Taking cod liver oil to relieve arthritis and joint pain is a well known folk remedy, but one that may have some scientific merit, according to researchers from Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee, UK. They report that cod liver oil can help reduce the need for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications in those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Pain scores and drug use dropped with cod liver oil.
In the study, 97 people taking NSAIDs were randomly assigned to receive either 10 grams (10 capsules) of a cod liver oil/fish oil blend or placebo capsules. The researchers found that after 9 months, 19 out of 49 people in the cod liver oil group were able to decrease their daily NSAID dose by more than 30%, compared with only 5 out 48 people in the placebo group. They also noted a significant improvement in pain scores in the cod liver oil group compared with the placebo group.
"Fish oil supplementation should be considered in rheumatoid arthritis patients to help them reduce their NSAID intake in order to attenuate the risks of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse events associated with these drugs," said researcher Dr. Bernat Galarraga.
NSAIDs, commonly prescribed to arthritis sufferers, come with some concern about side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding and cardiovascular events.
Cod liver oil contains essential fatty acids (EFAs) known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Previous studies suggest that supplementation with cod liver oil can help reduce inflammation and improve arthritis symptoms.
Source: Rheumatology 2008;447:6659
