Tuesday July  15, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study suggests that dietary omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) can help osteoarthritis in people following a high fat diet.

The study shows that as much as 8% calories from ω-3 PUFAs in a high fat diet effectively mitigated injury-induced osteoarthritis and decreased leptin and resistin in mice.

In the study, mice were fed a high fat diet high in various fatty acids including saturated fat, omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids which are found high in vegetables oils like soybean oil and corn oils and ω-3 PUFAs.  Osteoarthritis was induced in the mice and the diet was evaluated to see how it affects its wound healing effect.

The study also reveals that "ω-3 PUFAs significantly enhanced wound repair, SFAs or ω-6 PUFAs independently increased OA severity, heterotopic ossification and scar tissue formation."

The study suggests that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may help osteoarthritis while omega-6 fatty acids rich vegetable oils may worsen the medical condition.

Comment: The dose of omega 3 fatty acids used in the study was 20 grams per day for human adults.   Unfortunately, supplements with omega 3 fatty acids such as DHA and EPA found in fish oil are very expensive.  However, food consumers with osteoarthritis  can try avoid or reduce intake of of high omega 6 fatty acids.  (David Liu, PHD)

Reference: Wu CL, Jain D, McNeill JN, Little D, Anderson JA, Huebner JL, Kraus VB, Rodriguiz RM, Wetsel WC, Guilak F.  Dietary fatty acid content regulates wound repair and the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis following joint injury.  Ann Rheum Dis. 2014 Jul 10.