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Last updated 2019 Concerns about Fermented Cod Liver Oil Questions and Answers About Fermented Cod Liver Oil JUMP TO: Brand Recommendations – Updated 2019 Once a standard supplement in traditional European societies, cod liver oil provides fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which Dr. Price found present in the diet of primitives in amounts ten times higher than in modernized diets. Cod liver oil supplements are a must for women and their male partners, to be taken for several months before conception, and for women during pregnancy. Growing children will also benefit greatly from a small daily dose.
Cod liver oil is also rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docasahexaenoic acid (DHA). The body makes these fatty acids from omega-3 linolenic acid. EPA is as an important link in the chain of fatty acids that ultimately results in prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones while DHA is very important for the proper function of the brain and nervous system. Those individuals who have consumed large amounts of polyunsaturated oils, especially partially hydrogenated oils, who are suffering from certain nutrient deficiencies, or who have impaired pancreatic function, such as diabetics, may not be able to produce EPA and DHA and will, therefore, lack important prostaglandins and necessary fats for the brain unless they consume oily fish or take a cod liver oil supplement. Buy cod liver oil in dark bottles and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Please read Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Cod Liver Oil: Some Clarifications below for amounts to give to adults and children and for recommended brands. Cod liver oil is easy to take when stirred into a small amount of water or fresh juice. Dr. Price always gave cod liver oil along with high-vitamin butter oil, extracted by centrifuge from good quality spring or fall butter. He found that cod liver oil on its own was relatively ineffective but combined with high vitamin butter oil produced excellent results. The butter oil contains what he called Activator X, now considered to be vitamin K2, which works synergistically with vitamins A and D (see Chris Masterjohn’s article “On the Trail of the Elusive X Factor: A Sixty-Year Old Mystery Finally Solved”). Your diet should include sources of vitamin K, such as good quality butter from grass-fed cows and/or high-vitamin butter oil, fat from grass-fed animals, cheeses from grass-fed animals and duck or goose liver, along with cod liver oil.
Vitamin A, Vitamin D & Cod Liver Oil: Some Clarifications
Several visitors to our website have noted inconsistencies in various statements about vitamin A, vitamin D and cod liver oil. These issues revolve around questions of dosage and safety.
Vitamin A Dosage
We have pointed out that concerns about vitamin A toxicity are exaggerated. While some forms of synthetic vitamin A found in supplements can be toxic at only moderately high doses, fat-soluble vitamin A naturally found in foods like cod liver oil, liver, and butterfat is safe at up to ten times the doses of water-soluble, solidified and emulsified vitamin A found in some supplements that produce toxicity.(1) Additionally, the vitamin D found in cod liver oil and butterfat from pasture-raised animals protects against vitamin A toxicity, and allows one to consume a much higher amount of vitamin A before it becomes toxic.(1-3) Liver from land mammals is high in vitamin A but low in vitamin D, and should therefore be consumed with other vitamin D-rich foods such as lard or bacon from pasture-raised pigs, egg yolks, and oily fish, or during months in which UV-B light is sufficient to provide one with adequate vitamin D. As a general guideline, we recommend the following doses of vitamin A from cod liver oil, along with a nutrient-dense diet that contains other vitamin A-rich foods:
- Children age 3 months to 12 years: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 5000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from about 1 teaspoon of regular cod liver oil or ½ teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil.
- Children over 12 years and adults: A maintenance dose of cod liver oil that provides about 10,000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from 2 teaspoons of regular cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil.
- Pregnant and nursing women: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 20,000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from 4 teaspoons regular cod liver oil or 2 teaspoons high-vitamin cod liver oil.
Please note that these recommended doses are 2-5 times greater than the U.S. RDA for children, 4 times greater than the U.S. RDA for adults and 8 times greater than the U.S. RDA for pregnant women. The RDA values are based on studies conducted in the general population, which is now recognized to be largely deficient in vitamin D. For a discussion of studies showing that vitamin A consumption up to 30,000 IU per day by pregnant women does not result in a greater risk of birth defects, see Vitamin A for fetal development. This article also describes the vital role played by vitamin A in the development of the fetus. Pregnant women may wish to consult their health practitioner about taking cod liver oil during pregnancy. Individuals under stress or wishing to use cod liver oil to treat a disease condition may take much larger doses, even up to doses providing 90,000 IU vitamin A per day, for a period of several weeks.
Vitamin D Dosage
Our recommended brands of cod liver oil (see below) will provide with the above recommended dosages for cod liver oil about 500-1000 IU vitamin D for children, 1000-2000 IU vitamin D for adults, 2000-4000 IU vitamin D for pregnant and nursing women and up to 9000-18,000 IU for those taking large amounts of cod liver oil to deal with stress and disease. In 1997, the Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine set the tolerable upper intake level (TUIL) for vitamin D at 2000 IU per day. However, the vitamin D content experts on the Upper Limits Panel objected to this limit, and several prominent vitamin D researchers have called for an upward revision of the limit. Experiments show that even during the winter with a low vitamin D intake, humans will exhaust stores of vitamin D at a rate of 3000-4000 IU per day, an amount that many people require to maintain optimal levels of the vitamin in the blood. Extensive exposure to summer sun at mid latitudes naturally produces levels of vitamin D in the blood equivalent to what is attained by supplementing with a continued daily dose of 10,000 IU, suggesting humans are designed to tolerate such large amounts of vitamin D.(4) If you are a lifeguard or spend a lot of time in the sun, you do not need to take supplemental vitamin D; however you still need to consume adequate vitamin A. Animal studies show that even moderate amounts of vitamin D increase the body’s need for vitamin A, whether the vitamin D is provided in the diet or by UV light (2,5). So, if you cut back or eliminate cod liver oil in the summer, be sure to consume plenty of oily fish, liver, butterfat and egg yolks from grass-fed hens to ensure adequate vitamin A. For a discussion of Vitamin D Toxicity, see http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/am-i-getting-too-much-vitamin-d/ This does not mean we do not recommend that some individuals have their vitamin D levels tested. Such testing can be very useful in determining vitamin D status and the effectiveness of cod liver oil or vitamin D supplements. Optimal serum vitamin D levels should be in the range of 30-50 ng/mL (see discussion at [link “Potential Dangers of Vitamin D, page 24 of Spring 2009]).
Brand Recommendations – Updated 2019
Most brands of cod liver oil go through a process that removes all of the natural vitamins. The resultant product contains very low levels of vitamin A and virtually no vitamin D. Some manufacturers add manufactured vitamins A and D to the purified cod liver oil and until recently, one manufacturer added the natural vitamins removed during processing back into the cod liver oil. Fortunately, we now have available in the U.S. a naturally produced, unheated, fermented high-vitamin cod liver oil that is made using a filtering process that retains the natural vitamins. The high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil is sold as a food so does not contain vitamin levels on the label. However, after numerous tests, the approximate values of A and D have been ascertained at 1900 IU vitamin A per mL and 390 IU vitamin D per mL. Thus 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil contains 9500 IU vitamin A and 1950 IU vitamin D, a ratio of about 5:1. Based on these values, the dosage for the high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil is provided as follows:
- Children age 3 months to 12 years: 1/2 teaspoon or 2.5 mL, providing 4650 IU vitamin A and 975 IU vitamin D.
- Children over 12 years and adults: 1 teaspoon or 10 capsules, providing 9500 IU vitamin A and 1950 IU vitamin D.
- Pregnant and nursing women: 2 teaspoons or 20 capsules, providing 19,000 IU vitamin A and 3900 IU vitamin D.
Please note that the fermented cod liver oil contains many co-factors that may enhance the body’s uptake and usage of vitamins A and D; in fact, many have reported results equivalent to those obtained from high-vitamin cod liver oil with half the recommended dose, that is ¼ teaspoon or 1.25 mL for children age 3 months to 12 years; ½ teaspoon or 5 capsules for children over 12 years and adults; and 1 teaspoon or 10 capsules for pregnant and nursing women. As of 2019, we recommend the following brands of cod liver oil. Sources of high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil and high-vitamin cod liver oil with natural vitamins are in the BEST category; sources of processed cod liver oil with synthetic vitamins in the right proportions (ten or fewer units vitamin A to one unit vitamin D, and with at least 2,500 IU’s of vitamin A and 250 IU’s of vitamin D per teaspoon) are in the GOOD category. We do not recommend brands of cod liver oil that have low levels of vitamin A and/or low levels of vitamin D.
In the United States
BEST (Available Online/Mail Order):
- Green Pasture Products: Fermented Cod Liver Oil, (402) 858-4818, greenpasture.org
- Radiant Life: Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Rosita (888) 593-8333, http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/
- See our list of local chapter leaders and members who sell fermented cod liver oil.
- Rosita Real Foods extra virgin cod liver oil www.RositaUSA.com (global listings – https://rositarealfoods.com/#buy)
- Dropi
GOOD (and available in Stores):
- Engelvaer Cod Liver Oil
- Garden of Life Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil
- NOW Foods double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
- Pharmax Cod Liver Oil
- Sonne’s Cod Liver Oil
- Swanson double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
- Twin Labs non-emulsified liquid Cod Liver Oil
In Europe
BEST:
- Global listings for Rosita – https://rositarealfoods.com/#buy
- Armorica (UK): https://armoricaoil.com/shop/
- Funky Raw (UK): http://www.funkyraw.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=33
- Healthcloud (UK): http://www.store.thehealthcloud.co.uk/product-category/green-pastures/
- Real Food Co (UK): https://therealfoodcompany.org.uk/
- Red23: red23.co.uk carries Fermented Cod Liver Oil
- Q Naturals Webstore – Fermented Cod Liver and High-Vitamin Butter Oil www.qnaturals.nl
- Fermented Cod Liver Oil and High Vitamin Butter Oil: http://www.seventhwaveuk.com/
- Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil products: http://www.jgsupplements.com/fermented-cod-liver-oil/
- Spain – Comida Real http://comidareal.es/51-aceite-de-higado-de-bacalao
- Ergomax – The Netherlands – Rosita Real Foods extra virgin cod liver oil www.ergomax.nl
- Holomed Nederland – Green Pasture Products, www.holomed.nl, and for private consumers in Europe – www.codliveroilshop.eu, www.vitavie.nl
- Croatia – Green Pasture FCLO and Rosita EVCLO – Zaslon d.o.o. www.svetahrana.eu
- Poland – www.realfoods.pl – Rosita Real Foods Extra-Virgin Cod Liver Oil
- Germany – Rosita EVCLO – Nutradian https://nutradian.com/de
- Slovenia – Oleasana https://oleasana.si/green-pasture-fclo
- Sweden – Green Pasture’s FCLO, Royal FCLO/BO Blend, Skate Liver Oil, etc, from our website: http://www.torskleverolja.se
GOOD:
- Healthspan Ltd., 0800 73 123 77, healthspan.co.uk
- Goldshield
In Russia
BEST:
- Holomed Nederland – Green Pasture Products, www.holomed.nl
In Australia
BEST:
- Green Pasture Products www.gpawholefoods.com.au or email Katrina: sales@gpawholefoods.com.au (02)9526-1783
- Green Pasture Products: Fermented Cod Liver Oil, www.nourishingecology.com.au or email edie@nourishingecology.com.au
- Green Pasture Cod Liver Oil, butter oil and therapeutics. Order online at www.codliveroil.net.au
- Global listings for Rosita – https://rositarealfoods.com/#buy
In New Zealand
BEST:
- Nature Foods NZ, www.naturefoods.co.nz Green Pasture fermented Cod Liver Oil
- Green Pasture Cod Liver Oil, butter oil and therapeutics. Order online at www.codoil.co.nz.
- Green Pasture Cod Liver Oil in Christchurch – Carolyn-Rae: Be Alive – Thrive Limited, 32 Cheyenne St, Sockburn, Christchurch NZ. Ph: 03 967-1040 & 0272733187 E: thrive@xnet.co.nz, http://www.bealivethrive.nz
- Global listings for Rosita – https://rositarealfoods.com/#buy
In Canada
BEST:
- Be Naturally Prepared, http://www.
benaturallyprepared.com, online shop from Oshawa, Ontario. Carry FCLO, FSLO, BO, Royal BO / FCLO Blend and Infused Coconut Oil and can order any Green Pasture product. - eatkamloops.org, carries Green Pasture’s FCLO, FSLO, BO and CO.
- Family Herbal Clinic (AB) carries Fermented Cod Liver Oil, (780) 419-2699, www.familyherbalclinic.com
- Mother Earth (ON) carries Fermented Cod Liver Oil, motherearthnaturalhealth.ca
- St. Francis Herb Farm, Inc., 1-800-219-6226, www.stfrancisherbfarm.com
- Real Raw Food, Naramata, BC Canada, 250-496-5215, Realrawfood.com – carry Green Pasture FCLO and Rosita (https://rositarealfoods.com/#buy) brands
In Hong Kong
BEST:
- Leung Chun Sun, tcleuncsc@yahoo.com.hk carry Fermented Cod Liver Oil.
- Green Pasture, Asia – also available in Singapore, Malaysia, http://www.greenpasture.asia/
Updates and More Information
Please read the following updates on Cod Liver Oil, published in December 2008:
Read more about Vitamin A and Vitamin D here:
- Vitamin Primer
- Vitamin A Saga
- Vitamin A On Trial: Does Vitamin A Cause Osteoporosis?
- From Seafood to Sunshine: A New Understanding of Vitamin D Safety
References
- Myhre, et al., “Water-miscible, emulsified, and solid forms of retinol supplements are more toxic than oil-based preparations,” Am J Clin Nutr, 78 (2003) 1152-9.
- Aburto, et al., “The influence of Vitamin A on the Utilization and Amelioration of Toxicity of Cholecalciferol, 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol, and 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol in Young Broiler Chickens,” Poultry Science, 77 (1998) 570-577.
- Metz, et al., “The Interaction of Dietary Vitamin A and Vitamin D Related to Skeletal Development in the Turkey Poult,” J. Nutr. 115 (1985) 929-935.
- Heaney, Robert P., “The Vitamin D requirement in health and disease,” Journal of Steroid Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 97 (2005) 13-19.
- Aburto and Britton, “Effects of Different Levels of Vitamins A and E on the Utilization of Cholecalciferol by Broiler Chickens,” Poultry Science, 77 (1998) 570-577.
- Masterjohn, Chris, “Dioxins in Animal Foods: A Case for Vegetarianism,” October 17, 2005.
Vitamin D
Above you have stated that 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil contains 9500 IU vitamin A and 1950 IU vitamin D, a ratio of about 5:1. David Wetzel; however the manufacturer of the oil states in his April 30, 2009 update that the fermented oil contains 4,000 – 9,000 IU vitamin A per teaspoon and 3,000 – 4,000 IU vitamin D. Which is correct?
Hi
I see that you recommend Green pasture fermented Cod liver oil as your number one option. I have purchased the royal blend which contains fermented CLO and butter oil. However, 1/2 a t.sp. (which is the recommended dose on the bottle) only provides 3000 IU Vitamin A and 885 IU vitamin D. If I take 2 tsp of this, it would provide 12,000 IU vit A, which falls short of the 20,000 that you recommend and 3,540 IU of vit D (well above the 2,000 IU that you recommend). So, I am not sure how to get the right ratio with this product. Any suggestions? regards Johanna
Hannah
I am very confused about conflicting information on this site regarding Vitamin D. I just read in a different article here that Vit. D can be toxic to some people in doses as low as 200-400 IU’s, but here such a higher dose is recommended. Should I not supplement with cod liver oil unless a D deficiency has been identified?
You forgot Garden of Life cod liver oil
You have recommended Garden of Life Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil in the past. I am guessing there has been a mistake since it is no longer on your list of recommendations.
I just read on someone’s Instagram that Unfermented CLO is better. What are your thoughts on that.
Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil is the only fresh, wild-caught and raw cod liver oil in the entire world. Straight from pristine Norwegian seas, it contains naturally occurring vitamins A and D, and a full spectrum of omega fatty acids, including omega-3 EPA and DHA.
But because it is straight from the sea it has heavy metals, you can check their website, at least they are transparent about this.
Dropi is also raw and unfermented.
No mistake. The ratio of vitamin A to D in Garden of Life CLO has changed (not enough D) so we can no longer recommend it.
Since 2009 Garden of Life has changed back so that, last time I checked, the A to D ratio is OK now.
does this require a full teaspoon or half a teaspoon ?
for the baby formula , raw milk?
Not sure I understand the question but if you’re asking how much Garden of Life CLO in the infant formula the answer is 1 tsp
Thanks for the info! So, Garden of Life Cod Liver Oil is okay???? I’ve been giving it to my kiddos and want to make sure the ratios are okay now? Thanks!
You can check the label and look at the numbers for vitamin A & D. If the number of IU of A is not more than 10 times the number of IU for vit. D then it is OK. Last time I checked, it was OK but they have been known to change from time to time.
No, error. It’s nordic. Any comments on Nordic???
vassburg is recommended but per their website it says the ratio is not ideal per your comment.
https://vassaburg.com/product/kosher-cod-liver-oil/
The ratio of Vitamin A IU to Vitamin D IU is approximately 20.52 : 1, which is greater than 10. Therefore, based on the recommendation, the bottle seems to not meet the criteria.
I do want to buy Vassburg so let me know if it’s still okay?
I have garden of life w added D.
Nordic Natural
Hi. Would you please elaborate further why Nordic Natural Regular Cod Liver Oil is not recommended? Doesn’t the “D” version use synthetic Vitamin D. I ask, because as a black man living in New York City, I’m certain that my sun exposure is nowhere near would someone of my complexion would need to make enough Vitamin D. Currently, I drink about two large swigs a day from a bottle o Nordic Natural Regular Cod Liver Oil. Is that not optimal?
I ask the same question. I just bought nordic W added D. Now I’m concerned.
blue ice fermented cod liver/butter oil capsules
the recommended dose on the bottle of blue ice fermented cod liver/butter oil capsules is 2 capsules per day. what are the appropriate doses for children, adults and pregnant women since i do not know how many capsules would be equivalent to a teaspoon…any guidance you can give would be greatly recommended!!
Dr (PhD)
2 questions
1. Does shark liver oil contain the same vitamin A and D levels as cod liver oil?
2. Do ordinary fish oil supplements contain vitamin A and D?
Why Carlson’s capsules and not the liquid?
Can you comment on Carlsons? I just bought a large bottle and am just learning the ropes and wondering why it didn’t make the cut
Oxidation is the key.
Unfortunatly this review ignores the fact that marine based Omega 3 supplemnts must have very low levles of oxidative rancidity. Wild fish is not fremented, it’s fresh, and fresh fish has the power. We need to understand that rancidity in fish oil can be tested and is the best guideline for recomendations. I am a Dr. Price fan and he would agree! http://www.ifosprogram.com/IFOS/default.aspx
I take cod liver capw/1250IU of A and 135 IU of D-how much should I take daily?I read this can help to Alkaline ones body-true?
How can i get wapf’s replies to these questions ?
how can i see wapf’s responses to these comments and questions?
I see that the Green Pastures Blue Ice Royal fermented clo/butter oil blend contains silica. what is the benefit of a dietry intake of silica?
It is my understanding, through research, that Silica converts to Calcium in the body. This makes sense to me now regarding how well the Vitamin A, D, K-2 and bone building connections are working here. The Silica would be a likely component to accomplishing this.
Silica absolutely does not convert to calcium. There is no conversion of elements in the body. This occurs in exploding stars, but certainly not in the body.
Green Pastures “Blue Ice” Fermented CLO
Please advise. The above mentioned CLO appears to have more D than A and the non-fermented oil is no longer available. How much should we be taking of the fermented oil?
Thank you,
Mary
K2
I have been reading concerns about vitamin K2 causing birth defects. Do you have any information on this.
Thanks
Linda
Vitamin A toxicity
I am wondering if just regular salmon oil and a good multivitamin might be better. Vitamin A toxicity is a nasty thing.
Vitamins toxicity?? bullshit! synthetic vitamins are poison, no natural suplements!
Why not Salmon Oil????
Hello all,
I currently use salmon oil instead of cod liver oil, and I wondering why more people don’t as well? Is there a unique benefit to cod liver oil, that salmon oil does not contain? If so, could someone enlighten me as to the difference? Just for comparison purposes, I use Vital Choice’s 1,000mg Sockeye Salmon Oil. It is whole, unrefined, certified pure, and comes from wild Alaskan salmon. It contains (per serving): 240mgs EPA, 220 DHA, 340 IU of vitamin D, and 2,060 IU of vitamin A. The A & D are natural, not added. It seems comparable to the cod liver oils listed above, and I have a little more faith in the source. Am I missing something here? Thanks all.
treatment with cod liver
Hello:
I would like to know which is the treatment with cold liver 1000mg softgel for adults and if there is any recommendations about adverse effects if it is taken for a long time. I take 75mg of levotiroxin diary could this be adverse? And in patients with diabetes is there any adverse effects or any recommendations for taken cold oil? Thanks in advance. Best regards. María Elena
Very confused about how I can view the responses to these posts or see the comment I just wrote… Can someone please help?
I, too, would like to see the responses. A list of questions without responses is quite redundant.
Hello Elena & Sherri Dol, did you get any response about seeing the replies to the questions people pose here?
I’m especially interested in Dan’s (2/222010) Q in re Vital Choice’s 1,000mg Sockeye Salmon Oil — is that comparable to FCLO??
I really wish SOMEONE would tell us where to see replies to these many questions!
Oh… I just realized that to join this site or receive information requires a membership — a paid membership. Perhaps that’s why our questions don’t seem to be answered. We have to join to see the replies…?
How can I read the posted response from these very important questions?
RN
Hello! Have you looked into Premier Research Labs and their Cod Liver Oil as well as many other supplements of highest quality? I haven’t seen them listed anywhere on your site and I think you may find this company to be a fantastic find. I have been using their products for several years now and find them to be of highest quality I have found so far. They are 100% excipient free… no silica in their cod liver oil either.
THANKS FOR SHARING ELENA, I ALSO USE PRL AND IT IS FAR SUPERIOR TO ANY BRAND I HAVE USED WHEN IT COMES TO NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS. THAT IS THE ONLY BRAND I WILL GIVE TO MY KIDS AS THE TESTING FOR THEIR PRODUCTS SHOULD SET THE STANDARD HENCE THE NAME… PREMIER RESEARCH LABORATORIES.
http://www.prlabs.com/
Hi can you recommend any brands in South Africa?
Cod Liver Oil Basics and Recommendations
Is it true that if you apply cod liver oil on the body of babies/children and make them stand in the sun for a few minutes , it will do good on vit. absorption ?
Melrose Cod Liver Oil in Australia
It is my understanding, from talking directly with a Melrose representative, that the vitamins in Melrose brand CLO are synthetic. This is due to the high level of refining that takes place to meet regulations.
Comment from Sally Fallon on CLO with synthetic vitamins
Sally asked me to post the following in response to some of the questions above asking about brands which replace naturally occurring vitamins with synthetic: “We have consistently pointed out that the vitamins in all but one brand of cod liver oil are synthetic. Only the fermented cod liver oil made in the United States contains the original natural vitamins. Every other brand of cod liver oil is definitely a compromise. But since many people cannot obtain or cannot afford the fermented cod liver oil, we recommend in the ‘good’ category (rather than the ‘best’ category), cod liver oil to which synthetic vitamins A and D have been added in the right proportions.”
CLO with synthetic vs. natural vitamins
The Radiant Life Premier High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil contains natural vitamins too (along with the fermented cod liver oil). This is listed in the ‘best’ category.
Premier Quantum Norwegian Cod Liver Oil
1) The recommended Radiant Life’s “Premier High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil” is the same as “Premier Quantum Norwegian Cod Liver Oil” found in their website, right?
Can’t find Premier High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil in their website.
2) This is listed in the ‘best’ category?
3)Dose for children below 12 is half teaspoon?
Tks
Premier Quantum Norwegian Cod Liver Oil
Replies below ***
1) The recommended Radiant Life’s “Premier High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil” is the same as “Premier Quantum Norwegian Cod Liver Oil” found in their website, right?
Can’t find Premier High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil in their website.
***They are the same.
2) This is listed in the ‘best’ category?
***Yes, in the best category.
3)Dose for children below 12 is half teaspoon?
***That is the correct recommended dose.
Cod Liver Oil & Butter Oil
Thanks for your reply.
(1) I am undecided on which to buy from Radiant. Is the fermented or the Premier Quantum Norwegian Cod Liver Oil
better for children above 7 years old.
(2) Is it necessary to also take it with the butter oil (as this is quite expensive)? If not, which is the alternative way to take the cod liver oil for better assimilation?
Tks!
Replies below ***
(1) I am undecided on which to buy from Radiant. Is the fermented or the Premier Quantum Norwegian Cod Liver Oil
better for children above 7 years old.
***The fermented is better for everyone.
(2) Is it necessary to also take it with the butter oil (as this is quite expensive)? If not, which is the alternative way to take the cod liver oil for better assimilation?
***If you can’t afford the butter oil, take the CLO with deep yellow raw grassfed butter from the spring or fall.
CAN YOU COOK WITH COD LIVER OIL VRS A VEG OR CANOLA OIL?
CAN YOU COOK WITH COD LIVER OIL WITH PERHAPS A TABLESPPOON OFBUTTER AND GET THE SAME EFFECTS AS A SUPPLEMENT AND THE ADDEDD BONUS OF A HEALTHIER MEAL
No, the omega 3’s in any fish oil oxidize and are damaged with heat. G Ziem, MD
CAN YOU COOK WITH COD LIVER OIL VRS A VEG OR CANOLA OIL?
You can not cook with cod liver oil due to the polyunsaturated fats it contains. Polyunsaturated oils should never be heated.
Here is more info on fats
http://www.westonaprice.org/Know-Your-Fats/
this article explains how cod liver oil is produced
http://www.westonaprice.org/Cod-Liver-Oil-Manufacturing.html
Hi, I am about 8 weeks pregnant and I was taking fish oil, due to the article from Dr. Mercola, for the last several weeks. I ran out and came across your article. We are unable to afford the fermented oil, but I am wondering how much of the Twinlab Norwegian cod liver oil I should take.
Thank you so much for all the information,
Terri Egge
Pregnancy
from this page:
http://www.westonaprice.org/Co…ions.html
Pregnant and nursing women: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 20,000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from 4 teaspoons regular cod liver oil or 2 teaspoons high-vitamin cod liver oil.
So, you would need to take 4 teaspoons of the Twin Labs CLO.
Will coconut oil assist in the absorption of the nutrients in cod liver oil and would it make a good substitute for high vitamin butter oil?
coconut oil
this is from Sally:
Coconut oil has many health properties but it does not contain the fat soluble activators A and D that are so valuable for nutrient assimilation.
I don’t see any of the Fermented Cod Liver Oil / Raw High Vitamin Butter Oil blends recommended. Do you feel that it is better to take these separately? If you feel that they are good, what dosages would you recommend?
CLO/Butter oil blends
These blends are fine to take. A dose that provides about 10,000 IU of vitamin A daily is recommended for adults.
melrose cod liver oil
Hi, I rang the Melrose CLO laboratory yesterday and was informed they “fortify” their product with synthetic Vit A and D.
melrose cod liver oil
Melrose does use synthetic vitamins. That is why they are listed under Good instead of Best.
from a previous comment of Sally’s on March 3, 2010:
“But since many people cannot obtain or cannot afford the fermented cod liver oil, we recommend in the ‘good’ category (rather than the ‘best’ category), cod liver oil to which synthetic vitamins A and D have been added in the right proportions.”
weight loss
I haven’t heard that cod liver oil would help with weight loss. Where did you read that? do you have any references?
I was told that cod liver oil will help me loose weight is that true?
Regarding “not enough Vitamin D” in Garden of Life product. Personally, I think that would be a good choice for those of us who are in the hot sun, with arms & face exposed, for 6 months of the year. What’s your opinion?
🙂
Comparing Carlsons liquid with fermented CLO/butter oil blend
I first purchased Carlson’s liquid CLO with the lemon flavor, and after taking 1 teaspoon every day, I noticed improvements to my health within a couple of days: less stiffness, improved mental acuity, better oral health, no winter blues. I also bought the fermented CLO/butter oil blend from Green Pastures. I took 1/2 teaspoon per day of that for a couple of weeks, and many of the benefits I was experiencing with Carlson’s diminished–particularly the stiffness returned. Do you have any insight into why this is? Should I have taken a larger dose of the fermented kind, even though the label recommended 1/2 teaspoon per day? Thanks! (PS–for those of you concerned about the taste of the fermented CLO, try the cinnamon tingle gel. Tastes like cinnamon flavored jelly with no fishy taste.)
“not enough Vitamin D” in Garden of Life product
this is from Sally:
A cod liver oil with low vitamin D and high vitamin A would indeed be appropriate in these circumstances; during the winter, however, cod liver oil with higher vitamin D content should be used.
Comparing Carlsons liquid with fermented CLO/butter oil blend
I would try taking at least a teaspoon of the fermented CLO/butter oil blend. WAPF recommends a teaspoon per day (for adults) of just the fermented CLO alone.
Vitamin A in CLO
Hi Carolyn.
A male friend has severe rheumatoid arthritis, and he is currently taking a high dose of Melrose fish oil. I have recommended to him that he take Carlson’s CLO for it’s additional benefit of Vitamin A – and this is the product I take and love. To get an equivalent high dose of EPA & DHA from CLO, this would mean 12 capsules a day, which is 24,000 IU of Vitamin A. Would this level of Vitamin A be safe for him to take on an ongoing basis?
Many thanks
Jane
Hi. Jess asked about C.L. Oil possibly being useful for weight loss, and someone replied that they had never heard this and were asking for a source. I stumbled onto this claim that CLO promotes weight loss here:
http://www.westonaprice.org/Metals-and-the-Mind.html
This is an article by an acupuncture doctor.
Vitamin A in CLO
It would not be good to take 12 capsules of Carlson’s per day on an ongoing basis. You would be getting too many polyunsaturated oils. It would be better to get the A and D from the fermented cod liver oil (about 2 teaspoons) in order to minimize the intake of polyunsaturated oils.
Further to Jess’ question re CLO promoting weight loss. I have not read this research, but it may possibly apply to her question:
Ziouzenkova O, Orasanu G, Sharlach M, Akiyama TE, Berger JP, Viereck J, Hamilton JA, Tang G, Dolnikowski GG, Vogel S, Duester G, Plutzky J. Retinaldehyde represses adipogenesis and diet-induced obesity. Nat Med. 2007 Jun;13(6):695-702
Is it better to take the:
(1) “Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil” or the
(2) “Blue Ice Butter Oil/Cod Liver Oil Blend”?
For children, the dosage is half teaspoon whether they take the fermented or BO/CLO blend?
Tks
Either one is fine to take. The dosage is as follows:
Children age 3 months to 12 years: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 5000 IU vitamin A daily.
If taking the Blue Ice Butter Oil/Cod Liver Oil Blend, you would need more than a half teaspoon (1/2 to 1 teaspoon) since it also contains butter oil. If taking the Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil, you would need a half teaspoon. The Blend is 2/3 CLO and 1/3 butter oil.
The dose on the bottle of Blue Ice Butter Oil/Cod Liver Oil Blend says 1/2 tsp. On the Green Pasture
website, it says: BLUE ICE™ Royal Butter Oil / Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend
As Dr. Weston A. Price indicated, It is not the High Vitamin Butter Oil or the Cod Liver Oil but rather the two together that did his patients good. This blend is 2/3 Blue Ice fermented Cod Liver Oil and 1/3 X-Factor High Vitamin Butter Oil.
So I assumed this was better than the CLO alone.
Thanks!
Been taking the cod liver oil and vitamin butter for about 4 days now. I have been feeling awful – is this what happens the first few days? I feel totally exhausted and weak and brain-fogged.
this is from Chris Masterjohn:
I can’t, off the top of my head, think of a reason why lack of
saturated fat would cause CLO/BO to have such an effect, but if the
person is not including butter and animal fat in their diet they might
want to try including those foods. They may have an intolerance to
something in one of the two supplements, but I think they’d have to
use trial and error to decide what is causing the problem. Certainly
if this continues for a few more days they should try removing one or
the other and see if that helps.
7 month old with Rickets
Hi. I have a seven month old that was diagnosed with Rickets. he has lost a lot of weight, which we initially thought was due to a bout of the flu. He has been delayed in sitting up and now seems to have problems pushing himself up when on his stomach. His chest area also seems not to be growing in porportion to the rest of his body. The doc has him taking 5mil of a sryup that contains calcuim, vitamin d, and vitamin b, twice a day. I am also taking him out on the patio to sun in the afternoon. The suppliments don’t seemt o be working, so I am interested in Cod Liver Oil. My questions are:
As it is summer, do I give him the oil, but not take him in the sun?
Have you seen cod liver oil help to reverse severe rickets?
How much/how often should the dose be for someone with rickets.
I am in Cairo, but will have family visiting from the states in two weeks. I am hoping that I can get them to bring it with them.
Thanks for your help.
7 month old with Rickets
this is from Sally:
The child needs cod liver oil and a good source of calcium. Yes, fine to take cod liver oil and also be in the sun. 1/2-1 tsp Blue Ice cod liver oil per day, and the butter oil would also be good if you can afford it.
For calcium, raw milk if you can get it. If not lots of bone broth. Also, the child should be getting butter, egg yolks, organ meats, etc. No sugar, no processed foods, no vegetable oils. Lots of lamb and lamb fat.
CLO w High Vitamin Butter Oil
My 23 yr old son complained of digestive issues and depression when taking the Green Pasture’s product. He tried this on a couple of different occasions with same result. Has anyone ever heard of this before? Would it be an indication of too much vitamin A &/or D?
Vitamins/minerals MUST be taken with food
I don’t see this mentioned anywhere here. Vitamin and mineral supplements MUST be taken with food, to be effective. And with enough water too.
I have come across too many people who take vit/min supplements between meals or, worse, on an empty stomach. If you do this, you are not only not getting any benefits from the nutrients but also wasting your money.
One example is a young 27yo woman I know, a ballet teacher (presumably she gets enough exercise), who suffers from chronic backache and sinusitis. Also, ALL of her fingernails are completely covered with white spots, a sign of severe zinc deficiency. When questioned, she said her regimen is to take a large CalMagZinc tablet with a glass of water in the morning before she rushes off to work. Yes, on an empty stomach, without any food at all!
Ideally, vit/min supplements should be taken just after meals. Each meal should also be accompanied with at least 2 (or better 3) glasses of water and/or healthy liquids consumed within 3 hours of the meal. This is to help with proper digestion of the food and supplements.
BTW, just for info, I have tried all kinds of vit/min supplements over the last 30 years. Time-release supplements do NOT work. The vits/mins need to be mixed with the food and liquids in the stomach before the ‘chyme’ passes into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, when the digestive enzymes get to work on it. Vits/mins released in the large intestines 6-8 hours later is useless.
🙂
CLO w High Vitamin Butter Oil
this is from Chris Masterjohn:
I think the digestive problems are likely due to problems digesting
the long-chain PUFAs. Did your son use the fermented product or
the original product? Some people have reported digesting the
fermented product better. The depression could, perhaps, be a result
of a) not tolerating the product correctly (most apparently in this
case, by not being able to digest it), b) too much EPA if the diet is
otherwise poor in sources of AA such as butterfat or liver, or c)
imbalances of one or the other fat-soluble vitamin. There could, of
course, be other causes, but I would address them in that order. If
the original product is being used, try the fermented product. If the
fermented product is being used, try changing when it is consumed
(e.g. with or without meals) or adding foods or supplements to help
with fat digestion (e.g. enzymes or Swedish bitters).
fergmented cod liver
Hey I can not take fermented cod liver oil, as it contains cows milk and I am allergic to it, I am in australia, what do I do?
fermented cod liver oil
The fermented cod liver oil does not contain cow’s milk.
Cd Liver oil in France
Hello, I live in Provence and yur article has made me tink about the brands of cod liver oil I buy. Normally I just buy it from my pharmacy. I notice your list doesn’t mention anything from continental Europe, and you seem to be really gung-ho for the fermented variety. So, as I said I live in provence, and shipping is expensive. Is Solgar a good product or is France’s pharmacy cod liver oil good enough? Let me know because your article implies that there isn’t much choice unless one lives in the States!
Cod Liver oil in France
How much vitamin A and D per teaspoon are in the Solgar? How much A and D per teaspoon are in France’s pharmacy cod liver oil? Have you checked on shipping from the UK for the fermented cod liver oil?
Cod Liver oil in France
this is from Dave at Green Pasture:
All the brands in the EU are about the same +/-. The fermented is completely different. Your best source if interested in the fermented fclo is Holomed through the Netherlands or red23 from the UK. They both will ship to France.
How much Butter Oil
I bought Green Pastures fermented CLO and high-vitamin butter oil for my 27 mth old son hoping to relieve his eczema. If the dosage is 1/2 teaspoon CLO, how much butter oil should I give him?
How much Butter oil
1/4 teaspoon butter oil, once or twice per day, in the context of a diet that contains plenty of grass-fed butter.
Would we be getting too much vit D if we start using blue ice high vitamin fermented CLO (we live in Hawaii and go to the beach and are outside often)?
Also, I have a 26 month old that I am interested in giving this CLO to. I worry about heavy metals in this product. There is nothing stating that a third party tests this product and certifies it free from any heavy metals. I have contacted the company via e-mail but received no response to this question. We are currently using Nordic Naturals which I know is safe in terms of no metals in it, but not a good choice otherwise. Can anyone help with this concern?
Most toxic metals are water soluble, so I wouldn’t worry. Still, no food is completely free of toxicity. However, we’re equipped with detox mechanisms that use nutrients readily available in cod liver oil, such as vit. A & D.
Vitamin D and heavy metals
this is from Chris Masterjohn:
If you live in Hawaii and are outside often and begin using one serving per day of high-vitamin cod liver oil, most of your vitamin D will be coming from the sun. I therefore do not think the cod liver oil will by itself meaningfully affect your vitamin D levels in that case, and it will provide vitamin A, which is important to balance all the vitamin D you are getting from the sun. So I think a serving per day of high-vitamin cod liver oil should be beneficial.
this is from Dave at Green Pasture:
All our products are third-party tested beyond what the law requires. We test heavy metals and PCB’s. In 10+ years of testing cod liver oils, I have never seen a positive test for inorganic heavy metals such as mercury.
Nordic Naturals CLO
We do not recommend Nordic Naturals CLO as it is too low in Vitamin A and/or Vitamin D.
My vet recommended Nordic Naturals CLO for my dog, and in reading about it I decided to get myself some too. Do you know this brand?
Nordic Natural Artic Cod Liver Oil
I see one product from Nordic Natural that claims no synthetic vitamins added:
“Nordic Naturals offers the only 100% Arctic cod (Skrei) liver oil on the market. No fish body oils or synthetic vitamins or additives are ever used. No other brand can honestly make the same claim.”
I realize the dose of Vit A and Vit D is very low in this product, but do you know if the claim of no synthetic vitamins is true? (Obviously, the claim that “no other brand…” is false).
Nordic Natural Artic Cod Liver Oil
I don’t know if their claim of no synthetic vitamins is true but WAPF still does not recommend Nordic Naturals CLO as it is too low in Vitamin A and/or Vitamin D.
What about the Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil D? It has more vit D than the regular?
Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil D
Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil D is too low in Vitamin A. The right proportions are 10 or fewer units vitamin A to one unit vitamin D, and with at least 2,500 IU’s of vitamin A and 250 IU’s of vitamin D per teaspoon.
Does raw milk contain enough vitamin K to replace the need for taking butter oil with CLO? And if it does, how much milk would be required?
raw milk and Vitamin K
this is from Sally:
While raw whole milk from pastured cows would indeed contain vitamin K, I don’t think you could depend on this source for an adequate amount. You should also have other sources in your diet like grass-fed butter, cheese, chicken liver, fatty meat, etc.
Carlson’s Lemon Flavored CLO
Carlson’s Lemon Flavored CLO is too low in Vitamin A. We recommend at least 2,500 IU’s of Vitamin A per teaspoon.
The right proportions are 10 or fewer units vitamin A to one unit vitamin D, and with at least 2,500 IU’s of vitamin A and 250 IU’s of vitamin D per teaspoon.
Could I take a higher dose of the Carlson to make up for the lower amount of Vit D and A? I’m just hoping I can make use of it now that I’ve bought
Carlson’s Lemon Flavored CLO
Hi. I have had several people recommend Carlson’s Lemon Flavored Cod Liver Oil. And that Kent Rieske dude who runs Biblelife.org highly praises it. Why isn’t this one shown on the good/best list? Is their something specifically about it that disqualifies it?
Reply to Ann
Green Pasture does not subject their cod liver oil to any high heat processing which destroys vitamin content. That is unique so far in the industry. So fermented cod liver oil is much higher without adding synthetic vitamins.
synthetic vitamin A?
The Nordic Naturals website claims that the amount of vitamin A in their cod liver oil is the naturally occurring amount, and that other brands that contain more vitamin A have had synthetic vitamin A added. Could this be true of Green Pastures (which is what I use). Is there any way to verify that it’s not true?
Hong Kong
Thanks for the Hong Kong tip. I’ve alays had no trouble ordering online in the U.S., but last summer I made a trip to China and HK – it was nice to have my daily dose of CLO for my month stay!
Green Pastures Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend
this is from Sally:
Yes, he should discontinue any product that provides D and K without vitamin A.
Green Pastures Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend
Ok so I think I’m going to purchase “Green Pastures Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend” in chocolate liquid gel form (not capsules). The link is http://www.radiantlifecatalog….pplements.
Is this the right thing to do? Should I discontinue use of the Nutrilite Vitamin D3 with K2 if I buy this product? Sorry for all these questions, and thanks for your help!
🙂
Carlson’s Lemon Flavored CLO
Nevermind. I just read the entire article on the Vitamin A saga. I understand now. Amazing how much you don’t even know that you don’t know. Thanks again.
Carlson’s Lemon Flavored CLO
Hi… don’t mean to be ‘pesty’. I just want to make sure I get this right before purchasing the wrong product. I am eating a diet rich in eggs, butterfat, and fish. Plus I take “NUTRILITE® Vitamin D3 2000 IU Plus K2”. Is it possible that I am getting enough vitamin A from natural food sources? If yes, does this mean that if I took… say… your first recommended product on the best list, the “Green Pasture Products: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil” that I might have too high an intake of vitamin A & D? Could this possibly be a game changer where you would then make a different recommendation for me?
Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil
I actually called Carlson Labs and asked them about the vitamins in their Cod Liver Oil Gems, Super 1000 mg, and they assured me that it was only natural occuring vitamins…
How come taht they are still just in the GOOD list?
They provide 250 IU of vitamin D and 2000 IU of vitamin A per soft gel wich seems like a pretty good ratio
Capsules just one-tenth of a teaspoon?
Thank you for such an extensive report on the cod liver oils. I have been using the green pasture CLO for a while now keeping the dose at around 4 capsules/day.
But your text above says I should be taking 10(!). Is it indeed accurate that one teaspoon equals 10 capsules? That would make the capsules considerably more expensive than the liquid (a bottle of capsules would last just 12 days per person).
The bottle label itself recommends 2 servings per day. Could you please confirm I should indeed be taking 10 to reach the 10.000 A and 1000 D?
Many thanks
Capsules just one-tenth of a teaspoon?
yes, you would need 10 capsules.
Carlson’s Norweigan Lemon Flavored Cod Liver Oil
I read that CLO should be taken during winter while Fish Oil should be taken in the summer because of Vit D.
My question is, what if your diet is high in fruits and vegetables and grains and you are taking vitamins like, New Chapter Prenatal, would Carlson’s be enough then? I am really worried about overdosing in vitamins.
Carlson’s Norweigan Lemon Flavored Cod Liver Oil
this is from Sally:
Please read our information on cod liver oil. We do NOT recommend Carlsons, as it contains mostly vitamin A and little vitamin D. Nor do we recommend fish oil, as it is invariably rancid (they boil it at 230 degrees for several hours!!) and also will overload with EPA, which is not desirable. For pregnancy and lactation, we recommend 2 teaspoons fermented cod liver oil in the context of a diet rich in butter, egg yolks and organ meats. For a maintenance dose, 1 teaspoon per day, all year, unless you are a lifeguard and getting huge amounts of vitamin D from the sun.
Capsules just one-tenth of a teaspoon?
you can take either 1/2 teaspoon or a full teaspoon of the fermented CLO.
from the article above:
“Please note that the fermented cod liver oil contains many co-factors that may enhance the body’s uptake and usage of vitamins A and D; in fact, many have reported results equivalent to those obtained from high-vitamin cod liver oil with half the recommended dose, that is ¼ teaspoon or 1.25 mL for children age 3 months to 12 years; ½ teaspoon or 5 capsules for children over 12 years and adults; and 1 teaspoon or 10 capsules for pregnant and nursing women.”
Capsules just one-tenth of a teaspoon?
Hey but wait! I take the liquid Oslo Orange and liquid unflavored butter oil. The directions recommend only half teaspoon per day of each. Am I supposed to be taking 1 full teaspoon of the Cod liver Oil? Man I sure hope not. I’ve been filling the other half of the spoonful with pure lemon juice concentrate. Even with the “Oslo Orange flavor”, I am never excited to take that CLO. The butter oil, on the other hand, is very pleasant, and I definitely take it after the CLO to end on that flavor instead. I was thinking of getting the capsules next but I may have to look into the cost now.
😀
Reply to Lisa
Swansons Double Strength Cod Liver Oil does not qualify as what we consider high-vitamin cod liver oil. You would have to take 4 capsules to get the vitamin A & D we recommend, which would cause possible overdose of EPA.
what are the guidelines for EPA ?? Being on the GOOD list, this product would really work for my family but if overdosing on EPA is an issue, how can it be on the GOOD list??? If you would need to take 4 to achieve the right amount of vitamins of A & D.
Swansons CLO
I was wondering if you could check out Swansons brand CLO
at this link to see if it can be added to the recommended list? http://www.swansonvitamins.com…Detail?n=0
Cod Liver Oil / Butter Oil Blend and A&D doses
So I am looking at getting the Green Pastures blend, but I’m confused by the serving suggestion and associated vitamin doses. The recommended liquid 2.5 ML dose (half teaspoon) provides 3000 IU Vitamin A and 600 IU Vitamin D. But in capsule form, the recommended dose is 2 capsules and the vitamin content is listed at only 1165 IU Vitamin A and 240 IU Vitamin D per serving. This is a huge difference and would then lead me to wonder, why isn’t the recommended dose for the capsules simply 4 capsules instead of 2, providing 2330 A and 480 D? I am just trying to figure out what to purchase for next time. Am I thinking correctly on this? Also please note that I have read the articles above in full, and see that the recommended doses detailed above are 9500 A and 1950 D. This only adds a bit to my confusion as to why the recommended doses on the bottles are so much lower. Sorry for so many questions smilies/cry.gif
Thanks smilies/grin.gif
Reply to Fred
All cod liver oil coming from Europe is highly processed at high heat which destroys most of the original vitamins which are then replaced.
Reply to Jimmyv
As far as I can tell, the capsule recommendations you are referring to are not in this article. If these are from another site, we can’t answer questions from other sites.
Carlson Labs, Cod Liver Oil Gems, Super 1000 mg
So, let´s try again…
When I called Carlson Labs and asked them about the vitamins in their Cod Liver Oil Gems, Super 1000 mg, they assured me that it was only natural occuring vitamins…
How come that they are still just in the GOOD list?
They provide 250 IU of vitamin D and 2000 IU of vitamin A per soft gel wich seems like a pretty good ratio
Another reply to Jimmyv
The royal blend includes x-factor butter oil which is pretty expensive stuff. Otherwise your math looks correct.
Tim Boyd’s reply to jimmyv
Hi Tim,
Those recommendations are on the bottles themselves, from the manufacturer (Green Pastures). Directions (for the royal blend) are to take 2 capsules, for a total of 1165A and 240D. In order to reach the levels recommended here in this article, one would need to take 16 capsules per day, or 480 per month. So for one person, that would be 4 bottles, or $200 per month. $400 per couple. Or I can take the blend of flavored liquid gel and triple the bottle’s recommended dosage. That would be 1 bottle per month ($50 per person).
Seems to me that the capsules are inappropriately priced for the same product.
“Fermented” or… rancid?
What’s the difference between a “fermented” oil and a rancid one? I can’t wrap my head around that.
I would have thought that when it comes to fish liver oils, the fresher, the better. After all, extra virgin olive is probably stabler than cod liver oil, yet no one sells “fermented olive oil”. In that context, we all would understand that “fermented” means rancid and that that oil would be best avoided.
For a long time I used the regular clo from Green Pastures and then I used the fermented — with no problems until about six months ago: the plain (no antioxidants) fermented smelled and tasted like sludge. I could not get it down. So next I tried the “orange oslo” and it always “repeats” the orange taste. I have read that any repeat indicates rancidity. Is this true?
Claire
What brand CLO would you use if you are on a very tight budget? I have 7 kids and want to provide them all with high quality CLO but some of these prices are astronomical! Suggestons?
What about Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil?
I’ve been taking cod liver oil for years, but it’s always been Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil, a British brand that’s been around since the 1930s. The label says it has 400 IU of Vitamin D and 3500 IU of Vitamin A per teaspoon, which is well within the 1:10 ratio you recommend for conventional, nonfermented oil. Best of all, it costs about $7.00 for 450 ml, which is a tremendous bargain compared to other brands and to fish oil pills.
So why isn’t this a recommended brand?
Look at the ingredients, they add vitamin A and D, which suggests that it is removed by whatever processing they employ and it is 49% fish oil, only 51% cod liver oil along with toxic seed and vegetable oils and this is the Original version:
Cod Liver Oil (Fish) (51%), Fish Oil (49%), Vitamin A Prep. (Vitamin A, Sunflower Oil), Vitamin D Prep. (Fractionated Vegetable Oil, Vitamin D), Vitamin E.
https://seven-seas.co.uk/products/cod-liver-oil/cod-liver-oil-original-liquid
alternative for CLO?
Hi, I am wondering about alternatives to CLO. My family has been taking the Twin Labs but we found out recently that I have an inflammatory response to cod (and several more generally healthy foods) via the Alcat test (alcat.com). Also, my son who is still nursing is still allergic to yeast and dairy, so our fats have been mainly lard, suet and olive oil. We also eat pastured eggs and liver sausage on a daily basis but I feel I need more vitA for nursing and my own healing.
I found some halibut liver oil online but read that the vitA content fluctuates widely in the species, and also do not know anything about its quality post-processing…
Since we have adopted the Nourishing Traditions diet, my son has outgrown his strong dog allergy already (hurray!) – thanks also to Dr. Cowan’s book! 🙂
Blessings and thanks for any suggestions.
Seven Seas CLO
We are not real familiar with Seven Seas but looking at their website it appears that while the ratio is OK it suffers the same problems many other brands have. By the time the high-heat processing is done most of the vitamin A & D is gone and has to be added back. It also looks like they are using synthetic vitamins.
TwinLabs Norweigan Cod Liver Oil Orange Flavor
My question is what would the dosage be for my children? Their ages are 10, 5 1/2, 2 1/2 & 1 1/2 years old. I’d love to get them started immediately. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You!
Dosage confusion for nursing mom…
Hi there, I have been taking Green pastures CLO all throughout my pregnancy as well as the 3 months after my son was born. After reading this article I am confused by the amout I should be consuming each day. I take 2 capsules of the fermented CLO. Is this correct or should I be taking more. I read up to 20 capsules, is that a day? Or did I misread something?? Please help! Many thanks…
questions
written by james sept 2009 did anyone answer your question on this??? anyhow i contacted the high vit femented cod liver oil about a month ago with a simple question and am waiting still…….lol green pastures what a joke how can a site like this recommend them?? and why any important questions never get answered here? hmmmmmmmmm
Regarding Gino’s comment and Green Pasture
You might assume Green Pasture did not get the email if you sent your question via email (perhaps it got in their spam filter), or accidentally overlooked answering it. Mistakes happen. If you called and they’re supposed to call back, again, it could have been a mistake.
I used the contact form on their website to ask a question yesterday, and Dave Wetzel responded within an hour asking me to call the next day (it was about returns). I called this morning and spoke to someone immediately who was very helpful.
Jill
Questions in general
This section is mainly for comments. It is almost impossible for a small organization (like us or Green Pasture) to keep up with questions from hundreds of people scattered over a thousand pages. If you have questions it would be better to first, make sure the question hasn’t already been answered, then email info@westonaprice.org. Thanks.
Cod liver oil for Infants
I am giving quater teaspoon of quantum cod liver oil to my 3 months old baby after reading articles from http://www.westonprice.org.
My pediatrician objecting this praticse due to the chance of getting oil pnemonia and gone through dangers of this pratice through differnt web sites
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1988385/pdf/archdisch01419-0047.pdf
Please clarify my doubts.
Thanks and Regards,
V.Kesavakumar.
Reply to V.Kesavakumar
In the study you refer to, the vast majority of pneumonia cases were caused by paraffin administered nasally. Apparently there were a few cases caused by cod liver oil, probably due to the baby choking on it or being given cod liver oil when lying down. If I ate or drank anything laying down I would choke too. Cod liver oil should be safe as long as those situations are avoided. Also we recommend waiting till about 4 months before starting cod liver oil.
Just seen your comment about waiting till baby is 4 months to give Cod Liver Oil…but the homemade formula states its a must…
Confused do I or do I not give my two month old Cod Liver Oil in the formula?
As part of the formula it is OK but better to wait to give it as a standalone supplement.
re: To jobert
IMHO: Basically you went from taking 1 tsp of CLO to 1/2 tsp of mix CLO/Butter oil, I don’t think it’s 50/50 but pretty close. So you went from 1 tsp to 1/4 or 1/3 tsp daily, 3-4 times less. I would say that 1 tsp is hardly enough to see dramatic changes in one week. If the inflammation goes down then you’d feel better. But the fermented kind may take more time to work and the only direct correlation to health I have seen is that it raises vitamin D levels in the blood better than straight CLO over time. So if you really want to find out then take equivalent amounts of each over time and then see. But really 1 teaspoon is a trivial amount for an older person trying to overcome issues, assuming not much else in your diet has changed.
Q about commissions & disclosure.
Does the foundation get any commissions from linking people to sources for buying Blue Ice Cod Liver Oil? If so shouldn’t that be disclosed? Either way, it should be stated. Also, who actually makes the Blue Ice brand. It seems all of these sites are resellers. Just curious!
@LT
We do not receive any commissions. Green Pasture is the company that makes Blue Ice brands.
oxidized oil in fermented cod liver oil? (Kopi)
Hi, I just saw this article. Do you know this guy and what are your opinion on the topic?
He almost stats that ALL fish oils become oxidized very fast!
It even make it self oxidized in the body because it from a “cold” fish and therefor become rancid in a warm body.
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/fishoil.shtml
Hope that you could comment on that?
Thanks for a great website!
Regards Martin
Does the FLCO/Butter OIl blend dilute FLCO along with it’s A and D vitamins?
How am I get the recommended dose of A and D in FLCO/Butter Oil blend if it is diluted with butter oil? Should I take them separatly? Double the dose? What should the dose of Butter Oil be and are the levels of A and D in the Butter Oil itself high enough to compensate for the FLCO that is decreased when mixing the two. The manufacturer doesn’t seem to know for sure.
Reply to Don
The CLO/Butter Oil blend products are 1/3 butter oil so you would need to take 1/3 more to get the recommended vitamin A & D
Dear sir/madam,
With all do respect. That would mean my partner and I would need to take 15 capsules per day and one container of 120 capsules would last 4 days. That will get very costly very quickly. Especially when my wife to be will become pregnant and will need to take twice that…. We now bought the Green Pastures FCLO/BO blend but are there better long term options that won’t cost us about €560,- per month?
Yours sincerely,
Ton (from the Netherlands)
Ton, I am uncertain as to what Tim’s dosage recommendation is as I do not see it here, but undoubtedly what you are suggesting as far, far too high a dose! The equivalent of 1-2 tsp per day is all you should need for each of you. This should mean no more than 4 capsules per person. Hope this helps!
Nordic Natuals.
You mention Nordic Naturals does not make the list because of the Vit A and D not being high enough. If I am taking D and A on the side is there still value in taking Nordic Naturals. More importantly does Nordic Naturals pass the test as far as no rancidity. I called the company and they said it is good for 3 months after opening the bottle.
Is Nordic Naturals not on the list then only because it doesnt have enough D and A. If I take those in other supplements would there still then be value in taking a teaspoon a day of NOrdic Naturals. More importantly do you have any concerns about it being rancid. The company told me it was good for 3 months after opening the bottle.
Horrific Taste
While I believe that cod liver oil is a nutrient dense food, I cannot see how something that tastes so absolutely foul could be essential for optimal health. The very smell turns my stomach and the lingering taste in my mouth make me gag. These signals my body send me are screaming, “NO! I DO NOT NEED OR WANT THAT!” Can someone help me make sense of this dichotomy? I have tried Green Pasture Oslo Orange liquid as enough capsules to equal one dose is just so prohibitively expensive and ridiculous to swallow.
Which flavor is best for 7yr. old – and dosage
I’m looking into buying the Blue Ice CLO and Butter Oil blend for my seven year old. She really hates fish so based on what you’ve seen or heard, which flavor do most kids like better, the Chocolate Cream or Cinnamon tingle? Would it be best mixed with a strong juice (like mango)? Is 1/4 tsp. per day the correct dose? Thanks!
Confused on Blue Ice Dosage
After reading through all the comments on this page I’m still a bit confused. If I start a regimin of the Blue Ice Butter/Cod Liver Oil as an adult I should be taking approximately 1-1/3 teaspoons daily, correct? Is it detrimental to take just 1 teaspoon, or does that extra 1/3 really make the difference? (looking for opinion…I know I won’t explode if I only take the 1 tsp). Also, it’s listed as Gel form. I’m assuming just scoop a teaspoon of the gel and consume it, but is it palatable that way? Can it be mixed with something or does that serve to dilute it? Thanks for the help!
Reply to Emily-
A society that has been raised on Coca Cola and Butterfinger bars with a little MSG to flavor enchance things, usually finds the healthiest foods to taste horrible. I’ve been there, trust me. Eating booked beef liver used to make me vomit. Kombucha used to do the same. But I’d never actually had them before, and the taste-paradigm my senses has become accustomed to told me these new foods were disgusting.
I guess I overpowered them with my mind, emboldened with the knowledge that these foods really were good for me. Now, I love–even crave–some of the stronger tastes. And I can’t stand sweet foods! UGGGHHH.. Now THOSE make me want to vomit!!
One little trick that helps is to consume bitter foods. That really gets your bile activity ramped up to handle the rich tastes in alot of these fats. I juice dandilion greens with carrot juice, take Swedish Bitters, and make bitter herbal water and alcohol extracts too. They help the process enormously!
Hope that helps!
Butter oil
What _is_ butter oil? I understand that it is extracted via centrifuge, but is it raw butter? Or is it more like clarified butter? What is the process used to ensure that no pathogens are present? I ordered the Green Pastures fermented CLO liquid; but I am interested in the CLO/butter oil combination if I can obtain some more information about it. While I believe in raw dairy in principle, I’m still a bit too risk-averse to plunge into it without knowing the full scope of my risks. Thanks for your help.
Reply to Emily
I have just ordered the Blue Ice cod liver oil and now my whole family feels like vomiting just at the thought of trying it again. We do not eat processed foods, nor do we consume much sugar. I also feel like my body is screaming to get the fermented cod liver oil away! Also, I am interested to know how one can tell if the fermented cod liver oil becomes rancid. Also, has there ever been a fatty analysis on Blue Ice? It tastes like there are oxidized fats in it. There is not a chance that I will be able to get either one of my kids to ever try the fermented CLO again. They will consume Nordic Naturals unflavored or Carlson’s Lemon. I want to give them (and myself) a CLO that falls within the Asmilies/cheesy.gif ration.
Carlsons 16 oz cod liver oil
http://www.swansonvitamins.com…Detail?n=0
I was wondering if this product had natural vitamins A and D the price would seem to indicate so but if not the Twin Labs product is much much less expensive:
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/TL261/ItemDetail?n=0
Thanks!
Amy …Re fermented cod liver oil and taste
Fermented cod liver is not going to go off because fermentation is quite specifically a method of preserving food and enriching its nutrients so it is very unlikely that your batch is rancid …you are better off with fermented CLO for this reason as it is much more likely regular non-fermented liquid CLO is going to go off quickly.
I infact know a very sensitive individual who cannot tolerate regular cod liver oil but can tolerate Fermented. We think, due to fact that the regular liquid CLO is going off about a week after opening the bottle whereas the fermented one this doesn’t happen. AND/OR it could also be that the fermented CLO is the only brand containing the natural vit A and D whereas the others have synthetic replacements. She can’t seem to take the capsuled CLO either due to what the capsules are made off…but she is super sensitive though! Most people will be fine with capsule CLO.
If you do decide to take the regular CLO then capsules are better as they are less likely to go rancid compared with the liquid as they are not exposed to the air.
Carlson’s is one of the WAPF recommmended brands and they have capsules, so you are probably fine with those. I use this interspersed with fermented CLO because they are cheaper and I can’t always afford the fermented. But I do notice I have alot more energy when taking fermented cod liver oil.
I think there are alot of traditional foods we have simply become so unfamiliar with in our modern world that the tastes don’t come naturally to us anymore. But it’s worth the effort to make the changes for our own good health. I am quite used to taking the fermented CLO now and it is not a big problem but I did find it pretty foul to begin with.
Another UK supplier of Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil
My company, Funky Raw, based in the UK, now sells the Green Pasture’s Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil as well as X-Factor Gold High Vitamin Butter Oil, both available here http://www.funkyraw.com/shop/i…x&cPath=33
Quantum Cod Liver Oil
For those who can’t afford the ourtrageous price for Blue Ice, google Quantum Cod Liver oil. It’s about $14.95 a bottle, is a high vitamin pure cod liver oil without artificial anything. I’ve been taking it for over 2 years now and my health has improved tremendously!
They removed my comment about it. But it is the only CLO that made my mother’s skin glow and mine also. In fact I think I my mother and I made many younger people jealous.
At the height of its popularity it mysteriously was taken off the market. I have tried all the CLO oil out there and NONE ever matched the ability of the Quantum CLO to deliver a glowing skin, not even the fermented ones which made my mother cough due to the fermentation.
It seems to me my mother’s health deteriorated after that. I am reluctantly taking another brand recommended by WAP.
fish. vs. cod liver oil
I’m new to the idea of ‘lard’ and ‘raw milk’ and ‘cod liver oil’. However I am looking at ways of increasing my intake of all of them.
One questions i have, is: if I increase my intake of FISH, particularly oily fish, will this negate the need of fish oil, or cold liver oil?
I can buy oily fish very inexpensivly, as compared to fish oils which are not available in my country.
Thank you for advice.
Reply to James
We don’t recommend fish oil in general, so don’t worry about finding that. We do recommend cod liver oil if you can find it, unless you want to eat the fish head.
I need to take cod liver oil for therapeutic reasons as I have high inflammation and Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease. How much does one take of the Blue Ice cod liver oil? Do I need to monitor my Vitamin levels over time to make sure I don’t take to much?
Is Blue Ice OK for those with lactose intolerance?
Hello,
Could I ask, for those suffering with lactose intolerance, is Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil recommended? Would anyone know?
Thanks.
PCB’s in cod liver oil
Josh wrote:
“You should really take the now and twinlab cod liver oil down. Those two companies are being sued in California because their cod liver contained pcbs. People should really avoid those brands.”
Can you find any info more current than March 2010?
this article says the benefits outweigh the risks
http://hubpages.com/hub/some-fish-oil-supplements-may-contain-pbc
Counter Argument Against the Suit
California’s Prop 65 is a more conservative standard that is not in place across the whole country. In fact, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) allows for a tolerance of 2 parts per million of PCB in fish which is higher than California’s 90 nano-gram per day limit. Fish in general contains more PCB than fish oil supplements due to the fact that supplements go through a refining process.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition concludes by saying …
“The bottom line is that consumers, whether they live in California or elsewhere, should continue to feel confident in the safety and efficacy of their fish oil supplements. This lawsuit does nothing to change the strong science supporting the many health benefits of fish oil, which range from cardiovascular health to cognitive development of infants and young children, and the very low thresholds of PCBs which apparently trigger a labeling requirement in California cannot be extrapolated to demonstrate any actual risks at those levels. The health benefits for fish oil far outweigh any suggested, and unsupported, risks.”
I can’t find anything more current than March 2010.
You should really take the now and twinlab cod liver oil down. Those two companies are being sued in California because their cod liver contained pcbs. People should really avoid those brands.
Nordic Naturals
As far as I was taught in school, Nordic Naturals is the only company that has it’s processing plant located right next to the docks, gets the fresh livers and processes them without freezing first. They also have a superior level of quality assurance for heavy metal toxicity. It’s the brand I trust.
Hello. I want to but the CLO and BO blend but as many others I have a dose question. My son was diagnosed with a cans=cerous brain tumor in 2001, how much of the blend should he get a day? The article stated if there is an illness a higher dose is needed. His tumor isn’t growing for the past 10 years. He is 14 yrs. old. Any help would be appreciated greatly. He goes outside moderatley and we live in Ohio, so Vit. D overdose is not a concern I wouldn’t think.
A question, and a contribution
What a lot of information to take in and disseminate! I have been contemplating taking FCLO since reading Tim Ferriss’ ‘The Four Hour Body’, and I am very grateful for the information contained in this article. I thought I might share the information I have figured out from the greenpastures website as far as cost of dose goes. All the following is based on an adult dose of half a teaspoon of FCLO per day. It is also based on buying products in bulk (12+ units), to get the cheapest price per unit, and does not take postage costs into account.
FCLO liquid: $0.35 per person per day
FCLO gel: $0.45 per person per day
FCLO capsules: $0.92 per person per day
If one is interested in combining with High Vitamin Butter Oil (as I am), then you can also consider their blend products. In order to still achieve the desired amount of FCLO:
Blend gel: $0.76 per person per day
Blend capsules: $1.46 per person per day
Since they also sell the butter oil, separately, you can mix and match. Assuming you want to maintain the same ratio of FCLO to HVBO:
HVBO liquid: $0.26 per person per day
HVBO capsules: $0.48 per person per day (assuming taking 2.5 capsules per day is too difficult, so instead just taking 2 capsules per day).
Please note that these results are NOT based on the serving sizes from the labels on the greenpastures products. They are based on getting half a teaspoon of FCLO per day, and a quarter teaspoon of HVBO.
So if you want the combination of FCLO and HVBO, your options are:
Cheapest: FCLO liquid and HVBO liquid: $0.61 per person per day
Palatable: FCLO caps and HVBO liquid: $1.18 per person per day
Easiest: blend caps: $1.46 per person per day
Also, I’d like to clear up a misconception from earlier posts regarding the amount of FCLO in the blend capsules. Each FCLO capsule contains 500mg of FCLO, and each blend capsule contains the same amount of FCLO, as the capsule is 750mg total, and 2/3 of this is 500mg (noting that the capsule is made up of 2/3 FCLO and 1/3 HVBO).
Now for my question:
I read an article today from mercola.com, about his recommendation for NOT taking cod liver oil, and specifically mentioning the Weston Price foundation. I’d really like to consolidate these two sources of information, so if there are any updated views on why either party may be wrong, or of a way to reconcile the two opinions, I would be very keen to hear. I know the Weston Price foundation places very high importance on ratios of Vitamin A to Vitamin D, but Dr Mercola seems to think that this ratio may still be vastly wrong. He also doesn’t seem to make the distinction between fat soluble and non-fat soluble vitamin A, which may be what is leading to his conclusions about vitamin A toxicity. Am I misinterpreting this?
The article is at:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/23/important-cod-liver-oil-update.aspx
Feedback would be greatly appreciated, and I hope my above calculations are helpful!
Adrian
Thank so much for including information on where to buy it for those of us who live in Europe. smilies/smiley.gif
Ana, from Spain.
Reply to Adrian
That is an excellent and helpful post. Thank you for your work on that. While we have great respect for Dr. Mercola and agree with him on many things, we do not agree on cod liver oil and you probably won’t find a way to reconcile our differences completely. The other articles in this section addressing that subject cover it about as well as we can.
Are these numbers safe?
I just purchased Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil 1,000mg capsules, which is listed in the “Good” section of your article. The directions on the bottle say to take 1 capsule up to 3 times per day at mealtime. Since your article recommends at least 10,000 IU of Vitamin A and 1,000 IU of Vitamin D, I have decided to take 4 capsules per day. This would amount to 10,000 Vitamin A and 1,600 Vitamin D. Is this safe since the EPA per capsule is 70mg and DHA per capsule is 80mg? I read somewhere in the comments that overdose of EPA should be avoided. How much is too much?
Also, should they be taken with meals as the directions say or should they all be taken together in the morning?
Thanks!
CLO allergy
I’ve tried to take FCLO several times now. The first time, all went well for a few days. I felt good. Then, I started coughing, really badly, bringing up tons of phlegm, every time I took a dose. The last dose I took, I started wheezing, so I stopped. The same thing has happened each subsequent time I’ve tried the FCLO, except that now the coughing happens immediately and the wheezing begins with the second or third dose. I thought that perhaps I could take the Blue Ice FCLO/HVBO mixture in capsules. I don’t cough when I take it, but I do ache all over and I’m very fatigued. I’m assuming that I have some kind of allergy or sensitivity to the FCLO, which disappoints me greatly. Are there other varieties of fish liver oil that might have similar benefits, to which I might not be allergic? Are there any that you would recommend I try?
Thank you very much!
FCLO chewies?
Are there any products available for children in the chewie form? I know it would have added sugar, but I’m looking for something to give my kids (age 5 and 3) that I won’t have to wrestle them to the floor to get them to ingest…
question for adrian…
thanks for your math! I’m so overwhelmed with different dosage recommendations, different product forms, and different costs!
If I were to take the HVBO liquid + FCLO capsules — how much of each would I be taking?
Reply to Jennifer
For kid-friendly products see http://www.greenpasture.org/pu…/index.cfm
Reply for Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
If you were to take the FCLO capsules and HVBO liquid, you’d need to take 5 capsules a day to equate to half a teaspoon of cod liver oil, and quarter of a teaspoon of the HVBO liquid. Again, I’m not 100% sure that this is the optimum ratio to take these products in, but it’s the same ratio as what is contained in their ‘blend’ products.
Adrian
Reply to Priscilla
Whether that amount of EPA and DHA is OK or not can depend on a lot of things so it is hard to say for sure. Based on comparisons with fermented CLO levels, it should be OK for most people. For more detailed information on essential fatty acids you can see http://www.westonaprice.org/kn…t-perilous
butter and fclo
My son is allergic to cow’s dairy. What should I substitute the grass-fed butter for?
Reply to KS
To get x-factor that you would otherwise get in butter you can try skate liver oil which is available from http://www.greenpasture.org
Question for Adrian on dosage
Adrian –
THANK YOU for compiling that!
I do have a question, though: You mention 5 capsules and 1/2 tsp. for a regular FCLO dose. Right above you on this page, though, both Vitamin A and Vitamin D “Dosage” sections suggest a dose of 1 tsp.
Just wondering if you were going by something else, or I was missing something, or ??
Thanks!
Vitamin D drops for infants
I have a 9 month old who is still on the Weston Price homemade formula and therefore takes 1/2 tsp of FCLO daily. I was wondering if I should also be giving him daily vitamin D drops (400IU) as per all doctors’ recommendations for all babies in Canada.
I have recently noticed that his skin is peeling off around his nails and I was wondering if this is maybe a lack of Vitamin D or Vitamin C..I can’t seem to find this information anywhere
thank you
Möller’s Cod Liver Oil
What about Möller’s Cod Liver Oil : http://www.mollersomega3.com ???
Carlson Brand
Re the Carlson softgel options, is it Super Cod Liver Oil or Norwegian Cod Liver Oil? Since Carlson is cheaper it is more affordable for me.
Reply to Rad
Mollers has 833 IU of vitamin A and 400 IU of vitamin D per tsp which is very low vitamin by our standards. You would have to take a lot which would probably cause overdose of omega 3.
Recently BlueBonnet came out with an Icelandic Liquid Cod Liver Oil. Any reviews on this product?
Osteoporosis and Cod liver oil dosage
Hello, i am very confused. I thought taking cod liver oil would be good for my osteoporosis (i am only 30). I have been reading tonight however that it could hurt. could you please tell me, as i can not have anything hurting my bones any further, if taking Carlsons (not the gels, but the liquid) is an ok ratio of A to D that would be safe for my bone healing and growth, which seems to be delayed.
Also, how much of the carlsons liquid should i take? I am very very afriad to take it and hurt my bones from the vitamin A
Is there another brand that would be better for bone growth? ihave been looking at getting some of the activator x high vitamin butter oil.
Swanson Double-Strength softgel capsules
These would qualify as under the Good category
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SW336/ItemDetail?n=0
Reply to Heather
Carlson liquid CLO is too low in Vitamin A so we do not recommend it. We recommend at least 2,500 IU’s of Vitamin A per teaspoon.
The right proportions are 10 or fewer units vitamin A to one unit vitamin D, and with at least 2,500 IU’s of vitamin A and 250 IU’s of vitamin D per teaspoon.
Look on this page above for the Best brands which are the high-vitamin fermented cod liver oils. Carlson soft gel Cod Liver Oil Super 1,000 mg capsules are listed above under Good because they are not fermented.
I just read above that you said Carlsons was too high in Vit A and now youre saying its too low.. I actually screen shotted it because I didnt understand. I really enjoy this site and frequent it often but it appears to be some very misleading things on here in regard to certain types of vitamins etc. We started taking Carlsons last year based off a recommendation from this site and from other friends who take the same, NOW everyone is saying Carlsons CLO is the worst? I dont understand. Make it make sense to me. Am I going to get sick from taking it now or underdose or overdose? Is there not a way to get accurately updated information on this site without sorting through all the extra stuff? I am really confused and just dont understand. Trying to make sense of it all so I know what to do and what not to do. Thank you!
Bluebonnet cod liver oil
We do not recommend the Bluebonnet cod liver oil. The liquid is too low in Vitamin D compared to the Vitamin A content. The right proportions are 10 or fewer units vitamin A to one unit vitamin D, and with at least 2,500 IU’s of vitamin A and 250 IU’s of vitamin D per teaspoon. The softgels are too low in both A and D.
Carlson Brand
>>>Re the Carlson softgel options, is it Super Cod Liver Oil or Norwegian Cod Liver Oil?
it is the Super Cod Liver Oil that we recommend.
Carlson Super 1,000 mg capsules
I wrote that Carlson soft gel Cod Liver Oil Super 1,000 mg capsules are listed above under Good because they are not fermented. The main reason that they are listed under Good is because they do not qualify as what we consider high-vitamin cod liver oil. You need to take 4 capsules to get the vitamin A & D we recommend and you could be getting too many polyunsaturated oils.
Dairy Allergy
I think my newborn may have a dairy allergy. Is it ok to take butter oil while breast feeding? Thanks.
High D
What about Carlson’s high vit D fermented cod liver oil? It has more D than the regular. Isn’t that one as good as the brands listed on your Best U.S. list?
Reply to Nicole
It should be OK to take butter oil while breastfeeding.
Recommended dosage of butter oil
Hi, Would you be able to recommend the dosage for butter oil if taken with fermented cod liver oil? I have a 7 month old baby. Thanks!
Reply to Stef
We don’t know of any scientific studies that have established an exact formula and don’t have any reason to believe you have to be exact. You can take anywhere from half as much butter oil as FCLO to the same amount of butter oil as FCLO. If you take more, I seriously doubt you will explode – but you might go broke.
Our Mothers and Grandmothers swore by the good old fashioned cod liver oil. With the “new” fermented brands, is the WAPF now saying there were no health benefits to our ancestors who swore by the use of cod liver oil? I don’t know a more delicate way to ask this next question, and no offense is intended, but what relationship/interest does WAPF and it’s leadership have to the makers of the fermented brands? You must recognize that consumers are bombarded daily with health claims by professionals whose interest lie solely in pushing their own brands and products, leaving consumers wary of anyone who attach health benefits to a brand, The information given on this website is so vast and complicated at times that I am left frustrated in trying to determine what is really the best for myself and my family.
Reply to Judy from Sally
First, WAPF has no commercial interest in the fermented cod liver oil. Rather, we are so grateful that Green Pasture has returned to the old way of making it. We will support any company that makes cod liver oil or fish liver oil in the old fashioned way. The cod liver oil that our mothers and grandmothers got was made in the old fashioned way. Today most cod liver oil is so highly processed that most of the vitamins are taken out.
butter oil vs. skate oil
I have the same problem with my child having a dairy allergy. You said
To get x-factor that you would otherwise get in butter you can try skate liver oil which is available from http://www.greenpasture.org
Do I give the skate oil instead of the CLO and the butter oil or instead of just the butter oil?
Reply to Sabrina
Take skate liver oil instead of butter oil.
Seven Seas
Would you comment on Seven Seas cod liver oil as where I am I cannot access the others listed on your site. Thanks
Reply to Perah
Seven Seas cod liver oil (just plain liquid, not high strength) appears to have synthetic vitamin A & D which would not be good. The higher strength versions have more omega 3 which could be too much for many people.
Reply to daphneb10
How old is that bottle? I don’t have a bottle in front of me (or a frontal lobotomy) but the Garden of Life website says 200IU per serving. They used to be 400IU or more but changed it several years ago. One thing to keep in mind is that manufacturers are constantly changing their products so this info is accurate at the time it is written. It is possible they recently changed it again and haven’t updated their website. Vitamin A to D ratio is our only issue with Garden of Life CLO.
I am sorry, the dose is for 1/2 tsp not 1tsp
I have noticed that CLO in capsules and liquid form have a different ratio of Vitamins A, D to Omega 3.
For example
Sonne’s CLO (1/2 tsp) NOW Foods (1 cap)
EPA 220 mg 45 mg
DHA 220 mg 60 mg
Vitamin A2000 IU 2500 IU
Vitamin D200 IU 270 IU
So, is it better to take capsules in order to not overdose Omega-3?
Reply to Natalia
Anything less than about 4000IU per tsp of vitamin A is not what we consider high vitamin CLO. You would have to take a lot of that to get the dose we recommend and it is possible to get too much oil.
How about Kirkman Labs, Cod Liver Oil Liquid, Unflavored.
http://www.iherb.com/Kirkman-L…9237?at=0
1tsp
Vitamin A 2500 IU
Vitamin D 250 IU
Vitamin E 1 IU
EPA 250 mg
DHA 250 mg
FCLO – Country of Origin and manufacture issue
Blue Ice used to be made in Scandanavia (Denmark/Norway) but in recent years (about the the last two??), Green Pastures has been producing the traditional food, FCLO, in Nebraska.
Given the ‘traditional food’ nature of the fermentation, how can we be certain that the technique used by GP successfully produces the same quality as before? Temperature, technique and many nuances and subtleties in production technique will vary.
Now please dont get me wrong as I have used FCLO for many many years and do value it highly. However I believe my questions are valid given the traditional nature of the food.
I note that the WPA articles on the website predate the change in country of manufacture and were written when the product was made in Europe and imported by GP to USA.
Just how can I have confidence that the quality of the product remains unchanged from that of its European manufacture?
I have tried to contact BP about this but cannot get a straight answer – even one as basic as from what country is the cod liver sourced? My answer was artic!
No, that is not quite right. You said “FCLO has only been produced (in the last century at least) by GP in Nebraska.” however, GP imported European produced FCLO sold as Blue Ice FCLO up until about 2 years ago when they (GP) started manufacturing it in Nebraska. Dave Wenzel talks about the decision to manufacture himself here http://cdn.radiantlifecatalog….ticles.pdf
I have been a long term user of Blue Ice FCLO but stopped for reasons of constant travel about 2 + years ago. When I went to repurchase, it was at the time of re-location of manufacture from Scandinavia to Nebraska.
All the articles on FCLO on WPA (here: http://www.westonaprice.org/cod-liver-oil) predate the transfer of manufacture of FCLO from Europe to Nebraska. Note Item 3 on that list ‘Cold Liver Oil Manufacturing by Dave Wenzel’ (of GP) is dated 2006. At this time the FCLO was manufactured in Europe.
Please do not misinterpret my query. I have been a long term user of FCLO (2years +) and am very very keen to purchase again as I support the product but seek some assurance that the quality of the product remains comparable to that manufactured in Europe – especially given the ‘traditional’ nature of the product and what I assume to be nuances associated with its manufacture as it is a traditional food and the environment in Nebraska is very different to that of Europe/Scandanavia – where it was produced until recently.
I just wonder whether the product has been reviewed since the transfer of manufacture to US as most articles pre-date this.
Again, please do not get me wrong as the purpose of my query is to gain some assurance which would enable me to re-purchase the product with my previous confidence. Thats all!
DHA/EPA ratio
Dr. Russell Blaylock says it’s important that cod liver oil has a higher DHA to EPA ratio. Green Pasture (Blue Ice) does not. Do you agree with Dr. Blaylock and is there a clo brand that does have higher DHA?
Reply to Monica
I’m sure there are some differences between the fermented CLO by Green Pasture and what was made more than 100 years ago. It’s not scientifically possible to compare the 2 since we don’t have any from that long ago. Whether it is better now or not, it is our opinion that fermented cod liver oil is the best available now. The article at http://www.westonaprice.org/co…anufacture was written after GP started producing FCLO and FCLO has only been produced (in the last century at least) by GP in Nebraska. They used to sell other CLO from Europe but it was not fermented.
Reply to Monica again
The article I referred to in my previous post was the update on CLO manufacturing which is dated 2009 and is the same article you refer to in your link. If you read that carefully you never see any reference to fermented CLO from Europe. He refers to natural CLO under the Blue Ice label from Europe but natural is not the same as fermented and not all Blue Ice was fermented (although it is now). I personally visited Green Pasture in NE in summer 2008 and saw the fermented CLO production which had been going on for a while at that point so I know he didn’t just start producing it here in 2009. I looked in the vat and saw (and smelled) the fermenting livers. Soooo, I’m going to stand by what I said in my previous post. Nobody has done more meticulous testing of their product than Dave Wetzel. Most of those results are posted on his website and you can check it out for yourself.
I know that the product I purchased before it was produced in Nebraska was FCLO – that is why I purchased it over other brands despite high freight costs to purchase from overseas.
Additionally I found articles from several sources (including Nourished Magazine and Kelly the Kitchen Cop – who interviewed Dave Wenzel in 2008 and has an illustration of the old label (the one I previously purchased which clearly states FCLO http://webcache.googleusercont…clnk&gl=au) who refer to “blue Ice FCLO” in 2008 – long before production in Nebraska began.
I am not trying to be difficult on this issue. I merely want to be assured that the quality remains the same as the previously imported product as it is a traditional food relying on particular methods of production.
Garden of Life CLO vit A and D ratio changed again
At my local health food store I noticed Garden of Life CLO has had their vitamin A and D ratios and amounts change since I last read posts about this certain product here. On the Garden of Life CLO bottle it says it has 3532 IU of vitamin A and 353 IU of vitamin D per serving. Compared to an older bottle I found in the same location with 5000 IU of vitamin A and 200 IU of vitamin D per serving. Should I trust what it says on the label, that their vitamin ratios have changed again?
Hello,
I am interested in purchasing the Blue Ice Royal Butter Oil / Fermented Cod Liver Oil from Green Pasture. I am a vegetarian. Can you tell me if there are any known risks or dangers to taking this when not consuming any forms of meat? IE. mercury poisoning risk when single source of tuna is used(as vegetarian).
I and another family member recently took Twinlab’s cod liver oil and we both got very sick with hypothyroid symptoms (enlarged thyroid gland and very slow heartrate and high TSH results). Is this due to PCB toxicity or to the use of synthetic vitamins or even to a poor ratio of A to D vitamins?
Reply to kmkb
There is no risk from mercury. If you don’t get much fat in your diet and your gall bladder isn’t working, that may give you some problems. Seafood allergies would be a risk for some people but apparently not for you.
To Michelle with hypothyroid
I too had the same experience. Last year I started using the Blue ice brand of cod liver oil, and after two months or so I noticed my throat got swollen. The blood work showed my TSH basal was over 100.000. I cannot believe this happened to me because I am generally a very healthy person. I wonder it had anyting to do with the cod liver oil.
Invaluable supplement healed me!
I was so impressed with results of taking fermented cod liver oil with butter daily, that after two years on the supplement, I joined this organization and have followed their research and writings. South Asian vegetarian raised, my skin was very very sensitive and my gums were rapidly receding at 40. Also, I had cramps that seemed to be getting worse monthly. My skin is now no longer deemed “sensitive” by my aesthetician and has cleared up – it requires minimal maintenance now. My gum recession halted and my gums grew “spongy” as well, and I actually enjoyed regular cleanings. Both service providers demanded to know what I had done, but didnt seem to believe it was due to the supplements. My cramps are now fixed far more quickly with a primrose supplement. Thank you so much for your recovery of these ancient foodways and sacred foods for women. My skin is my best advertisement for the supplement.
Possible Hashimoto’s?
I think if the previous posters are experiencing thyroid symptoms from taking clo they should get test for anti thyroid/anti tpo antibodies (see Stop the Thyroid Madness website for all recommended tests) and read Dr. Brownstein’s Iodine: Why We Need It book. It’s possible that extra iodine is stimulating your thyroid to produce more hormone as evidenced by a high TSH. More thyroid hormone is usually a very good thing – unless your body has decided it is allergic to it. Gluten intolerance is first step as the gluten protein is identical to the thyroid protein – and an allergic reaction to one means attacking the other.
For infants
Hi, what can you tell me about the brand “childlife codliver oil?” I’ve been giving 1/2 tsp daily to me son since he was 6 months old. He is now 10 months and very healthy. Just wondering about the brand?
We’ve been using this recently too. I’d like to hear from Weston Price Org. a review and comparison with what nutrients are in it etc.
Dairy Allergy
Is the FCLO worth getting without the butter oil? I have a strong dairy allergy (not lactose intolerance) and I don’t know how I would respond to the butter oil. Does anyone have experience with this, or know what a suitable alternative would be?
Total Daily Vit A and D too much?
I currently eat 6 large egg yolks per day plus .6 oz beef liver, .4 oz beef kidney and .4 oz beef heart,3 Tbsp of Ghee, and 1 cup heavy cream. According to fitday this comes out to about 11500 IU Vit A and 232 IU Vit D by itself. Is it then safe, or indeed necessary, to add FCLO and HVBO? I’ve been taking two of the blend capsules but wonder if its too much or unnecessary. Thanks.
Question noone has asked
Do the descriptions of “all other” CLO brands apply to Linda Forrestal’s Icelandic brands, Ufsalysi and Porskalysi?
Better to mix your own butter oil/clo
I tried the Blue Ice butter oil/fclo blend but did not like the pasty texture. It only comes as a “Gel” with the addition of silica, which I suppose is necessery to make the 2 oils mix together better.
I’d recommend buying the fclo and butter oil separately; then you don’t have to worry about the silica additive. Renewed Health Supply is the only place I’ve found that gives free shipping even if you get only one bottle.
Ufsalysi
I should clarify my question. Can anyone tell me about Ufsalysi processing?
Is it refined? Natural? Fermented?
I noticed you listed the non emulsified cod liver oil by Twinlabs. How much should be given to child and adult? Shouldn’t we reach 600mg of DHA? But I don’t want to cause toxicity in my children. I am a bit confused about this. And am I understanding correctly the article, if we take CLO without butter oil it isn’t effective? Thanks for clearing this up. Just how much DHA and EPA does the FCLO have?
holland & barrett
I’m currently taking Holland & Barrett’s CLO capsules but am worried because it contains Vitamin A as Retinyl Palmitate. They recommend only taking one capsule daily, which is only 2664 IU of Vitamin A. Is it safe to take 3-4 capsules daily???
Hello, I have been researching FCLO and Green Pasture’s brand. I cannot find very much of their testing for toxins on their site and I don’t know how they keep the Cod fresh from the Arctic to Nebraska. Is Nitrogen used and how is the fish handled from boat onwards? I know Nordic Naturals uses Nitrogen.
Second, I see under GP “PUrity Statement” that the Peroxide Value noted is 10. I read that the Council for Responsible Nutrition’s Voluntary Standards for Omega 3′s list the Peroxide Value as a MAX of 5 mEq/kg. 10 is double this. I am wondering also what the Anisidine values are and the TOTOX values.
Also, I know the fish is fermented, but I thought that some level of molecular distillation is needed in order to remove toxins and contaminants. Is this true? I know it is necessary to meet California’s Prop. 65. I see GP have N/A here and I am assuming you don’t meet it b/c you are not marketed as a supplement.So how are toxins removed?
Would love some help! Thanks!
nordic naturals arctic D
It has been stated several times that wpah do not recommend nordic naturals due to insufficient vitamins a and d, but how about Nordic Naturals, Arctic-D Cod Liver Oil? This has higher levels of both A and D.
Also, Nordic Naturals explicitly state that they do not add any synthetic Vitamin A to their products. Is this also true of all the brands that you recommend?
Reply to Julie – April 2012
Julie, I don’t think your kids had a reaction to gluten, but to OXALATE. Chocolate (and wheat and other grains) is very high in oxalate and can cause reactions “to gluten”. That’s what happened to my girl. The best place to read the science of oxalate chemistry is Susan Owens discussion group on yahoo! http://health.groups.yahoo.com…_Oxalates/
If they have a leaky gut, they are absorbing excess oxalate and affecting their biochemistry. The good news is that the low oxalate diet is gluten free and equal to none in gut repair. It is not a “forever” diet, people graduate! smilies/smiley.gif Good luck in your health journey.
Patricia.
Liver and autoimmune disease and cod liver oil
I have Cree heritage and have hereditary severe fatty liver and autoimmune problems, probably pbc or overlap. As a very young child my skin was extremely rough and dry. Doctors could not seem to find a solution. As a teenager I began to supplement with vitamin A in the form of fish liver oil and noticed a complete cure of my extremely dry skin within a week of taking it, per the label instructions. With the onset of my acute liver disease as a young adult, I was told to discontinue taking any fat soluable vitamin. I know now that I do not metabolize fats properly and am essentially malnutritioned without proper supplementation. A lot of damage has been done to my body. Cod liver oil is the safest supplementation product for me because it contains a low dose that can be titrated based on the number of capsules I take. I also have vitiligo and it has improved and reduced the vitiligo by conditioning the skin (the more damage, the more vitiligo). Because of my metabolic problems I cannot get any vitamin A benefit from beta carotine, but need supplementation from oils. I noticed that better vitamins contain vitamin A in both forms, perhaps the substitution of beta carotine for fish liver oil in childrens vitamins might be responsible for rises in ADD and ADHD and other health problems as some children may not metabolize these nutrients as well as others.
How long is FCLO good for?
How long will the cod liver/butter oil keep in the refrigerator?
Green Pastures Butter oil, fermented cod liver oil chocolate creme gel gluten free?
I just gave my gluten intolerent children the butter oil/cod liver oil chocolate gel and they had a very bad gluten reaction to it. I contacted the company and rec. an e-mail within one hour stating there was not gluten in the product. I am not sure the company understands all the places where gluten hides. Has anyone else had this experience with the product?
“He (Dr.Price) found that cod liver oil on its own was relatively ineffective but combined with high vitamin butter oil produced excellent results.”
Fallon/Enig
Raises so many questions.
Was C.L.O.ineffective by itself?
That would suggest that it needed butter (oil) to work, and that the history of its benefits, aside from using with butter, was non-existent.
That’s absurd, considering almost all cultures who used C.L.O., did so without butter, and derived benefits, including from rickets and such.
What is meant by ‘relatively’ ineffective?
Relative to the effects only derived from Vitamin K (X factor) support?
-Like minerals and Vit A+D utilization and such.
What type-quality of C.L.O. was Dr. Price using at the time?
Processed or fermented?
Perhaps, if it was processed, it needed butter lipids to help assimilate.
But if fermented or otherwise minimally processed, so as not disturb key lipid and enzyme factors, then butter (oil) should not be needed with C.L.O.
No??
Look forward to relevant reply’s. Hope questions I posed, can be answered.
Thank You WAPF, for so much.
Mac
Reply to Mac Low
I believe Price was looking specifically at the effects of cod liver oil on tooth decay when he said CLO by itself was relatively ineffective. He wasn’t referring to rickets or anything else. Also, as far as I know, fermented CLO was not available during that time period so it would have been processed to some extent. I don’t know of any formal research on fermented CLO by itself on cavities.
Certified Nutritional Consultant
Carlson’s Super 1000mg soft gels are 2,000IU vitamin A to 400IU vitamin D – a ratio of 5:1 My understanding is that this is a good ratio. The vitamins themselves are natural source. They do make a low vitamin A version so perhaps there is confusion. I have found this brand to be inexpensive and reliable – vitamin D blood levels do respond to this formula. Please reconsider your recommendation regarding Carlson’s brand cod liver oil.
Hi,
I called Carlson´s company and they told me that not all the Vitamin A in the Super Gem 1.000mg is natural, because they loose some in the process, actually the amount of synthetic and natural is very difficult to determinate from capsule to capsule, but they said that maybe the half is of each one. I take 4 of capsules daily since 1 month ago and 5.000IU of Vitamin D since one year and I don´t notice any adverse effect at all. I hope It helps!
Thanks Patricia
My kids reaction to the butter oil product may be an oxolate reaction and leaky gut problem. I never heard of oxolates before, but it makes sense to me now, esp. since the kids have been using an electronic parasite zapper (Dr. Hulda Clark). They have been releasing huge amounts of parasites from thier bodies, which would explain the leaky gut connection. I will keep zapping them and try to use the oil in another month, when the parasite problem is under control and the gut (hopefully) has healed.
Seven Seas cod liver oil
Hi guys, I contacted seven seas directly and had quite a good response, I think over all it is a good brand to use.
Below is the response email I got to the question “do you use synthetic vitimin A & D”
=======
Hello Jon
Thank you for your enquiry regarding Seven Seas Supplements.
Cod liver oil is a natural product and will vary in its content of vitamins A and D as well as the omega-3 polyunsaturates EPA and DHA. The oil is extracted from the livers of cod by gentle heating. However, the resultant ‘raw’ oil is not suitable for human consumption and must, therefore, undergo some processing. We have marketed refined cod liver oil for over 70 years and use refining processes, developed over this period, that are as gentle as possible while sufficiently effective in order to produce a golden, bland-tasting, quality supplement.
Levels of vitamins A and D decline throughout all the processing steps starting from the point of extraction. As these levels are usually laid down in the product specification, A and D must on occasions be added to meet these specifications. We add retinyl palmitate (Vitamin A) and Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol. Although synthesised, the chemical forms of these compounds are those that occur in natural foods. These vitamins are not ‘artificial’ and are not toxic. They have been used by the food, food supplement and pharmaceutical industries for very many years and are approved for use by all relevant national and international authorities. Many foods in their ‘raw’ state are not suitable for human consumption and must, therefore, be processed. This may result in nutrient losses and the levels are often restored.
We have a large ongoing New Product Development programme and we follow scientific and regulatory developments closely. If there is scientific consensus that a compound or ingredient is of concern or if there is a regulatory requirement, we will investigate the use of suitable alternatives in order to improve the quality and health-promoting properties of our products.
Re: Seven Seas
Hi John,
From the response that you’ve got from Seven Seas, they’re confirming that their supplement is mostly a synthetic product, with nothing much natural of any real value. You’d be better off buying one of those fish oils recommended above, as the oil is fermented, a process that retains the vitamins you want without the need to add anything synthetic to it. They are fermented the way nature intended.
Neil
Nordic Naturals
What do you think of Nordic Naturals ProDHA and DHA junior? What I like about this company is that they test for mercury and other toxins in the fish they use.
Reply to Erica
We recommend cod liver oil for the vitamin A & D. Some omega 3 is OK but it is easy to get too much so we don’t recommend omega 3 supplements. All fish oil companies test for mercury and other toxins. If they don’t meet standards, by regulation their product does not get into the US.
cod liver questions
@tjboyd: Thanks for your reply: (1) Can you say more about getting too much Omega-3 or point me to an article about this — I had thought you couldn’t get too much of this. (2) Also, if I eat beef/chicken liver once a week, should I be concerned about ALSO taking cod liver oil daily (too much Vitamin A)? Should I skip the cod liver on the days I eat beef/chicken liver? (3) And is it just as effective to get Vit A in a once weekly mega-dose (by eating liver) vs. getting a more moderate dose on a daily basis? (4) Same question for Vitamin B-12: does eating kidney once a week suffice or should I also supplement daily? Lots of questions…thanks for taking the time to respond!
Reply to Erica
Here is a link to Chris Masterjohn’s article – http://www.westonaprice.org/kn…t-perilous
We can’t say for each individual what is the optimum amount of each vitamin. We’re a little more concerned that the balance between vitamins, especially A & D is good. I don’t think you necessarily need consistent daily doses as long as you get some quality sources on a regular basis.
Liquid or pill form & cod liver oil versus fish oil
Hi all,
I’m very impressed with the many nutritional benefits of cod liver oil! My mom just recently told me that her dad used to make her & her siblings drink it every day (in India)! It’s amazing how much we can learn from “less civilized” countries! She said it tasted horrible so she is in favor of pill form. I was intending to buy the liquid form, but are there
disadvantages or advantages with taking the pill form? Also, is there any issue with taking the flavored liquid formulas? I’m currently nursing my 11-month-old baby & taking prenatal vitamins (New Chapter Organic Perfect Prenatal) & fish oil pills (Nordic Natural Omega D-3). Is it okay to take cod liver oil or should I wait to take the cod liver oil until after I’m finished nursing? Thanks for any tips!
I am in need of some brand recommendations for cod liver oil in South Africa.
Will appreciate your feedback.
Thanks
Nursing women – dosage Blue Ice Fermented capsules
Hi, I’m a nursing mother and am trying to take the right dose of blue ice CLO – you recommend 10-20 capsules, is this really ok? I am a little worried as since I began taking 10 a day, I have had headaches a few hours later. I also have dry skin, though this could be a postpartum symptom. I really want to get enough but don’t want to risk anything.
Compared to the Blue Ice CLO, The Blue Ice Skate Liver Oil has a higher percentage of DHA than EPA according to Mr. Wetzel of Green Pastures.
NutraPro Grass Fed High Vitamin Butter Oil
I found another Butter Oil from NutraPro that is more affordable than Green Pasture’s Butter Oil, and seems to be comparable in quality according to their website:
http://nutraprointl.com/2010/01/27/grass-fed-butter-oil-2/
However, I’m new to this stuff and can’t affectively compare the two. Is anyone currently using it, or can anyone confirm that this is a quality Butter Oil alternative? Seeing that there are not many Butter Oil options, it would be helpful if WAPF could add this to their recommendation list if indeed meets their standards. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!
Natures Answer CLO – Any good??
Is this stuff any good? can’t afford the Green Pastures, its too expensive, how can people afford it??
Natures Answer CLO – Any good??
I have looked up the amounts of A and D in this CLO and it does fit our description for Good so I will add it to this webpage. Thanks for bringing this brand to our attention.
I am wondering why you don’t list “Garden of Life” as a resource for CLO. I was under the impression that they’re one of the best. My little girl and I take their basic “Old World Icelandic” CLO, and have been for years. If I’m mislead, could you please tell me why? Thank you!
Reply to Emily
Garden of Life has gone back and forth on the amount of vitamin D in their oil. Currently (as far as I know) it has enough vitamin D so that it is good. Previously, it did not. We are a little hesitant to keep updating our website every time they change.
Please tell me if I use a tsp or half a tsp of garden of life for the baby raw milk formula?
liquid cod liver oil – too much air exposure?
Just wondering if liquid CLO is advisable, since it will be exposed to quite a lot of air each time the bottle is opened. Would this cause a significant amount of oxidation or not? I would prefer to take liquid as buying the required amount of capsules will be expensive, but I am worried about this issue.
Vital Choice?
Do any of Vital Choice fish oils meet your guidelines?
Eating Cod Fish vs Taking Cod Liver Oil
Dear tjboyd,
Thank you for maintaining this wonderful article. I am wondering why not just eat lots of cod fish, would that be just as good as taking cod liver oil?
Reply to Lisa
No, we don’t recommend any fish oils, just cod liver oil. There is a difference.
6 mo old with vitamin deficiency
Hi,
I have a 6 mo old baby that has been diagnosed with vitamin d deficiency. She was tested for something else and the vitamin D findings were totally by chance. She is doing ok for her age milestones wise. She is standing on all all fours and stands up if supported. Her vitamin D (25 Hydroxy) was 9.4 ng/mL and 23.50 nmol/L. Is it enough if I give her high vitamin cod liver oil and take her out in the sun to get her vitamin d levels back to normal? And what should the dosage be. Please advise. Thanks a ton! I am currently in India. There is plenty of sunshine here.
Swanson double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
I am suspicious of the Swanson double strength Cod Liver Oil.
I suspect it contains added synthetic Vitamin A content for a couple reasons.
It is the cheapest per dose of any source found.
It has 6 times more vitamin A than the more expensive Swanson EFAs Pristine Norwegian Cod Liver Oil (SWE04smilies/cool.gif which claims to be minimally processed cold pressed.
I would like to believe but it doesn’t make sense. I see it is listed in the Weston list as GOOD.
Anyone?
Paul
cod liver oil
my son is three and half years of age.Can i give him seven seas cod liver oil.Please also kindly recommend me the dosage for it.
thanks
ratika
To Paulo – Just above the recommendation list it says:
“sources of processed cod liver oil with synthetic vitamins in the right proportions are in the GOOD category. We do not recommend brands of cod liver oil that have only low levels of vitamins A and D.”
So I wouldn’t be surprised if it does have synthetic vitamins in it.
On his website, Chris Masterjohn said (in 200smilies/cool.gif, “My current opinion is that we should be cautious, using small amounts of high-vitamin cod liver oil to provide both fat-soluble vitamins and very modest amounts of omega-3 fatty acids”. He also mentions on his site that a normal dose is 1/2 teaspoon for adults. So, why does WAPF recommend twice that amount for adults? I’m confused since he seems to be cautioning us to go easy on FCLO. I’m worried that I’m taking too much FCLO by taking a full teaspoon every day for the rest of my life! Thanks in advance.
Reply to Ratika
As far as I can tell Seven Seas CLO has no vitamin A so we can’t recommend it. If none of our recommendations above work for you we don’t really have anything else to recommend.
Price of CLO
I just don’t see how I can possibly afford the best category. Garden of Life is so much cheaper that I wonder about the quality. This is overwhelming and makes me not want to buy any at all. Surely, I’m not the only one who feels this way!
Thank you!
I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate this list. So many websites endorse only one specific (unaffordable)brand. It can be very off-putting for those of us who don’t have the means. This is very helpful for someone who is trying, but can’t always afford “the best”.
I’d like to know which one is the manufacturer who adds the natural vitamins removed during processing back into the cod liver oil, as the BEST brands are unfortunately not an option for me. Thank you.
How much of fclo/Bo blend to take?
I see your recommendations for how much FCLO to take when pregnant, but it doesn’t state how much to take if its blended with high vitamin butter oil.
I have been taking 5g of green pasture gel. Is this still enough now that I am pregnant?
Melrose Cod Liver Oil
Why has the Melrose cod Liver Oil been taken off the Good List In Australia ?
I can not eat fish due to severe allergies. I’ve been searching for an equivalent to FCLO. I too want to remineralize my teeth and enjoy these health benifits. Surely there is a grouping of suppliments that I can take to remineralize my teeth and boost my system too. Please do share!
response to nordic naturals question
Read this: http://www.westonaprice.org/co…lo-update2
It says they do not recommend Nordic Naturals and also explains why.
cod liver oil
Do you recommend Premier’s Quantum High Vitamin Cod Liver Oil ? It is a little less expensive than Green Pastures. We have a large family and I am hoping to find good quality cod liver oil that wont break my budget.
Cod Liver Oil – new product from Standard Process
Cod Liver Oil is the newest supplement from Standard Process. Have you had a chance to check it out and if so, do you recommend it?
Reply to Elma
We have taken a look at the ingredient details and the amount of vitamin A per recommended dose is fairly low so you would have to take a lot and then run the risk of getting too much omega 3.
Fermented cod liver oil helped me with my teeth/gum pain.
I’m a fan of fermented cod liver oil. I originally bought this for my kids. They don’t always eat healthy foods. They still eat junk foods and candy. It’s so hard to avoid. Many events serve this kind of foods, birthday, halloween, valentine, christmas, and so on. When we go out of town or to the park, the choice of foods are limited as well, mostly pizza , burger or hotdog.
I’m afraid they will get sick if I don’t give them healthy food at home. I give them cod liver oil at home. I usually add it on their soup. Thanks God. They’re healthy overall, despite of many junk foods they ate. Last time I had sensitivity in my gum and teeth. It happen twice already for the last couple months. I took 1 teaspoon of cod liver oil 3 times a day for 3 days, and the pain is gone. It’s an amazing product. By the way, at home I try to eat healthier and more nutritious foods. Once or twice a week, I make green smoothies, made with raw organic seeds, organic berries, and organic greens. My kids love this smoothies too.
peace, hope, and love peeps
hello all you peepssmilies/smiley.gifsmilies/grin.gif uh, what about Nature’s Place vitamins.
thx and peace,
bob
Is anyone aware that on the label of ingredients on the nature’s answer cod liver oil it states that it contains soy? 🙁
Canned cod liver
Instead of cod-liver oil, I buy a can of cod liver. I slice it and make salads with it. It’s great!
I assume if babies and children can have cod-liver oil, then they can also have canned cod liver. Is my assumption correct?
Thanks.
A WAPF believer
Hi,
I am a believer of WAPF principles. In reading this article, I wonder if any of these brands (Green pasture, Carlson’s, etc.) ever donated to WAPF? Just curious.
CLO + Vit A
Would CLO + Vitamin A capsules have the same effect as taking a larger dose of High-Vitamin CLO?
Cod Liver Oils – Recommended
I currently use Sonne’s #5 and have had good success. It tastes rather fishy, obviously, but does not contain any fillers and is minimally processed. Another good choice is a fermented cod liver oil, because it is essentially pre-digested.
Butter substitute
I have a son who has a dairy allergy — not just lactose. Is there anything you recommend taking in place of the butter oil?
According to this article, cod liver oil from Carlson, Nature’s Answer, NOW, Sonne’s, Swanson, and Twin Labs all contain synthetic vitamin A and D. Is this really true?
“…sources of processed cod liver oil with synthetic vitamins in the right proportions are in the GOOD category.”
GOOD (and available in Stores):
Carlson soft gel Cod Liver Oil Super 1,000 mg capsules
Nature’s Answer liquid cod liver oil
NOW double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
Sonne’s Cod Liver Oil
Swanson double strength Cod Liver Oil capsules
Twin Labs non-emulsified liquid Cod Liver Oil
Garden of Life
Garden of Life has a new line called Oceans. The Ocean’s Mom says it has 350mg of DHA and 15mg of EPA. No mention of vitamin A and D. This is a prenatal and breastfeeding version. They say that they have a very high standard. I was able to talk to one of the Vice Presidents of the Company and he assured me that their whole line is continuously tested by outside firms for quality and purity. They only use the highest quality of product is what they say their standard is. It is much cheaper than the Fermented oil but about the same price as the Good quality products on the list. Any info would be helpful.
Reply to Heather
Garden of Life Oceans 3 cod liver oil and other Oceans 3 products are mostly omega 3 supplements which you can easily overdose on so we recommend being careful with that. The cod liver oil also uses vitamin E from soy and has barely any vitamin D. We would not recommend it.
Artificial Vitamins and Soy
From my investigation in emailing two companies that are recommended as carrying a “good” brand of CLO:
Garden of Life Olde World Icelandic CLO contains soy listed in ingredients as the alpha tocopherol. I bought it from Vitacost which says it does not contain soy on the web site but on the bottle it reads “may contain soy”. I wrote GOL and asked what kind of soy and they said it was distilled and it was in minute amounts to keep the oil from going rancid.
Swanson double strength CLO tablets contain artificial vitamins. The company that makes “ecoMarine” for Swanson wrote me and explained that the Swanson double strength CLO contains both natural and artificial vitamins. I think they were a bit nervous about revealing that since I got another email from someone completely different stating that I should talk to Swanson about it.
Sonnes Cod Liver Oil
I contacted the manufacturer of Sonnes Cod Liver Oil No. 5 with questions about their cod liver oil. They told me without hesitation that they add artificial vitamins to their CLO.
I, too, contacted Sonne’s a few months ago (circa March 2015) and pressed their telephone representative about what is added. Was told that they only add Vitamin D — NOT vitamin A.
Juat some more info to add from a contact I made with Sonne’s last week for those interested…
“Our Cod liver oil is by Molecular Distillation a process primarily used to concentrate omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in fish oil, and remove contaminants. It is refined at a very low temperature. Our product is filled to the top so there is not enough area for oxygen to get in to make it rancid.
There is some natural A & D3 – however, we have had to add some, in order to keep up with the daily allowance.
The A is Retinol and the D3 is Lanolin.”
Melrose Cod Liver Oil
Is Melrose cod Liver Oil ok to consume ?
I am taking one tablespoon of Melrose cod liver oil per day. Have found many bruises all over and my eye is bleeding. Have I over dosed on Vit A from the cod liver oil?
Thanks Julie
Hi,
Please mention the best brands of cod liver oil in India…
Cod Liver Oil
I’ve noticed on your page, you have for “Pregnant and nursing women: A dose of cod liver oil that provides about 20,000 IU vitamin A daily, obtained from 4 teaspoons regular cod liver oil or 2 teaspoons high-vitamin cod liver oil.”
What is the conversion equation from IU to mg as I’m looking at Carlson Lightly Lemon Cod Liver Oil 1000 mg, soft gel capsule
How many soft gel capsules are recommended to reach the daily dose stated above!?!
Arriving at your IU’s/ml
I am wondering where you arrived at your IU/ml levels found in FCLO – according to an interview with the owner of green pastures they peg their levels at twice as much as you have listed which equals a 10:1 ratio. that is an alarming difference. do you have any documents or lab results you could send my way to help me understand the difference? http://balancedbites.com/2013/…h-oil.html
Is it ok to take Green Pasture’s Cod Liver Oil during pregnancy? Does it have worrisome amounts of Mercury in it?
Thank you so much.
Yes, it’s OK to use.
Hello,
My wife found two unopened bottles still in the box of Garden of life Oceans 3 Cod liver oil.
Problem is they expired in 6-11. I hate to throw them away.
So i opened one of them and it didnt taste too bad or smell rancid. But i am not familiar with cod liver oil and what it should smell like. I tasted a sip and it had an orange flavor followed by what must have been the cod liver oil. Overall not bad and something i could tolerate.
I started to put it in the fridge and saw we had some other cod liver oils
First two were by Green Pastures both with no expiration date on the label-bottle or cap
1. Blue ice Fermented CLO
2. X factor High Vitamin Butter oil
Both of the above smelled rancid
Then i had a bottle of Twin Labs Emulsified Norwegian CLO with an expiration of 12 – 2011
didn’t really smell bad but the taste was not pleasant and really fishy and bitter
Of all of them the Oceans 3 Smells and tastes the best but might be the oldest and not refrigerated.
Not sure if they are all bad and i am choosing the best of the bad or if the 2 bottles of Oceans 3 might be ok to use.
Can it be harmful?
Any ideas would be appreciated
Thanks,
Mark
I had to take my mother to the ER yesterday because she had severe pain in her right big toe that was excruciating. She couldn’t walk and it hurt her tremendously to even touch her right foot. The ER doc diagnosed her as having gout and he recommended she avoid animal organ meats, especially liver, since she had a buildup of uric acid in her right toe joint, which was the cause of her pain. That is very disappointing since she has severe tooth decay and I wanted her to partake in consuming organ meats and cod liver oil for her healing. Has anyone here heard of such a scenario? If yes, what solutions do you recommend so that my mother can remineralize her teeth w/o causing another gout reaction?
Have you seen this site?
http://www.rositarealfoods.com/general-information/1-the-age-old-ways-of-extracting-liver-oil
This is from Rosita Real Foods, a small company in Norway that sells cod liver oil and ratfish oil extracted by traditional Nordic methods (not fermented).
Could be another option for your ‘best’ list, I think – they’re the real Mccoy!
OK interesting read, a lot of comments there to digest, after sifting thorough I wold like to say that I have stopped taking fish oil mainly because of my concern about heavy metals and pollution in the ocean and the fact that this may be turning up in fish based products. As an alternativve source of omegas I have started taking PEOs, there is a lo of good research as to why these may be preferable sources of Omegas,and becuase they are plant based and organic they are free from polutants. http://www.novadetox.co.uk/acatalog/parent-essential-oils.html . Google Prof Brian Pleskn he has done a lot of research regarding plant based PEOs and their benefits.
Cheers, Lee
My 19 year old daughter has severe acne. We’ve gone the antibiotic/prescription face cream route which only helped a little bit. We’re wanting to avoid serious drugs with side effects. In researching information online, I read that a woman used 100,000 iu’s of Vit. A for 7 days straight, then dropped the dosage down to 25,000 iu’s for a while for maintenance, and then got to where she didn’t need it any longer. I realize making sure the Vit. D intake is necessary, but wondered what you think about such a high dosage for those 7 days. Since it’s only 7 days, do you think it would be safe? Accutane is definitely a high dose of Vit. A, but we’d rather avoid that medicine.
skylar,
I have had gout attacks for the past 10 years and I am a 35 year old male. I avoided red meat, fish, and everything else I was told caused gout. I purchased a uric acid meter and kept up with my uric acid levels. This past year I drastically changed my diet and lost 40 pounds. I have not had any gout attacks and my crp level (inflammation marker) went from 14 to less than 0.3. My uric acid fluctuates from day to day and hour by hour even though they say it takes awhile for uric acid levels to change. Sometimes it is in the 5’s and other times it is as high as 13 (if I’m fasting), but no gout. In my opinion sugar is the primary gout culprit. I only eat sweets with raw organic honey now and mostly avoid processed foods. I can now eat salmon, sardines, red meat, cod liver oil etc… with no attack.
Sincerely
I was wondering about NutraPro’s Virgin Cod Liver Oil. What is WAPF’s assessment of it? http://nutraprointl.com/2013/10/13/virgin-cod-liver-oil/
We don’t have any information on the vitamin A & D content, which is the main reason we recommend cod liver oil.
I’ve just come across this article and was wondering if anybody had every come across the company Health Rack. I can see they sell 1000mg Cod Liver Oil.
http://www.healthrack.co.uk/cod-liver-oil-1000mg.html
Would be interested to get some more information if possible?
Can anyone tell me if it would be okay if i took two teaspoons of fermented cod liver oil? I want to take more because of the 3 grams of fish oil I should be taking… I’m 24 year old male 5’11 and 153 pounds….
If you take the green pasture brand, or whichever of the high vitamin cod oil, do you still need to take it with the butter oil?
You state above:
“All our products are third-party tested beyond what the law requires. We test heavy metals and PCB’s. In 10+ years of testing cod liver oils, I have never seen a positive test for inorganic heavy metals such as mercury.”
Where is the data sheet? That third party testing should have produced results, which should be available for consumers to review. Otherwise, you are simply making a claim which could be entirely false. Where is the proof? I found nothing on your website. I don’t see any indication on the bottle. This is unusual in the industry.
You also claim a “proprietary extraction method.” In other words, you won’t share with consumers how you produce the oil. This is quite unusual. I’ve not heard of one single other fish oil producer who won’t describe their extraction method.
I’d love to believe that your product is special, and all you claim it to be. I’m seeking proof, rather than simple statements and claims.
Thank you
Test data is here – http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/TestData/index.cfm
FCLO manufacturing is discussed here – http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/update-on-cod-liver-oil-manufacture/
I doubt that other manufacturers really go into much more detail.
Sorry, to be clear; I am referring to the Green Pastures Brand.
Hi,
Would the benefits of eating cod liver oil directly be the same?
On the label it says: 99% cod liver in own oil and fluid, the rest is salt.
It goes very well with salads etc.
Thanks
The Rosita Real Foods Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil is out and available to purchase. I was wondering if there was any opinion on if it is as good as the green pastures fermented oil. I have heard that it doesn’t have as bad of a taste so I am very interested in trying but only if it is as good. Have you looked into it yet?
I would stick to Green Pastures!
How much would you recommended of the green pasture to fight the stress and anxiety I have?
I’m 30 and have been dealing with anxiety now for about 2 years.
Thanks
It looks like the extra virgin cod liver oil is raw / unprocessed and only contains naturally occurring vitamins.
Here’s a snippet from their website:
“Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil is real Norwegian cod liver oil that is fresh, raw & handcrafted from wild livers using a very rare ancient extraction technique which uses nature to separate the oil from its liver. No chemicals, solvents and mechanical devices are ever used during the extraction process. The oil is completely unrefined and produced under the total absence of heat, a process that protects its nutritional value.”
http://evclo.com/testing/
I have found this Blue Ice brand of cod liver oil gives me terrific heartburn. I have tried storing in the freezer in hopes that it would pass thru my gut frozen and prevent the heartburn. however, it didn’t work. Someone suggested rubbing it on the bottom on my feet. They said it still gets into a persons system. Any suggestions?
Regarding the Swanson Double Strength Cod Liver Oil, I asked if the A & D were naturally derived or synthetic additives, and what was the method of extraction. This was their response:
“To begin with, we would like to assure you that both the Vitamin A and Vitamin D are naturally derived from the cod liver oil itself in our Cod Liver Oil softgels. The oil is extracted using a cold pressed method of extraction and no solvents are used.”
It seems that the Garden on Life Olde World cod liver oil is the only oil that does not use synthetic vitamins within the “good” category.Am I correct or incorrect?Garden of life has not gotten back to me as yet regarding the question.
Here is an answer to your question.
“We obtain our Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil from a supplier just as all company’s do and the only ingredients we add ourselves are the natural lemon essence, natural peppermint essence and alpha tocopherol. We do not use artificial ingredients in our products. We cannot guarantee that the Vitamin A and D are entirely naturally occurring.
The Vitamin A in our Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil is in the form of Retinol and the Vitamin D is D3.”
I have a bottle of the Rosita EVCLO in my fridge now, and have begun taking it. It has a pleasant, light slightly fish flavor (which doesn’t bother me at all). I have read through all the information on their website (it is quite detailed), and I like what it has to say. The vitamin content of A&D is modest, but as they state in their material, this is the amount that codfish has always had in their livers, and what the healthy Vikings thrived on for years. I took the Green Pasture CLO for a few years, but the last time I took it, it tasted horrible–my body was saying NO, and indeed I became quite sick around that time with diarrhea for weeks. I won’t take it again. I am glad that there is now another thoughtful alternative. (The Rosita butter oil is also good–nice deep yellow color).
The link to the article: Vitamin A for fetal development is not working.
Sorry. Fixed now. Thanks for the heads up.
I am sure that Green Pasture’s Butter Oil / Fermented Cod Liver Oil blend is fantastic, but I do not want to pay $50 + S&H for roughly 3 month supply, so I am doing the following. Probably not the best but good enough for me:
Vitamin K / the “X Factor”: Vitacost Ultra Vitamin K with Advanced K2 Complex: $12 for 90 days. Has both MK-4 and MK-7.
Vitamin D3: Nutrigold Vitamin D3 Gold (in Organic Olive Oil), 2000 IU: $15 for 360 days
Vitamin A (animal-based): Double-Strength Cod Liver Oil: $8.50 for 250 days (50% RDA vitamin A in 1 pill; I get the rest as beta-carotene).
Monthly cost: $6.27
I throw in a bit of Kerrygold butter (exclusively grass-fed) in a smoothie every morning.
Cod liver oil can help to prevent serious diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, musculoskeletal pain, cancer, heart diseases, and so on. Share with you: http://www.healthdoyen.com/benefits-of-cod-liver-oil.html
At several lists on the internet I see Nature’s Life CLO categorized as “good”. But on this list it’s put on the best-list. Has this brand changed something? Hope someone could tell me about that, thanks in advance.
Hi, Has anyone had experience with giving this to a baby? My 2 year old, husband and I take it. I nurse as well but am thinking that I want to start our 3 month old on it too.
Thank you for any advice!!
Around 4 months is a good time to start cod liver oil (http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/nourishing-a-growing-baby/)
I just purchased Greenpasture’s butter oil/cod liver oil blend GEL, but there are no recommended dose on the label or how much vitamins it contain? I’m so confused why are they so not informative??? what are the recommended doses of butter oil/cod liver oil GEL for children and pregnant women??? I can’t get the answer please reply ((
Please, can you recommend a chewable CLO for kids? My son will not take liquid, I just can’t fight it every day. One other person asked this a couple of years ago and there was no response. Thanks!
Hmmm… well I got a crazy-bad rash from Green Pastures! I’m trying Nordic Naturals next as I’ve read others didn’t have a bad reaction with it.
Please recommendations for kids. I haven’t found a way for my kids to take it becaause the capsules are too big and mixing the oil with strawberry jelly doesn’t even cover the taste. Any suggestions?
IS cod liver oil capsiles good for the mind and body? Iv been taking them for a about 3 years now.
I am about to start making the baby formula and ordered the Green Pastures Blue Ice unflavored cod liver oil but the company sent arctic mint flavor. Do you know if infants will take the mint flavor or do I need to return it and get the unflavored?
Hi i was wondering if i am taking the full dose for a breastfeeding woman and still exclusivly breastfeeding my 6 month old do i also need to start giving my baby cod liver oil as well or will he be getting enough from my milk? Also I am planning on getting pregnant again in a few months and i will still be breastfeeding, do i need to up the dosage?
And lastly i have read a lot about people making their own butter oil, what are your thoughts on this? Do you have any recipe for this that you would recommend?
Thank you
Starting your baby on cod liver oil would be a good thing at this point. We strongly recommend spacing children at least 2 years. Breastfeeding while pregnant and having children too close together is too much of a strain on a woman’s body.
I just purchased Carlson super 1000mg soft gels per WP site recommendations. I am surprised to see that they contain soybean oil. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Does grassfed ghee contain vitamin K ? Can that be taken in place of the high vitamin butter oil with CLO? Also is the unfermented CLO you recommend just as good as the fermented CLO?
I tested low for Vitamin D. I am thinking of taking PolarPower Wild Sockeye Salmon Oil (which provides 4,000 IU of Vit. A and 600 IU of Vit. D per teaspoon) along with 1 capsule of Nutrigold Vitamin D3 – 1,000 mg. Totaling 4,000 IU of Vit. A and 1,600 IU of Vit. D per day. Would that be okay?
Synthetic d3 deplete magnesium. Take cod liver oil and magnesium 5 mg per pound of body weight and you d should raise naturally.
The Nutrigold website states that it’s a natural form of D3 sourced from Lanolin which is why I bought it.
i have FCLO but did not buy butter oil with it. I have some raw grass fed butter that i’ve been taking with the FCLO. Any comments on if that will have the same effect as butter oil? is there any reason i should be taking butter oil instead of just butter with the FCLO?
any idea how much butter i should take with each teaspoon of FCLO?
I would like to know the recommended daily amount of the FCLO/Butter oil blend for a woman over 60.
Thank you.
When will the WAPF address the recent (as of August 2015) findings by several independent labs that the Green Pastures FCLO, is not correctly labeled? This is of great concern to many of us who are members of WAPF. Apparently the livers are not properly fermented, they are not necessarily from cod but some other fish, and there is some type of vegetable oil mixed into to this fish oil. The label ingredients list states only one ingredient: fermented cod liver oil.
This is truly an urgent matter that needs to be addressed on the front of your webpage.
I am interested in this too!
Yes, I would really like to know this as well.
The response is here – http://www.westonaprice.org/uncategorized/questions-and-answers-about-fermented-cod-liver-oil-fclo/
In the BEST recommended brands list for the United States, the first FIVE are actually the SAME brand, just linked to different sellers, complete with websites/links and phone numbers, with one of those listings being WAPF chapter leaders who sell it. In lists for other parts of the world, this same brand is also repeated many times under different bullet points. With such a list, I would feel guilty buying any other brand except the one brand listed over and over again. Why are some brands listed just once without so much as a website or phone number? Why is each brand not listed equally, one for each bullet point of a given category in a given part of the world? The GOOD category for the United States actually lists one brand for each bullet point which is much less confusing for the reader, however there is not one website or contact number to order their products. Then there is the one company listed in the BEST category with absolutely NO website or contact information, which is listed immediately after the FIVE listings of the same brand directly above it. Why list one brand over and over again without so much as providing basic information on other brands?
Great question. I’d like to hear a response to those questions, because I noticed that as well.
I took cod liver oil with milk.. is it harmful?? i’ve heard that it causes skin problems with milk..
I haven’t heard that. I take it with milk and haven’t noticed a problem.
Hello, I have at home two bottles of Green pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil Cinnamon flavored. One is already opened and it wasn’t in the fridge. The other one is still closed – was never opened. On the label there is the manufacture date of June 2013. I was checking the liquid and putting the bottle upside down I have noticed that there are some dark shadows sticking on the bottom and in some parts of the bottle. Is this still good to take or not? Please help.
I already wrote to the Green pasture and the answer was unclear to me:
“The fermented oils will continue to digest, or change, over time which may change the color, taste, smell or texture. Refrigeration will slow this process, but all of our oils are very stable and do not require refrigeration; even after opening. We do not believe these oils are even capable of going bad or becoming rancid.
Previously we used an expiration date that was dated two years out from the date of manufacture.
If these were in my cabinet I would probably try and make a determination at that point, but I have bottles that are older than that, that I have used with no problem.”
What do you think? The sediments can be the cinnamon itself sticking at the bottom of the bottle? I have tried it today and has more “fishy” flavor that it used to and the flavor of stevia and cinnamon seems reduced or almost gone. I don’t want to poison myself… Please help.
Hello,
Can you please inform me about Moller’s cod liver oil ? Do.you reccommend it ?
Many thanks
Georgia
When comparing natures answer vs. Nutrapro, which one would you reccomend?
Nature’s Answer has soy in it.
The real question is comparing Nutrapro to Rosita as they are both additive free. Nutrapro centrifuges their oil whereas Rosita has an ancient technique for extraction. Comparing them nutritionally, the only real variation appears to be in the DHA/EPA content. This difference might be insignificant though since they are largely on par. But Rosita also has a disclaimer that its nutritional content may vary. Not sure if Nutrapro has otherwise been able to standardize its nutritional content.
Rosita – EPA 510mg/tsp DHA 700mg/tsp
Nutrap – EPA 700mg/tsp DHA 500mg/tsp
I am currently using Rosita with Organic 3 Butter Oil. It’s too soon for me to give any feedback. I am curious about what people who’ve used both would say. Especially since there is a $16.00 difference between the two (8 fl. oz. bottles). Organic 3 Butter Oil is also over twice the cost of Nutrapro Butter Oil. O3 costs $7.5/oz whereas Nutrapro costs $3.38/oz and you can get it down to $3.07/oz if you buy the bigger size.
The products appear to be the same despite the big cost difference.
What about cod liver canned in its own oil and juice – those are sold by diverse brands, Ruegenfisch, King Oscar and others. They seem most natural. I love the taste and use them on bread, although mindful and use one can up over 5 days or more (keeping it in a half pint mason jar in the freezer).
What is your opinion on that? Thank you! Sylvia
Blue Ice fermented cod liver oil is available from amazon.de. Not sure about other countries.
I’ve been buying Carlson’s CLO from Whole Foods but I see that you don’t recommend their liquid formula. It’s convenient for me to shop there so I’m wondering if you have any knowledge of the 365 Norwegian CLO capsules or the Barleans Fresh Catch CLO and if so what your opinion is on those products comparatively.
Thanks in advance!
I am wanting to start making the homemade raw milk baby formula for my 2 month old. I know the recipe calls for unflavored fermented cod liver oil. I have been told that the unflavored cod liver oil is pretty strong. Can I use the cinnamon flavor or would it be safer to use the unflavored?
Some may be allergic to cinnamon. When mixed with other things in the formula the taste would not be strong.
I’ve been taking the FCLO/high vitamin butter oil blend in capsules because I can’t stomach the taste in liquid form (I’m pregnant) I’ve been taking about 4 capsules a day but I’m seeing here that 20/day are recommended when you’re pregnant.. at that rate the bottle would only last a week! That’s about $250/month on FCLO alone! I’m wondering what else can be done to get the levels of these vitamins recommended while pregnant.
“The high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil is sold as a food so does not contain vitamin levels on the label. However, after numerous tests, the approximate values of A and D have been ascertained at 1900 IU vitamin A per mL and 390 IU vitamin D per mL.”
Are these values for the FCLO only or the FCLO/HVBO combination? If they’re for the FCLO only, what is the vitamin content of the HVBO? Also, what is the vitamin K content of each?
Thank you
Do you have a recommendation for an alternative to cod liver oil? I’m very allergic to cod
Here are some good alternatives here, different combinations will work: http://www.foodrenegade.com/take-instead-of-cod-liver-oil/
You recommend Green Pasture Products: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil as one of the best. Have you read “A Summary of Dr. Kaayla Daniel’s New Report on Green Pasture’s Fermented Cod Liver Oil and Butter Oil”? Please read it at the link below and let me know if this problem still exists please http://www.drrons.com/kaayla_daniel_fermented_clo_report.htm
I would please like a reply to this also, I’ve got this product but I’ll put it on hold or stop using it if this problem still exists. Please respond, there hasn’t been any response lately on questions.
Zoub, I am not sure what you are asking. Is it about cinnamon oil? If so, the amount in the FCLO is so minute that it should not be a problem. If you’ve another question please reply here and I’ll try to answer quickly.
It’s about the question that Bob Dooley asked:
“You recommend Green Pasture Products: Blue Ice High-Vitamin Fermented Cod Liver Oil as one of the best. Have you read “A Summary of Dr. Kaayla Daniel’s New Report on Green Pasture’s Fermented Cod Liver Oil and Butter Oil”? Please read it at the link below and let me know if this problem still exists please”
I’ve also read the rebuttal but it hasn’t convinced me and on the bottle of the GP fclo it doesn’t say anything about the nutritional value. Only a remark with naturally occurring vitamins & nutrients will vary. And it says something about routinely tested by third party but I can’t find anything about these testing anywhere.
I’d rather not use any supplement if there is a chance involved of risking my health, because negative usage stories that I’ve read also affected my view. Where people got bad reactions directly after taking gp’s fclo and when they stopped taking it the bad reactions also stopped.
I’ll soon be doing a test of my own levels in my blood so I can see how it has affected me.
speaking of historical use of cod liver oil,i just read an article about the last ww1 survivor-110 years old.
“Claude Choules attributed his long life to “A little cod liver oil, good eating habits and regular physical exercise” and he drank little alcohol. Faithful to the end to his reputation of enjoying a joke, he would say that the best way to live a long life was “to keep breathing.”
Hi there,
I have vitamin D deficiency, so I ordered a bottle of cod liver oil earlier – before I saw this article, unfortunately. I see that you have Carlson Labs capsules listed under “Good”, but you don’t have their bottled oil (“Carlson Labs Super D Omega-3 Natural Vitamin D”) listed. Does that mean it’s not a good source of vitamin D for me?
I really appreciate whatever response you can provide!
Thank you,
Sara
Is is safe to take cod liver oil in late pregnancy? I am 36 weeks pregnant and have heard that fish-sourced omegas can cause the uterus to relax, which can hinder going into labor or prolong labor itself.
When I was a child, my parents gave me emulsified cod liver oil, which I thought tasted great! I am looking to start taking CLO as a supplement for health & wellness, and am curious which form is beat – natural, emulsified, or fermented.
I have read that the vitamins are absorbed more readily in oil, rather than emulsion. Does that mean I would be wasting the CLO if taking emulsified?
Please can u tell me the best most natural cod liver oil in kosher capsules
I was wondering if there is a place to get cod liver oil in Israel?
1) I’m a non-pregnant adult so my dosage per your 2015 guidelines would be 1 tsp. per day. Why do all the RDA’s on the bottles for your recommended products say to take 1/2 tsp. per day?
2) If you use the Nutri Pro recommendation, the butter oil is separate from the CLO. So if I followed the bottles recommendations I’d be taking 1/2 tsp. of Nutri Pro CLO and 1 TBSP of their butter oil. That doesn’t sound right. How are we supposed to figure out your recommended dose if we buy the Nutri Pro with the CLO and Butter Oil sold in separate bottles? How much of each? This looks like a better value than the Green Pastures, so I’d like to buy this one if someone here can help me figure out how much to take when they are separated.
Thank you!
I am just wondering what are the dosages recommended of the Rosita Cod Liver Oil as it has higher Omega 3 and I could not find what are the Omega 3 (either EPA and DHA) dogs recommended. Thanks.
Dear WAPF, Could you please do an update of the CLO recommendations, or a note saying everything is current? I have used the FCLO, Nature’s Answer and NutraPro. I cannot afford the FCLO, NutraPro or Rosita anymore. I need a good recommendation, and have done some of my own research. Are those in the ‘Good’ category better than Nature’s Answer Norwegian CLO in the bottle? Why was Nature’s Answer taken off the lists?
Thanks in advance.
I emailed Nature’s Answer regarding their oil, here is the exchange:
On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 10:10 AM, wrote:
Email : jelizabethmail@icloud.com
First Name: Joann
Last Name: E
Product Name: Norwegian Cod Liver Oil
Is the vitamin A and D content of the Norwegian Cod Liver Oil natural or synthetic?
Are they naturally occurring in the actual oil that is bottled and sold, and not removed and added back in? Are the vitamins added to the oil? There is a very large amount of vitamin A and D in the oil.
My son is allergic to synthetic vitamin D and CANNOT have any form of it.
Response from Nature’s Answer:
Hello Joann,
Thank you for your email.
In our Norwegian Cod Liver Oil (Item# 26180), the Vitamin A & D are naturally occurring in the Cod Fish.
Kind Regards,
Lauren
Customer Care | Nature’s Answer Family of Companies | 85 Commerce Drive, Hauppauge NY 11788 | 1-800-439-2324
Ok, Don’t buy Nature’s Answer. I just spoke with them and, among many problems, they could not give me an honest answer about the vitamin content of the oil. I was really trying to get to the meat of the issue with their processing and was given the same answer over and over. I even called the headquarters, where I could not reach anyone. In addition, they were extremely rude and had a very bad ‘attitude’ towards consumers, which isn’t a good sign.
What about NeoLife cod liver oil? I’ve been taking it for years, and would like to know if I’m better off changing to another brand.
DO YOU RECOMMEND INNATE CHOICE OmegA+D Sufficiency Lemon Oil OR Omega Sufficiency Lemon BY INNATE CHOICE OR STANDARD PROCESS COD LIVER CAPSULES? THEY SEEM TO HAVE HIGH STANDARDS- BOTH RECOMMENDED BY MY CHIROPRACTOR.
I have seen this cod liver oil product. I am sure 1 teaspoon will not provide enough vitamin D but I am not sure about vitamin A. What is your advise?
What are your thoughts on Dropi extra virgin CLO?
I was wondering what WPF thought of WSO3 from Stronger. Faster. Healthier.
https://www.sfh.com/shop/omega-3-oil/wso3-womens-omega-3-oil-8-oz-with-pump.html
It is a fish oil made from pollock and other fish. They blended A, D, & K2 into it.
Trying to find and affordable way for the whole family,
David
Pls tell me it taking high strengths of cod liver oil is safe. The brand I take is “Seven Seas”, Omega 3 Fish oil plus (high strength).
The is no amount of Omega 6 stated. There Is however 2300mg of Omega 3. Pls advise.
Thanks
Why isn’t Dropi on the list of good brands? (Vit A 3650 IU/ Vit D 385 IU)
Ohhhh, Please~ somebody here answer why Dropi isn’t on the list.. I swear I saw it while researching, and that IS what I ordered for my 4 mo. old and 10 year old grandaughters.. it was quite pricey and I want to be sure it’s okay to use .. please! and thank you!!
I recently bought the Swanson Double Strength CLO based on the recommendation from this article. But I realized that it has a ratio of about 10:1 A:D and only about 2500IU of Vitamin A. Should I be taking more than one suggested serving? What is the risk? I also supplement with extra vitamin D (and have been for years). Thanks! I am so confused by this “basics” article.
If choosing to supplement high vitamin butter oil along with the cod liver oil, what is the adequate daily amount of butter oil for vitamin K2 for children/adults/pregnancy? Thank you!
No reply needed. Why a topic about cod liver oil and the picture has a mackerel in it?
Hello,
I would really appreciate if someone could reply to my post. I’m 7 months pregnant and just checked my vit d level and it’s only 28.8. I am taking recommended dosage for pregnant woman of cod liver oil and butter oil (2 tea spoons of high vit cod liver oil and half a teaspoon of butter oil). I am absolutely shocked why my vit d level is so low. I also eat 2 egg yolks daily and supplement with dessicated liver and strictly follow WAP diet. What else can I do to bring my vit d level up?
Hello, question about cod liver oil in first trimester pregnancy. Rosita liquid CLO is not a high vitamin cod liver oil, therefore the dosage is 4 teaspoon a day. What if I’ll like to supplement with Green Pasture X-Gold Butter Oil? What would be the dosage for both Rosita CLO and butter oil?
Thanks.
I have been using Garden of Life’s Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil based on brand recommendations from a older post from the WAPF. I notice that brand is no longer on the list. Would you still recommend this brand and if not, why? Thanks!
Thanks for asking about this brand. WAPF used to recommend it but then it changed and it was too low in vitamin D. It looks like they changed it again and now it qualifies!
During pregnancy can you take the fermented cod liver oil/butter oil capsules. If so how many?
We do definitely recommend taking the fclo/bo capsules during pregnancy, but hesitate to make a recommendation as to how much. A safe and good place to start is to equal about 1 tsp per day, or as many as 3 tsp of the combination. More than that is not generally recommended but may be fine. Refer to the bottle for precise quantity per capsule.
Is it safe for my children to take cod liver oil and a multivitamin? And for myself to take cod liver oil and my prenatal?
Dear Sir or Madam,
thank you very much for your recommendations and the whole article… However, I would like to ask which of the recommended brands has got proof (and regular tests) that their oil is not toxic (does not contain metals etc.).
Kindest regards
Veronika, here is an article written in May of 2016 which shows and explains the results of tests conducted at 3 independent labs world-wide on 3 separate cod liver oils.
Hi, I called this website:
https://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/contact
They recommended both products for increasing bone density (bone health) on top of all the other health benefits of taking 1) Fermented Cod liver oil + Butter Oil Blend. and 2) Pure Synergy Bone Renewal Product
https://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/pure-synergy-bone-renewal/superfoods-supplements
https://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/butter-oil-cod-liver-oil-blend/superfoods-supplements
**I know that WAPF’s recommendation is aout 10,000 IU of Vit A and 2,000 IU of Vit D**
I’ve calculated the recommeneded dosages…..
If I take the full recommended dosages for an adult….
the Butter oil + cod liver oil blend = approx 8200 IU of Vit A + 1680 IU Vit D3
The other product (pure synergy bone renewal) has an additional 2000 IU of Vit D3…
**So if I use both products** ==> I’ll be getting ==> 8200 IU of Vit A + 3680 IU of Vit D
The Vit D exceeds the WAPF’s recommendation of 2000 IU.
Obviously I can cut down the dosage to 1/5 of the other product (pure synergy bone renewal) so that i will only get 400 IU’s of Vit D… so I will get approx 2000IU of Vit D VS 3680IU’s of Vit D…..
***My question is….. should I just reduce the dosage? or is 3680IU’s of Vit D okay to take daily?****
Thanks! Mike
BTW just wanted to do a follow up…Searching “Google” it says maximum tolerance for safety is 10,000 IU of Vit A and 4000 IU of Vit D3 Daily….. but theres a difference between safety short term and long term consequences and optimal dosages.. so I dont know if this makes a difference to the answer to my question…. Thanks Again!
Can I take both of these products together?
1) Fermented Cod liver oil + Butter Oil Blend. and 2) Pure Synergy Bone Renewal Product
https://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/pure-synergy-bone-renewal/superfoods-supplements
https://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/butter-oil-cod-liver-oil-blend/superfoods-supplements
**I know that WAPF’s recommendation is aout 10,000 IU of Vit A and 2,000 IU of Vit D**
**So if I use both products** ==> I’ll be getting ==> 8200 IU of Vit A + 3680 IU of Vit D
The Vit D exceeds the WAPF’s recommendation of 2000 IU.
***My question is….. is 3680IU’s of Vit D okay to take daily?****
Thanks! Mike
PS
I can cut down the dosage to 1/5 of the other product (pure synergy bone renewal) so that i will only get 400 IU’s of Vit D… so I will get approx 2000IU of Vit D total instead of 3680IU’s of Vit D…..
Or should I reduce the dosage to still get 2000 IU of Vit D (Recommended amount)…..
sorry I did a double post… I thought my orig post got “lost” cuz I didn’t see it until I reposted…. apologizes WAPF…
BTW I thought of another strategy… Reduce the recommended amount of the Cod liver oil + butter oil blend…. and balance it with the other product… so they are both more balanced……
Hi I want to give my 14 month old cod liver oil, but now I read that it’s important to give it with some butter oil… can I just give him clo without the butter oil?
Or should I purchase the cod liver +oil blend (because it has both)
I hope some one can help thankyou:)
Hi I really hope someone can answer
Is it really important to take the butter/oil with the clo? Can I just use the clo without it?
If it’s best to use it , shall I just purchase the codliver oil+butter oil blend so it’s like 2 in one. Also how much of the cod liver+ oil blend for a 14 month old? thankyou.
I had a question regarding the CLO/butter blend. Is it okay to give that to 4 month old or just plain clo? He is exclusively breastfed.
I am wondering the same thing. i have a 3 month old. I am so confused about the doze recommendations. Really…I ordered the High Vitamin Butter Oil Size: 28 ounce
Virgin Cod Liver Oil from NutraPro…and I have NO idea how much to really take especially when we go out in the sun for a day…REALLY wish there was more clear information. REALLY wish I was smart enough to know these things myself.
Anastasiya – Did you ever get an answer on dosing? I’m looking for the same info! Thanks!
I am in Australia and use nordic naturals. they were the only one who could say safe to take with my shellfish allergy after emailing several other companies. I cannot take the green pastures as they said they couldnt say risk free with my allergy, so the nordic is no good? 🙁
I am stuck then as unsure which is safe for me too use.
Nordic Naturals is more processed than we like to recommend. Have you looked at Dropi?
https://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/dropi-extra-virgin-cod-liver-oil/sssential-fatty-acids-efas
It is important to note that the oil comes not from shellfish, but from cod. However, the cod fish do eat shellfish, thus we can not ever guarantee that the cod liver oil will not contain fatty acids from their diet. You may just need to test by consuming very small amounts of clothing at the start and see how you react.
Maureen
unfortunately testing is unsafe as I have a life threatening allergy and require an epi pen, thats why i take the nordics as they guaranteed me safe for shellfish allergies.
Tell me please, what about CLO Power Health, I found it in UK, it says “pure cod liver oil” :
Each 2.5ml serving will provide on average Vitamin A 1375mcg (172%*), 6.25mcg Vitamin D (125%*), 200mg EPA (8%) and 225mg DHA (9%).
https://www.powerhealth.co.uk/icelandic-gold-cod-liver-oil-500ml.html
I wonder if its OK to buy it?
Thank you!
Hello! I am about to start my 4 month old on Fermented CLO from Green Pasture. My daughter and I already take the mint flavored one…do I need to make sure my baby’s is unflavored? Or can he too have the mint flavor?
I just eat whole cod livers they are super tasty and so much cheaper than buying a bunch of capsules and having to worry about it being processed. Buying these capsules is to me a waste when the whole cod livers taste so good (they taste like soft mild sardines) and are swimming in their own good oil that companies charge an arm for. And even if your local store doesn’t carry them, they’re so cheap to buy them off yummy bazaar online (the german brand is the best!). It’s crazy in the US no one seems to have heard or thought of eating cod livers but then spend so much on the capsules.
Great Article. Cod Liver Oil is dietary supplement and is packed full of nutrients. It is one of the best source of Vitamin A and D and contain rich amount of Omega -3 fatty acids.
“BEST category; sources of processed cod liver oil with synthetic vitamins in the right proportions (ten or fewer units vitamin A to one unit vitamin D, and with at least 2,500 IU’s of vitamin A and 250 IU’s of vitamin D per teaspoon) are in the GOOD category. We do not recommend brands of cod liver oil that have low levels of vitamin A and/or low levels of vitamin D.”
Why on earth would your organization recommend a cod liver oil with SYNTHETIC vitamins is beyond me. We know D2 doesn’t work and we know SYNTHETIC VITAMIN A doesn’t do anything. There were studies done that proved this. Back in Dr.Prices time, humans didn’t use SYNTHETIC VITAMINS, and for your organization to recommend them is unbelievable.
Has fermented cod liver oil ever been tested in regard to getting rancid once it has been opened? Just a concern before opening my first bottle.
You’re right to be concerned! https://www.annmariemichaels.com/fermented-cod-liver-oil-scandal-new-development/
(not affiliated with me in any way, just an excellent resource)
💖
I have a question – should myself and and my 1 year old be taking both cod liver oil and the fermented oil and concentrated butter, daily, or just one or the other, or some other routine? Thanks so much for any help!
In order to treat an illness, for example night-blindness, I’d like to know whether I need to take elevated doses (4 teaspoons) of Green Pasture FCLO/Concentrated Butter oil at once (for example in the morning), or do I have to take them spreaded during the day?
Garden of Life is no longer a quality company since selling to Atrium, which is owned by Nestle which is owned by Monsanto. Pure Encapsulation, Douglas Labs are also owned by the same conglomerates.
Can these ingredients be given to a newborn? I see the cod liver oil had measurements for 3 month old and up.
Thank you
What about a review of this UK based brand? It is called Armorica? They claim their oil is fermented in the traditional way. Seems like a legit page, they also published results of their oil. They claim it is third party tested. So it is a MUST for you guys to give it a chance?
Fermented cod liver oil is a scam — it doesn’t ferment, it just goes rancid. check out this article: https://www.annmariemichaels.com/fermented-cod-liver-oil-scandal-new-development/
💖
No mention of Natural Factors Super Cod Liver oil 2500IU capsules on the US list. I emailed them in 2017 to ask if there was added vitamin A and got the reply ‘Natural Factors Super cod Liver Oil contains 2500IU of Vitamin A, which is all naturally occurring in the Cod Liver Oil.’
Actually I just email them and they said: Natural Factors Super Cod Liver Oil ingredients Vitamin A is derived from palmitate and Vitamin D is from cholecalciferol. If I am not mistaken that means they are synthetic vitamins aded to the oil.
Anyone can explain me please what is the point to buy Cod oil what doesnt have any vitamins (the good brands listed, where the vitamins are removed because of the process and then synthetic are aded)?
I can just buy some cheap vitamin A and D and have the same.
Tell me please, what about CLO Power Health, I found it in UK, it says “pure cod liver oil” :
Each 2.5ml serving will provide on average Vitamin A 1375mcg (172%*), 6.25mcg Vitamin D (125%*), 200mg EPA (8%) and 225mg DHA (9%).
https://www.powerhealth.co.uk/icelandic-gold-cod-liver-oil-500ml.html
I wonder if its OK to buy it?
Thank you!
excited to start taking my COD oil and butter oil from green pastures BUT I have a question:
I am currently nursing so Is it ok to give my son his dose or will he get enough from my breast milk??
Hi!
If you live in Sweden, you can order Green Pasture´s FCLO, Blue Ice Royal FCLO/BO Blend, Skate Liver Oil, etc, from our website:
http://www.torskleverolja.se
Feel free to add us to the list above! 🙂
Best regards,
Jakob
torskleverolja.se
Right now I’m perusing all the UK suppliers of fermented cold liver oil. And it all seems to be a bit of a rip-off to be honest. Access to fermented fish oils should not be expensive – the going rate seems to be about 35 quid for a months supply of capsules / oil. Too much in my opinion.
I do not dispute fish oil solves import diet problems, most notably rickets, but this is in danger of becoming the kind of money-making venture that many of us purport to hate.
Hello Andy, did you get any further with this? Just wondering as I am in the UK and currently looking at some for me and my family. Thank you.
Would you recommend eating cod livers (canned)? They are very mild.
Yes, if you can purchase the cod livers in tins, as I have found in a Norwegian store, this is fine.
Is the Cinnamon Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil safe during pregnancy? I’ve heard cinnamon cassia essential oil should be avoided during pregnancy because it can cause contractions. Do you know anything about ingesting cinnamon cassia oil pregnancy, specifically the cinnamon FCLO? Thanks!
Hi there,
I am trying to get pregnant and found out recently I have a blood clotting disorder and need to take a blood thinner in order to be able to hold on to the baby. I had a miscarriage in January. I also have some hormonal imbalances. I told my functional nurse practitioner that I do not want to take a baby aspirin and that I would rather just take more cod liver oil. She said I can and that I need 3000 mg omega 3 per day. I reached out to green pastures and they said the dose approximately equal to 3000mg omega 3 is 2.5 teaspoons. This isn’t too much, is it? We have been having trouble getting pregnant, and I do not know how long it will take us. I didn’t know if taking this much long term would be an issue.
I also have RA. I manage it with diet, and I also got two bad root canals removed along with a cavitations cleaned out (THANK YOU, WAPF for this info on how dental health affects systemic!!). I am feeling much better since the dental work, but I had mild lingering joint pains. The increased dose of FCLO over the past few months has helped me! So is this another reason for me to continue this increased dose indefinitely?
Also, I listened to your recent podcast on how omega 3 and 6 need to be balance. Can you give more info on this? I take probably a tablespoon of grassfed butter when I take my FCLO. Is that enough? Should I do anything else to help with the balance? I also have been taking regular doses of Ancestral Supplements (I have both the liver and the beef organs). Ancestral Supplements assured me that I cannot overdose on A/D when taking it in natural form. And I know that our ancestors had much, much more in their bodies than we do now, so there is no need to worry, right?
I know this has nothing to do with FCLO, but… If you could point me to some info about balancing hormones that would be great. My progesterone is normal, but my estrogen is so high that my progesterone needs to be even higher to balance it out. I’ve been estrogen dominant probably since I started my period at age 11. I’m 30 now. I’m avoiding plastics and endocrine disrupters as best I can. I am taking Vitex. And my homeopath says she can get me back in balance. I’m not sure how long that will take, and I’m trying to understand if natural bioidential progesterone is an issue? That is what my functional nurse practitioner recommends (she’s also the one who put me on vitex but my periods are getting shorter and shorter so she recommends the progesterone now). Dr Josh Axe also recommends the natural progesterone cream, and I respect his opinion. But my homeopath is against it. I need more info to research and understand this.
Thank you for ALL you do!!
Estrogen dominance group on Facebook
I bought Garden of Life Olde World Cod Liver Oil December 2020 when my husband and I had Covid-19 (a mild cold for us, thankfully! We wouldn’t have even tested except we knew we had been exposed.) I remembered this brand being recommended as good on this page, but I’ve since double checked the ratios and it seems that they have changed them since this page was last updated. My current bottle (bought from Amazon December 2020) has 1270 mcg (50,800 IU) Vitamin A and 10 mcg (400 IU) Vitamin. Far too much vitamin A for even pregnant and nursing mothers (who require the most) and far too little vitamin D for anyone except perhaps infants. I will finish the bottle, taking a small dose and supplementing with additional vitamin D, but will switch to a different brand with a better ratio after this.
“has 1270 mcg (50,800 IU) Vitamin A and 10 mcg (400 IU) Vitamin. Far too much vitamin A ”
1270 mcg = 4233 IU (Vitamin A)
Hi there – my husband is allergic to fish – a light allergy – he simply throws up. He tried cod liver oil and didn’t throw up, but he had an unpleasant feeling in his stomach. Since this page is full of brand recommendations, what is a high quality source of EPA/DHA that you can recommend for someone who has an intolerance to the fish component? Thanks so much
I have a friend with the same problem, anyone have an answer for this question?
Hello,
I found this website as I was searching for an alternative to breastmilk for my 6 months old baby. She is sensitive to the breastmilk although I have excluded dairy, legumes, nuts, gluten and even other grains except rice. She showed reaction ( vomiting, mucus in stool, diarrhoea and nappy rash) for sour foods, tomatoes , chocolate and dairy Since she was 10 days old. So I avoided consuming them but she was getting worse. every month she became sensitive to more food ( almonds, beans, green peppers…. etc ). She started to get sick and lose weight when she was 6 weeks.She started to have blood in the stool at 3 months and a half . I introduced steamed vegetables ( without the skin or core) she was fine and gained some weight. She only reacted to broccoli florets and had diarrhoea and nappy’s rash. After three weeks she started to close her mouth not wanting to eat and she had a-lot of tummy pain and vomiting. I cut out food from her diet and I’m following a very strict diet. She is not having blood in stool, vomiting and tummy pain any more. She only has some spit ups and she is not gaining weight. Doctors said it is a protein sensitivity and They want give her neo-kate spoon and formula and I’m loosing my mind. I don’t want her to have it and I only want her to have a proper alternative to gain weight. She is one kilogram and a half under average. Please give me a solution that doesn’t give her a reaction.
Ignore the doctors and feed breastmilk. That’s the only thing they need until 12 mos old.
Is Rosita one of the best for Australia? I have gotten this.
Hi, we are providing Green Pasture products in Slovenia since 2016.
Please add us to your list for Slovenia, Europe.
https://oleasana.si/green-pasture-fclo
Thank you,
Oleasana Team
I’m surprised to not see Armorica’s fermented cod liver oil mentioned here as they seem to tick all your boxes, have you come across them? They are made in the UK and their website is here: http://www.armoricaoil.com Do let me know your thoughts.
How many FLCO/HVBO capsules per day for my 8 year old daughter? Five? I’m confused but I don’t want to overdo it. Thank you.
Ratfish liver oil from Rosita and pregnancy? They are out of EVCLO and I can’t stomach pills. I do have the ratfish oil however….
https://www.geographicus.com/P/AntiqueMap/scottsemulsion-scottbowne-1911
I wanted to share this really cool antique illustration showing how cod oil helps children around the world!
is Vassaburg’s Kosher Cod Liver Oil a good choice?
Can the authors also include what brands are NOT recommended (especially for more popular brands). Doing this would be helpful in case people find cheaper brands and are wondering if they are “healthy enough” like the more expensive brands (for example, I would rather pay half as much for a brand that is 90% as good as the best brand and is also “healthy enough”), and also to show that the authors are truly doing due diligence on researching every available brand.
The best CLO I can find that has not had all the A and D removed is Garden of Life. It has 10.5/1 (4229.10 IU Vita A / 400 IU D per 5mL of A and D currently on label) so i am supplementing more D3. From what I read above that is the biggest issue. Is it neccessary to add D3?
Unites States (good) :
Since you added Swanson double strength to the list, you might as well add Natural Factors and 21st Century, since they’re almost the same as Swanson.
You can add the following to Europe :
Serbia + Montenegro – Jekogal and Jekosin (these two are sold in pharmacies and health food stores, which can be found through google search).
Hi, I gave my 3 month old 1/4 of a tsp of cod liver oil today and she broke out in hives. I’m pretty sure it was a reaction to it.
Is that a way to introduce it to avoid the reaction? I mixed it in with my Breastmilk and gave her in a bottle.
How common is an allergic reaction this young? She hasn’t had any vaccinations.
If it was fermented, this is not an uncommon reaction. this organization used to have integrity and be worthy of trust, but it’s been co-opted. There’s a whole scandal around so-called fermented CLO and its effects.
Hi, I’ve been purchasing nutrapro for a few years based on the recommendation of this page and realized at some point it has been taken off. Why is this as it appears to still be within all of the parameters for the recommended brands? Would love it if when this page was updated a little blurb is added on the end as to why previously recommended were removed as it would have saved me a half an hour of searching through these comments to realize the question hasn’t been asked yet 😅. It would likely also save y’all from answering the same questions over and over. Thank you!
I was wondering the same. I did find this website, and they also do not recommend NutraPro (I can’t verify their claims, but they seem to come to roughly the same conclusions as this page):
https://www.annmariemichaels.com/best-cod-liver-oil-cod-liver-oil-brands/
If you find any other information, please let me know.
it looks like there are concerns over the ratio of Vitamin A to Vitamin D as per this post: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/values-for-the-fat-soluble-activators/
Has this blog recently been updated? I swear that within the year I read that Weston A Price had Vassaburg on its short list of best cod liver oils — otherwise I am certain I wouldn’t have purchased it. Can someone at WAP clarify where you stand on Vassaburg?
Would like to know also. Vassaburg is in Best recs in the 2024 shopping guide. I had been taking Nutrapro previously until it was randomly removed from this website’s Best rec but I didn’t know throughout my pregnancy. There needs to be much better oversight to rec updates.
Are all the brands of Cod liver oil you recommend from wild caught fish? I don’t eat farmed fish and wouldn’t use a supplement from farmed fish.