Seventy thousand people are taking part in the study being carried out by Oslo University Hospital. This makes it one of the largest clinical studies in the country. Half of the study group will receive cod liver oil daily, the other half will take a placebo product.
“Previous studies show that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D contribute to the fight against respiratory infections”, thus Arne Søraas, Physician Scientist at Oslo University Hospital. Cod liver oil could also protect against infection with the virus, according to the doctor.
Is this ancient substance the new panacea in the fight against corona?
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What is cod liver oil?
Cod liver oil is an oil derived from the liver of cod, halibut or haddock. It is a source of vitamins A, D and omega-3 fatty acids. The oil contained in this research is used comes from cod.
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The Nutrition Center is not surprised that research is being done on cod liver oil because it contains a large amount of vitamin D. “That vitamin D protects against Covid-19 is a lot in the news,” says Iris Groenenberg, nutrition and health expert at the Netherlands Nutrition Center. “But I do wonder why cod liver oil is chosen and not, for example, vitamin D. Suppose the research shows that cod liver oil is beneficial, then you do not yet know why. Is it because of the vitamin D, the vitamin? A or the other substances in the cod liver oil? “
Too much vitamin A.
It does not therefore mean that cod liver oil is necessarily a means that everyone should start taking immediately. Cod liver oil also contains other substances, such as vitamin A. “You need that for all kinds of things, such as your immune system, your skin and your eyes. But the amount of vitamin A in cod liver oil can be high. And that is why you have to be careful before use your product. “
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An excessive amount of vitamin A can be harmful to you, according to Groenenberg. For example, it can cause abnormalities in the unborn child of a pregnant woman. “But even if you are not pregnant, you can get abnormalities in the eyes.”
Omega-3
Cod liver oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, because it is made from fish. The Nutrition Center recommends eating fatty fish every week. “Eating fatty fish has been proven to have beneficial effects against cardiovascular disease. If you don’t like fish, you can get those omega-3 fatty acids from a supplement, but the health benefits have never been proven.”
No extra swallowing necessary
According to Groenenberg, as a healthy person you do not have to take extra vitamin D. “If you get out enough in the spring and in the summer and get vitamin D from your food, then you have a supply that will get you through the winter. In terms of nutrition, for example, it is in meat and egg. In the Netherlands, low-fat margarine and margarine are also enriched. with vitamin D. “
There are a lot of groups that do it advice get to take vitamin D. “Think of children under the age of four, the elderly and people with a tinted skin. But also people who go outside less often because of their work or people who are ill for a long time.”
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