Shark liver oil is obtained from sharks caught for food purposes only, living in cold, deep oceans. The liver oil from sharks has been used by fishermen for centuries as a folk remedy for general debility, for healing wounds, sores, irritations of the respiratory tract and the alimentary canal and for lymph node swelling.

Shark liver oil is rich in alkylglycerols, which are naturally found in mother's milk and in bone marrow. It also contains pristane, squalene, vitamins A and D, omega-3 fatty acids, triglycerides, glycerol ethers, and fatty alcohols.

According to the National Geographic Society, overfishing of sharks has caused a significant drop in shark populations that poses dangers to ocean ecosystems worldwide.

External links

• National Geographic News
• New England Journal of Medicine editorial about the risks of alternative medicines