Cod liver oil comes from fish liver and therefore contains environmental toxins. Is cod liver oil or capsules with fish oil still a healthy way to get enough vitamin D?
Experts disagree.
Senior physician Anne-Lise Bjørke-Monsen at Førde Central Hospital does not recommend cod liver oil, even though it also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are often linked to positive health effects.
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Bjørke-Monsen has previously co-authored an article in the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association about environmental pollutants in cod liver oil.
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“For young children, cod liver oil is a significant source of environmental pollutants,” says Bjørke-Monsen.
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The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research regularly measures environmental pollutants in fish oils on behalf of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
In 2022, they tested ten marine oils sold as dietary supplements. None of them contained environmental pollutants above the limit values set in Norway and the EU, says researcher Bente Nilsen at the Institute of Marine Research.
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But the amount of environmental pollutants in the products depends on both the raw material used and how well the oil is purified.
