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How dietary fats affect inflammation

 What is Inflammation (acute)

When a wound swells up (wound can be inside our body) it turns red and hurts, it may be sign of inflammation. Inflammation is immune response to an irritant (might be polluted air, germ or viruses), it happens in response to heal the wound. Inflammation can be due to infection or injury.

Inflammation is common among coronavirus patients

As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus -2 continues to spread worldwide, there have been increasing reports from Europe, North America, Asia, and Latin America describing children and adults with covid-19 associated multisystem inflammatory conditions. SARS-Cov-2 causes unchecked inflammation that can cause extensive organ damage, such as lung failure. In India, total numbers of affected individuals have increased abruptly after unlock-3, however severity of it varies from person to person. Severity ranging from mild (slight fever) to severe (complete lung damage & requirement of ventilation) is dependent on individual immunity, age and level of inflammation in body etc.  

  

Tweet of ICMR about total positive numbers as on 8 sep
 

Because of inflammation, body produces certain proteins such as C reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, TNFa, IL-8 etc.) in response to cure the rupture blood vessels or lung tissue due to virus attack and immune response. Producing these in large number causes the cytokine storm. Inflammation can damage the lung tissue and also aggravate the preexisting health issues like diabetes mellitus, hypertension etc.  

Medicines for inflammation and it’s drawback

Anti-inflammatory treatment including glucocorticoids, IL-6 ANTAGONIST, JAK inhibitors and chloroquinone/ hydrochloroquinone etc. may lead to impaired immune response thus delay in cure of covid-19.

 How dietary fats affect the inflammation

In this pandemic where diet is promoted for increasing immunity, intake of fats (oils) in excess can cause your inflammation to increase. Therefore along with providing all nutrient rich diet for immunity, reduction of certain nutrient is necessary for reducing inflammation and quick healing. 

 

There are 3 types of fats omega 3, 6 and 9

A diet high in trans fats (reheating oil over several time), Omega 6 rich vegetable oil, and saturated fats (dalda) will be pro-inflammatory (it will cause inflammation in body). While a diet high in Monounsaturated fats (ricebran oil, olive oil) and Omega-3 fats (fish oil) will be anti-inflammatory.

Comparison between omega 3 and omega 6 fat

So it is clear that the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 in the diet is important for overall inflammation in the body especially during normal periods of healthy living and when we definitely want to keep inflammation under control. Beyond 3 Omega and Omega 6 over all fat balance is also important. With a good balance of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat the body’s inflammatory profile should have also achieve a healthy balance.

 When people get sick they tend to increase their dietary intake (mostly high in fat in the form of high fat milk, high fat paneer, adding ghee) to recover. This disturbs the balance of omega 3 and 6. Many studies have shown that high Omega 6:3 ratios reduce collagen production while low 3:6 ratio is supportive of healing. 

 One of a study found that, with low dose fish oil approximately 450 milligram have shown no effect on inflammatory or immune marker while other studies have shown that high dose fish oil may produce immune cell function in certain population. Therefore one needs to take balanced amount of fish oil.  

 In addition to the Omega 6:3 ratios, research that increased nut and seed consumption as well as olive oil consumption can mildly reduce inflammation biomarker.

One should focus on improving their Omega 6 and 3 ratios while adding healthy Monounsaturated fat and balancing out there saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

The takeaways:

·       To balance your fats increase intake of olive oil mixed nuts avocados flax oil ground flags and other seeds excetra getting sum of each said source each day by eating these foods you will likely balance out the saturated fat naturally present in your protein sources leading to Healthy profile of all types of fats

·       To balance your Omega 6 and 3 ratio and fish oil each day While reducing Omega 6 fats like vegetable oil such as corn oil Sunflower oil Safflower oil cottonseed oil and soyabean oil etc this strategy should take care of your Omega 6 and 3 ratio.

With balancing the fats one can control the unnecessary inflammation in the body – a boon for moderate to severe pandemic patients.

 

Reference:

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Dietary-sources-and-general-metabolic-pathway-for-omega-6-and-omega-3-polyunsaturated_fig1_275836096

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