Fish oil

Fish oil has always been known to contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are very beneficial for people suffering from heart disease, hypertension, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, bipolar disorder, and many types of cancers. The omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oil concentrate are generally well tolerated. Fish oil or cod-liver oil has become an important part of people's lives as a daily supplement.

However, as you know a coin has two sides, it has been observed that fish oil also contains some side effects. Now, you must be wondering what these side effects are. I would like to tell you that fish oil side effects are not very dangerous if consumed according to dosage, but if you are taking a large dose or an overdose, the consequences can be very dangerous. To know the dangers of consumption of excessive amount of fish oil too, read on.....

Side effects of fish oil

When taken in high doses, fish oil can increase the risk of bleeding. It may be in the form of nosebleeds, strokes and blood in urine.

Heavy metals and other pollutants poisoning is another risk associated with the fish oil. This is because mercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are present in some fish species.

Upset stomach is another side effect of fish oil. With high amount of fish oil, diarrhea may also occur.

Incessant burping and aftertaste of fish are other side effects of the consumption of fish oil.

Vitamin poisoning is another side effect of fish oil because it contains some vitamins, which, if ingested in large amounts can be harmful to health.

Heartburn and indigestion are also seen as the side effects of fish oil.

There are more side effects of fish oil, which include nausea, eructations, abdominal pain, bloating and taste of fish. In any case even the consumption of high doses of fatty acids of marine origin seem to cause serious side effects. For example, in a recent study, some leukemia patients took 17 grams of fish oil concentrate per day (equivalent to 15-30 times the recommended dose) without significant side effects perceived to be attributed to Omega-3.

In some patients, treatment with high doses of omega-3 led to an increase in bleeding time. Subsequent clinical studies related to the consumption of 2-5 grams of omega-3 per day have not confirmed these effects. Another study showed that a combined treatment of aspirin-based or warfarin (anticoagulants) and Omega-3 does not increase the risk of bleeding.

A previous study had shown that the glycemic control of diabetic patients is negatively affected by treatment with high doses of Omega-3; however, two large meta-analyses later have not confirmed these preliminary observations.

What is cod-liver oil? Benefits versus side effects

As everyone knows, cod-liver oil is oil that is extracted from certain species of fish Gadus (cod, precisely), typical of the northern seas. It is rich in vitamin A, D and Omega 3 fatty acids. These substances are derived from its properties with regard to health. Since the omega 3 are now very fashionable, the cod-liver oil had a backfire. First, it should be noted that there is a profound difference between the cod-liver oil and other fish oils that are extracted not from an organ, but from the flesh. In fact compared to other fish oils, i.e., it contains less Omega 3 and contains more vitamin A and vitamin D and it is also used in the surgical treatment of arthritis.

A British research in 2003 has shown that in about 30 patients, a cod-liver oil in pill has slowed the evolution of the disease in the tissues of subjects who had undergone the insertion of knee prosthesis. Unfortunately, these news were received with usual overemphasis and over-exaggeration by media via internet and newspapers. After a few days, the same researchers conducted a broader study on patients to assess the degree of real benefit of treatment and found that benefits were great, but doctors have explained that the cod-liver oil cannot reverse the disease.

In Australia, there was another research, which was done in 2004 that the integration with Omega 3 would be very useful in the reduction of childhood asthma. As the cod-liver oil contains Omega 3 fatty acids, many journalists have started extolling the old remedy of the grandmother, by titration of their pieces with other extolling phrases for grandmothers, but the reality is much more modest.

Since cod-liver oil contains vitamin A and it cannot be exceeded because the vitamin A (and D) are virtually the only vitamins that can make serious problems with overdose (should not be exceeded beyond 10,000 IU of vitamin A per day if the recruitment is prolonged), especially if made from food concentrates such as those produced by the liver. Eskimos say that you cannot eat the liver of a polar bear or seal in excess (about 15,000 IU of vitamin A per gram!) because the penalty of doing this is a very dangerous. It can lead to chronic poisoning which can be very serious because the symptoms are subtle: a headache, hair loss, skin problems, bone and articular pains, liver problems, etc. Some drugs based on retinoids (vitamin A), widely used in dermatology, have heavy side effects when taken for systemic and for a long time.

As the cod-liver oil contains less of other Omega 3 fish oils, it is more logical and in line with those in particular omega 3 supplements formulated correctly, except in orthopedic practice (where vitamin D and omega 3 are synergistic in the treatment of many diseases, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis in the first place) and dermatological practice (where synergies are omega 3 and vitamin A), the benefits of cod liver seems to depend solely by the content of omega 3: Therefore it is preferable to standard supplements of fatty acids that have no problems of surplus vitamin.

For an example, 100 g of cod-liver oil has following characteristics (source: U.S. Department of Agriculture):

Calories: 902

Vitamin A: 100,000 IU

Vitamin D: 10,000 IU

Omega 3: 20.72 g

Cholesterol: 570 mg.

For a comparison, salmon oil (same calories) does not contain vitamin A or vitamin D, 485 mg cholesterol, but contains 35.98 grams of omega 3.

It means that 10 grams (one spoonful) is a reasonably maximum cod-liver oil that can be taken per day: 90 kcal, 10,000 IU of vitamin A, vitamin D 1000 and 1.9 grams of omega 3.

Back to fashion - The cod-liver oil

After decades of disuse, the cod-liver oil of past generations returned with its new property to combat many ailments such as osteoarthritis and asthma. The grandmothers were right. The cod-liver oil is good for almost everything. Confirmation is a study conducted by a team of researchers who said that it is effective against osteoarthritis. Around 31 patients suffering from osteoarthritis, who were waiting to be operated on their knee, had been administered special tablets of cod-liver oil for almost three months. For one half of the sample, there were two capsules per day of 1,000 mg of cod-liver oil. Other patients were given placebo pills (containing no medication and given to patients to reinforce patients' expectation to get well). Out of 100%, only 26% were those who took the placebo and reported improvement.

The data suggested that cod-liver oil has a dual effect: On one hand, it slows the degeneration of cartilage in osteoarthritis and on the other hand, it reduces the inflammatory processes that cause pain said Professor Caterson. The principles of this healthy type of oil have been known for many years now. Thanks to the massive presence of vitamin D and A (a three times higher than what is in beef liver), the cod-liver oil is used to treat otitis and allergies, helps the brain function and is a viable treatment of stress and other behavioral disorders.