Fish Oil Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Fish Oil, including details on omega-3, dosage, health benefits, diet.

Fish oils produce anti-inflammatory effects and improve body weight in severe heart failure.

Mehra MR, Lavie CJ, Ventura HO, Milani RV

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. mmehra@medicine.umaryland.edu

BACKGROUND: Fish oils have been shown to reduce production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in healthy subjects. We sought to evaluate the effects of fish oils on pro-inflammatory cytokines and body weight in patients with advanced heart failure. METHODS: Fourteen patients (New York Heart Association [NYHA] Class III to IV heart failure) were randomized in a double-blinded trial to active therapy with 8 g of n-3 fatty acids (Group A, n = 7) or placebo (Group B, n = 7) for 18 weeks. TNF-alpha and interleukin-1 (IL-1) production were measured by radioimmunoassay after endotoxin stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. RESULTS: Placebo-treated patients had a 44% increase in TNF-alpha (from 1.28 to 1.84 pg/ml; p = 0.07) but no significant change in IL-1 (from 0.68 to 0.78 pg/ml) production. n-3 fatty acids resulted in a 59% reduction in TNF-alpha (from 1.64 to 0.68 pg/ml; p = 0.02) and 39% decrease in IL-1 (from 1.98 to 1.21 pg/ml; p = 0.09) production. There was an inverse correlation between change in TNF-alpha production and change in percent body fat (r = -0.6; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Fish oils decrease TNF-alpha production in heart failure and improve body weight. Fish oil therapy may represent a novel therapeutic approach in late-stage heart failure characterized by cardiac cachexia.

Published 4 July 2006 in J Heart Lung Transplant, 25(7): 834-8.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Fish Oil Research Today. All Rights Reserved.