Diverticulitis is a disease that affects your colon, the part of your large intestine that helps to remove waste from your body. Fish oil comprises healthy fats with anti-inflammatory properties that may be a helpful remedy in alleviating the symptoms of diverticulitis. Consult your doctor about the benefits of fish oil for diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis involves inflammation of pouches called diverticula that develop from your colon. Diverticulitis is a very common disease in developed Western countries, affecting almost one-third of adults after the age of 50 years in the United States, 50 percent after age 70 and almost two-thirds of adults over 85 years. The pouches bulge out from the colon, similar to weak spots on a tire. As waste passes through the colon, it can fill the bulge and make it difficult for you to eliminate. As a result, your waste accumulates in the bulges, causing constipation and development of pathological bacteria, which in turn can increase your symptoms and risk of complications. Although many people do not have symptoms, the most common ones reported include pain, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea.
Fish Oil
Fish oil contains long chain omega-3 fatty acids called eicosapentaneoic acid and docosahexaneoic acid. These omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that play a protective role against cardiovascular disease, including the improvement of blood cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory properties that can help people with autoimmune inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis, a condition that involves inflammation and ulcers of the colon.
Clinical Benefits
Diverticulitis can develop after eating a low fiber diet and may be prevented by eating a high fiber diet. Inflammation occurs after the diverticula have developed. Although there has not been research demonstrating the effectiveness of fish oil on diverticulitis, there have been studies showing effectiveness of fish oil on other inflammatory diseases of the colon. Research by scientists at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and published in the "World Journal of Gastroenterology" in December 2005 showed that fish oil has an anti-inflammatory effect on tissues affected by ulcerative colitis.
Sources
Sources of fish oil include fatty fish and dietary supplements. The types of fish highest in omega-3 fatty acids include anchovies, wild salmon, mackerel, sable fish, whitefish, sardines, tuna, herring and rainbow trout. Fish is a low fiber food, so you should include high fiber foods in your meals to help reduce the symptoms of diverticulitis. High fiber foods include legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; What I Need to Know About Diverticular Disease; 2007
- Cleveland Clinic; Colonic Diverticular Disease; Feza Remzi; 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; June 25 2009
- "World journal of gastroenterology : WJG"; Effect of Fish Oil Enriched Enteral Diet on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Tissues in Organ Culture: Differential Effects on Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease; Doris Meister; Dec 21 2005
- University of Michigan Integrative Medicine; Healing Foods Pyramid; 2010
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