{
  "dataset": "cod-liver-oil-cost-by-brand",
  "title": "Cod Liver Oil Supplements Compared — omega-3, vitamin A % of UL, and vitamin D disclosure",
  "sourcePage": "https://verifiedsupplementdata.com/cod-liver-oil/best-overall/",
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Verified Supplement Data (2026), Cod Liver Oil Cost & Disclosure Comparison",
  "dateModified": "2026-07-19",
  "methodology": "This category's real safety axis is preformed vitamin A, not omega-3 or price. Adult vitamin A upper limit (UL) = 3000mcg RAE/day (10000 IU/day), NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Rothman et al. 1995 (PMID 7477116) found high preformed-vitamin-A intake (>10000 IU/day) before the 7th week of gestation was associated with increased birth-defect risk. \"vitAPctUL\" = disclosed vitamin A mcg RAE ÷ 3000 × 100, null where vitamin A is not disclosed to a number. \"verdict\": vitA-disclosed (discloses vitamin A AND vitamin D to a number — only Carlson's two sizes), omega3-only (discloses omega-3 but not vitamin A/D — Nordic Naturals), undisclosed (discloses neither to a number — both NOW Foods products). Ranking order is vitA-disclosed first (lowest % of UL first), then omega3-only, then undisclosed (cheapest cost/day) — disclosure beats price for this category. CLO-SPECIFIC EVIDENCE (kept separate from generic omega-3/vitamin-D literature, see /omega-3/ and /vitamin-d/): Galarraga 2008 (PMID 18362100), RCT n=97 RA patients, 10g/day cod liver oil (2.2g n-3 FA) for 9 months — 39% vs 10% placebo achieved a 30%+ NSAID-dose reduction (primary outcome, p=0.002), but NO significant difference in objective RA disease-activity markers. Gruenwald 2002 (PMID 12069368) and Gupta 2013 (PMID 23998063) are open-label, uncontrolled pilots pointing the same direction — supportive, not confirmatory. Linday et al.'s pediatric-respiratory trials (PMIDs 15562899, 12126022, 15126020) always combined cod liver oil WITH a selenium multivitamin-mineral supplement, so cod liver oil's independent effect cannot be isolated from those trials. Rajakumar 2003 (PMID 12897318) is 1930s-era historical rickets-prevention context, not evidence a modern bottle corrects diagnosed vitamin D deficiency today. No claim here treats, cures, or prevents any disease. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA; these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.",
  "headline": {
    "productsCompared": 5,
    "vitADisclosed": 2,
    "omega3OnlyDisclosed": 1,
    "fullyUndisclosed": 2,
    "vitAUlMcgRae": 3000,
    "vitAUlIu": 10000,
    "topDisclosedBrand": "Carlson",
    "topDisclosedVitAPctUL": 8.5,
    "bulkValueDisclosedBrand": "Carlson",
    "cheapestUndisclosedBrand": "NOW Foods",
    "note": "Only 2 of 5 products tracked disclose vitamin A AND vitamin D to a checkable number. An undisclosed vitamin A figure is treated as a real safety-transparency penalty for this category, not a minor labeling gap — you cannot manage a vitamin A ceiling you cannot see."
  },
  "columns": [
    "brand",
    "product",
    "slug",
    "form",
    "labelMgPerServing",
    "omega3MgPerServing",
    "vitAMcgPerServing",
    "vitAPctUL",
    "vitDIuPerServing",
    "servings",
    "price",
    "costPerServing",
    "costPerDay",
    "verdict",
    "thirdParty"
  ],
  "units": {
    "omega3MgPerServing": "mg EPA+DHA",
    "vitAMcgPerServing": "mcg RAE vitamin A",
    "vitDIuPerServing": "IU vitamin D",
    "price": "USD",
    "costPerServing": "USD/serving",
    "costPerDay": "USD/day"
  },
  "citations": [
    {
      "claim": "High preformed-vitamin-A intake (>10,000 IU/day) before the 7th week of gestation was associated with increased risk of birth defects, particularly cranial-neural-crest malformations (prospective cohort).",
      "source": "Rothman KJ, et al. 1995, N Engl J Med",
      "pmid": "7477116"
    },
    {
      "claim": "10g/day cod liver oil (2.2g n-3 fatty acids) for 9 months let significantly more RA patients reduce NSAID dose by 30%+ than placebo (39% vs 10%, p=0.002, primary outcome); no significant difference in objective RA disease-activity markers (n=97 RCT).",
      "source": "Galarraga B, et al. 2008, Rheumatology (Oxford)",
      "pmid": "18362100"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Open-label pilot, n=43 RA patients, 1g/day cod liver oil, 3 months: morning stiffness ↓52.4%, painful joints ↓42.7%, pain intensity ↓67.5%. No placebo/control arm.",
      "source": "Gruenwald J, et al. 2002, Advances in Therapy",
      "pmid": "12069368"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Open-label pilot, n=30 RA patients, 24 weeks: pain score fell 80.38→67.30; daily diclofenac dose fell 115.04mg→98.83mg. No placebo/control arm.",
      "source": "Gupta N, et al. 2013, J Clin Diagn Res",
      "pmid": "23998063"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Historical review: by the 1930s cod liver oil's anti-rachitic properties were established, contributing to near-eradication of rickets in the US/UK. Historical context, not evidence for a modern deficiency-correction claim.",
      "source": "Rajakumar K. 2003, Pediatrics",
      "pmid": "12897318"
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "brand": "Carlson",
      "product": "Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, Lemon, 250mL",
      "slug": "carlson-cod-liver-oil-lemon-250ml",
      "form": "Liquid",
      "labelMgPerServing": 1100,
      "omega3MgPerServing": 1100,
      "vitAMcgPerServing": 255,
      "vitAPctUL": 8.5,
      "vitDIuPerServing": 400,
      "servings": 50,
      "price": 32.14,
      "costPerServing": 0.64,
      "costPerDay": 0.64,
      "verdict": "vitA-disclosed",
      "thirdParty": "None claimed"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Carlson",
      "product": "Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, Lemon, 500mL",
      "slug": "carlson-cod-liver-oil-lemon-500ml",
      "form": "Liquid",
      "labelMgPerServing": 1100,
      "omega3MgPerServing": 1100,
      "vitAMcgPerServing": 255,
      "vitAPctUL": 8.5,
      "vitDIuPerServing": 400,
      "servings": 100,
      "price": 61.2,
      "costPerServing": 0.61,
      "costPerDay": 0.61,
      "verdict": "vitA-disclosed",
      "thirdParty": "None claimed"
    },
    {
      "brand": "Nordic Naturals",
      "product": "Arctic Cod Liver Oil, Lemon, 180 Softgels",
      "slug": "nordic-naturals-arctic-cod-liver-oil-180ct",
      "form": "Softgel",
      "labelMgPerServing": 750,
      "omega3MgPerServing": 750,
      "vitAMcgPerServing": null,
      "vitAPctUL": null,
      "vitDIuPerServing": null,
      "servings": 90,
      "price": 42.46,
      "costPerServing": 0.47,
      "costPerDay": 0.47,
      "verdict": "omega3-only",
      "thirdParty": "None claimed"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "Cod Liver Oil, 650mg, 250 Softgels",
      "slug": "now-foods-cod-liver-oil-650mg",
      "form": "Softgel",
      "labelMgPerServing": 650,
      "omega3MgPerServing": null,
      "vitAMcgPerServing": null,
      "vitAPctUL": null,
      "vitDIuPerServing": null,
      "servings": 250,
      "price": 13.46,
      "costPerServing": 0.05,
      "costPerDay": 0.05,
      "verdict": "undisclosed",
      "thirdParty": "None claimed"
    },
    {
      "brand": "NOW Foods",
      "product": "Cod Liver Oil Extra Strength, 1,000mg, 180 Softgels",
      "slug": "now-foods-cod-liver-oil-extra-strength-1000mg",
      "form": "Softgel",
      "labelMgPerServing": 1000,
      "omega3MgPerServing": null,
      "vitAMcgPerServing": null,
      "vitAPctUL": null,
      "vitDIuPerServing": null,
      "servings": 180,
      "price": 18.36,
      "costPerServing": 0.1,
      "costPerDay": 0.1,
      "verdict": "undisclosed",
      "thirdParty": "None claimed"
    }
  ]
}