Your kidneys, each about 5 inches long, filter about 200 quarts of blood every day and remove water, chemicals, toxins and drugs. Your kidneys also produce hormones that regulate blood pressure, produce red blood cells and strengthen your bones. According to the American Kidney Foundation, 26 million Americans have chronic kidney disease. Some studies show that fish oil is safe and beneficial in the management of kidney disease. Consult your doctor before using fish oil to treat kidney disease.
Anti-inflammatory
The anti-inflammatory benefits of fish oil extend to kidney health, reveals a study published in the February 2011 issue of the journal "Nutrition." The study compared the effects on kidney function of fish oil, curcumin -- the active ingredient in the spice turmeric -- and bovine colostrum -- the milk produced by a cow that has recently calved. Participants, all chronic kidney disease patients, took low and high doses of the supplements for 24 hours. Levels of several inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, decreased with both low and high doses of fish oil. The researchers noted that curcumin also produced anti-inflammatory effects, some similar to fish oil.
DHA vs. EPA
DHA-enhanced fish oil offers advantages to kidney health over regular fish oil, according to a study published in the May 2010 issue of the "Journal of Immunology." In the study, patients with the autoimmune disease lupus took fish oil, fish oil with added DHA or fish oil with added EPA. The DHA-enhanced group lowered levels of lipid oxidation and decreased inflammatory molecules in the kidneys compared to fish oil alone or EPA-enhanced fish oil. The researchers concluded that DHA is more effective at suppressing glomerulonephritis -- inflammation in the kidneys-- in lupus patients.
Toxicity
Uranium damage to kidneys is reduced by supplementation with fish oil, according to a study published in the January 2010 issue of the journal "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids." In the study on laboratory animals, fish oil prevented uranium damage by increasing activity of enzymes involved in energy production and oxidative stress. A control group that received corn oil did not show any protective benefits. The researchers concluded that fish oil protects kidneys from toxicity by improving metabolism and antioxidant defense mechanisms.
Feasibility
The "Journal of Renal Nutrition" reported in its September 2010 issue that fish oil supplementation is a feasible option for hemodialysis patients. Adherence to fish oil supplementation for these patients, who take multiple medications on a daily basis, may pose a challenge. However, the researchers reported that over 74 percent of patients in the study were able to incorporate the recommended four capsules, totaling 2,000 mg per day of fish oil for 12 weeks.
References
- "Nutrition"; Nutritional Compounds Influence Tissue Factor Expression and Inflammation of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients In Vitro; C.M. Shing, et al.; February 2011
- "Journal of Immunology"; Docosahexaenoic Acid-enriched Fish Oil Attenuates Kidney Disease and Prolongs Median and Maximal Life Span of Autoimmune Lupus-prone Mice; G.V. Halade, et al.; May 2010
- "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids"; Studies on the Protective Effect of Dietary Fish Oil on Uranyl-nitrate-induced Nephrotoxicity and Oxidative Damage in Rat Kidney; S. Priyamvada, et al.; January 2010
- "Journal of Renal Nutrition"; Adherence to Fish Oil Intervention in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease; R. Zabel, et al.; September 2010
Member Comments