SCOTT'S EMULSION: WHAT IS IT FOR, COMPOSITION, INDICATIONS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The emulsion of Scott is a nutritional supplement that is used to treat health conditions caused by vitamin deficiencies and food. This product has a liquid consistency, but thick, since it is made from cod liver oil.

It is a substance that provides important nutrients to the human body. Although its original taste and smell are somewhat bitter, the most recent presentations have other aromas, commonly those of cherry and orange.

What is it for?

Scott's Emulsion has therapeutic purposes that range from the mere use as a nutritional supplement in children to the improvement of psoriasis and the prevention of heart attacks.

This is due to the fact that Omega 3 has positive effects on the maintenance of the circulatory system, keeping the blood vessels in good condition and free from obstructions.

However, as with any medicinal product, every benefit carries its risks. Cod liver oil can lead to hypervitaminosis if consumed too much, as vitamin A is poorly processed and ends up accumulating in the human liver in dangerous amounts. In pregnant women it can cause hypertension in pregnancy.

It is also dangerous to consume it without purification, since it can cause contamination by cod toxins.

Although Scott's Emulsion has a lot of recent publicity, this product is dated back to the late 1800s. In fact, this vitamin complex is framed in the line of commercial cod liver oils.

It is usually made with Gadus morhua, in addition to other species. These fats have had multiple manufacturers throughout history and have their origins in Europe, a place in the world whose seas are conducive to raising this fish.

Cod, therefore, constitutes the raw material of Scott's Emulsion. This oily substance has undergone a continuous process of renewal in its formula and composition.

Given the need to preserve the environment, ways have been sought to make cod liver synthesized by artificial means in the laboratory, taking care to preserve its nutritional properties and therefore, its therapeutic qualities for which it is so well known. among consumers.

Who is it for?

Scott's Emulsion is usually aimed at children, which is why this product has been classified as a pediatric one. The greatest demand in this population group is due to the fact that a complete diet is the basis for their adequate growth and the development of their body.

However, this supplement can also be consumed by adults, who can also be victims of various vitamin deficiencies.

Proper nutrition of the child population is also related to the adequate presence of defenses that protect the body from disease. Thus, Scott's Emulsion has been well known for doing this job.

Cod liver oil helps to improve the levels of nutrients and vitamins of those who consume it. This translates into better health that prevents complicated disorders that are often expensive and difficult to treat.

Cod liver oil

It is not possible to approach Scott's Emulsion without first explaining what its raw material consists of, cod liver oil.

This oil is just one of many types of fish oils that contain high levels of fatty acids. For example, the famous Omega 3, present in any pharmacy and that can be consumed in soft capsules. Cod liver oil also contains eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid.

Likewise, this fat has a lot of vitamin A and vitamin D. The latter is well known to help prevent rickets and other ailments caused by deficiency of this substance.

In this way, it has been shown that this emulsion works as a nutritional supplement that complements the diet of children by maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.

It is important to emphasize that cod liver oil is popular for Scott's Emulsion, but that this product was not the first or the only one to appear in the world.

Historically, it is known that this oil is rather old and that it has been manufactured since the time of the Vikings, in the most remote regions of Scandinavia. It was not until the 18th and 19th centuries that the Industrial Revolution took it upon themselves to refine and purify its production on a larger scale.

In this way, cod liver oil went through a continuous stage of improvement that gradually incorporated changes, although some traits that can be classified as traditional were maintained.

For example, this oil preserves its characteristic amber color, its soft texture when tasted on the tongue and its somewhat sour taste, which, many years ago, used to be linked to its medicinal qualities.

The appearance of the cod liver oil in Scott's Emulsion differs from the description above. It shares its flavor and texture on the palate, but its color, which is rather whitish, does not.

However, this mixture does preserve its chemical properties, in which vitamins A and D are combined with the fatty acids that are in this fish oil, the Omega 3 par excellence.

Historical review

Scott's Emulsion has a long tradition dating back to the late 19th century, when in 1873 Alfred B. Scott left England for New York with his partner Samuel W. Bowne to present an innovation.

What was revolutionary about Scott was not the cod liver oil, which by those years was already well known in the UK due to Nordic influences, but its taste, more tolerable than that of its competitors. It was this that earned him public acceptance.

By the 1890s, Scott had boosted his brand internationally. The company distinguished by the image of the man with the fish on his back, knew how to reinvent for good a recipe that was believed to be unbeatable.

The problem with this substance was the unpleasant taste for children and therefore, it was thought to modify the recipe so that it had a taste as pleasant as that of milk. Scott, although he was not a doctor or knew much about chemistry or pharmacy, he did have visionary ideas.

The rapid development of scientific medicine between 1890 and the entire 20th century put Scott's Emulsion to the test, but it withstood the challenge and passed the scrutiny of specialists.

Although there is still a wide debate regarding the risks and benefits of cod liver oil, there is no doubt about the effectiveness of Scott's Emulsion. It has even been sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, one of the great companies dedicated to the pharmaceutical industry.

Composition and pharmacology

The chemical composition of Scott's Emulsion basically consists of vitamin A and vitamin D3 (22,610 International Units), cod liver oil, cholecalciferol 2 (261 International Units), phosphorus (642 milligrams), calcium (890 milligrams) and vegetables / excipients (100 milligrams).

The specified amounts cover exactly every 100 milliliters and give the necessary nutritional contributions to the body, provided that the doses recommended by the doctor are followed.

In general, the pharmacology of Scott's Emulsion, apart from being very rich in vitamins A and D and Omega 3, contains nutrients that are very easy to be assimilated by the body. For this reason, no adverse effects are expected in most cases where this product is consumed.

Vitamin A becomes retinol and is absorbed in the intestinal tract. It is then stored in the liver and finally released gradually.

Something similar happens with vitamin D, but instead of going directly to the liver it goes to fat deposits. There it accumulates and is then expelled in the bile, although in small amounts it can pass through the urine.

Vitamin D is very relevant for calcium to enter the body, which is why it is in the Scott's Emulsion formula. Without this chemical element, bones and teeth do not form properly.

The phosphorus in Scott's Emulsion is used for the metabolism of the human body. For its part, Omega 3 has two fundamental functions. First, it participates in the sensory and neuromotor system of children, and second, it maintains the cardiovascular system in good condition in older people. This explains why Scott's Emulsion can be consumed by children and adults.

Indications, administration and dosage

Scott's Emulsion is often used for groups that may require more amounts of vitamins A and D from Omega 3 fatty acids.

These people are the elderly, menopausal older women, people with malnutrition problems, pregnant or lactating women (with the appropriate doctor's precautions), children who are in the growth stage and babies to whom their teeth are just coming out (teething).

The use of Scott's Emulsion is also recommended in patients who have clinical disorders caused by deficiencies of phosphorus, calcium and vitamins A and D. These conditions include osteoporosis or hypovitaminosis. Also hypocalcemia, caused by low levels of calcium in the blood and rickets, a bone condition.

The administration of Scott's Emulsion is oral. Although the doses should be consulted with the specialist, normally these are daily.

The common dosage is usually based on a dose of 3 times a day for adults and children 6 years and older. Children from 2 to 6 years old should take the emulsion 2 times a day and those of a year only 1 time a day.

The amounts consumed by patients should not exceed the indications prescribed by the doctor.

Precautions and contraindications

Scott's Emulsion is not recommended to be taken without the prior advice of a professional, especially during pregnancy or lactation. Excessive consumption can cause an overdose and the appearance of adverse effects that could trigger hypervitaminosis.

In addition, Scott's Emulsion should be consumed after having shaken the container well, so that the mixture of its ingredients remains homogeneous.

Potential adverse effects

None, except for overdose and allergy to the components of Scott's Emulsion. In the first case, headache, irritability, anorexia and nausea may be experienced.

Interactions

Blood thinning medications and other vitamin supplements in which the metabolism of vitamin D is increased above normal levels.

For this reason, Scott's Emulsion should not be consumed when treatment for malnutrition or vitamin deficiency is already underway.

References

1. Bays, HE (2007). "Safety Considerations with Omega-3 Fatty Acid Therapy." The American Journal of Cardiology, 99 (6, ^1st Supplement): pp. S35-S43.
2. Butler, Charles (1948). The Fish Liver Oil Industry. Washington DC, United States: NMFS Scientific Publications Office. Recovered from spo.nmfs.noaa.gov.
3. National Agricultural Library (2017). USDA Nutrition Facts: Fish oil, cod liver. Maryland, United States: USDA. Recovered from nal.usda.gov.
4. PRVademecum (2015). Scott® emulsion. México DF, México: Clyna SA Recovered from mx.prvademecum.com.
5. Report of the Twenty Forth Session of the CODEX Committee on Fats and Oils (1996). FAO, WHO. Recovered from fao.org.
6. Rosita Extra-Virgin Cod Liver Oil (No year). Extra-Virgin Cod Liver Oil History. Nord-Noreg, Norway: EVCLO. Recovered from evclo.com.
7. Schacky, C. von (2000). "N-3 Fatty acids and the prevention of coronary atherosclerosis". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71 (^1st Supplement): pp. 224S-7S.
8. Wendt, Diane (2010). The Man with a Fish on His Back. Philadelphia, United States: Chemical Heritage Foundation. Recovered from chemheritage.org.