Lactate dehydrogenase, or LDH, is an enzyme present in both plants and animals. In animals, tissue breakdown elevates levels of LDH and other enzymes and compounds. A variety of diseases, as well as physical trauma and vigorous exercise, cause elevated levels of LDH in your blood serum, which can be measured via blood tests. In practical terms, LDH is one of the multiple indicators of tissue injury and inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are plentiful in fish oil, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and an ability to keep LDH levels low.
Lactate Dehydrogenase
LDH is used as a marker for tissue injury, inflammation and internal bleeding because it is abundant in red blood cells, which leak out of damaged vessels. Once outside your bloodstream, red blood cells are broken down, or hemolyzed, which releases their LDL content, according to “Medical Biochemistry: Human Metabolism in Health and Disease.” Cancer, meningitis, encephalitis, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, myocardial infarction and HIV infection all increase LDH levels in your blood, but so does physical trauma and even moderate levels of exercise, especially weight lifting and jogging.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is derived from the tissues of fatty fish, especially salmon, cod, herring, mackerel, sardines and tuna. Fish oils are rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA. EPA and DHA are precursors of compounds called eicosanoids, which are known to reduce and prevent inflammation throughout your body, according to “Natural Standard Herb & Supplement Reference: Evidence-based Clinical Reviews.” People and fish cannot synthesize omega-3 fatty acids; rather, they are produced by species of algae. Small fish eat microalgae and accumulate omega-3 fatty acids, which are then eaten and stored by larger predatory fish, and people eventually eat the larger fish at the end of the food chain.
Research
According to an Iranian study published in a 2011 edition of the “Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine,” researchers found that healthy men who supplemented with fish oils prior to, during and following eccentric exercise programs had markedly reduced biomarkers of inflammation and tissue injury, which included LDH levels. The amount of fish oil given daily was the equivalent of 324 mg of EPA and 216 mg of DHA for a total of 30 days. The exercise consisted primarily of bench stepping. Other biomarkers of inflammation and muscle damage that were analyzed included interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, prostaglandins, creatine kinase and myoglobin. Levels of LDH were substantially lower immediately after exercise, and the researchers concluded that fish oil supplements provided potent anti-inflammatory protection and might help to reduce exercise-induced muscle damage.
Other Potential Benefits
In addition to anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3 fatty acids may be able to reduce triglycerides in your blood and may play a role in preventing some cardiovascular diseases, although more research is needed before definitive recommendations can be made. Fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids are also being investigated in relation to clinical depression, anxiety, macular degeneration and even cancer, although potential benefits have yet to be proved. Consult with your doctor about the benefits of supplementing with fish oil.
References
- “Medical Biochemistry: Human Metabolism in Health and Disease”; Miriam D. Rosenthal et al; 2009
- “Natural Standard Herb & Supplement Reference: Evidence-based Clinical Reviews”; Catherine E. Ulbricht et al; 2005
- “Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine”; Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation Attenuates Inflammatory Markers after Eccentric Exercise in Untrained Men; B. Tartibian et al.; March 2011
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