HDL refers to high density lipoprotein. Often called the "good" cholesterol, HDL cholesterol combats many heart disease risk factors, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Cod liver oil contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. Both of these nutrients demonstrate the ability to raise levels of HDL cholesterol in the blood. Speak to your doctor or health care provider about cod liver oil if you have high cholesterol.
Importance
In addition to fat, HDL cholesterol contains a special protein known as apolipoprotein A-I, according to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati discovered that apolipoprotein A-I and other proteins within HDL cholesterol effectively form an enclosure around deposits of LDL cholesterol--the bad cholesterol associated with heart disease--and shuttle them to the liver, where they can be excreted from the body through the stool in the form of bile acids. Results from the University of Cincinnati study appeared in the March 2011 issue of the journal "Nature Structural & Molecular Biology."
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Cod liver oil contains eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, better known as DHA. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, these essential fatty acids demonstrate the ability to increase levels of heart-healthy HDL cholesterol in the blood.
Research
In 2004 researchers from the University of Missouri examined the effects of omega-3 supplementation on the levels of HDL cholesterol in 10 healthy male subjects. The study participants received 4g of EPA and DHA a day for one month. At the end of the study period, their levels of HDL cholesterol had increased significantly. The results of this research appeared in the June issue of the journal "Metabolism."
Vitamin D
Cod liver oil also contains high levels of vitamin D. One tablespoon of cod liver oil provides 340 percent of the daily recommended allowance, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. According to recent research, vitamin D also has an impact on levels of HDL cholesterol in the blood. Researchers from Provident Clinical Research in Illinois studied the levels of vitamin D in 257 females and males in 2009. Lower concentrations of vitamin D correlated directly with lower levels of HDL cholesterol. The results of this study appeared in the August issue of the "Journal of Clinical Lipidology."
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 fatty acids
- "Science Daily"; Good Cholesterol Structure Identified, Could Help Explain Protective Effects; March 2011
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Lipoproteins: Lipid Digestion & Transport; Joyce J. Diwan
- "Metabolism"; Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Exercise on Low-Density Lipoprotein and High-Density Lipoprotein Subfractions; T.R. Thomas, et al.; June 2004
- "Journal of Clinical Lipidology"; Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D is Independently Associated with High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and the Metabolic Syndrome in Men and Women; Kevin C. Maki, Ph.D., et al.; August 2009
- National Institutes of Health; Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D
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