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Another reason why omega-3s are gaining traction is because of their anti-inflammatory action. Inflammation is a new concern and topic in the medical community in recent years. Inflammation is different from acute inflammation, which oozes when the skin is cut or injured. Acute inflammation is a kind of defense that protects the body when a foreign invader enters. It mobilizes white blood cells to boost immunity and mobilizes blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to tissues to help wounds heal faster.
However, if this inflammatory response continues for too long, atherosclerotic changes occur in the blood vessels of the body, which can lead to diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and dementia. This means that long-standing inflammation, or chronic inflammation, leads to a number of adult diseases. Chronic inflammation can cause cancer when chromosomes are continuously damaged. In the same way that long-term gastritis leads to stomach cancer, and long-term hepatitis leads to liver cancer.
Omega-3s help inhibit the development of cancer, albeit indirectly, by reducing inflammation. There are many studies that have shown this, especially in the context of breast cancer. A study of the relationship between dietary habits and CRP, the level of inflammation in the blood, of 633 breast cancer survivors found that those who did not take omega-3 preparations and consumed a lot of omega-6 fatty acids (soybean oil, corn oil, etc.) in their diet had higher levels of CRP in their blood. On the other hand, breast cancer survivors who took omega-3 preparations and consumed less omega-6 had the lowest CRP in their blood. High levels of CRP in breast cancer patients are also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer recurrence. It has also been shown that breast cancer survivors who do not take omega-3 preparations are more likely to feel fatigued.
In a 6-year follow-up study of 35,016 postmenopausal women (50~76 years old) to determine the relationship between breast cancer and nutritional supplements, the risk of breast cancer was lowered when DHA and EPA were consumed, although other nutritional supplements did not reduce the risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer patients who took 1.8 grams of DHA daily reduced the side effects of chemotherapy, which reduced platelets and white blood cells. In addition, the average survival time of the group with high levels of DHA in the blood was 34 months, while the average survival time of the group with low levels of DHA in the blood was 18 months, compared to the average survival time of the group with higher levels of DHA in the blood (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarker & Prevention, University of Washington, USA, 2010).
A meta-analysis conducted to evaluate the association and dose-response relationship between omega-3s and breast cancer also found that high levels of DHA and EPA from fish and microalgae reduced the risk of developing breast cancer by up to 14% (British Medical journal, Zhejiang University, China, 2013).
In addition to cancer and adult diseases, inflammation exacerbates autoimmune or allergic diseases such as atopy, rhinitis, asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. When inflammation becomes severe and the immune system fails, the body thinks of normal tissues as foreign invaders and attacks them. That's why the American newsmagazine Newsweek described chronic inflammation as a "secret killer." You can't feel it directly, but it means that little by little this chronic inflammation is eating away at our blood vessels and cells.
The most important reasons why a modern person suffers from chronic inflammation are stress and overwork. Stress and overwork raise the level of inflammation in our body. When inflammation rises, immunity decreases. Curiously, we don't know why, but when omega-3s, DHA and EPA, which are the oils of blue fish, enter the human body, they inhibit inflammation. This is because it blocks several links in metabolism that exacerbate inflammation. As modern people inevitably suffer from overwork and stress, the more inflammation worsens, the greater the importance of omega-3s.
Of course, analgesics such as aspirin can also help control inflammation. But aspirin is a drug. Side effects include stomach ulcers and bleeding. However, omega-3s are foods and can be consumed with confidence. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis in particular, it has been reported that omega-3s contribute to reducing the dose of medications by reducing stiffness and pain, which are symptoms of stiffening of the joints.
However, in order to calm the body's overly elevated inflammatory response, you need to consume quite a bit of omega-3s for quite a long time. In a randomized clinical study conducted by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at a dose of 3 grams per day for three months, various markers of inflammation in the blood were significantly reduced. Blood tests showed a 15% drop in CRP levels, a key inflammatory marker, and a 23% drop in interleukin-6, a substance that causes inflammation in the body, compared to a placebo group. Research has demonstrated the powerful anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3s. However, no such effects were observed when omega-3s were taken for 1.5 months. Most of the effects of omega-3 are only seen when taken consistently for more than 3~4 months.
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