Has anyone tried Cod Liver Oil for Lupus joint and muscle pain?

[Joanna098]

Has anyone found that Cod liver oil helps (or didn't help!) with Lupus joint and muscle pain and if so how long did it take to kick in?

[1573]

Hi

I take 1000mg of omega 3 oil and vitamin b6. It has helped with the pain.i think the omega 3 is better than the regular cod liver oil it was recommend at one of my hospital visit. It may help you it's worth a try. It won't take the joint pain away completely unfortunately.

[Joanna098 in reply to 1573]

Thank you very much. So helpful! x

[heidilee2000 in reply to 1573]

I have recently read that DHA omega 3 is most helpful, but not in Flax, Walnut or other plant 3s. Just in fatty fish and suppliments. I didn't realize there are ALA, DHA and EPA omega 3 breakouts and they all do different things. I do alot of flax, chia and walnut which seem to help inflammation, but picking up a DHA /EPA suppliment since I don't like much fish. Cod Liver Oil DOES have the DHA/EPA but also high in A and a few others so I need to research if these other constituents are good or bad for Lupus.

[happytulip]

I take salmon body oil which is supposed to be one of the best as it incorporates all the important omegas, or so I'm told.

Fish body oil is better than cod liver oil. Cod liver oil has been shown to be high in vitamin A but if you take it long term and in too higher dose it can put your liver under strain, whereas fish body oils doesn't do this. Essentially, you are after the omegas for the anti inflammatory properties x

[Joanna098 in reply to happytulip]

Thanks so much. Very interesting and helpful to know this! x

[Joy_1]

Hi,

I have taken cod liver oil since I was a tiny tot. When I developed RA some 5 years ago I switched to Omega 3. Did quite a bit of research before giving it a go. Then ran it by my Rheumatologist before I switched. He gave me a big thumbs up.

Has it helped? I do not know. But as a food scientist there's loads of data out there about the positives of Omega 3 in your diet not just in terms of autoimmune diseases.

[Joanna098 in reply to Joy_1]

Thank you so much for your helpful reply-I didnt know anything about omega 3 x

[Polly312]

Yes I take it daily have done for years like to think it helps. Also take tumeric capsules they are suppose to help arthritis type symptoms achy joints I do feel this has helped since I started taking them about a year ago

[Joanna098 in reply to Polly312]

So helpful, thank you! x

[Twinkle_12]

I take omega 3 oil plus I use magnesium spray which I spray on my arm joints (I have RA as well as Lupus) and I hardly ever have pain x

[Joanna098 in reply to Twinkle_12]

Sorry where do you get your Magnesium spray from? x

[Twinkle_12 in reply to Joanna098]

Holland and Barrett 😁

[Joanna098]

Thanks so much. Hadn't heard of omega 3 till now or the magnesium spray which I'm definitely going to try to x

[happytulip]

I hadn't heard of magnesium spray either, where is it from?

Our biggest organ is our skin and one of the best ways to get benefit from magnesium (which helps arthritic pain and muscle aches as it is a smooth muscle relaxant) is to soak in it. I swear by Epsom Salts baths. One handful per bath. It really helps pain in my muscles and joints. However, I have low blood pressure so I have to be careful that I am well hydrated and dont stay in too long otherwise I become dizzy and get a headache. About 15-20mins soak is perfect. Its really relaxing.

I tried magnesium supplements but they really upset my stomach. My rheumatologist advised Epsom salts and it really frees my body up. Maybe give that at try?

[Joanna098 in reply to happytulip]

Sorry it wasn't Boots! I saw Tescos, Holland and Barrett and Amazon do x

[Joanna098]

Just looked up and you can get the spray in Boots/lots of places. Thank you for all your kind and helpful advice. I will let you know how I get on! x

[Wendy39]

Hello Joanna098

I have been taking cod liver oil most of my life.

As a child, my mum would make us take that foul tasting liquid stuff and then as an adult, out of habit I guess, I bought the cod liver oil capsules, when I could afford it in my younger years.

In 2013 I had a hip operation - hip arthoscopy - pre lupus diagnosis (I was then aged 38) and I asked the consultant what I could do to stop the osteoarthritis advancing too quickly. He had already told me that my arthritis was advanced for my age and I will need both hips replacing, before most people have issues. He also said that that although not currently directly linked (Lupus is associated with RA currently), that having lupus would certainly not help my osteoarthritis.

Anyway, he told me to take glucosamine and I do take that now, daily. I asked specifically about cod liver oil. His reply was that he was not officially allowed to recommend it, but it would certainly do me no harm.

So since then, I have taken glucosamine and cod liver oil daily.

As I have been taking it on and off most of my life (aged 43 now), it is really hard to tell if it is doing me any good.

I had a conversation about it on this site, maybe a few months ago, with Twitchy and others. Apparently it is a good anti-inflammatory, so maybe unwittingly, I have helped keep the inflammation of my lupus as well as my hips down??? I guess I will never know for sure. It's effect is immeasurable.

I also take a multi vitamin with Vit D, evening primrose oil and most recently added tumeric too - due to tennis elbow and bilateral tendinitis in my wrists.

When I think about it, 5 daily supplements sounds a lot. But I have got to the point, where rightly or wrongly, I will do it if it helps ease my lupus symptoms in any way.

Of course I still take my meds - 400mg hydroxy and 3g of MMf a day plus 50mg of mepacrine 3 x per week.

I would never give up the meds, replacing them with the supplements. But hopefully they compliment each other.

I only ever take the recommended daily amount.

I think someone else has commented that cod liver oil can harm you in the long term. My Consultant knows the supplements I take and is happy. My blood test results are good - I do not have liver or kidney issues. My Vit D levels are good for someone with lupus, who is very photo sensitive.

I hope I have helped.

Best wishes

Wendy

[Joanna098]

Hi Wendy,

Thank you very much for your message. It's so helpful to hear all this to look into.

All the best x

[Wendy39 in reply to Joanna098]

Pleasure. That’s what we are all here for, isn’t it. X