Re: Cod liver oil- isn't a liver full of toxins?

According to University of California Berkeley:

Cod liver oil, bottled or in capsule form, has its own special problems. It is the richest source of vitamins A and D. Just one teaspoon of cod liver oil has 4,500 IU of A, for instance, and the standard dose is one to three teaspoons a day. Capsules of cod liver oil contain less oil, but the vitamin can still add up, especially on top of the amount you get from foods and from a multivitamin, if you take one. Recent studies have found that as little as 6,000 IU of vitamin A daily can interfere with bone growth and promote fractures. And women of childbearing age should not exceed 10,000 IU of vitamin A because of the risk of birth defects. Cod liver oil is made from livers, of course. The liver is a filter, so toxins (such as PCBs) get concentrated there. Thus cod liver oil is more likely to be contaminated than other fish-oil supplements.

If you want to try fish oil supplements, avoid cod liver oil—and talk to your doctor first.


http://www.wellnessletter.com/html/ds/dsCodLiverOil.php