Your body contains hundreds of joints, many of which allow for movement between the bones that make up your skeleton. Healthy joints allow you to move. For example, joints within your ribcage allow for breathing; in your extremities they support locomotion; and in your digits, they support fine motor function. Cod liver oil --- a type of fish oil available as capsule or liquid supplements --- contains nutrients that nourish your joints and support joint function.
Vitamin A
The vitamin A in cod liver oil can have a beneficial effect on your joints. Vitamin A plays a role in the development of several cell and tissue types, including the tissues that make up your joints. Specifically, vitamin A aids in the maturation of chrondrocytes --- the cells that make up cartilage tissue, and play an important role in bone growth. Without adequate vitamin A, your body cannot properly maintain healthy cartilage tissue, and this loss of cartilage may affect your joints.
Vitamin D
Cod liver oil can also benefit your joints due to its vitamin D content. Disorders and diseases affecting the health of your bones can also affect your joints, leading to discomfort over time. The vitamin D in cod liver oil helps maintain healthy bone tissue, preventing bone wasting that could negatively affect your joint function. The vitamin D in cod liver oil might prove especially important for individuals receiving breast cancer treatment, since the vitamin can prevent bone pain associated with some breast cancer medications, according to the Siteman Cancer Center.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Cod liver oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids --- beneficial fats that support healthy joints. Some individuals experience joint pain and discomfort due to excess inflammation. Consuming omega-3 fatty acids can help to regulate inflammation, treating the discomfort that occurs due to diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Though cod liver oil cannot prevent joint damage due to arthritis, consuming fish oil can help patients manage the symptoms that develop as a result of rheumatoid arthritis and relieve debilitating joint pain.
Considerations
The nutrients in cod liver oil can help to maintain healthy tissues within your joints or can relieve joint pain due to disease. However, consuming large amounts of the oil can harm your health, causing abnormal bleeding and bruising. You should never take cod liver oil without permission from your doctor, and should not exceed the dosage recommended by your physician. If you suffer from joint pain, you must seek medical attention to identify the source of the problem instead of trying to treat the pain on your own with cod liver oil supplements.
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