Study Compares Effects of Two Omega-3s in Older Adults With Obesity and Chronic Inflammation

A small randomized study of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA published in Atherosclerosis determined that they have different effects against chronic inflammation, reports News-Medical . The researchers found that DHA reduced the genetic expression of four types of pro-inflammatory proteins, while EPA lowered only one type. DHA also lowered white blood cell secretion of three types of pro-inflammatory proteins, whereas EPA lowered only one type. Moreover, DHA reduced levels of an anti-inflammatory protein, while EPA did not. However, after metabolization, EPA generated by-products associated with immune function regulation and worked differently from those stemming from DHA. "These results suggest that DHA is the more powerful of the two on markers of inflammation in the body, but that's not the end of the story," said Stefania Lamon-Fava with the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. She also stressed that each omega-3 "has distinct effects. Our results provide insight for future research to explore why that is the case and who would benefit from one or both of these healthy fats."