Vitamin E Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin E, including details on benefits, dosage, supplements, antioxidants.

Effect of concomitant consumption of fish oil and vitamin E on production of inflammatory cytokines in healthy elderly humans.

Wu D, Han SN, Meydani M, Meydani SN

D.V.M., Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA. dayong.wu@tufts.edu

A beneficial effect of fish oil in reducing inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases has been suggested. This effect occurs in part through fish oil's inhibition of synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Epidemiologic studies have shown a link between increased intake of vitamin E in diet and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Since pro-inflammatory cytokines have been indicated in pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, the current study was designed to determine the effect of concomitant consumption of fish oil and vitamin E on interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Healthy elderly subjects consumed fish oil plus different doses of vitamin E for 3 months. The results indicated that, in general, fish oil inhibited production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and vitamin E did not interfere with this effect of fish oil; rather its supplementation might further contribute to the fish oil-induced inhibition of these cytokines, in particular at the 200 mg/d dose.

Published 8 March 2005 in Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1031: 422-4.
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