Cod liver oil contains essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins that may benefit children. The Weston A. Price Foundation website recommends a dose of cod liver oil that contains 4650 IU vitamin A and 975 IU vitamin D for children between the ages of 3 and 12. For children older than 12, the dose should contain 9500 IU vitamin A and 1950 IU vitamin D.
Type 1 Diabetes
A study reported in a December 2003 article in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reveals an association between using cod liver oil and a lower risk of type 1 diabetes. Results of the study indicate that using cod liver oil during the first year of life may lower a child's risk of for this type of diabetes while other vitamin D supplements were not associated with this benefit. The study concluded that cod liver oil may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes due to anti-inflammatory activity and omega 3 fatty acids.
Vitamin D
According to the Healthy Children website with the American Academy of Pediatrics, a tablespoon of cod liver oil contains 340 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin D. According to a CNN Health report, 70 percent of American children do not get enough vitamin D. This may contribute to higher blood pressure and lower levels of good cholesterol in these children. The report suggests that low vitamin D levels may increase a child's risk of heart disease.
Vitamin A
Cod liver oil contains vitamin A, which helps form healthy bones, mucous membranes and skin. Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and produces the pigment of the retina in the eyes. According to the Micronutrient Initiative website, sufficient vitamin A ingestion reduces the rate of child mortality by 23 percent in populations that are deficient in vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of death brought on by malaria and diarrheal diseases. The mortality rate is also high among children that have mild vitamin A deficiencies.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
The Weston A. Price Foundation website indicates that cod liver oil contains the omega 3 acids known as eicosapentaenoic, or EPA, and docasahexaenoic, or DHA. DHA is essential for nervous system and vision development during the first six months of life. The University of Maryland Medical Center speculates that omega-3 acids in fish oils may reduce symptoms of ADHD in Children. The Purdue Research Foundation's Omega-3 Learning website suggests that DHA and EPA may provide neurodevelopmental benefits in children between ages 4 and 8.
Member Comments