sugar
- Protect against fatty liver disease
Benefits of omega 3 in the fish oil & cod liver oil
Omega-3 fatty acid present in cod liver oil helps to prevent:
- Heart disease,
- Cancer,
- Depression,
- Arthritis,
- Alzheimer's disease,
- Ulcers,
- Diabetes,
- Hyperactivity and other diseases
Omega 3 is useful to lower high cholesterol and inflammation; reduces triglycerides, total cholesterol, C-Reactive protein, homocysteine, interleukin 6, and Apolipoprotein B. It is good for diabetes; lower blood sugar, HbA1C, insulin resistance, and Ketone bodies. It is useful for cognitive health, memory, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. It lower blood pressure, lubricates joints, fight wrinkles and protect vision.
Omega-3 increases the ability to concentrate as well as the boost energy level. Several studies and trials in humans have shown favorable results relating to dietary cod liver oil and fish oil on various cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Cholesterol fish oil side effects
Omega-3 fatty acids can provide relief from a variety of ailments. However, in large dosage, Omega-3 fatty acids can interfere with the blood’s clotting property, thus increasing the risk of hemorrhagic strokes. It can inhibit clotting ability and raises the risk of internal bleeding. People who have a bleeding disorder or uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) is already at greater risk for a stroke; they should avoid taking omega-3 as a supplement.
It is rich in vitamin 'A' & vitamin ‘D’; too much of vitamin A can cause congenital disabilities. Vitamin A can interfere with bone growth and make the bones prone to fractures. Too much of Vitamin D is toxic to internal organs.
Fish & Cod-liver oil dosage
A typical fish oil capsule contains omega 3 fatty acids EPA 180 mg, DHA 120 mg, and a total of 300 mg per capsule. Manufacturers suggested a dosage of 2-3 capsules per day.
A standard 1000 mg fish oil soft gel provides around 300 mg of omega-3s (and even less of EPA & DHA), so to get recommended 500 mg EPA and DHA, a minimum of 2 soft-gels is necessary.
The American Heart Association recommends people with coronary heart disease may need 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA daily. Those with high triglycerides may need 2,000 to 3,000 mg per day. Reference: Lancet. 1999 Aug 7;354(9177):447-55.
Study shows, a dosage of 850 mg EPA and DHA per day reduces heart attack risk by 28% and sudden death by 45%. Shockingly, this study showed no cholesterol-reducing benefit and increased LDL cholesterol modestly (might be large fluffy molecule).