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Below you’ll find what came to my in-box this week from the Weston A. Price Foundation, but first I’ll give you my little opinion on the whole cod liver oil drama. (You wouldn’t believe how many questions I’ve gotten about this!)
Dr. Mercola’s recent statement about Cod Liver Oil threw me for a loop because:
1. I used to read him regularly and trusted most of what he said, although he was a bit of a hard seller for all of his products. Obviously, I also suggest my favorite products to you now and then that I might get an affiliate commission on, so I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing to earn money from your site. But geesh, he really pushes his stuff, so much so that he lost some credibility with me. (I hope I don’t come off like that sometimes when I go on and on about how much I love something!)
2. The thought that I could recommend something that could prove to be harmful makes me ill just to imagine it. This is why I so painstakingly research everything before I post about it.
However, I wasn’t unsettled for long before common sense kicked back in.
This traditional food has been a part of the diets of healthy people for a lot longer than any of us may even know. Not to mention the fact that a few things he said in his article didn’t set right with me:
- He wrote about the research showing how important the ratios of vitamin A & D are in CLO, and how “modern cod liver oil” doesn’t have the correct ratios. He’s exactly right, “modern” CLO doesn’t supply these vitamins in a healthy ratio, which is why we should only take the kinds that DO, like the fermented CLO.
- He talks about what a highly processed food CLO is, and again, he’s right, which is why we should only take the fermented CLO, because it’s not processed at all. (By the way, now I sound like I’m selling it, but I don’t get any affiliate commission from CLO. The sites I recommend on my page with the best CLO deals do not have an affiliate program, and as I promised, that’s still where I send you to buy it since it’s cheapest through there.)
- Next he says that after looking into it more, he thinks there is enough vitamin A in the American diet. I’d like to know what planet he lives on. Is there really any vitamin that Americans get a sufficient amount of these days?
A member from this thread at the Native Nutrition Yahoo forum said it best:
“In my opinion Dr. Mercola has lost all credibility. He has changed his opinion 3-4 times in two years. Each time the opinion change had to do with directing traffic to his fish oil/krill oil. He almost points to the real problem (the industrialization of one of our sacred foods…just like milk) but then directs the conversation to say that ‘all CLO is bad and buy my krill oil’. He twists his reasoning to fit his mode of sales. This is not proper nor ethical. Especially when so many people look up to him for advice. He even goes as far as to say that ‘omega 3’s’ are essential ‘nutrients’, but it is not the fats that are the real nutrients! They are part of the puzzle. The fats bind hormone, nutrient, co-factor, vitamins, & quinones together for proper nourishing of our bodies. The fats are the carriers not the ‘essential nutrients’!”
BOTTOM LINE: THE BRAND, THE SOURCE, OR THE QUALITY REALLY DOES COUNT!
As with most foods, to be sure you’re getting the healthy version, YOU MUST CONSIDER THE SOURCE! Where did it come from? How was it made? What is in it? What is not in it? How was it grown or raised? These and many more questions are things you need to get into the habit of asking no matter what it is that you’re putting into your mouth. You always want to choose whatever is most natural, the closest to how God created it.
The answers to these questions are not always easy to find (which is why we need to help each other!), but they can make all the difference between something that is LIFE-GIVING and hugely beneficial to our health or something that is no better than junk food or even HARMFUL to our health.
Cod liver oil is just one example. As mentioned in the quote above, milk is another example. Compare fresh, raw milk to ultra-pasteurized milk…one is full of life-giving nutrients, the other is so dead you may as well skip it, and it could even be harmful to your health, organic or not!
Be sure to look over this complete list of cod liver oil posts full of information to help you decide. Also here you’ll find out where to find the best quality cod liver oil, as well as suggestions on how to get it down!
Read more from Dave/Green Pasture’s blog (they make the Fermented CLO.)
I’D ALSO LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON ALL THIS, PLEASE COMMENT!
Now take a look at the official response to the recent cod liver oil bashing from the Weston A. Price Foundation:
UPDATE FOR WAPF MEMBERS
January 2009
ONGOING COD LIVER OIL CONTROVERSY
Several weeks ago we sent out an update on vitamin A and cod liver oil to all our members, in response to a negative article about cod liver oil by John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council. This update is now posted on our website at http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/CLOUpdateDec2008.pdf. The important take-home message is that there is nothing in the new study authored by Cannell and others to indicate any toxicity whatsoever from cod liver oil; however, the authors have put a politically correct spin on the findings in order to frighten people away from this life-giving superfood and vector them into taking isolated vitamin D instead.
Now Dr. Joe Mercola has come out with his own anti-cod liver oil statement, based on Cannell’s study. What particularly concerns us is not the fact that Dr. Mercola has a different opinion on the subject, but that he has completely misrepresented the teachings of the Weston A. Price Foundation, stating that the Foundation believes “. . . there is sufficient vitamin A in the diet of most Americans, especially if they are taking a multivitamin.”
The crux of our teachings at WAPF is that there is NOT sufficient vitamin A in the diet of most Americans, especially in comparison to the diets of healthy primitive peoples. Vitamin A was plentiful in the diets of primitive peoples because they ate the liver of sea and land animals, animal fats such as seal oil, candle fish oil and butter from grass-fed animals, and other rich sources such as fish eggs and fish heads. It is difficult to see how investigators can claim that vitamin A is toxic when traditional diets were so rich in this nutrient. As most modern people do not eat these foods, at least not in abundance, we recommend cod liver oil to supply vitamin A, as well as other fat-soluble nutrients.
Also, we have NEVER recommended multivitamins! We recommend nutrient-dense food (such as cod liver oil).
Not all cod liver oils are created equal. It is important that cod liver oil contain sufficient vitamin D to balance the vitamin A content. Please visit our cod liver page at http://westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/cod-liver-oil-menu.html.
We are planning a long article on cod liver oil, including a point-by-point rebuttal of Mercola’s statement, in the Spring 2009 issue of Wise Traditions.
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{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, this is very helpful. I’m glad I have been taking the fermented cod liver oil.
Kelly,
That article had me worried, too, as my mind kept trying to grapple with a) one of their (WAPF) own spoke out against CLO!; b) the highly processed nature of the product, and c) the supposed studies which prove vitamin A toxicity, etc. I was a bit stunned, to be honest, after daily consuming CLO since the Deidre Currie Festival in September. For two days, our family went back to regular Omega-3 capsules while I processed the info and sought out more info. So glad the WAPF responded in a timely manner and I so very much look forward to their Wise Traditions Spring issue, where they will have a point-by-point rebuttal. From now on (I should say, after our last regular CLO bottle is finished), we will be purchasing the fermented variety. By that time, that’s all I may have to choose from anyway, huh?
Thanks for devotedly and continually staying on top of these important issues!!
–Julie L.
Yes – thank you for this! I read Mercola’s article and at first I was worried, then I talked to a doctor friend who agreed with him and felt VERY worried….. but like you, my common sense came back quickly.
I’m glad to hear from WAPF too.
Shauna
Thanks, Kelly – this is very helpful. I am a member of WAPF too and I processed the same information much the way you did, however, I am assuming that the “regular” CLO from Green Pastures is okay?? We did order the fermented but we are finishing up the regular Orange and Mint CLO from Green Pastures.
I look forward to the full report in the Spring issue of WAPF’’s Wise Traditions.
Maria
Thanks Kelly,
I’ve also felt somewhat put off my Mercola’s hard sell for his stuff. I think he’s generally pretty good, but certainly out to make a buck, and sometimes at the expense of full disclosure. Another example is his Cocoa Cassava Bars- he rightly talks smack about soy elsewhere, but glosses over the fact that his bars contain ssoy lecithin. Also, while disparaging (rightly) the preponderance of fake ingredients in most energy bars, he ignores legitimate real food bars like the Lara Bar. Now, I’m no LaraBar salesperson, and they are fairly sugary, but they’re also just whole foods. Here’s an example of one of their ingredient lists, for ‘Banana Bread’ flavored bar: Dates, Almonds, Unsweetened Bananas No mas. Another- Pistachio: Dates, Pistachios, Cashews One more issue: he wrote a book about the drawbacks of artifical sweeteners, yet also talks up and recommends Xylitol. Now maybe that’s an exception and is actually a healthful sweet alternative, but I doubt it, and his hawking of it turns me off.
So yeah, Mercola is not fully disclosive and has lost credibility.
Looking forward to trying some of the fermented CLO. Looks like a solid product and well worth the investment.
To Maria: the WAPF still stands behind the regular High Vitamin Green Pastures CLO. Their Vit A: Vit D ratio is 10:1, which is within acceptable ranges, (though WAPF folks say even lower is better). But still, nowhere near the 100:1 or higher ratios found in some CLOs. So- don’t fret!
Thank you, Kelly. I receive Mercola’s newsletter and it concerned me too. We are using the raw fermented CLO and knew we were at least going to use what we had. After reading your post, I will continue to purchase when we run out.
Rob, you’re right about the regular Green Pastures CLO – it’s still a good product, but for Maria: soon they won’t be selling it anymore – he’s only selling what he still has in stock, which is a lot from what I gather…? (There are good sales now and then.)
The reason he won’t be making anymore of it soon, is because of what I wrote about a little about in this post: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/10/cod-liver-oil-capsules-important-update.html
I’ve read it in a few other places now, so I can say a little more: soon the source for natural vitamins will no longer be available, so Green Pastures will only be making the Fermented CLO because the vitamins aren’t processed out at all (thus they won’t need to add any back in). Another reason the FCLO is superior!
Kelly
Can you elaborate on what you mean by “soon the source for natural vitamins will no longer be available”? Thanks
I had a nagging feeling that Dr. Mercola’s “stance” on CLO might have something to do with his Krill Oil.
Thanks for clearing that up! I’m taking my fermented CLO!!!
Chase,
I’ll answer your question soon, I need to make a call next week and make sure I’m not going against my word. I said I wouldn’t disclose everything I was told yet, because an “official” statement about it would be out in early 2009. I have no idea what the big deal is (doesn’t seem like it should be a big secret to me), but I want to keep my word. I only said a bit more today because I’ve read the same things in other places.
Kelly
I was not swayed by Cannell’s information and was a bit irritated to find that Mercola was jumping on the band wagon–he has slipped down a notch in my mind. But it is nice to see that other’s (including WAPF) are in agreement with me.
We have been taking the Blue Ice Butter Oil Blend CLO. My question is, how does the fermented taste in comparison? We really like the Cinnamon, I will have to check and see if the fermented is available in Cinnamon and perhaps when we finish this new bottle we will switch. I guess at some point we will have to switch if they are not going to make the regular anymore.
Shannon,
Yes, the fermented comes in Cinnamon. It also comes in plain or licorice…ick!
Great clarifications, Kelly! That all makes perfect sense! I wasn’t too worried, because I knew my source of CLO was solid in its ratios. I am interested in switching to Fermented CLO soon, however!
Thanks!
I started becoming increasingly irritated with Mercola when it became impossible to search or view a page on his site without “logging in”, and even though I was a subscriber, it won’t let me log in. Sigh.
My kids take the regular Blue Ice CLO very well, how is the fermented flavor in comparison?
Shannon, I just posted a new comment to answer more about the taste at this post: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/10/fermented-cod-liver-oil-series-part-2.html#comment-2428
Let me know if you have any more questions.
BTW, Chase, to answer your earlier question:
Here’s the deal on the cod liver oil and natural vs. synthetic vitamins.
Sometime this year (I had heard early in the year), the only source (in Norway) for the natural vitamins A & D will no longer be making that available. (Decreased demand with the popularity of plain “omega 3’s”?)
Remember how in “regular” CLO, in the cleaning process, the vitamins are removed, and then vitamin A & D are put back in. The quality brands would put natural back in, but many brands already use synthetic (which are very harmful to our health!)
Soon, because the source will no longer be available, ALL cod liver oil will have only synthetic vitamins UNLESS it is unheated/unprocessed, which the fermented CLO is.
Hope that’s not confusing.
Kelly
Kelly,
Yes that was helpful, thanks! We already squirt our CLO in the back of our throats anyway, so hopefully we’ll do okay with the fermented kind. If not, maybe I’ll put it in a shot of kombucha for the kids. We just opened a new bottle of the regular, so when it’s gone we’ll make the switch. I’ll have to post my experiences with it on my blog.
Hi,
I just finished reading the article by the Vitamin D Council and I was worried about CLO. Thanks for the great information.
I am a new member of Westin Price Foundation. I have been trying CLO from Green Pastures and will be starting my 3rd bottle and it will be FCLO.
An amazing thing has happened to me! I was born hypo-pituitary and it is a long story. But yesterday my Endo said my blood tests show my t3 (thyroid hormone) has taken a significant jump. He couldn’t believe it and questioned whether I was getting the right synthroid dose. Not to mention my growth hormone jumped up higher then he thought it would also. The only thing is my calcium level is now at the high end of normal. I am a little concerned about that. Anyway I have high hopes that FCLO can help me. I was taking it hoping it would help my stiff joints that has happened to me since being on humatroupe hgh. I didn’t think it could stimulate my thyroid and growth hormone levels.
Thanks again
Deanna
Deanna, I can’t wait to hear if it helps your joints!
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
It does seem to help with the stiffness, but I was so shocked about the hormone issue. I am suppose to go for a bone density test.
Your website is awesome! So much information and I am just struggling to find ways to make my life better.
Thank you
d
Thanks to a reader, I just found this update from Green Pastures:
https://www.greenpasture.org/node/130
Kelly:
HELP! I also read the update from Green Pastures – I live in Windsor Ontario Canada – and it was very difficult to get the High Vitamin A Cod Liver Oil – now I hear this news!
I cannot do without my Cod Liver Oil – it helps with arthritis symptoms – what to do???
Thank you for any information you may provide
Mary
Mary, sorry I wasn’t more clear in the post, I’ll have to go fix it – THIS is the best CLO to take now, and is even better than the other CLO from Green Pastures:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/10/fermented-cod-liver-oil-series-part-1.html
Kelly – I received this info and the part of “Don’t make mistake that Cod Liver oil is – and is NOT a source of Omega 3’s
Could you please comment?
Mary
The Value of Omega 3’s to Your Longevity
Do you know that dietary lack of omega-3 fatty acids ranks as the 6th biggest cause of premature deaths in the US? Yes, some 84,000 premature deaths a year! And, another 82,000 premature deaths a year can be attributed to eating too many artificial trans-fatty acids.
This is not so hard to understand when one reviews the many supported and clinically proven benefits of omega-3’s, including:
benefits overall heart health
helps to lower triglycerides
helps lower cases of high blood pressure due to cardiovascular disease
helps to reduce high cholesterol
helps to prevent blood clots
helps lower heart rates and also prevent arrhythmias (disturbances of the normal rhythm in the heart’s beating)
helps to stimulate your blood circulation and avoid problems such as varicose veins and Raynauds disease
lack of omega 3 has been linked to depression
aids relief from arthritis and many forms of chronic inflammation
fish oils improve your brain function – taking fish oils with omega 3 has been linked to a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
aids fat metabolism, thus aids weight control
helps maintain healthy insulin levels
may protect babies against developing different types of allergies such as hay fever, sinus infections, asthma, food allergies and allergic skin conditions such as hives and eczema – if taken while mother is pregnant
helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and may reduce menstrual pain
The richest source of Omega 3 undoubtably is from fish oil which has been extracted from cold-water fishes such as salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel and hoki.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that cod liver oil is the same as fish oils with omega 3, because the makeup of the two is very different. Cod liver oil is not a source of omega 3’s.
Out with the bad (trans-fatty) and in with the good (omega-3’s)!
Make this one of your healthy longevity mantras!
Mary, I thought your comment was spam at first…
Here’s my comment, the fermented cod liver that I take IS a source of omega 3’s, but not as high as some fake “omega 3″ supplements, but it is all natural. We take that and also eat other foods for omega 3’s like grass fed meats, eggs, fish, etc.
More here: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2007/12/cod-liver-oil-part-1-answers-to-common.html
Kelly the Kitchen Kop’s last blog post..Monday Mix-Up, 7/20/09
Green Pastures has a new flavor of FCLO gel out, called Fruit Attack. Anyone who orders any products from Green Pastures BEFORE 4:00 p.m. TODAY will get a free jar of Fruit Attack.
The only catch is that you have to *ask* for the freebie (details on the site) AND you have to agree to give feedback on the flavor after you’ve tried it.
Mine is already on the way!
Jeannine
Hi,
I was wondering if you or others have had good experiences with raising your vitamin D levels with FCLO alone?
My levels were found to be low at the end of the summer and after a couple of months taking D supps, I felt good, and then started to feel not so good. I feel like, from the WAPF research I’ve read, that the D began depleting my A levels, and would like to get away from taking any isolated supplements and rely on FCLO for a good proportion of A and D.
My other question is whether anyone has ever gotten a strange sensation in their thyroid when taking FCLO? I take a greens powder that has seaweed in it, and am wondering if I’m getting too much iodine, or whether the animal source vitamin A is finally allowing my thyroid to absorb the iodine and that the strange sensation will pass after awhile? Or perhaps the FCLO is helping my body detox – maybe even mercury I didn’t realize was hanging out in my body?
I appreciate your responses, thanks!
Katrin
Katrin,
Maybe others will respond and be able to help you out, but you’re beyond my knowledge! Consider seeing a Naturopath (or other natural doc) who is familiar with WAP teachings.
Kelly
II have been eating weston a price now for a year fermented cod liver oil, grass fed beef lots of farm fresh eggs. II just went and got my blood tested for vitmin d I am very low I don’t understand I pay a lot of money to eat right the rawxgold butter 6o.00 a jar and My vitmin d level is low I am really confussed. I never gained weight on this diet, but my health has gone from pretty good to crap. What am I doing wrong
Julianne,
There are too many possibilities for why you’re vitamin D isn’t getting/staying up, and I don’t feel comfortable trying to advise you on something as important as this.
I’d suggest you contact your local Weston Price chapter and ask them for the name of a natural doctor they recommend – that would be a good place to find answers.
Kelly
Codliver oil may be a source of Vitamin D, but research suggests people taking multiple doses of codliver oil may reach toxic levels of vitamin A, if taken in an attempt to increase the levels of vitamin D.
Bendich A, Langseth L (1989). “Safety of vitamin A”. Am J Clin Nutr 49 (2): 358–71. PMID 2492745 http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/49/2/358?ijkey=0a4d1961b4955811c64f9612b71c691f979b99e4&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
[q cite="Bernhardt IB, Dorsey DJ. Hypervitaminosis A and congenital
renal anomalies in a human infant. Obstet Gynecol l974;43: 750-5"]Bernhardt and Dorsey (84)reported a case in which a woman who had taken a fish oil product daily that contained 25 000 IU of vitamin A during the first trimester of pregnancy and 50 000 IU from months four through nine gave birth to a child with congenital abnormalities of the urinary tract.[/q]
Has anyone else got a blood test, showing fermented Cod Liver Oil is any different.
Hi Roger,
This post addresses that concern:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/08/cod-liver-oil-update-questions-about_05.html
Kelly
I get Mercola’s updates or I should say I did get them. I have unsubscrided due to the fact that he scared me with his CLO hissy fit and I threw out three brand new bottles! I have since read many other articles disproving him and I have had it. That is not the first questionable thing he has done but it was the last for me.
I cannot afford the best brands and I have always used Swanson Vitamin company for all my supplements. Back in the good old days CLO was CLO and it was also not in capsules but yucky liquid. If anyone knows anything negative about Swanson I would appreciate the info.
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