Medizines

There are health benefits of cod liver oil and there are drawbacks. Cod liver oil benefits may not outweigh the risks. The primary benefit of cod liver oil is related to its omega-3 content, but fish oils derived from the flesh of fish, rather than the liver, provide that benefit without the risks.
The health benefits of cod liver oil are related, primarily to omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential for the healthy function of the brain, the heart, the joints, the digestive system and many other systems of the body. Another benefit of cod liver oil is related to its vitamin E content, which helps the body process the fatty acids, is an essential antioxidant and promotes the health of the skin and the hair.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids/Benefits of Cod Liver Oil
Omega-3s are essential to human health, cannot be produced inside the body, and so, must be obtained from food or through supplementation. The best know source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish. Some fish contain more omega 3s than others.
There are two types of omega-3 fatty acids that have been identified as essential for human health. They are Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA and Eicosapentaenoic Acid or EPA. These are found primarily in fish. The body can convert another omega-3 fatty acid, known as Alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, to DHA and EPA, but the process is relatively inefficient. It is believed that one would have to consume a great deal of ALA in order to get the health benefits provided by DHA and EPA.
The omega-3 found in flax seed oil is ALA. And some believe that flax seed oil can provide cod liver oil benefits, without the risks, but this is debatable. Although there are no risks associated with flax seed oil, it is unknown if ALA provides the same health benefits as DHA and EPA.
The Risks
Cod liver oil contains large amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D and may contain contaminants such as mercury and pesticides. The body needs adequate amounts of vitamin A, but large amounts can be toxic. Vitamin D is not commonly found in natural foods, but many processed foods are fortified with vitamin D to ensure good nutrition.
At one time the benefits of cod liver oil were believed to be associated with its vitamin A and D content. This was before omega-3 fatty acids had been identified and before food fortification was a common practice. It was also before taking daily multi-vitamins became a common practice and before industrial pollutants had contaminated our oceans.
Vitamin D
While no tolerable upper limit for vitamin D consumption has been established, adequate intake for adults, under the age of 50, and children is believed to be around 200 units per day. Adults over 50 should increase consumption to 400 units per day for men and 600 units per day for women. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to process calcium and is therefore a factor in preventing osteoporosis and maintaining bone health. However, one of the popular cod liver oil products contains 4000 to 5000 units of vitamin D per teaspoon, more than anyone needs on a daily basis.
Vitamin A
A tolerable upper limit for vitamin A has been established. The maximum amount of vitamin A that a 25 year old man should consumer per day is 10,000 IU. Women should consume less than half that amount. Women who are pregnant should avoid dietary supplements that contain vitamin A because of the risk of birth defects. While vitamin A is necessary for fetal development and overall good health, it is stored in the fat cells and there is a great risk of over supplementation. Excess consumption of vitamin A is also believed to contribute to osteoporosis.
One of the popular cod liver oil products contains 4000-5000 IU of vitamin A, per teaspoon. When added to the amount that may be present in other dietary supplements, as well as the food that a person consumes per day, it will put most people over the safe upper limit for vitamin A. While the benefit of cod liver oil for supplying essential omega 3s is known, it is unknown if excess consumption of vitamin A will counteract those effects.
A better choice for vitamin A supplementation is beta carotene and other carotenoids. Present in the better daily dietary supplements, carotenoids are converted by the body to vitamin A on an as-needed basis and are not associated with the negative effects of "pre-formed" vitamin A. The only known side effect of excess consumption of carotenoids is a yellowing of the skin, called carotenosis, which is not dangerous, but may be undesirable.
Alternatives
Fish oil derived from the flesh of fish does not contain the vitamins A and D. Those vitamins are usually present in adequate amounts in daily multi-vitamins and fortified foods. Though extra vitamin D supplementation is often recommended for persons over the age of 50, it is not a benefit of cod liver oil and there are better choices for vitamin D supplementation.
From an environmental standpoint, over harvesting of the cod fish has led to the depletion of many populations. Farms affect the health of wild fish. The equipment used for harvesting damages the habitat of other water dwelling life forms. Although there are cod liver oil benefits, these health benefits can be obtained from other sources that do not cause damage to our environment.
By Patsy Hamilton

During the past honey was considered to be useful in health benefits as a medication and still these days, experts feel that honey is extremely helpful in advanced medication.

A number of the health benefits of honey will be talked about in this particular post. Listed below are the 8 benefits that honey offers:

1. Used to be a Sweetener

First of all, honey is utilized as a sweetener. Because of the existence of sugar and fructose in honey, it can be utilized to replace sugar in drinks and food.

2. Excellent Resource of Energy

It is additionally utilized to supply a steady source of energy for the human body. Can you just imagine that 1 tbsp. of honey will certainly offer you with 64 calories of energy! This is certainly due to the fact that the carbohydrates found in honey can be quickly broken down to glucose therefore easy to consume providing health benefits.

3. Helps prevent excessive weight gain

Situations of losing weight and the requirement to cut weight are usually done merely by using honey. Extreme weight gain can be dangerous to the human body therefore the necessity to cut it and keep healthy. Honey has an extremely significant role in absorbing the fats placed in the human body. This decreases the dangers related with excessive weight gain for example heart attacks.

4. Keeps the blood glucose levels

Honey, being a healthy supply of sugar, is important in keeping the blood glucose level. Together with this, it can be useful for muscular restoration and restores glycogen after a healthy training and workout. This tends to make it extremely handy for runners by increasing their own capabilities.

5. Outstanding Source of Minerals plus Nutritional vitamins

You can find essential natural vitamins and minerals that happen to be essential inside the human body. These vitamins and minerals are usually seen in honey. However amount of such minerals and nutritional vitamins yet depend upon the sort of flowers from where the nectar is taken out through bees. A few usual good examples of all of these components usually are vitamin C, iron and calcium.

6. Used as being an Antiseptic for the purpose of Curing Wounds

Medical research shows health advantages of honey throughout its antibacterial along with antifungal results. These kinds of qualities make honey to get utilized as a possible antiseptic meant for treatment of injuries avoiding additional contamination.

7. Improves the Body's immune system

Other kinds of health benefits of honey are usually proven with the betterment of the immune system of the entire body. Generally honey allows in the removal of free radicals coming from the body. That helps make it an excellent antioxidant.

8. A Pure Skin Care

Natural skin care is one of many health benefits of honey. Daily ingestion of honey can make the structure of the skin to get smooth. Honey is definitely helpful in supplying its health benefits to fight your aging and help in contributing to a standard betterment and maintenance of a healthy body. Experiments that have already been done related to the health benefits of honey have clearly revealed the fact that it is beneficial and very important inside the human body so have to be taken often.

Health benefits of honey are actually numerous therefore highly recommended for regular usage, the ease of use of honey tends to make it quite popular and typical among a lot of individuals mainly because it is generally eaten in a range of forms for example consuming it directly, mixing up it with drinking water, lime and also put in food including bread. Because of its fairly sweet flavor, it is savored all providing health benefits.

By Gregory Wood