The cigarettes you smoke, the foods you eat, the toxins you're exposed to -- all of these can increase the level of inflammation in your body. Under normal circumstances, inflammation is helpful because it allows your immune system to respond to injury and infections. Unchecked inflammation, however, can cause numerous health problems and is associated with atherosclerosis or hardening of your arteries.
Inflammation and Immune Response
When you have an injury or infection, the cells around the affected area release a hormone called histamine. Histamine helps open the permeability of your blood vessel walls, allowing fluids that contain disease fighting white blood cells to flood out into the affected area. Inflammation becomes problematic when it is chronic, and is known to be associated with numerous health disorders.
Arterial Inflammation and Atherosclerosis
In the 2002 edition of "Circulation," the journal of the American Heart Association, Dr. Peter Libby and associates outline the mechanisms by which arterial inflammation coincides with increased risk of atherosclerosis. According to Libby, an increase in inflammation occurs simultaneously with the increase in fatty deposits in your arterial walls. White blood cells are drawn to the site of such fat deposits, and certain dietary factors increase the tendency of white blood cells to adhere to the arterial lining.
Fish Oil and Inflammation
The typical American diet is high in omega-6 fatty acid, a substance that promotes inflammation in your body. A different fatty acid, omega-3 is associated with decreased levels of inflammation according to Sabrina Candelaria of the University of Miami Health System. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, and has thus been proposed as a way of decreasing inflammation. Drugs.com states that fish oil helps decrease your risk of heart disease by decreasing triglyceride levels in your body.
Considerations
Fish oil is also an anticoagulant -- it decreases blood clotting. This can pose problems if you are already taking anti-coagulant medications such as warfarin, or if you have blood-clotting disorders such as hemophilia. If you are taking anti-coagulants or have blood clotting disorder, consult your doctor before taking fish oil. Other conditions that might affect your ability to safely consume fish oil include diabetes, liver disease, pancreatic disorders, hypothyroid conditions, or the daily consumption of more than two alcoholic beverages daily, according to Drugs.com.
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