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Research: BECHOUA and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 92
Abstract
BECHOUA and colleagues, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U352, Laboratoire de Biochimie et Pharmacologie, INSA-Lyon, France, have researched the influence of low amounts of marine oil on some aspects of immune function in elderly people.
Background
Ageing involves, among other processes, a decrease in antioxidant defence and immune function. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been associated with health benefits, especially in autoimmune and inflammatory processes. These effects have usually been observed with high dosages known to increase lipid peroxidation. Low doses might affect the immune system differently if lipid peroxidation were prevented. In order to study this hypothesis, the trial investigated the immune function in elderly people supplemented with low doses of marine oil, a rich source of n-3 polyunsaturates.
Methodology
In this randomized, double blinded design, 20 healthy subjects were either assigned to a placebo group or a trial group. The placebo group were given 600 mg of sunflower oil per day, and the trial group were given 600 mg of marine oil containing a total of 180 mg of n-3 polyunsaturates per day, for 6 weeks. At that point, the proliferation response of lymphocytes was measured along with other biochemical markers known to be sensitive to ageing.
Results
At day 42, the proliferation response of lymphocytes was significantly decreased in the trial group compared to baseline values (p = 0.01). Also, the activity of an enzyme called PDE was slightly lowered in cytosolic but significantly increased in particulate fractions. This went with significantly increased levels of intracellular cyclic nucleotides (p = 0.05). The activity of glutathione peroxidase was markedly and significantly depressed in the marine oil group (p = 0.01). None of these changes were found in the placebo group.
Conclusion
Collectively, these results demonstrate that even low doses of n-3 fatty acids are sufficient to affect the immune response of elderly people.
References
Bechoua S, Dubois M, Vericel E, Chapuy P, Lagarde M, Prigent AF. Influence of very low dietary intake of marine oil on some functional aspects of immune cells in healthy elderly people. The British Journal of Nutrition 89 (4): 523-531, Apr 2003.
