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Submitted by Greg Arnold, February 24, 2004, Abstracted from "Human proof that cod liver oil can slow the onset of osteoarthritis"
in the Functional Foods newsletter, February 12, 2004
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Researchers in the United Kingdom have found another weapon, along with glucosamine sulfate (1), to help slow the destruction of joint cartilage in patients with osteoarthritis. In a study to be published in a medical journal later this year, cod liver oil, for the first time ever in a clinical trial, proved effective in the management of osteoarthritis.
Thirty-one patients on a waiting list for knee and hip replacement surgeries were recruited 10-12 weeks prior to the operation. Half of the patients were given two daily capsules containing 1000mg Extra High Strength Cod Liver Oil and half given placebo capsules. At the time of surgery, samples of cartilage and joint tissue were taken from the knee joint and subjected to analysis.
Amazingly, the study showed that 86% of pre-operative patients with arthritis, who took Cod Liver Oil capsules daily had absent or significantly reduced levels of the enzymes that cause cartilage damage compared to 26% of those given a placebo oil capsule. The results also showed the Cod Liver Oil patients to have a marked reduction in some of the enzymes that cause joint pain.
According to surgeons, Cod Liver Oil has a dual mode of action by slowing down the cartilage degeneration seen in osteoarthritis while concomitantly reducing factors that cause pain and inflammation.
Cod liver oil's effect on helping slow down osteoarthritis progression was so effective, the researchers recommended "people who have suffered sporting injuries that predispose them to the early onset of osteoarthritis (e.g. meniscal tears or cruciate ligament rupture) consider taking Cod Liver Oil to slow the progression of their disease."
Reference:
1. McAlindon TE. Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Treatment of Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Quality Assessment and Meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association 2000; 283: 1469 – 1475
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