Heart disease has become a pandemic in our society, often due to high cholesterol resulting from high fat diets and unhealthy lifestyles. Efforts to reduce heart disease and other related illnesses have become part of the collective mindset, and the use of cod liver oil for lower cholesterol levels is one area which has specifically come to the forefront.
If you take a look at native Alaskans, whose diet consists mainly of fish, you may be interested to learn they have lower cholesterol levels, which in turn has decreased their risk of developing heart disease.
In most countries today, however, the consumption of saturated fats is on the rise. This gives way to higher cholesterol levels among children and adults alike. Considering that obesity is also a major cause of concern today, alternative methods to reduce “bad” cholesterol are on the rise. Cod liver oil is one alternative that has been shown to be an effective agent in reducing LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) levels. In addition, cod liver oil can lower triglycerides as well as increase the “good” cholesterol or HDL.
Several studies have been conducted to determine the effects of cod liver oil and cholesterol. One study revealed that cod liver oil had a significant effect in arterial function. Another study asserted that a diet composed of omega-3 fatty acids lowers LDL levels, while simultaneously raising HDL levels. This study also confirmed that cod liver oil helps prevent blood clots and maintains a healthy heart.
Diet plays an important role in how much our cholesterol levels are increased or decreased. We know that unsaturated fats can reduce the amount of cholesterol while saturated fats increases it. With all of the diet programs available today, supplementing the diet with cod liver oil can have a beneficial outcome.
Let’s face it; we all want to live healthy lives. The cause of high cholesterol depends on many variables including improper diet and lack of exercise, family history, and a deficiency in essential fatty acids and nutrients.
If you or someone you love has high cholesterol, no doubt you have had the blood test to determine the numbers and perhaps a doctor has prescribed one of the many cholesterol-lowering medications available today.
Whether to take these medications or opt for an alternative method can only be determined by your doctor. Certainly pre-existing conditions or negative interactions with drugs may be the deciding factor. However, if you are a healthy individual whose cholesterol levels are a bit high, you may wish to ascertain if taking cod liver oil is a prudent course of action to lower cholesterol.
