Latin name

Gadus spp.

Origin

Liver oil

Active components

Omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)): the omega-3 fatty acids are essential to a normal metabolism. They seem to have an anti-inflammatory effect and a positive effect on the cardiovascular and nervous system.

Vitamin A: an essential antioxidant for the immune system, bone growth, vision, cell growth.

Vitamin D: a substance resembling cholesterol, that plays an important role in maintaining bone strength and muscular function, among others.

Usage

Historically, cod liver oil was used to treat rickets in children and rheumatic pain in adults. Thanks to its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and D, this oil was then used to treat calcium metabolism, respiratory system, circulatory and nervous system disorders. Vitamin D can be produced in the human body under the influence of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This is why it is useful for certain communities to regularly take a vitamin D supplement. Cod liver oil, which was administered to many children at the start of the 20th century, was yellowish in colour with a rancid taste and a smell of rotting fish, which means that today most people find this product disgusting. Today, thanks to effective extraction and preservation techniques, the quality has been largely improved. As a result, the taste and odour are more or less neutral.