Effects of Diets Containing Fish Oil and Vitamin E on Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Animal, tissue culture, and human studies have evaluated the effects of fish oil supplementation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over the last two decades. These studies have clearly shown potentially beneficial changes in cytokine and eicosanoid metabolism. The overall clinical improvement, however, has been only moderate. European clinical trials have shown significant pain reduction in patients with RA treated with vitamin E. A recent animal study in RA‐prone mice evaluated the effects of vitamin E in addition to omega‐3 and omega‐6 fatty acids on cytokine and eicosanoid production. The authors suggest that vitamin E might have an additional positive effect on autoimmune disease by decreasing proinflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators. Is this information ultimately important in terms of dietary advice for patients with RA? Are further clinical trials indicated? The following article will present a brief critical review.

Characterisation of furan fatty acids in Adriatic fish

“…Successively, several studies have demonstrated that long chain x3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (x3 PUFA), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 x3, EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5 x3, DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 x3, DHA) were the active agents of marine food and fish oil (Shahidi & Wanasundara, 1998). The existing data suggest that x3 PUFA exert a neuroprotective action (Bousquet et al, 2008) and play a protective role in inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease) systemic lupus erythematosus, septicaemia and septic shock and in carcinogenesis (Belluzzi et al, 2000;Ling & Griffiths, 2000;Tidow-Kebritchi & Mobarhan, 2001).…”

The properties and kinetics of enzymatic reaction in the process of the enzymatic extraction of fish oil

“…EPA and DHA have many functions, including antiplatelet aggregation, thrombosis delay, tumor inhibition, antirheumatic and eyesight protection (Carrero et al 2007;Tisdale 2003;Chapkin et al 2002;Bradley et al 2001;Lu et al 1996;Tidow-Kebritchi and Mobarhan 2001). With the study of fish oil progressing gradually, people's demands increasing year by year.…”

Effect of conjugated linoleic acids, vitamin E and their combination on the clinical outcome of Iranian adults with active rheumatoid arthritis

“…[17][18][19][25][26][27][28][29] There has always been concern over the instability of the very long-chain fatty acids and their susceptibility to oxidation. 30 Santos-Zago et al have indicated that feeding CLAs adequately supplemented with vitamin E accelerates CLA antioxidant activities. 31 Therefore, this placebo-controlled study was conducted in patients with RA receiving standard anti-rheumatic treatment to investigate any complementary anti-inflammatory effects of CLA, as well as the synergistic effects of vitamin E.…”

“…This may be mediated by several of the following mechanisms: modulating cytokines such as interleukin (IL)‐1, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, decreasing peroxisome‐proliferator activated receptor‐γ activation possibly linked either directly or indirectly through nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) activation, decreasing eicosanoid production such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by inhibiting cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2), decreasing nitric oxide, and/or decreasing expression of adhesion molecules and proteinase genes 17–19,25–29 . There has always been concern over the instability of the very long‐chain fatty acids and their susceptibility to oxidation 30 . Santos‐Zago et al .…”