The Value Of Iodine & Cod Liver Oil

Both cod liver oil and iodine are substances that your body greatly benefits. The presence of iodine helps to keep your thyroid system functioning properly and prevents a lot of very harmful conditions. Cod liver oil enhances the overall function of your body, improving nearly every system in one way or another. Both substances are readily available for consumption -- you simply have to know what food sources to eat.

Sources of Iodine

Seafood is one of the best sources of iodine because sea water is rich in iodine. Red meats, dairy products and many plants are also good sources of iodine. Iodine can normally be found in processed foods, as well, because they contain higher levels of iodized salt.

Need for Iodine

Iodine is necessary for the thyroid system to function properly in your body. Without the proper levels of iodine, between 110 mcg and 290 mcg a day, you can develop thyroid enlargement, goiter and eventually, brain damage.

Cod Liver Oil Vitamin A and D

Cod liver oil has a very high Vitamin A and D content, with nearly the full recommended daily amount of Vitamin A and more than 113 percent of the recommended amount of Vitamin D in a single teaspoon.

Vitamin A Benefits

Vitamin A plays an important role in systems throughout the body. An adequate amount of Vitamin A can help avoid a condition known as night blindness. Vitamin A aids in the creation of visual pigment that allows the rod cells of the eye to detect very faint amounts of light, improving the eye's ability to adapt to the dark.

Vitamin A also allows the body to perform DNA transcription. DNA transcription is a process that allows specialty cells to be created. Without the specialized cells, the body would not be able to function properly.

Vitamin A also works to keep your immune system going strong. It improves the function of the mucous membranes that keep harmful substances from entering the body, and it helps with the creation of white blood cells.

Vitamin D Benefits

Vitamin D helps to achieve a good balance of calcium throughout the body. When calcium levels drop too low, vitamin D signals to the body that more calcium needs to be absorbed, while also telling the bones to release some calcium into the body. When calcium levels are high, vitamin D tells the body to expel some of the excess calcium in the urine.

Vitamin D also is important to the white blood cells of the immune system and it helps to avoid the risk of developing high blood pressure by reducing the activation of renin-angiotensin, a system thought to play an important role in hypertension when activated inappropriately.