Cod liver oil

[alex]

Hi

I have a question about cod liver oil. I read it contains a lot of retinol, which is used in numerous anti aging creams.
I only found information about eating it, but none about aplying it onto the skin like a vegetal oil.
I would like to know if the skin can absorpt and use the vit A from this oil if it's applied directly. Or if eating it is the only way to get the benefit of it.

thank you
alexandra

[Health Dr. 1]

Alexandra,
Cod liver is a rich dietary source of retinol, or Vitamin A. There would probably be some absorption directly through the skin; although, it is probably not as well absorbed as the contents of many natural creams. Another part of this issue is the other components of the fish oil. There are many super-unsaturated fats and unsaturated fats that would be beneficial for the skin. However, the oil itself does have a fishy odor when fresh and much more so when the oils have begun to go rancid. It would most likely leave a rather sticky, smelly mess on your skin. I have spoken with people that use pure retinol on their skin, generally from a supplement capsule, with good effect. A better choice would be an emulsified or micellized liquid vitamin A. You may want to look at the Parfait Visage at www.ghchealth.com. It does not contain retinol but it is an excellent cream none the less.