Do pregnant women need to take cod liver oil?

When babies eat cod liver oil, it helps promote the growth and development of bones and prevents rickets. So should pregnant women eat cod liver oil? In fact, it is good for pregnant women to eat cod liver oil, because the nutrition of the fetus comes from the mother. If the pregnant woman lacks nutrition, it will cause malnutrition of the fetus. However, pregnant women should not eat too much cod liver oil, otherwise it will produce toxic side effects.

Is it necessary for pregnant women to take cod liver oil?

Although the vitamin A and vitamin D contained in cod liver oil are indeed beneficial to the fetus and pregnant women, in fact, these vitamins can be fully obtained through daily diet. However, if expectant mothers consume too much cod liver oil, it will have adverse consequences. If cod liver oil is used excessively, it can also cause loss of appetite, hair loss, muscle weakness, vomiting, irregular heartbeat and other symptoms in pregnant women. If the fetus absorbs too much cod liver oil, it may have teeth when it is born. Therefore, expectant mothers need to decide based on their personal circumstances whether it is really necessary to take cod liver oil. It is up to their own body needs to decide, and don't just follow the crowd.

Vitamin A is mainly found in animal livers, and is also rich in dairy products and eggs. As we all know, the carotene in food can also be converted into vitamin A after entering the human body. Foods containing carotene include carrots, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, red grapefruits, etc.

Vitamin D is mainly found in the liver of animals. In addition, getting more sun exposure can also help the body get enough vitamin D.

What is Cod Liver Oil

Cod liver oil (also known as "liver oil") is an oil extracted from the liver of marine fish such as cod. It is usually a transparent oily liquid with a yellow to orange-red color and a fishy smell. In a narrow sense, cod liver oil is the oil refined from the liver of marine fish. In a broad sense, cod liver oil also includes the liver oil of marine animals such as whales and seals. It is often used to prevent and treat night blindness, corneal softening, etc., and it also has a protective effect on epidermal tissues such as the upper mucosa of the respiratory tract. Cod liver oil mainly contains vitamins A and D. The main function of vitamin A is to maintain normal growth, reproduction, vision, integrity of epithelial tissue and anti-infection immunity of the body.

Vitamins A and D are both fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin A is found in animal liver, especially fish liver, followed by milk and eggs. The other is in the form of carotene in food, such as carrots, tomatoes, beans and green leafy vegetables. Carotene is converted into vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin D is mainly found in the liver of animals, especially the liver of marine fish. In addition, 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin can also be converted into vitamin D under the action of ultraviolet rays. The human body gets vitamin D from sunlight and from food. It can be seen that cod liver oil is not the only source of vitamin A and D for children.