A Cleveland Clinic study found that fish oil, soluble fiber and antioxidants helped treat patients with ulcerative colitis and reduced their need for steroid therapy. Patients who took the supplements, which have fewer side effects and are safer than many of the colitis drugs on the market, were less likely to start treatment with the drugs.
The study involved patients aged 18 and older who suffered from mild to moderate active ulcerative colitis. Those who were on corticosteroid therapy and were given the nutritional supplement needed significantly lower doses of the drugs to control their symptoms than those given a placebo.
Ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease that typically affects those between the ages of 15 and 40, can cause abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and fever. Drugs like corticosteroids are used to control inflammation in the disease, but, while they're highly effective, long-term use often leads to:
The side effects are often so severe that many patients stop using the drugs all together. However, over 25 percent of patients who stop their use have a relapse of symptoms.
While the nutritional supplement in the current study combined fish oil, soluble fiber and antioxidants, previous studies have shown that fish oil alone is also able to reduce the need for corticosteroids in colitis patients.
Researchers believe the nutritional supplement helps to diminish inflammation and provide nutrition in colitis patients, and suggest physicians add this combination of ingredients to their ulcerative colitis therapy regimens.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology April 2005;3(4)
Daily News Central April 10, 2005
Inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, can devastate people's health. Many patients wind up having extensive sections of their colon removed to address the problem or wind up on long-term high-dose steroid therapy that devastates their health with the side effects listed above.
This is particularly tragic, as natural therapies are so effective in this disease. It is quite rare where I have not seen dramatic results when they were used.
This study used fish oil, antioxidants and supplements and was able to identify a significant improvement. However, there are a number of other powerful approaches that work synergistically with the fish oils that I will address in a moment.
Patients with ulcerative colitis may have abnormally low levels of EPA and DHA, and they are the essential fatty acids found in fish oil. These fats have profound anti-inflammatory properties by modulating the prostaglandins that contribute to inflammation. The other way to enhance their effect is to reduce your consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils, as they will nearly always decrease the fish oil's effectiveness.
Corn oil, "vegetable" oil in salad dressings, safflower, peanut, sunflower and sesame oils are all high in omega-6 fats and should be avoided or seriously limited to maximize the benefits of the omega-3 fats.
It is also important to make certain you increase the amount of healthy fish fat in your diet with a high-quality supplement that is free of mercury and PCBs. Many of you know I'm a fan of the Carlson's brand of fish oil and cod liver oil, as I have seen clear and often substantial improvements in my patients who use it. It is clearly one of the cleanest fish oils on the market. You can find the Carlson's fish oil or cod liver oil at your local health food store, or, for your convenience, in our store.
One other hint with omega-3 fats: Don't try to substitute flaxseed oil for fish oil as it simply will not work. Your body needs the 22 carbon omega-3 fat DHA to have a serious impact on this disease, not the lightweight 18 carbon omega-3 ALA found in flax.
Five other approaches for treating inflammatory bowel disease:
Avoid sugar, as it will increase inflammation by increasing your insulin levels.
Avoid grains until symptoms are under control. Many with inflammatory bowel disease have gluten sensitivities. Additionally, the grains tend to increase insulin levels in most.
Make sure your vitamin D levels are optimized. Vitamin D appears to be nearly as effective as the omega-3 fats that are mentioned in this study. It is my belief that it is gross malpractice for a physician to take care of a person with this problem and not regularly monitor their vitamin D levels.
Get plenty of beneficial bacteria--which will help to heal your intestinal tract--in your diet. My favorite way to do this is by drinking cultured raw milk kefir--an incredibly healthy enzyme- and probiotic-rich food that tastes like tart yogurt.
Many have also noticed that Probiotics, a highly effective probiotic, is particularly useful for this problem.
Related Articles:
Beneficial Bacteria Helps Heal Intestines Fish Oil More Useful for Treating Inflammation Than Flax Seed Oil The Fungal Etiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Beneficial Bacteria Helps Heal Intestines
Fish Oil More Useful for Treating Inflammation Than Flax Seed Oil
The Fungal Etiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease