Inflammatory Bowel
Disease And Omega-3s
Chester J. Zelasko, Ph.D. |
June 29, 2004
Digestive problems
of one sort or another seem to be a characteristic of our society. One of
the most serious that we're asked about at Better Life Unlimited is
inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease and irritable
bowel syndrome. This group of diseases is characterized by pain, an
inability to absorb nutrients properly, and diarrhea, among other symptoms.
It is debilitating for those who have it. As of this writing, there is no
known cause for this class of digestive diseases, although inflammation of
the nervous system seems to play a factor in its origin. Because of the
specific anatomy of the gut, omega-3 fatty acids may be helpful in reducing
the inflammatory process. We think of the digestive system as just one long
tube--we put food into one end and eliminate waste through the other. We
pack it full, and it pushes food through. That's not how it works.
The digestive system has an extensive nervous system that controls it from
the time you begin to swallow food in the esophagus until the time you
eliminate the waste through the anus. In fact, the enteric nervous system is
so extensive that the number of nerve cells equals the total number of nerve
cells in the entire spinal cord (1). In addition to that, the cells of the
digestive system turn over about every 3-6 days, depending on the type and
location of the cells. That also means new cells are produced to replace
them. Given this very brief explanation of the digestive system, how can
omega-3 fatty acids help IBD?
Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory in nature; that would have a
direct effect on IBD. The omega-3 fatty acids would interfere with the
production of inflammatory cytokines and reduce the inflammation associated
with IBD. But there are at least two other possibilities that haven't been
researched.
First, the fatty acid composition of the nerve cells is reflective of the
types of fatty acids in the diet. The over-consumption of saturated fat and
poor quality omega-6 fatty acids in today's typical diet can contribute to
nerve cells that simply don't work as well as they might, thereby causing
digestive problems due to the extensive neural network of the digestive
system.
Second, due to the turnover of the digestive-system cells every few days,
new cells use the fatty acids available in the diet for cell production.
When omega-3s aren't available, too many saturated fats and omega-6 fatty
acids may be used in the production of digestive cell membranes.
Thus the result of eating too many saturated and omega-6 fatty acids is that
both the nerve cells that control the gut and the cells that line the gut
don't work at optimal capacity because they're built with sub-standard
materials. Food may not move or be absorbed as well, and this may contribute
to IBD.
In a recent review article, Andrea Belluzzi reviewed the evidence for using
omega-3 fatty acids for treating IBD (2). While more research needs to be
done as to the best form and composition of omega-3s, the evidence to date
has demonstrated that there is at least some benefit for people with IBD
using fish oil in the reduction of pain and improving function. The best
composition of omega-3 fatty acids seems to be a blend of eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at 3-6 grams per day. That's a lot
of fish oil to take, and the side effects can be belching, gas, and loose
stools. But the pain and inflammation seems to subside for most people.
What should you do if you have some form of IBD? Talk to your physician
about using fish oil in addition to your current treatment regimen. The
research is equivocal, but you may be the person who benefits because of an
imbalance of the fatty acids in your body. It doesn't seem to have any
significant downside and may very well help.
Think of it this way: if you could improve your symptoms 25% to 50%, would
that be worth it to you? Would it add to your quality of life? Only you can
decide the answer to that question.
References:
- Guyton, A. and Hall, J. Textbook of Medical Physiology – 10th
Edition. Saunders Publishing. 2000.
- Belluzzi, A. n-3 Fatty acids for the treatment of inflammatory bowel
diseases. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2002; 61(3) 391-395.
|
|