Anti-inflammatory Potential of Essential Fatty Acids in UC, IBS & Crohn's

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Anti-inflammatory Potential of Essential Fatty Acids

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From " Omega-3 Oils, "

by Donald Rudin, MD and Clara Felix, page 67.

 

In one study, doctors in Bologna and Turin, Italy, gave fish-oil

capsules three times a day for one year to thirty-nine Crohn's

patients for about eight months. A similar control

group of thirty-nine patients received capsules that contained

neutral oils.

 

The fish-oil capsules were specially formulated to

reduce fishy odor and to improve absorption of Omega-3 EPA and DHA.

 

Reducing theodor was important, because until the trial was over,

neither the

doctors nor the patients knew which patients had gotten which oils.

 

After a year of ingesting 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA every day,

twenty-three of the patients who received the fish oils were still

in remission.

By contrast, only eleven of the thirty-nine control patients

stayed in remission.

 

In Crohn's disease,

bowel tissue contains abnormally high levels of inflammation-

producing, " bad " prostaglandins from Omega-6 ARA (arachadonic acid).

 

In the patients taking the fish oil whose illness remained in

remission, redblood cell levels of ARA plunged, while levels of

Omega-3 EPA and DHA rose greatly.

 

In general, laboratory tests indicated that inflammation decreased

in the fish oil patients, but increased in the control patients.

 

Ulcerative Colitis--

is another chronic inflammatory disease, usually of the large

intestine, in which ulceration and erosion of the bowel tissue

cause severe diarrhea and loss of blood, as well as weakness and

weightloss.

 

As in Crohn's disease,bowel tissue shows high levels of " bad, "

ARA-produced prostaglandins.

 

The worse the symptoms, the higher the levels of these trouble-

making prostaglandins.

 

In one study, conducted by William Stenson of Washington University

School of medicine,

twenty-four patients with active ulcerative colitis who took fish-

oil capsules for four months showed a big drop in " bad "

prostaglandins.

 

These patients also showed bowel tissue healing and reduced rectal

bleeding,and they gained badly needed weight.

 

The capsules contained 5.4 grams of EPA and DHA.

 

Moreover, seven patients who were also getting prednisteroid steriod

drug,were able to cut their dosages in half.

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New Study Finds Fish Oil Helpful in Crohn's Disease

 

A fascinating report appearing in the June 13, 1996 issue of the New

England Journal of Medicine found fish oil preparation to be useful

inCrohn's disease.

 

Crohn's disease is a condition characterized by

recurrent episodes of inflammation of the intestine.

 

This disease maybe serious, and at times patients may require

surgery to remove thoseparts of the intestine most severely inflamed.

 

Typically Crohn's diseaseis episodic.

 

This means that patients may experience " flareups "

during which time their disease is active,as well as relatively

symptom free periods during which time digestive function is fairly

normal.

 

This recent study looked at 78 patients with Crohn's disease. One

group

received nine fish oil capsules each day or a placebo. Among the

group of patients receiving the fish oil, 28% had relapses during

the one year study. In contrast, in the group receiving the placebo,

69% experienced relapses.

 

It has long been known that foods like fish oil,

rich in the omega-3 essential fatty acids, have significant

anti-inflammatory activity.

 

Theomega-3 essential fatty acids produce a specific type of chemical

in the body called prostaglandins,

which serve as one of the body's main mediators of inflammation.

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EFA FUNCTIONS IN BODY--

 

--1.EFAs are precursors of several important regulatory molecules

such as prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes in the body.

 

Prostaglandin E1, in particular has a wide range of desirable effects

including reduction of inflammation,

 

lowering blood pressure and

 

inhibiting platelet aggregation.--

 

--1.EFAs are involved in transportation and metabolism of

cholesterol.EFAs disperse cholesterol and makes it more soluble so

that the body isable to get rid of it.

 

EFAs also have the ability to inhibit the

synthesis of LDL (the bad cholesterol) in our body.--

 

--1.EFAs are required for every single cell in the body to function

effectively. The cell membrane must compose of certain level of EFAs

forproper cell structure and integrity.--

 

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Fish Oil--

Fish Oil is the oil extracted from the flesh of cold- water fish.

 

These are fish such as alaskan salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines (in

water), herrings and anchovies.

 

Fish oil is a rich source of the omega-3 essential fatty

acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid

(DHA).

 

Both EPA and DHA are normal constituents of some human

tissues,

including brain cells, retina, adrenals and sex organs - all the most

active tissues in the human body.

 

They also help keep the arteries clean.

 

Fish oil has been shown in studies to lower serum triglyceride

levels and reduce the thrombotic tendency of blood by reducing

platelet stickiness.

 

Recent studies have also shown that in psoriasis, fish

oilsignificantly improves this skin condition.

 

Fish Oil should not be

confused with cod liver oil which is the oil extracted from the

liver ofthe fish although Cod liver oil is a rich source of fatty

acids and contains significant levels of vitamins A and D.

 

Nervous System--

EFAs are required for the normal membrane structure, cell structure

of the nerves and for normal nerve functions. EFAs are also of major

importance in the central nervous system. Reduced amount of EFAs in

the redblood cell wall makes the blood cell rigid. This in turn

results in

a reduction in the supply of oxygen and nutrients that can be

transported by the red blood cell to the nerves.

 

The reduced volume ofoxygen and nutrients would impair nerve

functions. Studies have shown thatGLA is able to prevent or reverse

neuropathy

(damage to thenerves) because direct supply of GLA results in an

improvement in nerveblood flow.

 

It is interesting to note that lipids make up 20 % of the

brain and is important for eye function.

 

Ref: Horrobin; Rev. Contemp. Pharmaco. 1990; 14

 

http://www.udoerasmus.com

 

 

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