Omega-3 supplements may lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
An increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and fish-oil supplements may decrease the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a new study found.
The study, conducted by a health research team at University of Florida, has discovered an association between omega-3 and the autoantibodies that lead to rheumatoid arthritis, among people who are at risk but have yet to develop the disease.
The study found that people with a family history of rheumatoid arthritis who consumed more omega-3 were less likely to have certain autoantibodies that precede the disease development. Autoantibodies are immune proteins that mistakenly target the body’s tissues and organs.
Although the study was small, with researchers analysing self-reported data about omega-3 consumption from 30 people who had autoantibodies for rheumatoid arthritis and 47 other people who did not, the results suggest that omega-3 may help protect against rheumatoid arthritis by impending its development during the period before symptoms emerge.
“If you’re consuming more omega-3 during an earlier phase of disease, you may block its progression to a phase where active inflammation manifests,” says Prof Michael J Clare-Salzler, who is involved in the work.
In the study, just 6.7% of the people who had the autoantibodies for rheumatoid arthritis reported taking an omega-3 supplement, compared with 34.4% in the control group. When the researchers looked in the blood, those who had the autoantibodies for rheumatoid arthritis were “significantly more likely” to have lower levels of three essential omega-3 fatty acids than the control group.
“We wanted to know if patients with a higher omega-3 intake have a lower risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis. Generally, what we’re finding is that omega-3 is effective in blocking the rheumatoid arthritis antibodies,” Prof Clare-Salzler says.
While further study is needed, two of the crucial omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, may do their beneficial work by suppressing a particular protein that regulates the intensity and duration of the immune response, researchers said.
Genetics may also play a role in the ultimate effectiveness of omega-3 in individual patients who at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, highlights Prof Jill Norris, the study’s principal investigator.
Omega-3 is found in cold-water fish such as salmon or mackerel as well as in dietary supplements derived from fish or algae.
But food alone may not be enough to obtain beneficial effects because modern farming practices have lowered the amount of omega-3 in many foods by as much as 40-fold since the 1900s.
“There was a very substantial difference in the blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids between the people who took omega-3 supplements and those who did not,” Prof Norris says.
Arthritis Research UK recommends “you need at least 2.7g (2,700mg) per day of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. In the UK, dietary guidelines recommend eating two portions of fish a week, including one oily. This works out at about 0.45g per day of omega-3 fatty acids, so you may want to take a supplement to reach the full amount.”
Click here for more information.
For more in-depth features, interviews and information, subscribe to Arthritis Digest magazine, a popular title that’s published six times a year. Click here for the digital version or tel 0845 643 8470 to order your had copy. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products
