JOINT PAIN? COD LIVER OIL

[ladycolorado]

IF WANT A GOOD AND AFFORDABLE COD LIVER OIL, has 8 oz of the oil flavored with lemon and mint, both of which the disease hates, so no fishy aftertaste. figure if take 3x tsp daily lasts 16 days it costs 11.83 . THIS IS THE LINK TO THE OIL THE DOC MADE NO FISHY AFTERTASTE : http://www.miracleii-4u.com/cod-liver-oil.htm . Last Updated: Thursday, 12 February, 2004, 02:07 GMT



Cod liver oil 'slows arthritis'


Cod contains healthy oils
Scientists have found further evidence that taking cod liver oil could slow down damage caused by arthritis.
A small study of tissue taken from knee replacement patients found lower levels of chemicals linked to the disease in those who took pills before surgery.

Although the impact on pain levels was not tested, experts at Cardiff University say it is possible the oil could delay the onset of the disease.

It contains "omega-3" oils, which are linked to other health benefits.

The UK currently spends £5.5 billion annually dealing with the effects of arthritis on the NHS and social services.

The Cardiff researchers are seeking ways to lessen the impact of this devastating illness.

One, they suggest, might be to return to the age-old remedy taken - with great reluctance - by a whole generation of growing children.

Tell-tale markers

Professor Bruce Caterson, who led the study, wanted to see if cod liver oil affected the disease in live patients.

Rather than recruiting large numbers of patients to take cod liver oil and report back later whether they felt better or worse, he sought chemical "markers" within joint tissue that might reveal how active their arthritis was.

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease, in which cartilage - the tough material within joints that protects the bone surface - is slowly degraded, causing increasing damage.

When it reaches a certain point, knee and hip joints may have to be replaced to reduce the pain levels and disability.

The disease is complex and not fully understood, but scientists have linked higher levels of certain body chemicals within knee tissues to this inflammatory process.

Professor Caterson's team measured levels of these chemicals in knee tissue taken during knee replacement operations from 25 patients.

Of these, 14 were given cod liver oil in the months approaching the operation, while the remainder got a dummy "placebo" pill.

The researchers found 86% of the cod liver oil group had significantly reduced levels of these potentially harmful chemicals - compared with a quarter of the placebo group.

Chemicals linked to joint pain itself were also reduced in the cod liver oil group.

'Not a cure'

The patients were not asked if symptoms had improved while taking cod liver oil - and there is no evidence yet "benefits" would be sustained if the patient carried on taking it beyond a few months.

Professor Caterson stressed this was neither a "cure", nor likely to reverse joint damage already sustained.

He said: "The breakthrough is hugely significant because it demonstrates the efficacy of a dietary intake of cod liver oil in patients with osteoarthritis taken prior to joint replacement surgery.

"It suggests cod liver oil has a dual mode of action, potentially slowing down the cartilage degeneration inherent in osteoarthritis and reducing factors that cause pain and inflammation."

He now hopes to organise a larger study to test whether cod liver oil has a noticeable effect on pain levels and disease progression.

Fergus Logan, chief executive of the Arthritis Research Campaign - which funded the study - said: "These findings provide further proof taking cod liver oil or eating lots of oily fish slows down cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis".

He said this was "great news for those people who have the condition or worry about developing it, and who want to do something positive to help themselves".





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SEE ALSO:
Cod liver oil benefits confirmed
14 Feb 02 | Health
'Cancer chemicals' in cod liver oil
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Arthritis Research Campaign
Cardiff University
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here is another BBC article cod liver oil benefits confirmed:
Thursday, 14 February, 2002, 00:04 GMT
Cod liver oil benefits confirmed


Cod liver oil has long been thought to help joints

Scientists have confirmed the age-old belief that cod liver oil is good for the joints.
Cardiff-based researchers say taking the supplement could delay or even reverse the destruction of joint cartilage and inflammatory pain associated with arthritic disease.

They believe it could even delay joint replacement surgery.

Over one million people in the UK are affected by osteoarthritis,



It's an absolutely rational basis for taking it, rather than a 'hit and hope - my granny thought it might be good for me' approach

Fergus Logan, Arthritis Research Campaign
Although it is traditionally associated with old age, one in 1,000 children suffers from arthritis.

Severe arthritis causes significant disability for over three million people.

The condition can be life-threatening through its effect on other organs in the body and increased susceptibility to infection.

In the Cardiff research, Professor Bruce Caterson of the School of Biomedicine at Cardiff University looked at the effect of Omega-3 fatty acids (the main component of cod liver oil) on the discarded arthritic knees of people undergoing knee replacement surgery.


Professor Bruce Caterson who carried out the research

Some were treated with Omega-3 fatty acids for 24 hours in a laboratory - others were not.

A chemical was added to mimic an inflammatory response, and the samples examined four days later.

When researchers looked at the cartilage pieces, they found a particular kind of a body chemical called enzymes, which was responsible for destroying cartilage in arthritis, was present in the untreated group.

But they were 'turn off' in those treated with Omega-3 fatty acids, as were the enzymes which cause inflammation and pain in joints.

Effective

Professor Caterson said his research had been able to prove the theory cod liver oil could help the joints.

"Cod liver oil, which contains Omega-3 fatty acids can be very very helpful and beneficial in arthritic diseases.

"So in very simple terms, we've been able to show that we can slow down or remove the activities of the enzymes that degrade cartilage in arthritis, and as well, we can keep inflammation down to a lower level."

Fergus Logan, chief executive of the Arthritis Research Campaign, which partly funded the research, said: "Thanks to Professor Caterson, we know precisely what cod liver oil can do, where it can help and how that happens.

'Extremely exciting'

"It's an absolutely rational basis for taking it, rather than a 'hit and hope -my granny thought it might be good for me' approach to medicine which is not particularly well targeted."

"These findings are extremely exciting, and offer a scientific basis for why cod liver oil helps people with arthritis - and has done for many years.

"Not only does cod liver oil reduce pain and inflammation in the joints of people with osteoarthritis but we now know it also turns off the enzymes responsible for destroying cartilage.

"We're delighted that something as simple and non-controversial as cod liver oil has the potential to bring relief and restore quality of life to so many people who suffer from osteoarthritis."

here is a third article on BBC where scientistts have cracked the cod liver oil secret: Sunday, 16 January, 2000, 01:03 GMT
Scientists crack cod liver oil secret


Cod liver oil can help arthritis sufferers

Scientists have identified exactly why cod liver oil is effective in easing the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.
Researchers at Cardiff University have pinpointed unusual fatty acids, called Omega or n-3 fatty acids, as the crucial factor.

These fatty acids are present in fish oils but not other oils common in the diet.

These findings provide some very interesting explanations as to why granny's cod liver oil therapies have some benefits to arthritis sufferers

Professor Bruce Caterson
The Cardiff team has shown that these acids are incorporated by the body into the cartilage cells that are damaged in arthritis sufferers.

Cartilage is the protective material that covers bones around the joints to stop them grating against each other.

Once incorporated into the cells, the fatty acids reduce the activity of enzymes that are responsible for damaging the cells and causing arthritis.

The fatty acids also cause the "switching off" of another recently-discovered enzyme that causes much of the pain and inflammation in arthritis.

This enzyme, Cyclooxygenase-2, is responsible for the biosynthesis of chemicals which cause inflammation.

Lead researcher Professor Bruce Caterson said: "This is a particularly interesting finding because there is intense activity in the pharmaceutical industry to find specific drug inhibitors of Cyclooxygenase-2."

Pain and inflammation

The fatty acids also switch off the long-term production of other chemicals known as inflammatory cytokines that prolong the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

Professor Caterson said: "These findings provide some very interesting explanations as to why granny's cod liver oil therapies have some benefits to arthritis sufferers.

"The good thing about modern day dietary supplements is that fish oil is available in capsules, thus preventing the most obvious deterrent to this treatment - the smell that precedes the terrible taste!"

Dr Madeline Devey, scientific secretary of the Arthritis Research Campaign, said the research was "terrifically exciting".

She said: "Taking fish oil is something that lots of people do because it makes them feel better, but we had had no idea why.

"Any good science that can be thrown at a common self-medication is a really good idea, and it might enable us to manipulate diet in a slightly more rational way than we do at the moment.


Arthritis links
Cardiff University
Cod liver oil

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sit


here is third article scientists have cracked the secret to cod liver oil: Sunday, 16 January, 2000, 01:03 GMT
Scientists crack cod liver oil secret


Cod liver oil can help arthritis sufferers

Scientists have identified exactly why cod liver oil is effective in easing the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.
Researchers at Cardiff University have pinpointed unusual fatty acids, called Omega or n-3 fatty acids, as the crucial factor.

These fatty acids are present in fish oils but not other oils common in the diet.

These findings provide some very interesting explanations as to why granny's cod liver oil therapies have some benefits to arthritis sufferers

Professor Bruce Caterson
The Cardiff team has shown that these acids are incorporated by the body into the cartilage cells that are damaged in arthritis sufferers.

Cartilage is the protective material that covers bones around the joints to stop them grating against each other.

Once incorporated into the cells, the fatty acids reduce the activity of enzymes that are responsible for damaging the cells and causing arthritis.

The fatty acids also cause the "switching off" of another recently-discovered enzyme that causes much of the pain and inflammation in arthritis.

This enzyme, Cyclooxygenase-2, is responsible for the biosynthesis of chemicals which cause inflammation.

Lead researcher Professor Bruce Caterson said: "This is a particularly interesting finding because there is intense activity in the pharmaceutical industry to find specific drug inhibitors of Cyclooxygenase-2."

Pain and inflammation

The fatty acids also switch off the long-term production of other chemicals known as inflammatory cytokines that prolong the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

Professor Caterson said: "These findings provide some very interesting explanations as to why granny's cod liver oil therapies have some benefits to arthritis sufferers.

"The good thing about modern day dietary supplements is that fish oil is available in capsules, thus preventing the most obvious deterrent to this treatment - the smell that precedes the terrible taste!"

Dr Madeline Devey, scientific secretary of the Arthritis Research Campaign, said the research was "terrifically exciting".

She said: "Taking fish oil is something that lots of people do because it makes them feel better, but we had had no idea why.

"Any good science that can be thrown at a common self-medication is a really good idea, and it might enable us to manipulate diet in a slightly more rational way than we do at the moment."

[ladycolorado]

interesting, .....nature's antidepressants FISH OIL POPS UP AGAIN . Friday, 14 May, 1999, 17:31 GMT 18:31 UK
Scientists back nature's anti-depressants


Oils from fatty fish like salmon could relieve depression

Eating fatty fish could have a similar effect to taking anti-depressants, say scientists.
They have found that feeding patients with manic depression oil supplements relieved some of their symptoms.

Experts say the study is limited, but called it "a landmark attempt" which demanded closer scrutiny.

The researchers, led by Andrew Stoll, director of the pharmacology research laboratory at Harvard University's McLean Hospital, studied 30 patients.

Roughly half were given up to seven fish oil supplements a day and half got a placebo.

The patients were also given psychological testing every two weeks over the four-month period of the study.

The supplements contained omega-3 fatty acids, which are naturally found in fatty fish like salmon and cod.

Mr Stoll said the effects were very significant.

Anti-depressants

Omega-3 fatty acids increase levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in a similar way to anti-depressants like Prozac.

Mr Stoll said it was also thought that the acids replenished the outer part of brain cells which receive chemical signals.

Other research shows that omega-3 fatty acids can have a beneficial effect on a range of medical problems, including heart disease, arthritis, breast cancer and Crohn's disease.

Mr Stoll said that Western diets tended to be low in fish and food containing omega-3 fatty acids, but he said oil supplements could compensate for this.

He added that manic depressives could take the supplements in addition to anti-depressants.

The study is published in the American Medical Association's Archives of General Psychiatry.

In an accompanying editorial, experts from Case Western Reserve University in the USA call the research "a landmark attempt".

Dr Francisco Fernandez said patients were becoming increasingly interested in natural, non-toxic treatments.

He added that the research suggested fish oil supplements could be as effective as mental health drugs.

He called for government-backed research into the area since he believes drug companies are unlikely to fund it because it is unlikely to be a profit-maker.