Alternative Health Blog

In a cross-sectional study involving 330 subjects, subjects with low red blood cell EPA and DHA levels were found to have significant predicted increases in triglycerides (99.5 mg/dl, 106%) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations (137.8 mg/dl, 156%), associated with increases in body mass index (BMI) from 25 to 35, while subjects with high red blood cell EPA and high red blood cell DHA concentrations were found to have significantly lower predicted increases in triglycerides (13.9 mg/dl for EPA (23%) and 12.0 mg/dl (18%) for DHA) and CRP (0.5 mg/l (50%) for EPA and -0.5 mg/l (-34%) for DHA). These results suggest that having higher EPA and DHA status in red blood cells may help to reduce obesity-related risk of dyslipidemia and inflammation, thereby potentially reducing the risk of various inflammatory chronic diseases.