Cod liver oil consumption at different periods of life and bone mineral density in old age

• Published in: British Journal of Nutrition
• Main Authors: Eysteinsdottir, Tinna, Halldorsson, Thorhallur I, Thorsdottir, Inga, Sigurdsson, Gunnar, Sigurdsson, Sigurdur, Harris, Tamara, Launer, Lenore J, Gudnason, Vilmundur, Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjorg, Steingrimsdottir, Laufey
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Article; Iceland
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5490077/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26079168; https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114515001397

Cod liver oil is a traditional source of vitamin D in Iceland, and intake is recommended partly for the sake of bone health. However, the association between lifelong consumption of cod liver oil and bone mineral density (BMD) in old age is unclear. In this study associations between intake of cod liver oil in adolescence, midlife, and current old age, and hip BMD in old age, as well as associations between current cod liver oil intake and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was assessed. Participants of the AGES-Reykjavik Study (age 66–96 years; N=4798), reported retrospectively cod liver oil intake during adolescence and midlife, as well as intake in current old age, using a validated food frequency questionnaire. BMD of femoral neck and trochanteric region was measured by volumetric quantitative computed tomography, serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured by means of a direct, competitive chemiluminescence immunoassay. Associations were assessed using linear regression models. No significant association was seen between retrospective cod liver oil intake and hip BMD in old age. Current intake for men was also not associated with hip BMD, while women with daily intakes had Z-scores on average 0.1 higher compared with those with intake of <once/week. Although significant, this difference is slight and clinical relevance is questionable. Current intake was positively associated with serum 25(OH)D, individuals with intake of <once/week, 1–6 times/week and daily intake having concentrations of approximately 40nmol/L, 50nmol/L, and 60nmol/L respectively (P for trend <0.001).