Are you overweight and leading a sedentary lifestyle? Omega-3s protect you from inflammation
Overweight and sedentary? Fish oil supplements may be among the solutions
Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation in overweight individuals, whether middle-aged or older. This was demonstrated by researchers at The Ohio State University College of Medicine (Columbus, USA) in a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity1. For the authors, this finding may help them better understand how these nutrients may influence the onset, progression, and recovery of disease.
Why does inflammation depend on fat?
Fatty acids play a key role in inflammatory processes: they are the starting material from which molecules that control inflammation are formed. Specifically:
- Omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammatory phenomena;
- Omega-3 fatty acids counteract them.
Therefore, the ratio of dietary-introduced Omega-6 to Omega-3 is an important factor in the production of the molecules involved in inflammation. Unfortunately, the diets of Western countries are much richer in the former than in the latter. Experts speculate that this imbalance may be associated with an increase in inflammatory phenomena.
The benefits of omega-3s against inflammation
Omega-3s play an important anti-inflammatory task within the body, confirmed by years of research. For example, the anti-inflammatory action on the cardiovascular system of the food-derived Omega-3s EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is linked to concentrations of C-reactive protein, a known marker of inflammatory processes. The anti-inflammatory activity of these molecules protects not only the heart, however, but also nerve and gut tissues. The authors also showed that in college-age boys, Omega-3 intake reduces the production of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), 2 other markers of inflammation2. In their new study, the researchers shifted the focus to the anti-inflammatory effect of these nutrients in older individuals, confirming the protective role exerted by Omega-3.
Overweight, but not inflamed
The research involved 138 adults who had the following characteristics for 4 months:
- good health
- middle or old age
- overweight
- sedentary lifestyle
- IL-6 levels increased by 36% in those who took a placebo;
- IL-6 concentrations decreased by 10 and 12 percent with 1.25/2.5 grams of Omega-3;
- TNF-alpha amounts increased by 12% by taking placebo;
- TNF-alpha levels by only 0.2% with the lowest dose of Omega-3;
- TNF-alpha levels decreased by 2.3% with the highest dose.
For the authors, decreasing inflammation in an overweight and sedentary condition can have broad positive effects on overall health status.
Source:
1. Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Belury MA, Andridge R, Malarkey WB, Hwang BS, Glaser R, "Omega-3 Supplementation Lowers Inflammation in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial," Brain Behav Immun. 2012 May 25. [Epub ahead of print].
2. Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Belury MA, Andridge R, Malarkey WB, Glaser R, "Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation and anxiety in medical students: A randomized controlled trial," Brain Behav Immun. 2011 Jul 19. [Epub ahead of print].
