A study which researchers say may be the first to show that fish oil can reduce oxidative stress in healthy subjects, has found that salmon oil significantly reduces F2-isoprostane levels, the biomarkers of in vivo lipid peroxidative damage.
The Australian study, led by Andrew Pipingas from the Swinburne University of Technology, involved 160 healthy adults who were randomly assigned 3g of salmon oil with a multivitamin, 6g of salmon oil with a multivitamin, 6g of salmon oil (providing 480mg DHA and 480mg EPA) on its own, or placebo, daily.
After 16 weeks, those taking the high dose salmon oil, with or without a multivitamin, showed significantly reduced F2-isoprostane levels compared to placebo, but the low dose group showed no improvements.
Pipingas concluded: “Relative to placebo, both the 6 g salmon oil and the 6 g salmon oil multivitamin groups reduced plasma F2-isoprostane levels at study endpoint.
“Interestingly, 3 g of daily salmon oil combined with a multivitamin had no effect on F2-isoprostane levels suggesting that salmon oil dosage is an important factor in initiating an antioxidant effect.”
The researchers asserted that to the best of their knowledge, theirs was the first randomized control trial to investigate the combined effects of fish oils and multivitamins on human health.
The study was sponsored by Swisse Wellness Pty Ltd.
