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Fishes and bowel disease

Fishes and bowel disease

We all know the benefits of supplementation with fish oil, and indeed eating oily fish. Improved cardiovascular heath, lowered cholesterol, better memory, improved learning capacity and a decrease in inflammation (eg osteoarthritis).

Now, we have seen studies illustrating the benefit of EPA in ulcerative colitis (UC) a painful inflammatory bowel disease . . . (fish oil in made up of two types of fatty acids, EPA and DHA). It appears EPA helps keep ulcerative colitis at bay, according to a recent trial.

Sixty participants received either 500 mg of EPA or placebo three times daily for six months, and were monitored for disease remission using clinically validated marker of mucosal inflammation, faecal calprotectin (FC-high levels predict relapse).

Quite impressively, 63.3% of patents supplementing with EPA had significant drops in FC (compared to 13.3% in the placebo group), with over two thirds of them maintaining clinical remission at six months.

This is further evidence that EPA is a potent anti-inflammatory that should not just be thought of as an effective remedy for joint and cardiovascular health. But can indeed, help any complex inflammatory condition.

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