Crohn's disease affects roughly 1.4 million Americans, most of them teenagers and young adults, according to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. Crohn's disease can target any area of the gastrointestinal tract; however it typically occurs in the small intestine and the colon. The omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil may help patients with Crohn's disease minimize inflammation, while the vitamin D in cod liver oil may help prevent Crohn's disease onset, according to recent research.
Autoimmune Disease
While its exact cause remains elusive, researchers understand Crohn's disease to be an autoimmune disorder. The immune systems of Crohn's disease patients cannot tell the difference between its own tissues and foreign tissues, therefore it attacks both. The result is a chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract that causes fever, persistent diarrhea, weight loss, pain during defecation, abdominal cramps and blood in the feces.
Vitamin D
Cod liver oil provides a good source of vitamin D. According to recent research, a vitamin D deficiency may represent the root cause of Crohn's disease onset. A 2009 study conducted by University of McGill researchers in Canada found that patients with Crohn's disease lack enough vitamin D to properly stimulate the protective action of the NOD2 gene -- a key component of the immune system. This research suggests that those at risk for developing Crohn's disease may be able to prevent it through supplementation with cod liver oil.
Remission
The omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil also demonstrate the ability to extend periods of remission in Crohn's disease patients. A December 2005 study conducted by researchers from the University of Messina in Italy recruited 38 subjects with pediatric Crohn's disease: 18 subjects received omega-3 fatty acids in addition to their medication, while the rest received a placebo. After 12 months, the rate of relapse was much lower in the group that supplemented omega-3 fatty acids compared to the control subjects. The results of this research appeared in the "World Journal of Gastroenterology."
Colon Cancer
Patients with Crohn's disease run a higher risk of developing colon cancer, according to the MayoClinic.com. The risk increases with the duration of Crohn's disease, as well as how much of the colon the disease affects. Cod liver oil demonstrates the ability to arrest the growth of human colon cancer cells in laboratory studies. Speak to your doctor or health care provider about cod liver oil supplementation if you have had Crohn's disease for eight years or longer.
References
- Pub Med Health: Crohn's Disease; George F Longstreth, M.D. et al.; December 2010
- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America: About Crohn's Disease
- Journal of Biological Chemistry: Direct and Indirect Induction by 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 of the NOD2/CARD15-Beta Defensin 2 Innate Immune Pathway Defective in Crohn's Disease; Tian-Tian Wang et al.; November 2009
- Science Daily: Vitamin D Supplements Could Fight Crohn's Disease; January 2010
- World Journal of Gastroenterology: Usefulness of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in addition to mesalazine in maintaining remission in pediatric Crohn's disease: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study; C. Romano et al.; December 2005
- MayoClinic: Crohn's Disease: Complications; August 2009
Member Comments