We’ve already sung the praises of cod liver oil in a previous post, but it’s worth mentioning this very valuable supplement again for our series on thinning hair remedies. Cod liver oil has been hailed for multiple benefits including oral health, heart health, skin health and vision health. This is mostly due to its high omega 3 fatty acid content, but there is much more to this interesting-sounding supplement.

The Difference Between Cod Liver Oil and Run of the Mill “Fish Oil” Supplements

Cod liver oil, a more expensive supplement than the ones you see with the label of “Fish Oil”, is actually a bit harder to come by. This is because it is actually the oil that is expelled from the liver of the cod fish. Kind of gross, I know, but the health benefits of this specific type of fish oil can outnumber those of the less expensive fish oil supplements. Related: Cod Liver Oil for Natural Sun Protection?

So, not surprisingly as we so often find if the theme in life, you get what you pay for. Among cod liver supplements, there are of course within that subset different levels of quality. This is definitely not a supplement that you want to always go with the least expensive option as the higher priced ones often guarantee their products are fresh and authentic. 

Freshness is really, really important when it comes to consuming any type of oil. Spoiled oil products can actually do more harm than good.

The reason some people prefer cod liver oil over fish oil is that cod liver can be much less contaminated than fish oil. As you know, fish can swim in all sorts of water, and just as we can consume fish from farms and other sources that can be contaminated with a variety of harmful substances like mercury.

So fish oil can be extracted from the large parts of the body of the fish that have a large surface area and are therefore more likely contaminated. Cod liver oil takes a lot of that out of the equation because it is being extracted from one specific organ of the fish.

Why Cod Liver Oil for Thicker, Healthier Hair?

Hair LOVES omega 3 fats. So does your skin. When you have the proper amount of omega 3 fats in your diet, it lends to more vibrant, resilient and stronger hair. You may also experience a lot less breakage and less hair fall, all of which lend to the appearance of thinner hair.

Think of omega 3 fats as almost an internal moisturizing agent for your skin and hair. Maintaining optimal levels of omega 3 fats in your body will act to soften, smooth and make more flexible and elastic hair and skin.

When you have this higher level of elasticity, you will see a lot less breakage and cracks in the integrity of the hair and skin. Omega 3’s are vital for retaining this youthful sort of “cushion” for these important tissues.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for regulating optimal sebum production. This means it can lend itself to a healthy scalp that is more conducive to healthy hair growth. Too little or too much sebum can hinder hair growth because it can interfere with the growth out of the follicle, at the root if impeded by poor scalp health. Optimal sebum production is necessary for good scalp health. Related: Rosemary Oil for Scalp Health.

Vitamin A is also a known anti-inflammatory. Inflammation can have various domino effects in the body. Inflammation can interfere with proper scalp and skin health, and inflammation has even been linked to certain types of hair thinning and hair loss.

This vitamin is also crucial in facilitating rapid cell turnover when it comes to skin cells. Guess what other types of cells are similar to skin cells? The cells that build hair! So vitamin A very well may be a key nutrient in ensuring healthy, rapid hair growth and turnover. Related: Alopecia, What Is It Exactly?

Vitamin D

Many may be surprised to know that cod liver oil is a natural source of Vitamin D. The same vitamin you assimilate from sunlight is actually also a naturally occurring vitamin! So, you can get a nice boost of the important “sunshine vitamin” (which incidentally is really a hormone) by consuming cod liver oil.

Why would vitamin D matter for hair health? We mostly know of vitamin D due to the notoriety is has for preventing osteoporosis (porous bones) – a condition that affects mostly women. As logic would dictate, what’s good for the bones is also good for the teeth. Since teeth are essentially bone, good vitamin D levels can also dramatically improve the health and strength of the teeth.

So if Vitamin D can give us strong bones and strong teeth, it would also follow logic that this vitamin is absolutely crucial for the strength and health of hair.