Cod liver oil

[Guest guest]

>>>>>I'm puzzled about the quantities of nutrients in cod liver oil.

Premier Carlson

Serving size 1/2 tsp 1 tsp

Vitamin A 5,750 IU 2000 to 2500 IU

Vitamin D 575 IU 400 to 500 IU

DHA 264 mg 500-550 mg

EPA 270 mg 460-500 mg

Vitamin E 23 IU 1 IU

Cost (approx) $14.95 for 8 oz $19.90 for 16 oz

Any idea why the differences? What would be the appropriate dose for a 70

year old?

*******Kris, i was told by a representative at Natural Factors (*my*

favorite brand of CLO) that manufacturers commonly add some of these

nutrients back into fish oils to standardize the amounts. we were

specifically discussing salmon oil, but i imagine it might be the same for

CLO. for example, standardized amounts of EPA and DHA in salmon oil are 180

mgs and 120 mgs respectively. obviously, all salmon of the world are not

swimming around with exactly 180 mgs EPA and 120 mgs DHA in each 1000 mgs of

their fat, in fact, i think they have quite a bit less. so manufacturers

manipulate and add back in what they need to, to achieve whatever amounts

they've determined for that product. i believe that's the reason that there

are wildly varying amounts of vit. A, vit. D, EPA and DHA in various brands

of CLO.

the salmon oil i get from natural factors, OTOH, just has the naturally

occurring amount of EPA, DHA and other fatty acids. turns out to be quite a

bit less than standardized amounts. in 1,000 mgs of oil there's 200 mgs n-3

fatty acids, with 8% (80 mgs) EPA and 7% (70 mgs) DHA. and one more note -

i've got assays for NF's clo and salmon oil. there's a fairly wide range of

acceptability as to these potencies so, although the bottle says 8% EPA,

each capsule might have a range from 90-110% of this amount according to my

assay. same with the vit A and D content in CLO. NF's bottle of CLO says it

contains 2.500 IU vit. A and 200 IU vit. D. but the assay allows for a

90-165% acceptable range for vit. A and a 90-145% acceptable range for vit.

D. this particular assay found the product assayed to have 119% of 2.500 IUs

vit. A and 96% of the 200 IUs for vit. D. so, what it says on the bottle is

a *target* amount and there's a range of acceptable potency. i don't know

how other manufacturers do it, but i'd imagine they too have a *range* of

acceptable potency for their fish oils.

i haven't got the slightest clue how much would be good for a 70 year old!

it depends a lot on diet, lifestyle and health status. but i wouldn't advise

taking as much as mercola recommends, which is 1000 mgs per 10 lbs. body

weight. that's a *therapeutic* dose and i think it's irresponsible of him to

recommend it to healthy people

Suze Fisher

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