Fish oil may help treat chronic kidney disease

A new study will test the health benefits of fish oil as a treatment option for inflammation in people with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis.

Washington, May 1 : A new study will test the health benefits of fish oil as a treatment option for inflammation in people with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis.

Fish oils have known anti-inflammatory properties due to their high concentration of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA).

The study will be conducted by dietitian Rachel Zabel at Queensland University of Technology.

As part of the 12-week study participants will be given a daily dose of fish oil, and tests will be conducted to measure changes in inflammation and appetite.

"Research shows that patients with kidney disease on dialysis experience a range of complications thought to relate to chronic inflammation," Zabel said.

"They can have poor nutritional status, disturbed appetite and a lower quality of life," she said.

"EPA has been used successfully in other population groups with chronic inflammation including people with osteoarthritis and cancer cachexia, however the anti-inflammatory effects have not yet been applied to patients on dialysis," she said

"One in seven people over the age of 25 have at least one clinical sign of chronic kidney disease and every day five Australians commence dialysis or transplantation to stay alive," Zabel said.

"While fish oil won't cure kidney disease, it may provide a better quality of life for sufferers," she added.

ANI