Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish oils and flaxseed oil, have received a great deal of recognition over the past decade. A variety of health benefits are believed to arise from consuming omega-3 fatty acids, including a reduction in your risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer. One area of research that has garnered special attention is the influence of omega-3 fatty acids on inflammation.
Inflammation Basics
Inflammation is your body's natural response to injury, infection or stress. For example, the pain, redness, warmth and swelling that occur at the site of a puncture wound are caused by inflammation. Such changes are brought about by white blood cells and the chemicals they produce. Enzymes called lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase convert fatty acids -- especially arachidonic acid -- to molecules called prostanoids, which subsequently trigger the inflammatory process. Luckily, your cells can produce substances that counteract inflammation and return your tissues to their normal state. Omega-3 fatty acids serve as the substrates for these anti-inflammatory compounds.
Inflammation Can Be Systemic
In much the same way that a localized injury can provoke inflammation, your entire body can be subjected to subtle, ongoing inflammatory activity in response to external or internal stimuli. Obesity, diabetes, high-fat diets, toxins, metabolic syndrome and high cholesterol are all inflammatory stimuli. As demonstrated in the January 2011 "World Journal of Cardiology," low-grade, chronic inflammation is a key player in the development of cardiovascular disease, and inflammation plays a major role in other disorders, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. According to a 2011 "International Immunopharmacology" review, omega-3 fatty acids exert beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in these conditions.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Inflammation
Alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, is the omega-3 fatty acid present in flaxseed oil, while fish oil is a rich source of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Although these fatty acids exert their effects in slightly different ways within your cells, they have all been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties. The same enzymes that produce inflammatory prostanoids from arachidonic acid also convert omega-3 fatty acids to anti-inflammatory compounds called lipoxins, resolvins, protectins and maresins. Scientists at Harvard Medical School believe these substances, collectively called eicosanoids, play an active role in reversing inflammation.
Considerations
Omega-3 fatty acids are converted to anti-inflammatory compounds by the enzymatic machinery within your cells. These compounds mitigate tissue damage in physiologic states which cause inflammation, such as obesity, diabetes and autoimmune diseases. Although the optimal intake of omega-3 fatty acids has not yet been determined, a 1999 National Institutes of Health Workshop recommended a daily intake of approximately 250mg each of EPA and DHA and around 2.5g of ALA.
References
- "World Journal of Cardiology"; Effects of Interventions on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation of Cardiovascular Diseases; S. Lee, et al.; January 2011
- International Immunopharmacology"; Immunomodulatory Effects of Eicosapentaenoic Acid through Induction of Regulatory T Cells; D. Iwami, et al.; March 2011
- "Circulation Research" Novel Lipid Mediators Promote Resolution of Acute Inflammation: Impact of Aspirin and Statins; M. Spite, C.N. Serhan; November 2010
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Workshop on the Essentiality of and Recommended Dietary Intakes for Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids; A.P. Simopoulos; 1999
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