Inflammation is fought with marine-derived omega-3s
Omega 3 and inflammation: here's how fish oil disinfects the body
Marine-derived Omega 3s may reduce the concentration in the bloodstream of inflammation signaling molecules such as C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor. This suggests that DHA (docosahexaenoic acid ) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) supplements could be used to prevent inflammation related to chronic diseases.
This is the result of a meta-analysis study conducted by researchers at Zhejiang University in Hangzou, China, and recently published in PlosOne.
Omega-3 against inflammation
The anti-inflammatory action of Omega-3s has been known for many years. EPA and DHA, in which fish oil is rich, are in fact the precursors of molecules that reduce inflammatory processes. Inflammation is a defense reaction of the body to injury or infection. An excessive response, however, can be responsible for various pathological conditions. Various studies have shown that inflammation is associated with many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The inflammatory process involves the 'increased production of pro-inflammatory molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL- 6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) produced by the liver in response to inflammation.
The action of omega-3 supplements
To conduct the meta-analysis, a study that analyzes information from other research, 68 trials related to the effects of Omega-3 were selected, with a total of 4601 participants. Two of these studies involved patients with chronic autoimmune diseases, 48 studies included patients with chronic non-autoimmune diseases (at risk or diagnosed with cardiovascular disease). One study involved patients with autoimmune and chronic nonautoimmune diseases. Another 17 studies involved healthy men and women. Among the trials with subjects with chronic nonautoimmune diseases, 44 had involved patients taking Omega-3 supplements, the other 4 involved subjects consuming fish rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. All studies involving patients with autoimmune diseases or healthy subjects involved consumption of Omega-3 supplements. A pooled analysis of all participants showed a significant association between supplement use and decreased blood levels of CRP and IL-6. Among those with chronic non-autoimmune diseases, a greater reduction in IL-6 and TNF-α levels was evident, in association with longer duration of supplementation. A similar trend was demonstrated for IL-6 in healthy subjects. The benefits of Omega-3s among patients with chronic non-autoimmune diseases appeared greater in the case of non-obese subjects. When separately analyzing studies in which subjects consumed fish as a source of Omega-3, an association was found between decreased IL-6 and higher fish consumption, while CRP or TNF-α did not decrease.
EPA and DHA supplements against inflammation
The study shows that marine-derived Omega-3 supplements reduce levels of inflammation index molecules, showing a greater effect in non-obese subjects. These observations suggest consecutive and long-term consumption of Omega-3 supplements to patients with chronic diseases. The study results also indicate that marine-derived supplements could prevent inflammation, considering the significant reduction of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in healthy subjects.
Source: Kelei Li, Tao Huang,Jusheng Zheng,Kejian Wu,Duo Li "Effect of Marine-Derived n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin 6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor α: A Meta-Analysis": February 05, 2014DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088103
