(NC)—Maintaining good health is the primary reason people take nutritional supplements like omega 3 fish oils, however there is excellent evidence for the use of supplements to improve recovery from illness, injury and surgery.
In a randomized, controlled study at Trinity College Dublin and St James's Hospital in Ireland, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation helped preserve muscle mass in patients undergoing surgery for oesophageal (esophagus) cancer, a procedure that normally results in significant weight loss and trauma.
"Omega 3s" are essential fatty acids found in abundance in oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, and sardines. Scientific evidence supports the use of omega 3s to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, improve blood pressure, prevent blood clot formation, and support brain health. Blends of omega 3, 6 and 9, like Omega 3-6-9 High Potency from webber naturals, are often recommended as these fatty acids work in balance for overall health support.
Oesophageal surgery is a highly stressful and serious operation. Fish oil supplements rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were found to significantly reduce the amount of weight lost following surgery. Professor John V. Reynolds, the lead researcher on the study said: "The surgery lasts several hours and it can take up to six months for patients to recover pre-illness quality of life. Weight loss is extremely common before and after this type of surgery, and any approach that can preserve weight, in particular muscle weight and strength, may represent a real advance."
The research group found that patients given a standard feed (without omega 3) suffered clinically severe weight loss – losing an average of 4 lbs of muscle mass post surgery, while the omega 3 group maintained all aspects of body composition. 68% of patients suffered clinically severe weight loss post surgery in the standard group versus only 8% in the omega 3 group. The omega 3 patients also had much lower levels of inflammatory compounds in their blood; reducing inflammation speeds healing, reduces pain and is a key benefit of fish oil supplements.
Always discuss nutritional and herbal supplementation with your physician especially if you are planning to have, or have recently had, surgery.
- News Canada