The effect of omega-3 enhanced fish consumption on C-reactive protein levels in post-menopausal women

Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States, and the risk is 2--3 times greater in post-menopausal than pre-menopausal women. C-Reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker that has been identified as a risk factor for heart disease. The objective of this study was to determine if increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, reduced CRP levels in post-menopausal women. A sample of 29 women was recruited to participate in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups, experimental and control. The women were instructed to follow a heart healthy diet for eight weeks and to avoid all fish, seafood, and omega-3 enhanced products for the duration of the study (8 weeks). In addition to the heart healthy diet and restricted omega-3 guidelines, subjects in the experimental group were provided two 4 ounce servings of omega-3 enhanced trout each week. The control group subjects were instructed on the same diet guidelines but were not given the omega-3 enhanced trout. Seven day food diaries were recorded and blood tests were performed to determine CRP, interleukin-6 (IL-6), total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels at the beginning and end of the study. No significant pre- to post-study changes between groups were seen for CRP (p=0.34), total cholesterol (p=0.64), HDL cholesterol (p=0.65), LDL cholesterol (p=0.50), VLDL cholesterol (p=0.91) and triglycerides (p=0.92). Participants in the fish group significantly increased their consumption of omega-3 fatty acids ( p=0.004) during the eight week study. A majority (87.5%) of the experimental group and 85.7% of the control group experienced no change or a decrease in CRP. A similar trend was evident for Il-6 levels. The addition of two servings of omega-3 enhanced trout per week for eight weeks was successful in increasing n-3 intake in post-menopausal women; however the increased n-3 intake did not produce significant changes in markers of inflammation over the course of the study.