Anyone tried Omega 3 fish capsules for healing inflammation for GERD?

Anyone currently taking omega 3 fish pills for inflammation. If so what brand, how many and your results?

I am planning on taking them. Any advice? Thanks. I've read that it helps with inflammation.

I take the NOW brand "ultra-omega 3" (500EPA/250DHA), and take what I have read as beneficial against esophageal cancer. I chose it in terms of EPA and DHA content.

I take 2 in the morning and 1 in the evening. I don't trust just one study or necessarily a number of studies for that matter, but given that fish oil does many positive things I decided that I might as well take it (as one of the few supplements that I believe in).

Here is the study I saw.

Fish oils may help prevent esophageal cancer
NORWICH, UNITED KINGDOM. Cancer of the esophagus has a poor prognosis and is increasing in frequency. Esophageal cancer is usually preceded by a condition called Barrett's esophagus (BE) in which the normal squamous (scale-like) epithelium in the lower esophagus is replaced with columnar epithelium. about 5% of patients with BE progress to esophageal cancer. BE, in turn, is linked to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with from 10-20% of GERD patients progressing to BE.

Research has shown that colon cancer is associated with an increased expression of the COX-2 enzyme in the colon and that fish oil can reduce both the COX-2 level and the risk of colon cancer. There is also evidence that the COX-2 enzyme is upregulated in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal cancer. British researchers therefore reasoned that fish oil supplementation might also be beneficial in BE and thus, indirectly, lower the risk of esophageal cancer.

Their clinical trial involved 46 patients with previously diagnosed BE. Twenty-seven of them were assigned to receive 3 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) capsules daily providing a total EPA intake of 1.5 grams a day with the remaining 19 patients serving as controls. Before the start of supplementation and at the end of the 6-month trial period, all participants underwent endoscopy during which appropriate biopsy samples were obtained. Analysis of the samples showed a significantly increased concentration of EPA and a significantly decreased level of COX-2 proteins in BE tissue in the supplement group, but not in the control group.

The researchers conclude that regular supplementation with relatively small doses of EPA results in significant incorporation of metabolically active long-chain amoega-3 fatty acids into BE tissue and a concomitant, beneficial decrease in COX-2.
Mehta, SP, et al. Effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on Barrett's epithelium in the human lower esophagus. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, 2008, pp. 949-56

Thanks for the replies. I just started takin them today.


Thanks for the study ARM, very interesting.

Anyone know how to get rid of the fishy smell. I can take them, but now my place smells like fish when ppl come over.

If anyone else is taking omega 3 fish capsules, share your experience and opinion. Thanks :)

http://www.drsears.com/portals/6/documents/inflammation%20medical%20brochure.pdf

Nickels, you may be interested in the writings of Dr Sears. I remember looking into it last year but I didn't try it, partly because I seem to get flare ups with all supplements, whatever they are, and partly because I was using up a large supply of flaxseed oil, which I do tolerate. I'm now at the end of the flax and have some fish oil to try. If memory serves, Dr Sears uses very high doses in combination with some dietary manoeuvres. I got interested because I had two inflammatory processes going on - stomach and bladder - and of course the medics just see them as two unrelated problems, which I think is wrong.

Have you heard of him already?

MMM

I have taken liquid cod liver oil for years and have no problems taking it neat, or any after taste.( I have more after taste with capsules!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oil

The benefits, if any, are subjective, but I have no major medical problems and even reflux symptoms are fairly mild when compared to many on here.

Post Edited (trevgbb) : 6/3/2012 8:19:26 AM (GMT-6)