According to a new study by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, rats given omega 3 fatty acids have healthier joints than those fed with high saturated fat and omega 6 fatty acids.
The results of this study were published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. The study showed that in addition to obesity, unhealthy dietary fats may also contribute to the deterioration of osteoarthritis.
Dr. Farshid Guilak said: Our research results show that dietary factors play a more significant role in the link between obesity and arthritis. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for osteoarthritis, but the mechanism connecting obesity and osteoarthritis is not fully understood. It is now believed that weight gain will wear down joints, but this does not explain why arthritis is also seen in joints that do not bear weight, such as hands.
Guilak and his colleagues began to study to determine the effects of other factors on arthritis. Early studies in obese mice found that the lack of leptin can predict whether mice have arthritis. This leads us to think that maybe it is not weight gain, but what you eat affects arthritis.
In this study, researchers used mice with knee osteoarthritis caused by joint damage to conduct research. The three groups of mice were fed one of three high-fat diets: a high-fat diet rich in saturated fatty acids, a high-fat diet rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and one rich in omega- 3 A high-fat diet of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Saturated fat, usually from animals, is known to increase cholesterol levels. Omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are often found in corn oil, soybean oil, nuts and seeds, and are considered a healthier source of fat. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, commonly found in fish or fish oil supplements, are often touted as "healthy fats" with heart health and anti-inflammatory properties. Unfortunately, most Americans eat significantly more saturated fats and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids instead of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Researchers found that arthritis was significantly related to the diet of mice, not weight. Mice that ate high amounts of saturated fat or omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids experienced significant deterioration in arthritis, while mice fed a high-fat diet rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids had healthy joints. Although omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids irreversibly damage, they seem to slow the progression of arthritis in mice. In fact, ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can eliminate the adverse effects of obese mice with multiple joints.
The researchers also studied the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on wound healing in mice. They punched the ears of mice that consumed omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and found that the healing rate was much faster than that of non-eating omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acid mice.
We found that dietary fat regulates ear wound healing in mice, joint damage in obese mice and the severity of osteoarthritis. Researchers are working to transfer their research results to humans. The next step will be to do a clinical study to explore the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on injury.