Omega-3 for an Irreducible Immune System
The secret to a strong immune system is in one capsule. In one fish oil capsule.
It was in 1932 that some scientists discovered the potential of Omega-3, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as natural anti-inflammatories. Since then, research on the benefits of Omega-3 for the immune system has never stopped.
Inflammation and the immune system
Imagine your body as a fortress with two main lines of defense: inflammation and specific immunity. Let's see how they work.
Inflammation is like a general alarm that goes off when there is an attack, which can be:
- A trauma (such as a fall).
- A chemical attack (such as a detergent that is too aggressive).
- A microbial invasion (such as an infection).
As early as the 1st century AD, a Roman physician named Aulus Cornelius Celsus described the 4 classic signs of inflammation in De Artibus . Today we recognize 5 of them:
- Redness (in Latin rubor ): the area becomes red.
- Heat (Latin calor ): the area becomes hot.
- Swelling (Latin tumor ): the area swells.
- Pain (Latin dolor ): the area hurts.
- Loss of function (in Latin f unctio laesa ): the inflamed part “functions” less well.
If inflammation is like a general alarm, specific immunity is, instead, a much more “specific” response, and can be of two types:
- Humoral (or antibody) immunity : produces antibodies to fight invaders.
- Cellular Immunity : Use special cells to directly attack enemies.
When you have inflammation or an immune response, your body produces molecules called interleukins and eicosanoids, “messengers” that tell your body that inflammation is occurring. This is where Omega-3 fatty acids come into play, inhibiting the production of eicosanoids and acting as an anti-inflammatory.
The Anti-Inflammatory Role of Omega-3
Clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of fish oil supplements, rich in Omega-3, in keeping inflammation under control.
A study published in 2005 by the Journal of Experimental Medicine sheds light on a unique ability of essential fatty acids: that of being converted by an enzyme into resolvins, molecules capable of reducing inflammatory processes. Not only that: docosatrienes also derive from DHA, which act as powerful anti-inflammatories and regulators of the immune system.
In light of all these discoveries, Omega-3s are now recommended in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, so called because they are based on an abnormal response of the immune system that attacks its own organism. An example?
Omega-3 and Rheumatic Diseases
Autoimmune diseases are like fires that constantly burn in the body. Rheumatoid arthritis , psoriatic arthritis, spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus , scleroderma. What do all these diseases have in common? A state of chronic inflammation that involves the entire organism. Well, Omega-3, with their anti-inflammatory power, can help tame them.
The first indications of the benefits of Omega-3 for the immune system date back to the 1970s, when the low percentage of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases was observed in Eskimo populations who consumed large quantities of fish with a high Omega-3 content.
The benefits of fatty acids for the immune system were later summarized and formalized by Artemis Simopoulos, president of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health in Washington, in an article appearing in 2002 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition .
After carefully analyzing several pathologies (atherosclerosis, obesity, depression , rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma), Artemis Simopoulos concluded that treatment with fish oil could reduce the severity of symptoms and also reduce the need for the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Next, two researchers, Trevor Mori and Lawrie Beilin, took stock of the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3s. In the pages of Current Atherosclerosis Report, they reviewed a wide range of clinical and laboratory studies. The conclusion? Fish oil can reduce the production of molecules that cause inflammation. This means that the fatty acids may be a valuable aid in treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
But that's not all: the two researchers have highlighted that EPA and DHA (the main Omega-3) are also effective in improving the walls of blood vessels and therefore protecting us from cardiovascular diseases .
Omega-3 for your immune defenses
In 2003, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provided further evidence of the benefits of Omega-3: healthy people who consumed fish oil for just one month saw a reduction in inflammatory molecules.
As the years have passed, scientists have continued to study Omega-3s and all the research has confirmed that taking essential fatty acids is safe and is like having an ally fighting every day to support your immune system.
