Can PUFAs Reduce Inflammation and Prevent Diseases?

Why PUFAs help Reduce Inflammation?

Omega fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 can reduce inflammation because they have anti-inflammatory properties.

Accordingly, they lower the levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive proteins (CRP) and interleukin-6 that are released during an immune response. Omega-9 fatty acids also help minimize inflammation by controlling and balancing the production of white blood cells and cytokines.

Several studies examine why omega-3 helps reduce inflammation. For instance, one study, “Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain,” examines patients who took omega-3 to relieve pain caused by inflammation.

After taking omega-3 supplements, 59% of the individuals involved in the study discontinued their prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and 80% of patients noticed that their symptoms improved.

Omega-6 fatty acids can also reduce inflammation, but they tend to be proinflammatory if they are taken in high doses. However, recent studies came to reject this belief and showed that high amounts of omega-6 do not affect inflammatory responses.

One study, “The associations of serum n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids with serum C-reactive protein in men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study,” indicates that men who took omega-6 fatty acids had lower levels of CRP proteins in their blood. Those who had a high intake of omega-6 did not have an “increased anti-inflammatory response.”

In addition, Omega-9 fatty acids are beneficial and can lower inflammation. The study, “Omega-9 Oleic Acid, the Main Compound of Olive Oil, Mitigates Inflammation during Experimental Sepsis” indicated that one type of omega-9 fatty acid, oleic acid, was able to reduce inflammation in cases of sepsis or severe inflammation. Therefore, omega-9 fatty acids also help mediate the body’s inflammatory response.

How Omega-3 works for Inflammation

Omega-3 is a healthy polyunsaturated fat that includes the three main types of fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

At this stage, omega-3’s mechanism of action is still unclear. Research is  underway to better understand how it works to fight inflammation.

However, scientists believe that omega-3 fatty acids compete for the same pathway as the inflammatory markers. When omega-3 fats take over this pathway, the number of inflammatory markers decreases. This lowers inflammatory activity and reduces inflammation, helping people steer clear of chronic diseases.

Accordingly, omega-3 fatty acids may lower inflammatory markers in the blood such as C-reactive proteins (CRP) and interleukin-6 that are released during an immune response.

In addition, omega-6 is another healthy polyunsaturated fat that reduces inflammation. There are four main types of omega-6 fatty acids including linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (ARA), gamma linoleic acid (GLA), and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

LA and GLA are anti-inflammatory, but, scientists are still unclear about how they work to lower inflammation in the body. Nevertheless, some omega-6 fatty acids like ARA can become proinflammatory if they are taken in high doses. Therefore, people must make sure they consume a balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 to avoid inflammation.

Like omega-3 and omega-6, omega-9 also has anti-inflammatory properties. Research shows that omega-9 lowers inflammation by controlling the production of leukocytes or white blood cells. Omega-9 fatty acids also stabilize the production of cytokines, and “control bacterial growth” to prevent inflammation. However, researchers still do not fully understand how omega-9 works to reduce inflammation in the body.

Omega-3 dose for Inflammation: How much to Take

The Western or Standard American Diet (SAD) contains many sources of omega- 6 and omega-9 fatty acids, so people following that diet plan need to add more omega-3 to their diet.

Omega-3: The Food and Nutrition Board of the U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends that people take the following amounts of omega fatty acids: men should consume 1.6 grams of omega-3 while women should consume 1.1 grams of omega-3 per day if they are above the age of 18.

People who have heart problems and depression can take more omega-3 to help improve their medical conditions.

Studies show that adults can safely take up to 5,000 mg of omega-3 per day. However, the FDA recommends that people take a maximum of 3,000 mg of omega-3 per day.

As per the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommendations for 2009, the minimum recommended dosage for healthy adults is 2 grams of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and 250-500 mg of both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day.

Omega-6: The Food and Nutrition Board of the U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends that people take the following amounts of omega fatty acids: men should consume 17 grams of omega-6  and women should consume 12 grams per day, if they are between the ages of 19-50 years old.

As per the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommendations for 2009, the minimum recommended dosage of omega-6 for healthy adults is 10 grams of linoleic acid (LA).

Omega-9: there is no adequate intake amount for omega-9 since the body can synthesize it by itself and people don’t need to obtain it from dietary sources. However, if the body does not obtain adequate amounts of omega-3 and omega-6, it cannot make omega-9.

Note: Keep in mind that different health organizations set different standards for recommended intake values. They may also vary according to gender and age.

WARNING:

Do not take excessive doses of any omega fatty acid.

Try to maintain the right balance of omega fatty acids in your diet. If you consume more omega-6 than omega-3, it will cancel out omega-3’s health benefits and lead to health problems.

When taking an omega-3-6-9 supplement, ensure that the ratio of omega 3:6:9 in your diet is 2:1:1.

Always consult a doctor or healthcare expert to make sure you are taking a balanced ratio of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9.

Omega-3 for Inflammation: Precautions

If you want to take omega-3 supplements for inflammation, you must consider the following precautions:

1- People with certain medical conditions

People with the following medical conditions should take precautions and consult a doctor before they begin taking omega supplements.

- Diabetes: consuming excessive omega-3 fats may lower blood sugar levels. People who have diabetes should consult a doctor to determine the appropriate dose for their condition.

- A seizure disorder: consuming excessive omega-6 fats such as GLA may cause seizures in people who have a seizure disorder.

- Allergies: people who have allergies should take precautions before taking omega fatty acid supplements. Many omega supplements come from fish sources, and people who are allergic to fish cannot take these supplements. Some supplements may also contain peanut and soy, which are also common allergens.

2- Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women

Consuming excessive omega-6 fats may cause pregnant women to have pregnancy complications such as early labor and contribute to the poor development of the fetus.

Pregnant women should also avoid omega-3 because it affects their blood clotting abilities and increases the risk of bleeding. Also, some omega-3 supplements like cod liver oil contain vitamin A, which might be harmful to the fetus.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid omega-3 fish oil supplements that come from fish that contain high amounts of mercury, such as mackerel, swordfish, or tilefish because mercury may harm the baby.

3- Interaction with other Medications

Omega fats may interact with different medications and exacerbate certain conditions. Consult your doctor or healthcare provider before taking omega fatty acids supplements if you take the following medication:

- Anticoagulant medication: Omega fats can interfere with blood-thinning medication. Consuming excessive amounts of omega fats can cause blood thinning or excessive bleeding.

- Blood pressure medication: consuming excessive amounts of omega fats may lower blood pressure and interfere with blood pressure medication.

4- Excessive Amounts of Omega-6

There are concerns about taking excessive amounts of omega-6 fats because it may increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Do not take more than 3000 mg of the omega-6 fatty acid GLA per day because exceeding this dose might increase inflammation in the body.

There are conflicting opinions on omega-6 and its proinflammatory properties. If you want to know whether omega-6 increases inflammation in the body, check out the article "Does omega-6 cause inflammation" in our “Debatable Topics” section.

5- Vitamin A Toxicity

If you are taking omega-3 supplements, always check the amount of vitamin A. Some omega-3 supplements may contain very high amounts of vitamin A, which may cause vitamin A toxicity.

People should also avoid cod liver oil because it contains a high amount of vitamin A. They can substitute it with other omega-3 supplements that aren’t high in vitamin A like fish or krill oil.

Omega-3 for Inflammation: Side Effects

Omega-3 side effects

If you take omega-3, you may experience an unpleasant taste in the mouth, bad breath, heartburn, nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, low blood pressure, high blood sugar, diarrhea, headaches, and smelly sweat.
 
 

Omega-6 side effects

If you take omega-6, you may experience headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea. Omega-6 might also lower your blood pressure. 

Omega-9 side effects

There are no known side effects to consuming omega-9 fats.

Side effects of the Omega-3-6-9 supplement

If you take an Omega-3-6-9 supplement, you may experience the following side effects: burping, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and heartburn, loss of taste, skin rash, hives, itching, prolonged bleeding from cuts, and nosebleeds.

Consult your doctor if any of the following side effects appear.