Marine fettsyrers invirkning på inflammasjonsprosessen

Abstract

This article investigates the link between intake of marine fatty acids (omega 3) and inflammation in the body. It is a big and steadily growing field of resource. And it is clear that we are in the beginning of establishing this link because many questions are still unanswered. What we do know is that the omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids arachidonic acids gives rise to the eicosanoid family of mediators. These mediators are prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes. They have pro inflammatory actions in them selves and also regulate productions of cytokines. Intake of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids decreases the amount of arachidonic acid in the cell membranes and so decreases the substrate for eicosanoid production. Thus an intake of EPA decreases the amount of pro inflammatory eicosanoids. The latest resource shows that for this effect to be clinical significant, the doses must be higher then the public recommendations.