EPA + DHA Therapy May Lower Profinflammatory Cytokine Levels in Aging Adults

by | Mar 16, 2020 | 2018, DHA, EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Participants who supplemented with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) had significantly greater reductions in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines compared with the control group.

aging“Inflammaging” describes the chronic, low-grade inflammation that accompanies aging 1. With the immune system’s long-term overstimulation, proper regulation of inflammation becomes ineffective, resulting in higher risk for diseases like atherosclerosis and arthritis with advanced age 2. Inflammaging is characterized by increased levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL)-6, IL-β, and tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which given their capacity to reach the brain, are known to induce neuroinflammation 3,4. This phenomenon is implicated in age-related neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease 5 and general age-related cognitive decline 6. Studies suggest that dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), can help effectively lower circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines 7-9 by inhibiting activation of transcription factors involved in the inflammation response (1). EPA + DHA intervention studies in older adults have yielded inconclusive results regarding whether the therapy can significantly change circulating profinflammatory cytokine levels in aging adults 10. Thus, researchers at The Ohio State University sought to determine the impact of EPA + DHA therapy on inflammaging in middle-aged and older adults. 11

Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated measures study design, researchers recruited a total of 35 adults in middle to late adulthood (mean age = 60.6 years) with chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLU, pathobiology of which involves chronic systemic and local inflammation). Participants were randomly assigned to receive either an EPA + DHA supplement (1.5 g EPA and 1.0 g DHA in softgel capsule form) or matching placebo daily for 8 weeks. At baseline, Week 4, and Week 8, fasting blood samples were collected to analyze plasma concentrations of fatty acids and proinflammatory cytokines.

At Week 8, as expected, the EPA + DHA group exhibited significantly higher levels of EPA and DHA, compared to the control group (p < 0.001 for both). Data analyses also indicated that at Week 4, plasma levels of IL-6 (p = 0.008), IL-β (p < 0.001), and TNF-α (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the EPA + DHA groups, as compared to controls. The lowering effect of EPA + DHA therapy on proinflammatory cytokine levels remained persistent until Week 8: participants receiving EPA + DHA had lower levels of IL-6 (p = 0.007), IL-β (p < 0.001), and TNF-α (p < 0.001) than the control group at the end of the study.

Study findings support the prophylactic role of EPA + DHA supplementation in the inflammaging process, highlighting the capacity for fatty acid supplementation to significantly lower markers of inflammation in aging adults. Eight weeks of EPA + DHA intake was seen to lower IL-6 by 22%, IL-β by 44%, and TNF-α by 23% in patients with chronically high levels of inflammation due to CVLU, with significant effects evident as early as 4 weeks. Results suggest that long-term EPA + DHA therapy may be a safe, cost-effective approach to managing the inflammaging process in aging adults. However, it would be helpful in future studies to address the efficacy of n-3 dietary treatment in middle-aged and older adults separately. Other limitations of the present study include a relatively short treatment duration, a limited sample size, and failure to quantify anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. Present findings also warrant replication in non-obese adults and those without chronic inflammatory conditions.

Source: Tan A, Sullenbarger B, Prakash R, et al. Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid reduces high levels of circulating profinflammatory cytokines in aging adults: a randomized, controlled study. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2018; 132: 23-29. DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2018.03.010.

Posted March 16, 2020.

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