STUDY: Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (aka fish oil) provides zero benefit in MS

[ActiveMSers]

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Provide No Beneficial Effects to Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

CHICAGO -- April 17, 2012 -- Omega-3 fatty acid supplements were not associated with beneficial effects on disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) according to a study published online first in the Archives of Neurology.

Some patients with MS use omega-3 fatty acids supplementation to control the disease because the essential fatty acids could theoretically have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

Øivind Torkildsen, MD, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, and colleagues examined whether omega-3 fatty acid supplementation as a monotherapy (single therapy) or in combination with subcutaneous interferon beta-1a could reduce disease activity.

The researchers randomised 92 patients to receive either eicosapentaenoic acid
1350 mg and docosahexaenoic acid 850 mg daily (n = 46) or a placebo (n = 46).
After 6 months, all patients received interferon beta-1a 3qW for another 18 months. Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure disease activity by the number of new T1-weighted gadolinium-enhancing lesions in the brain.

“The results from this study did not show any beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on disease activity in MS as a monotherapy or in combination with interferon beta,” the authors wrote.

They noted that their results were in contrast with 2 other studies reporting a possible positive effect.

The median number of new T1-weighted gadolinium-enhancing lesions was 3 in the
omega-3 fatty acid group and 2 in the placebo group during the first 6 months.

The results indicate no difference between the 2 groups in the number of relapses during the first 6 months of treatment or after 24 months. No differences were detected either in fatigue or quality-of-life scores.

However, the authors commented that their data do not suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was harmful or that it interfered with interferon beta treatment, which they noted can reduce disease activity in the relapsing-remitting course of the disease.

“The design of this study allowed us to compare the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation both against placebo alone and in combination with interferon beta,” they concluded. “As expected, the MRI disease activity was significantly reduced when interferon beta-1a was introduced.”

SOURCE: Archives of Neurology

[jenisdif]

All Omega 3's are NOT created equal


Hi all, this is my first post and it is contrary to this report. I answered a question on another MS website that asked "What MS CAM would u NOT give up?" and my answer was my flax supplement. I think that plant based Omega-3's do indeed help with inflamation. I do not know if it is quantifiable on a % report basis, but I definetly notice a difference when I forget them. I dunno if it helps with the inflamation but I feel less dry inside, which is miserable, like my eyeballs need less drops, I feel less dry, so I drink less(not to much less just not everytime I pee) and my lips need less chapstick. Ground flax is great on cereal but not cooked or baked and walnuts can be added to beked goods and maintain their Omega-3 benefits. These are the ONLY 2 sources of plant based Omega-3 oils. They help me.

[AngieBee]

Omega 3s are also found in chia seeds.
I don't think that a study that says there is no help for MS is a reason to stop. There are plenty of reasons to eat a healthful diet and not just for treating MS.
I eat lots of ginger and turmeric for the antiinflamarory properties.

[jenisdif]

i'ver read on all the spices and those 2 are ranked especially good for inflamation. I couldn't handle them so I take a shot of milk with 1/4 tblsp of cinnamon every morning. I just remebered my mom gave us ginger root pills so we wouldn't get carsick on the windy roads on the way to an ozark cavern Yay more pills!! At least it won't raise my liver enzymes.

[AngieBee]

I like to make candied ginger. I like it plain or pickled too but typically I just put a couple tsp of powdered ginger in my smoothie in the mornings.

Candied ginger is super easy to make. It does help with car sickness! Your mom was clever about that

[ActiveMSers]

Another finding on fish oil was released today and is being published in JAMA. Note: it is only looking at heart health; there may be other benefits to the supplement but none have been shown in any study. More research is needed say researchers. - Dave

Fish Oil Fizzles for Fighting Heart Attack, Stroke

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Sept. 11, 2012 -- Millions of people take omega-3 supplements to improve their heart health, but new evidence questions their benefit.

Researchers looked at 20 studies involving nearly 70,000 people, many of whom were heart patients. Adding omega-3 to their diet did not appear to lower the chance of having a heart attack or stroke or lower the risk of death from these and other causes.

Many people take fish oil capsules to get omega-3. But, as in this study, not all omega-3 came from fish oil. It also came from other sources.

The study appears in the Sept. 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/n...-attack-stroke

And this article on the new study in USA Today highlights what a huge boom fish oil supplements are enjoying these days.

... The news comes even as sales of fish oil supplements are booming. In 2011 Americans spent $1.1 billion on them, up 5.4% from 2010, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.

...The message Americans may not want to hear is that eating healthy foods, not taking pills, is what helps heart health, says Richard Karas, director of the preventive cardiology center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

Time and time again research shows that a diet rich in a certain vitamin or nutrient is beneficial. But then people think "if you take a pill containing that ingredient, you'll be healthier," Karas says. It doesn't work that way.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...a-3/57750182/1

[ActiveMSers]

Alas another study dismisses fish oil supplements, this one with heart health. It is disappointing that the benefits of eating fish do not appear to cross over to fish oil.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryhus...l-supplements/

[Sparky10]

Have to wonder how/why these studies come up with differing results. Fish oil used to be beneficial to us. How did it change? Maybe it's an "over time" sort of thing? Or are the studies skewed in some way...

[teena marie]

more research

I found this-thought I would share. I find low saturated fat and increased omega 3's help me.

Interesting research

Multiple sclerosis is a challenging disease on many fronts, including the search for effective ways to treat and manage symptoms and relapse. Results of a novel trial using omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as vitamins, have shown some promise for people with multiple sclerosis.

Can a natural supplement help MS patients?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) attacks the central nervous system, damaging and destroying the myelin sheaths that protect the nerves and causing a wide array of symptoms that can range from mild (e.g., numbness in the limbs) to severe (e.g., paralysis, blindness). Among the estimated 400,000 people in the United States and 2.5 million individuals around the world who have MS, one challenge is reducing and managing relapses.

Relapsing-remitting MS is the most common form of the disease. It is characterized by attacks—when symptoms flare—followed by remission, when patients have few or no symptoms. Remissions can last for weeks or months, and the disease does not progress.

After 10 to 20 years, people with relapsing-remitting MS typically develop a progressive form of the disease. Known as secondary progressive MS, patients experience a decline in relapses but the disease gets worse.

Researchers in Cyprus conducted a 30-month randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, proof-of-concept clinical trial in which they tested three different new, natural treatments to determine if they might reduce disease activity among patients with relapsing-remitting MS who were or were not receiving disease-modifying treatment.

Eighty patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids on a 1:1 ratio, plus vitamin A and vitamin E as alpha-tocopherol; (2) the same as (1) plus the addition of gamma-tocopherol; (3) gamma-tocopherol alone; and (4) placebo. The supplements were taken once a day. A total of 41 patients completed the study.

After two years, there were eight relapses reported by the 10 patients in the (2) group compared with 25 relapses reported by the 12 patients in the placebo group. This represented a 64 percent reduction in risk.

The nutrients used in the supplement combination included the following:

Omega-3 fatty acids in the form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) at 3:1 weight/weight. Both DHA and EPA are available in fish oil supplements. Omega-6 fatty acids in the form of linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid at 2:1 weight/weight. Linoleic acid is found in many vegetables oils. Gamma-linolenic acid is found in plant oils such as evening primrose and black currant and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Vitamin A, a group of fat-soluble retinoids that are involved in immune system function, vision, and cell communication Alpha-tocopherol, one of eight types of vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin. It is a potent antioxidant and works with gamma-tocopherol, another form of vitamin E. Gamma-tocopherol is another form of vitamin E that reportedly has more anti-inflammatory powers than alpha-tocopherol and is the form found naturally in the diet. The authors noted that minor amounts of other nutrients (i.e., polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fatty acids) were also in the supplement combination. Overall, this small study demonstrated that a nutritional supplement combination significantly reduced the occurrence of relapse in patients with MS.

More evidence that supplements help MS
In another new study, appearing in Acta Neurologica Scandinavica Supplementum, the authors conducted an analysis of studies involving the use of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) in the management of multiple sclerosis. They concluded that “there is comprehensive evidence from epidemiological, observational, and experimental studies that vitamin D may be beneficial in MS.”

Indeed, previous investigations have indicated that low levels of vitamin D may worsen MS symptoms and increase the risk of relapse. More research is needed in this area.

The authors of the Scandinavian study also pointed out, however, that the other fat-soluble vitamins had shown some beneficial effects in animals. Thus far, however, too little is known about their impact in humans.

People with multiple sclerosis frequently turn to alternative medicine to find relief for their symptoms. This new study and others indicate multiple sclerosis patients may find some help in the use of natural supplements.

SOURCES:
Pantazaris MC et al. A novel oral nutraceutical formula of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid with vitamins (PLP10) in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled proof-of-concept clinical trial. BMJ Open 2013 Apr 17; 3(4). Pii:3002170

Torkildsen O et al. Fat-soluble vitamins as disease modulators in multiple sclerosis. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica Supplementum 2013; (196): 16-23

Source: Emax Health Copyright eMaxhealth.com 2005-2013 (23/04/13)

[ActiveMSers]

The theory usually goes that supplements aren't going to hurt you. Why not try them, right? Until it turns out that they may hurt you. Men may want to think twice about taking fish oil.... - Dave

Everyone knows that fish oil is good for you, right? It’s a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are marketed to reduce the risk of just about everything from heart disease to Alzheimer’s.

But a startling study shows men who have the highest levels of these compounds – the kinds found in fish but not in vegetable sources -- have a higher risk of prostate cancer. Men with the very highest levels had a 71 percent higher risk of high-grade prostate cancer – the kind most likely to spread and kill, they report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

It might be a sign that popping a pill is not only possibly a waste of money – it might be downright dangerous. And eating fish too often might be, also.

“These fish oil supplements in which some men getting mega, mega doses…in our opinion that is probably a little bit dangerous,” said Theodore Brasky of Ohio State University Medical Center, who worked on the study with a team from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

The same team published a study in 2011 that showed men with the highest levels of one omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid, DHA for short, had double the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Other studies have had similar findings.

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/fish-o...rms-6C10597283

[Sparky10]

I will continue taking it. Who knows...some day another study might say it helps (again).