Omega 3 Fish Oil and CRP

With the rate of heart disease steadily rising throughout society, doctors have an ever-expanding arsenal of techniques and tools to deal with it. However, omega 3 oils from fish stand out as a useful and natural intervention that may lower cardiovascular risk while improving overall health at the same time.

Omega 3s

Omega 3s represent a sub-group of fats and take their name from particular arrangements in their molecular structure. Udo Erasmus, PhD, the nutritional researcher and the author of "Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill," explains that every individual requires a regular supply of these fats, as the human body cannot manufacture them. He estimates that 99 percent of the Western population does not get enough dietary omega 3.

Fish Oil

Omega 3s exists in plants like flaxseed and walnuts in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, a weaker version of the oil. However, fish oil stands out as the most concentrated source of the more potent omega 3s, EPA and DHA. You will find these two compounds, also known as eicosapentanoic acid and decosahexanoic acid respectively, in oily fish like salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines.

C-reactive Protein

The National Institute of Health explains that the liver releases C-reactive Protein, or CRP, in response to inflammation and damage throughout the body. This can result from chronic complaints like arthritis and cancer, but often relates to damage occurring inside the arteries. Blood levels of the protein are used in this way as a measurement of cardiovascular risk.

Reducing Inflammation

The body uses EPA and DHA to form prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that act locally on cells to influence the inflammatory process. Erasmus points out that these omega 3 oils convert into series 3 prostaglandins, which exert strong anti-inflammatory actions by opposing the actions of the series 2 prostaglandins. The series 2 prostaglandins, formed from omega 6 oils, would otherwise trigger an excessive inflammatory response. This explains why, in omega 3 deficiency, inflammatory concerns like migraines, intestinal irritation and rashes may develop.

Evidence

Scientists from the Kronos Longevity Research Institute in Phoenix investigated the effects of omega 3 consumption in 14 patients above the age of 60. In an experiment that graced the pages of the "Hormone and Metabolic Research" journal in 2008, they provided the volunteers with a diet that included regular fish and 15 grams of supplementary fish oil each day. After eight weeks, they found that the omega 3 intake had improved insulin sensitivity and significantly lowered CRP levels.