THE OMEGA-3S: The very pood fats Part 3

Joint Diseases
As you will see, the most oft recurring theme of all is fish oil s consistent ability to suppress inflammation and benefit everyone with illnesses in which inflammation plays a major role. For example, in arthritis, fish oils effectively replace nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) the painkilling medications that lead to thousands of deaths every year and cause gastrointestinal bleeding for millions. EPA supplements both decrease pain and increase ease of movement. Eicosanoids created by our overconsumption of omega-6 fats encourage the inflammation responsible for rheumatoid arthritis, so it makes thorough sense to offset them with omega-3 eicosanoids from fish oils. They’re safe and nontoxic, free of the gastric blood loss and other NSAID side effects. Fish oil’s success in inflammatory arthritis is a splendid example of a well-documented nutritional treatment deserving, but still awaiting, mainstream acceptance.

Fish oil won’t work as fast as an NSAID. You can’t pop a capsule or two and watch the clock, waiting for a little temporary relief. A daily dosage of 3-4 grams is necessary, and improvements may take months to appear. Full modification of immune function towards less inflammatory reactions may continue slowly for up to nine months or more. The reward for patience, though, is more effective pain relief without any NSAID-like risk.

Autoimmune Diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis is just one of several autoimmune disorders benefitted by fish oils. In such diseases, the immune system attacks components of our own bodies as if they were invaders, but EPA and DHA, in doses of 3 grams per day for just three weeks, can suppress this self-destructive process. This is one reason I find them invaluable for any patient with lupus, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, thrombocytopenia and other autoimmune diseases. Clinical studies showing the ability of EPA/DHA to produce remissions in lupus are beginning to appear.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Every colitis and Crohn s disease patient we see gets all of the omega-3 fatty acids for reasons that are well supported by research. Fish oils markedly decrease the damage these disorders can cause the colon wall. They do this by reducing the overproduction of inflammatory compounds that are associated with colitis. In a year-long double-blind study of seventy-eight people with Crohn s disease, the propor tion of those who remained free of a relapse jumped from 26 to 59 per cent once they began to take a daily dosage of nine fish oil capsules. I’ve seen scores of people with these two inflammatory bowel diseases, and I always ask how their gastroenterologists had treated their disorders. I’m still waiting to hear someone mention fish oil. I am at a loss to understand why EPA and DHA are not yet mainstream medications for these bowel disorders.

Skin Disorders
An imbalance in the production of inflammatory hormones in the skin may cause any number of reactions, including atopic eczema and acne. All of these can be helped by fish oil supplements. EPA and DHA are especially effective in psoriasis. When omega-3s were emulsified and given by infusion in a German experiment, twenty people with acute cases of psoriasis improved dramatically in just one week. Daily dosages of 10 grams or more are required, however for lower amounts do not always help.

Pulmonary Disorders
There is plenty of evidence that EPA and DHA relax the lungs and help them work better. Since there is a strong inflammatory component to asthma, I’ve given fish oils to hundreds of my patients with this disorder and they expe-rience far fewer attacks. Surprisingly, little published research has covered this treatment area until recently. Much of the work that has been done comes from Australia, where the incidence of asthma, especially among children, has been increasing rapidly. This is probably a result of the dramatic rise in the consumption of the omega-6 fatty acids down under, one researcher speculates. American and British kids share this trait. Breathing difficulties appear less frequently among children who more often eat fresh oily fish. And taking fish oil supplements for nine months improves results of pulmonary function tests for asthma patients.

It has been proved that heavy smokers can protect themselves from emphysema with a high dietary intake of omega-3s. The oils, according to University of Minnesota researchers, interfere with inflammatory products produced by their omega-6 fats in meats and vegetable oils .

Kindey Problems
I always include fish oils in my treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune kidney disease, and a few studies support this practice. Six grams per day of EPA can improve recovery and restore renal function in recipients of a kidney transplant, as well as in people with nephritis and lupus nephritis. The most common form of glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy, is usually accompanied by an omega-3 deficiency. Giving EPA and DHA caused a major improvement in kidney function in fifteen patients with this condition. Further, EPA can protect the kidneys from the toxic effects of such medications as cyclosporine. Healthy people can also support proper kidney function by taking fish oils.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Even in small doses, EPA can correct the fatty acid deficiencies present in chronic fatigue syndrome, which is more accurately termed ‘postviral fatigue syndrome’. Adding GLA and other essential fats will probably enhance the improvement, as shown by a three-month study in which the fatty acid combination of fish oils and GLA helped 85 per cent of the participants feel better and more energetic. I hope such investigations continue, and with larger doses of these crucial fats.

Mood Disorders
Since the advent of the ultra-low-fat diet, which fails to provide enough omega-3 oils for healthy brain function and good mood levels, EPA and DHA have become critically important to the treatment of depression. I prescribe them routinely for all mood disorders. Depression is more strongly correlated with coronary artery disease than any other personality variable, probably because both conditions are caused by lack of omega-3s.