Gout is one of the few curable forms of arthritis. According to a July 2011 study conducted by Boston University School of Medicine researchers, this painful inflammation of the joints affects more than eight million Americans. Cod liver oil helps to reduce inflammation in the body in general; cod liver oil also contains high amounts of vitamin D, which minimizes the frequency of gout attacks, according to James E. Dowd, M.D., author of "The Vitamin D Cure." Speak to your doctor or health-care practitioner about cod liver oil if you suffer from recurrent attacks of gout.
Hyperuricemia
Hyperuricemia is the medical term for excess uric acid in the bloodstream. The body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines -- organic compounds found in many foods, including organ meats and seafood. Gout results when the body fails to excrete the surplus uric acid. In some cases uric acid builds up because of improper kidney function; in others it occurs because of high intake of purine-rich foods and the resultant overproduction of uric acid. Extra uric acid crystallizes in the joints, causing the swelling, severe pain and restricted range of motion characteristic of gout.
Research
Cod liver oil contains high levels of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, best known as DHA. The acute inflammation associated with gout attacks stems from the activation of a certain group of 11 inflammatory proteins known as the interleukin family, according to a review conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado and published in the April 2011 issue of the journal "Blood." Interleukin-1 in particular is associated with inflammatory joint diseases such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis. The omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil demonstrate the ability to suppress interleukin-1 activation, according to eMedTV.
Metabolic Syndrome
Hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome, including obesity and high triglycerides or elevated levels of fats in the blood, predispose individuals to gout, according to the Harvard Health Letter. The omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil -- particularly DHA -- demonstrate the ability to lower inflammation in men with high triglyceride levels, which may minimize gout attacks. In March 2009, University of California researchers supplemented hypertriglyceridemic men with DHA for 91 days and found that the markers of inflammation -- including C-reactive protein -- diminished considerably. This research suggests that individuals with gout triggered by metabolic syndrome can benefit immediately from cod liver supplementation, in addition to weight loss. This study appeared in "The Journal of Nutrition."
Vitamin D
In "The Vitamin D Cure," Dr. James E. Dowd suggests that a vitamin D deficiency may initiate gout attacks, since low vitamin D leads to accelerated release of uric acid from the bones into the bloodstream. Cod liver oil is a rich source of vitamin D; 1 tbsp. provides 340 percent of the daily recommended allowance, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
References
- Harvard Health Letter; All About Gout; April 2010
- eMedTV; Benefits of Cod Liver Oil; Kristi Monson, PharmD, and Arthur Schoenstadt, MD; January 2009
- "The Vitamin D Cure"; James Dowd and Diane Stafford; 2007
- "Arthritis and Rheumatism"; Prevalence of Gout and Hyperuricemia in the U.S. General Population; Y. Zhu, et al.; July 2011
- "Blood"; Interleukin-1 in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases; C.A. Dinarello; April 2011
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; DHA Supplementation Decreases Serum C-Reactive Protein and Other Markers of Inflammation in Hypertriglyceridemic Men; D.S. Kelley, et al.; March 2009
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