Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on the Gut Microbiota
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18(12), 2645; doi:10.3390/ijms18122645
Lara Costantini Romina Molinari Barbara Farinon and Nicolò Merendino
Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
- Overview: Omega-3 many benefits include helping vitamin D
- I use Vectomega brand of Omega-3 – Admin of VitaminDWiki, May 2014
- Omega 3 increases vitamin D in the blood – many studies
- Vitamin D and omega-3 are the only supplements which show benefit in meta-analysis – Jan 2012
- Omega-3 benefits to health – review April 2018
- Omega-3 levels are sub-optimal in 99 percent of Americans – Aug 2017
- Gut microbiome massively changed by weekly vitamin D – July 2015
- Omega-3 in infancy reduces Obesity following antibiotic (confirmed in rats, suspected in humans) – Feb 2016
- Diabetes risk increased by 50 percent if had 5 courses of antibiotics – Aug 2015
Speculate that Omega-3 would reduce the %
Items in both categories Omega-3 and Inflammation are listed here:
- Opioid addiction reduced by Omega-3 (gut inflammation in mice) – Aug 2019
- Treat wounds, stop inflammation with nanoemulsion textile of Omega-3 and Resveratrol - Sept 2019
- Inflammation is reduced by each of the following: Vitamin D, Omega-3, Diet
- Sepsis reduced the Omega-3 response and half life – April 2019
- Pollutants increase Respiratory problems, Vitamin D, Omega-3, etc. decrease them – May 2018
- Severe acute pancreatitis treated in 11 ways by Omega-3 in just 7 days – RCT April 2018
- Omega-3 treats animal inflammation better than human (those studies use higher doses and different ratios than for humans) - March 2018
- Omega-3 helps muscles and reduces inflammation, lipids, and insulin – Nov 2015
- Omega-3 improves gut bacteria, reduces inflammation and depression – Dec 2017
- Can burn pain be relieved by 4 g of Omega-3 and 2,000 IU of vitamin D – RCT due 2021
- 2.7 fewer days in hospital after surgery if had taken Omega-3 (19 RCT) – meta-analysis – June 2017
- Sepsis: 4 fewer days in ICU if add Omega-3 – meta-analysis of 12 RCT – June 2017
- Omega-3 reduces many psychiatric disorders – 2 reviews 2016
- Depression due to inflammation reduced by Omega-3 (children and pregnant) – Nov 2015
- Omega-7 - in addition to Omega-3
- Inflammation reduction through diet: Omega-3 etc. Feb 2014
- Traumatic brain injury treated by Vitamin D Progesterone Omega-3 and glutamine – May 2013
- Omega-3 reduced vitamin D3 inflammation for obese – RCT Jan 2013
Items in both categories Omega-3 and Depression are listed here:
- Overweight needed more EPA (4 grams) to fight depression – RCT Aug 2022
- Anxiety, depression, and suicide have recently surged (Note: Vitamin D, Omega-3, and Magnesium help) – May 2022
- Omega-3 did not prevent depression (they failed to reduce Omega-6, which blocks Omega-3) – RCT Dec 2021
- Mental health not helped by vitamin D monotherapy (adding Omega-3 and Magnesium help) – review Nov 2021
- Benefits of Omega-3 plus Vitamin D were additive – RCT Sept 2021
- Depression treatments: diet, exercise, bright light, Vitamin D, B12, Omega-3, Zinc, Music, etc. – May 2019
- Omega-3 helps treat Major Depression – International Consensus Sept 2019
- Mental disorders fought by Omega-3 etc. - meta-meta-analysis Oct 2019
- Omega-3 reduces Depression. Anxiety, Stress, PTSD, etc. – Aug 2018
- Depression treated by Omega-3 (again) – meta-analysis Aug 2019
- Depression after childbirth 5 X less likely if good Omega-3 index – April 2019
- Occupational burnout reduced after 8 weeks of Omega-3 – RCT July 2019
- Anxiety severity reduced if more than 2 grams of Omega-3 – meta-analysis Sept 2018
- Psychotic disorders not treated by Omega-3 when patents take anti-depressants and get therapy – June 2018
- Happy Nurses Project gave Omega-3 for 3 months – reduced depression, insomnia, anxiety, etc for a year – RCT July 2018
- Depression – is it reduced by Vitamin D and or Omega-3 – RCT 2019
- Benefits of Omega-3 beyond heart health - LEF Feb 2018
- Omega-3 improves gut bacteria, reduces inflammation and depression – Dec 2017
- Unipolar depression treated by Omega-3, Zinc, and probably Vitamin D – meta-analysis Oct 2017
- Omega-3 reduces many psychiatric disorders – 2 reviews 2016
- Omega-3 does not consistently treat depression if use small amounts for short time period – review Oct 2016
- How Omega-3 Fights Depression – LEF July 2016
- Depression due to inflammation reduced by Omega-3 (children and pregnant) – Nov 2015
- Depression treated somewhat by Omega-3 (St. John's Wort better) – RAND org reviews 2015
- Depression substantially decreased with Omega-3 – Sept 2015
- Omega-3 for just 3 months greatly reduced psychosis for 80 months – RCT Aug 2015
- Omega-3 prevents PTSD and some mood disorders - Aug 2015
- Omega-3, Vitamin D, and other nutrients decrease mental health problems – March 2015
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
Long-term dietary habits play a crucial role in creating a host-specific gut microbiota community in humans. Despite the many publications about the effects of carbohydrates (prebiotic fibers), the impact of dietary fats, such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), on the gut microbiota is less well defined. The few studies completed in adults showed some common changes in the gut microbiota after omega-3 PUFA supplementation. In particular, a decrease in Faecalibacterium, often associated with an increase in the Bacteroidetes and butyrate-producing bacteria belonging to the Lachnospiraceae family, has been observed.
Coincidentally, a dysbiosis of these taxa is found in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Omega-3 PUFAs can exert a positive action by reverting the microbiota composition in these diseases, and increase the production of anti-inflammatory compounds, like short-chain fatty acids. In addition, accumulating evidence in animal model studies indicates that the interplay between gut microbiota, omega-3 fatty acids, and immunity helps to maintain the intestinal wall integrity and interacts with host immune cells.
Finally, human and animal studies have highlighted the ability of omega-3 PUFAs to influence the gut–brain axis, acting through gut microbiota composition. From these findings, the importance of the omega-3 connection to the microbiota emerges, encouraging further studies.