Dietary n-3 Fatty Acids Inhibit Fever Induced by Inflammation in Rats
Author Information
Author(s): A. L. Cooper, A. V. Turnbull, S. J. Hopkins, N. J. Rothwell
Primary Institution: Dept Physiological Sciences, University of Manchester
Hypothesis
Does dietary n-3 fatty acid supplementation affect fever responses induced by inflammation in rats?
Conclusion
Dietary n-3 fatty acid supplementation reduces fever and hypermetabolism induced by inflammation without affecting local inflammation or plasma IL-6 levels.
Supporting Evidence
- N-3 fatty acid supplementation significantly inhibited the rise in cerebrospinal fluid PGE2 levels.
- Rats fed the n-3 supplemented diet exhibited reduced hypermetabolism after turpentine injection.
- Plasma IL-6 concentrations were not affected by n-3 supplementation.
Takeaway
Feeding rats fish oil can help lower their fever when they get sick, but it doesn't change how much inflammation they have.
Methodology
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed control or n-3 supplemented diets for 8-9 weeks, then injected with turpentine to induce inflammation, and various physiological measurements were taken.
Limitations
The study was conducted on rats, which may not fully represent human responses.
Participant Demographics
Male Sprague-Dawley rats, approximately 21 days old.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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