FERMENTED COD LIVER OIL:  Key points and dosage of products

• The history of CLO goes back to the Vikings and Roman Soldiers times. They took their daily dose, why don’t you?

• CLO has to be processed in order for us to digest it.  There are two ways of processing CLO:  fermentation or heating.  In 1850 CLO was industrialized by being heat processed.  That process destroys some of the Vitamin A and most of the Vitamin D and as a result most companies add synthetic Vitamin A & D back in.  The fermented process does not destroy any of the nutrients in CLO, thus making all of the nutrients and vitamins all natural.  Our bodies absorb natural things must more easily and quicker.  You don’t have to worry about Vitamin Toxicity with Natural Vitamin A.  You can have as much FCLO as you can afford!

• Fermented CLO came back on market in the USA in 2008 when Green Pasture Products started production of it.  Green Pasture is the only company in the USA that makes FCLO.  This is the first time since 1850 that fermented CLO has been available to the community.

• Any good CLO should have a Vitamin A to D ratio of 1 to 10 or less.  The FCLO has a ratio of 1 to 5 !

• All fish oils are tested for mercury etc. and have to meet acceptable limits as dictated by the government.  The maximum amount of IU’s of the vitamins and the amount of the DHA fatty acids is also set by the government.  Green Pasture’s FCLO and their other products recently passed testing of the European Union.

• To refrigerate or not:  the labeling on the FCLO says to refrigerate after opening.  Green Pasture’s says that this oil is highly stable and can be stored successfully in a cupboard for up to 2- 3 months without refrigerating.  Do not leave the bottle on a counter in the sunlight.  If you refrigerate the FCLO it could start to solidify in the bottom of the bottle as near the end of the bottle.  If it does, simply place in a cupboard and it should go back to liquid.  

• Taste, odor, and texture can vary in the FCLO from batch to batch.  It depends on what the fish are eating.  Shaking the bottle before each use may help.

• Dosage:  the standard FCLO recommended dosage is 1 teaspoon a day for adults.  The elderly should take more.  Children 3 months to 12 YOA should take ½ teaspoon a day.  Pregnant and lactating women should take 2 teaspoons a day.  Conceiving couples should both take FCLO at least 2 months before conception.  The bottle is labeled with a 2 ml as the serving size.  This is just a ‘serving size’ based on the government’s guidelines for labeling and recommended daily allowances.  There are 5 ml’s in a teaspoon.  A teaspoon gives you 1950 IU’s of Vitamin D.  

• Yearly Costs:  at a teaspoon of FCLO a day you use approximately 8.5 bottles a year, which if buying 1 bottle at a time costs $ 375.00 / using the butter oil at a ½ teaspoon a day adds $ 240.00 Buying in quantity reduces these costs.  

• The FCLO comes with a dispensing syringe because the liquid is expensive and this helps you be accurate when dispensing.  You can use it or not. If not, simply pop the bottles plastic insert out and ‘pour’ into an accurate teaspoon.  If you use the syringe, I find it best to empty the syringe into a tablespoon and then take it from the tablespoon.  I like to keep the syringe, without washing it each time, in a plastic bag with a paper towel in the bag.  

• FCLO should be taken with an adequate supply in your diet of vitamin K2 as Vitamin K2 works together with Vitamins A / D.  Good sources of K2 are grass fed beef, pastured eggs, butter, natto, ghee, and high vitamin butter oil.  You can also supplement with a good brand such Jarrow’s MK7 which has vitamin K2 made from Natto.  There are other sources, too.  

• The High Vitamin Butter oil sells for $60.00 for a jar which lasts 3 months at a ½ teaspoon a day.  This is tested and labeled for all the nutrients contained in it including vitamin K2.  If cost is an issue, a good substitute that is organic and grass fed is Pure Indian Foods brand Ghee.  It sells for $16.95 for 14 oz jar which at a ½ teaspoon a day last 1 person 5 months.  Plus you can use the Ghee for cooking etc.  

• Green Pasture’s Royal Blend of FCLO / Butter oil is formulated at a ratio of ⅔ ‘s FCLO and ⅓ BO.  To ensure  a teaspoon of FCLO a day, you need to take 2 teaspoons of the blend.  

• Green Pasture Products come in capsules.  The FCLO capsules figure out to be approximately 4 times more expensive than the liquid FCLO because the capsules are non gelatin since you can’t put an unheated liquid into a gelatin capsule.  There are only a few machines in the world that can do this.  If taking the capsules, one must take 8 to 10 capsules a day to ensure a teaspoon of liquid.  The blend caps would figure slightly higher.

• Fermented Skate Liver Oil is similar to FCLO.  FSLO has less Vitamin A but more DHA fatty acid than FCLO.  The FSLO is excellent for skin tone and for developing brains since your brain is made up of mostly DHA.  Some people do better with FCLO or FSLO and some do better with both.

• Green Pasture Products has recently (June 2012) changed its product labeling relative to the expiration date / manufacture date of the product.  New US Government regulations now require companies to hold their products after production for 6 months if they choose to put the expiration date of the product on the label, OR, the company may elect to put the manufacture date of the product on the label, whereby, the company then sell the product immediately with no need to hold it in stock for 6 months.  Green Pasture is now using the Manufacture date.  FYI:  the FCLO / FSLO is good for at least 2 years from the Manufacture date.   

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• Canine Cod Liver Oil:  yes your vet probably has it for your dog.  I have compared one such product with the FCLO.  The FCLO is more potent dose for dose.  Try giving your dog a ¼ to a ½  teaspoon of the FCLO daily and watch the good results.  My 13 year old Golden can’t wait for her daily dose!  Same as me!  

(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)