In the news: Combating Chronic Inflammation: Omega-3, Lutein, Olive Oil

What is Chronic Inflammation?

Acute or immediate inflammation is a necessary and normal part of the healing process. Without it, infections and injuries would never heal. But chronic or long term inflammation can eventually lead to some conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, and periodontitis. It’s also known that chronic inflammation plays an important role in heart disease, although researchers still don’t clearly understand what drives that inflammation in the first place.
 
However, studies continue to uncover factors that can contribute to chronic inflammation. Insufficient or poor quality sleep, for instance, has been shown to raise markers of inflammation. Overweight and obesity too, are associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers – levels that tend to fall when weight is shed.  

Research into dietary strategies that can quiet, perhaps even resolve, chronic inflammation is also ongoing in such diverse areas as obesity, cardiovascular, and bone health.

Omega-3s Dampen Inflammation in Weight Loss

According to recent findings, the ability of weight loss to impact chronic low-grade inflammation may be bolstered by a greater intake of omega-3 fatty acids (1).

Women with obesity on a calorie-controlled diet were randomly assigned to receive supplemental omega-3s (1.8 g DHA + EPA) or placebo daily for 3 months. Both groups lost weight and body fat, though the women in the omega-3 group had significantly decreased concentrations of several important inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein.

The omega-3 group also displayed an increase of compounds called SPMs, or pro-resolving mediators that have anti-inflammatory and cell-protecting actions. SPMs, like resolvins and protectins, are made from the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA when triggered. According to the researchers, the higher levels of SPMs, especially those derived from DHA, indicate that they may be helping to limit or turn off the low-grade inflammation present in these women. The take home message: when counting calories for weight loss, make room in the calorie count for DHA/EPA-rich fatty fish like salmon, sardines and tuna.

Lutein May Help Combat Artery Inflammation

University researchers found that higher blood levels of one carotenoid, lutein, out of the many colorful carotenoid compounds in fruits and veggies, correlated with a lower level of an inflammatory marker (IL-6) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (2). According to the authors, these patients were receiving gold standard care for their disease, yet many of them still had persistent inflammation. Many also had lower lutein blood levels.

The team then showed that immune cells that secrete the IL-6 marker absorb and store lutein. The greater content of lutein in these cells reduced IL-6 production.
The team plans to test whether increasing lutein intake has a beneficial effect on the immune system in CAD. The take home message: CAD patients, along with those looking to maintain eye health, should consume lutein-rich green leafy veggies – spinach, collards and kale.

Inflammation, Olive Oil & Risk of Bone Loss

Inflammation as a potentially important factor in bone health is gaining attention, with researchers observing that participants in the large Women’s Health Initiative eating healthier, “anti-inflammatory” diets did not lose bone as quickly as those with high-inflammation diets.

Investigators of the PREDIMED study have also found that among an older Mediterranean (Med) population at high risk for CVD, greater consumption of extra virgin olive oil was associated with a 51% reduction in risk of fractures3. Olive oil, one of the key foods of the Med diet, contains phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory activity. The take away: olive oil may be part of a healthy anti-inflammatory diet along with fruits, veggies, fatty fish and others for healthy bones.

References

1. Polus A, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation influence the whole blood transcriptome in women with obesity, associated with pro-resolving lipid mediator production. Biochim Biophys Acta 1861:1746-55, 2016.
   
2. Chung RWS, et al. Lutein exerts anti-inflammatory effects in patients with coronary artery disease. Athero-sclerosis. 262:87-93, 2017.
3. Gavilan-Garcia J, et al. Extra virgin olive oil consumption reduces risk of osteoporotic fractures. Clin Nutr. [Epub ahead of print], 2017.