Department of Medicine, Albany Medical College, NY 12208. Forty-nine patients with active rheumatoid arthritis completed a 24-week, prospective, double-blind, randomized study of dietary supplementation with 2 different dosages of fish oil and 1 dosage of olive oil. Clinical evaluations were performed at baseline and every 6 weeks thereafter, and immunologic variables were measured at baseline [...]

"Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Naproxen" Rheumatoid Arthritis: Study Evaluates Omega-3 and Nonsteroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) Numerous studies on rheumatoid arthritis and Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) have indicated significant anti-inflammatory attributes of Omega-3s. However, due to the patient's use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) during clinical trials, a controlled double blind [...]

Fish oils are a rich source of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC PUFA). The specific fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, are homologues of the n-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid (AA). This chemistry provides for antagonism by n-3 LC PUFA of AA metabolism to pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic n-6 eicosanoids, as well [...]

In this study, Omega-3 EPA and DHA relieves pain from rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints. There is no cure for the disease, and conventional treatments may only provide limited relief to the pain-stricken patient. In recent years, considerable attention has focussed on fish oil as a form of [...]

Research suggests that Omega-3 EPA benefits the heart and circulatory system by promoting healthy blood triglycerides and blood flow. EPA also plays a role in the natural body movement of joints. EPA is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and researchers have found encourage results using EPA as a protective agent for various inflammatory conditions. Omega-3 [...]

Dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) improves the prognosis of chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis. The mechanism underlying these beneficial effects, however, remains to be elucidated. Here we show that EPA protects endothelial cells from anoikis through upregulation of the cellular FLICE (Fas-associating protein with death domain-like interleukin-1-converting enzyme)-inhibitory protein (cFLIP), an endogenous inhibitor of [...]

Prostaglandin H synthase 2 (PGHS-2), a highly inducible isoenzyme, is responsible for overproduction of the prostaglandins (PGs) in inflammatory sites.We established that among fish oil polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), greatly decreased interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-induced PGHS-2 expression in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs). Lipoxygenase products 12 (S)-hydroperoxyeicosapentaenoic acid [...]

Drug Summary: Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of fatty acids that our body derives from food. Studies have discovered that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects due to their ability to convert into anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids can decrease the production of inflammatory prostaglandins, resulting in a greater decrease in inflammation. [...]

Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Gallivare Hospital, Sweden. bjorn.sundstrom@nll.se OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids on disease variables and drug consumption in patients with ankylosing spondylitis(AS). METHODS: Twenty-four patients were randomized to either a low-dose (1.95 g omega-3/day) or a high-dose (4.55 g omega-3/day) supplement. Disease activity, functional impairment, erythrocyte sedimentation [...]

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. maroonjc@upmc.edu BACKGROUND: The use of NSAID medications is a well-established effective therapy for both acute and chronic nonspecific neck and back pain. Extreme complications, including gastric ulcers, bleeding, myocardial infarction, and even deaths, are associated with their use. An alternative treatment with fewer [...]