Categorized as an inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis affects both genders equally and appears to have a hereditary component. Cod liver oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA; and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Research indicates that these may help minimize inflammation and therefore prove beneficial to patients with ulcerative colitis. Speak to your doctor or health care provider about cod liver oil supplementation if you have ulcerative colitis, or if you are at risk of developing the condition.
Inflammation
Cod liver oil decreases inflammation generally in the body, according to eMedTV. This occurs because the Omega 3 fatty acids in cod liver oil suppress inflammatory chemicals such as tumor necrosis factor or TNF as they simultaneously boost the action of anti-inflammatory chemicals, according to Langone Medical Center at New York University. Therefore patients with ulcerative colitis may experience a reduction in flareups as a result of cod liver oil supplementation.
Research
The omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil have demonstrated a positive effect on ulcerative colitis in studies. A 1992 study conducted by researchers from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California and published in the "American Journal of Gastroenterology," gave 11 patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis symptoms 4.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids over an eight month period and found that 72 percent of the subjects not only improved but were able to stop their anti-inflammatory medication.
Remission
Ulcerative colitis can go into remission, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, and the period of remission can last for months or sometimes years. In some cases the omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil may help ulcerative colitis patients maintain or even prolong remission, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Long Term Effects
According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, patients with ulcerative colitis run a higher risk of developing colon cancer. Depending on how long you have the disease and how much of your colon has been damaged by the inflammation, this risk increases. Cod liver oil has also been associated with a reduction in colon cancer risk, according to the Langone Medical Center at New York University, so if you have had ulcerative colitis for many years speak to your doctor or health care practitioner about cod liver oil supplementation.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Ulcerative Colitis; February 2006
- EMedTV: Benefits of Cod Liver Oil; Kristi Monson, Pharm. D. et al.; January 2009
- New York University Langone Medical Center: Fish Oil; March 2011
- American Journal of Gastroenterology: Fish Oil Fatty Acid Supplementation in Active Ulcerative Colitis: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study; A. Aslan et al.; April 1992
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ulcerative Colitis; Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D.; December 2008
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