Page 21 - Spring2009

Cannell concluded that neither children nor memorial by the fishing populations of Scotland, Physicians
adults should use cod liver oil or multivitamins Sweden, and norway for its general medicinal
containing true (pre-formed) vitamin A. Sixteen and strengthening properties. for centuries be- used cod liver
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scientists signed on to the paper as co-authors, fore producing the oil itself, the British used the oil to treat
although this does not mean that each one en- blackish residue left behind by barreled cod livers the vitamin
dorsed every statement in the paper. Cannell as a balm. In 1766, a Manchester Infirmary began
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quoted this paper extensively and expanded his prescribing ingestion of the oil for rheumatism D deficiency
arguments against vitamin A in his December after a patient cured herself of the disease on two disease
newsletter, while Dr. Joseph Mercola repeated occasions by ingesting her topical treatment. The rickets at least
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Cannell’s claims on his web site in two articles infirmary thereafter used fifty to sixty gallons of
published this winter. 3,4 cod liver oil per year, and after comparing its as far back as
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What the scientific literature shows, how- use to that of a placebo in a number of individual 1799, and by
ever, is that vitamins A and D work as partners patients, the physician Percival added it to the the 1820s use
rather than antagonists. While there is no solid British Pharmacopoeia in 1771. 5
evidence linking vitamin A to increases in mor- Physicians used cod liver oil to treat the vi- of cod liver
tality or higher rates of infection, vitamin A does tamin D deficiency disease rickets at least as far oil for this
cause adverse effects such as bone loss when it is back as 1799, and by the 1820s use of cod liver purpose was
not provided with its molecular partner, vitamin oil for this purpose was widespread in germany,
D. Since cod liver oil provides both partners holland and the netherlands. During the same widespread
together, it developed a long and successful his- century, its use expanded to include the treatment in Germany,
tory as an important therapeutic and prophylactic of eye diseases and tuberculosis. research be- Holland
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supplement. Many modern cod liver oils are de- tween 1920 and 1940 further expanded the use of
ficient in vitamin D and should be avoided, but cod liver oil to prevent or treat measles, industrial and the
those providing adequate vitamin D continue to absenteeism, and puerperal fever, a fatal infection Netherlands.
provide an important natural food source of the occurring in women just after giving birth. The
fat-soluble vitamins. advent of sulfa antibiotics and later penicillin
mostly eliminated the interest in cod liver oil as
The OriginS Of COD Liver OiL an anti-infective agent, but a number of trials
Hippocrates first recorded the medicinal use conducted before 1940 provided solid evidence
of fish oils, and the first century naturalist Pliny of its efficacy. Cod liver oil reduced measles
the elder recorded the use of dolphin liver oil as mortality by more than one-half and reduced
a remedy for chronic skin eruptions. in 1848, the industrial absenteeism by up to two-thirds in
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British physician John hughes Bennett observed clinical trials. As a prophylactic, it reduced the
that cod liver oil had been used from time im- incidence of puerperal fever by two-thirds, and as

ARTICLE SUMMARY

• Mankind has consumed marine liver oils for thousands of years and cod liver oil for at least hundreds of years.
• Several trials conducted before 1940 found that the vitamin A in cod liver oil had powerful anti-infective power, which
popularized the oil as a prophylactic and led to its use as a treatment against puerperal fever, measles, and industrial
absenteeism.
• Vitamins A and D cooperate with one another. They are not antagonists, but large doses of one may cause harm when
not accompanied by the other.
• There is no evidence that vitamin A increases mortality.
• Over a quarter of Americans consume less than half the RDA of vitamin A, which is 3,000 IU per day for adult males.
Price’s tooth decay reversal program would have provided over 10,000 IU per day. Sub-optimal intakes of vitamin
A may be related to asthma, kidney stones, fatty liver disease, oxidative stress, and susceptibility to environmental
toxins.
• During the winter or year-round for people with dark skin, some extra vitamin D from fatty fish or supplements may
be necessary for some people.
• High-vitamin cod liver oil is a very useful source of vitamins A and D and omega-3 fatty acids.

SPRING 2009 Wise Traditions 19