Omega 3 fights obesity: how fish oil acts on an overweight body

The intake of low doses of the Omega three contained in fish oil already exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in the short term that protects the cardiovascular health of overweight individuals. This is the conclusion reached by researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Aalborg, Denmark, at the end of a study aimed at analyzing the earliest effects of supplementing the diet with small amounts of these fatty acids. The news, which appeared in the pages of the journal Nutrition Research, adds a new piece to the mosaic of Omega-3 benefits for those suffering from overweight.

Overweight, inflammation and heart disease

Obesity and overweight are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, diseases in which inflammation plays a key role. On the other hand, Omega-3s, polyunsaturated fatty acids in which fish oil is particularly rich, can exert both a cardioprotective effect and an anti-inflammatory action. In fact, these nutrients inhibit the production of eicosanoids, molecules whose presence indicates ongoing inflammation.

Omega-3 for rapid action against inflammation

Danish researchers analyzed the short-term anti-inflammatory effects of low doses of these fatty acids in 50 overweight individuals. The participants were randomly divided into 2 groups:

• one took daily 2 capsules containing 2 grams of fish oil, (about 1.1 grams of marine-derived Omega-3);
• the other took capsules containing 2 grams of olive oil, a food rich in oleic acid.

The scientists collected blood and adipose tissue samples from each participant, both before the start of capsule intake and after 1 day, so they could study the acute effect of supplementing thediet with Omega-3s.

To evaluate the short-term effect of taking these nutrients, blood and adipose tissue were also collected after 6 weeks of treatment. While after only 1 day from the start of intake no benefit could be seen, after 6 weeks of Omega-3 supplementation the researchers observed a significant increase in the amounts of these fatty acids in adipose tissue as well as in some cells of the immune system, granulocytes. Compared with those who had taken olive oil, patients treated for 6 weeks with Omega-3 were also characterized by increased levels of adiponectin, a hormone whose production is reduced in those with obesity. Conversely, the amount of interleukin-6, a molecule produced by the immune system in the acute phase of the inflammatory response, was lower the higher the Omega-3 content of adipose tissue and granulocytes before the start of treatment.

A slight but significant effect

The study authors clarified that these results do not indicate an overall anti-inflammatory effect offish oil in the short term. However, the data collected indicate that taking low doses of Omega-3 for a short period exerts a beneficial effect on the health of overweight patients by significantly increasing adiponectin levels. According to the researchers, further studies will help determine the optimal doses of the fatty acids in fish oil for overweight individuals.    

Source 

1. Gammelmark A, Madsen T, Varming K, Lundbye-Christensen S, Schmidt EB, "Low-dose fish oil supplementation increases serum adiponectin without affecting inflammatory markers in overweight subjects," Nutr Res. 2012 Jan;32(1):15-23