Page 43 - Spring2009

then it is easy to obtain a safe amount of vitamin Why would the average Westerner have more sources of vitamin A in
A along with an adequate amount of vitamin D. the diet than people in the Third World? At least in the latter, people who
Consuming such high amounts of vitamin A are not literally starving are more likely to eat organ meats, fish heads,
as contained in cod liver oil and most multi-vi- insects and other sources of vitamin A. But it is certainly true that children
tamins, while not getting nearly enough vitamin in the Third World have greatly benefitted from vitamin A supplementation.
D, combined with the fact that most people are Why would children in the West be any different?
deficient in vitamin D to begin with, could po- The Weston Price Foundation does not agree with Dr. Cannell’s con-
tentially cause vitamin A to become toxic. clusion that cod liver oil itself may cause vitamin A toxicity, however they
We agree with this statement and have con- also do not recommend taking any cod liver oil that is low in vitamin D.
sistently warned people not to use multivitamins Yet even their recommendations, in my opinion have far too low amounts
and not to take brands of cod liver oil that are low of vitamin D to be clinically useful. But more importantly it appears that
in vitamin D. the high amounts of vitamin A may limit the effectiveness of vitamin D even
The concern Dr. Cannell and the other re- if more is taken in addition to that received in the cod liver oil.
searchers have is that vitamin A in cod liver oil As shown on page 37, we are seeing good serum D levels in people
is excessive and actually antagonizes vitamin taking balanced cod liver oil without supplemental vitamin D; Cannell and
D by inhibiting the binding of its active form to Mercola are recommending very high levels of vitamin D supplementation
DNA and thus preventing its ability to regulate to get the same results. We have a genuine concern that such high levels
the expression of vitamin D-responsive genes. without supporting vitamin A could suppress the immune system and be
As stated earlier, vitamin A can be toxic toxic in other ways. Too much vitamin D can result in calcification of the
when vitamin D is absent. Vitamin A does not an- kidneys, arteries, joints and other soft tissues.
tagonize vitamin D—both are needed for optimal Although it’s still unclear exactly what the balance should be, Dr.
assimilation. It would be amazing if vitamins A Cannell and most of the prominent expert researchers in this area believe
and D were antagonistic since they are so often that the ratios of these two essential nutrients likely should be reversed
found in the same foods. from those typically seen in cod liver oil, as you need far greater amounts
The Weston Price Foundation’s strong belief of vitamin D as opposed to vitamin A.
is that vitamin A is not at all toxic but is necessary Reference please?? If Cannell is unclear what the balance should be,
for optimal vitamin D function. However they why is he recommending a ratio that is impossible to achieve in traditional
believe there is sufficient vitamin A in the diet of diets? It may be possible in primitive diets to obtain an A-to-D ratio of ap-
most Americans, especially if they are taking a proximately 1:1 from food, but certainly not 1:10. This can only be done
multivitamin. with modern supplements.
If Dr. Mercola is so familiar with all the After carefully reviewing the arguments on both sides of the issue I am
information on cod liver oil on our website, how convinced that Dr. Cannell’s approach is far more likely to be consistent
can he make this fundamental misrepresentation with producing high levels of health and decreased illness.
of Dr. Price’s research? Our primary message is What’s needed is a study comparing the health status of individuals
that vitamin A levels are far too low in the mod- taking a balanced cod liver oil and those taking large amounts of vitamin D
ern American diet compared to primitive diets. without cod liver oil, as recommended by Cannell and Mercola. Meanwhile,
Primitive peoples consumed very high levels of it would be wise to err on the side of traditional diets, which generally
vitamin A from organ meats, insects, fish eggs, contained higher levels of A than D in terms of International Units.
fish heads, liver and fish liver oils, as well as from
butterfat and egg yolks from grassfed animals. MY REVISED COD LIVER OIL
Since most of our animals are raised in confine- RECOMMENDATIONS
ment today, and many of the vitamin A-rich foods As the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (which would benefit from
are unacceptable to modern palates, we recom- cod liver oil) in the U. S. is much lower than the prevalence of subclinical
mend taking cod liver oil on a daily basis. We vitamin A toxicity, while most everyone suffers from vitamin D deficiency,
have never recommended taking a multivitamin. I no longer recommend taking cod liver oil for either adults or children.
Likewise, we have never stated that vitamin A is You’re likely getting the vitamin A you need if you regularly consume fresh
“not at all” toxic. vegetables high in this nutrient, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe,
In the third world this is not the case and they and other colorful fruits and vegetables, and butter especially, if obtained
would likely benefit from vitamin A supplementa- from grass fed cows.
tion. Here Dr. Mercola repeats the myth that we can obtain adequate vitamin

SPRING 2009 Wise Traditions 41