Fish oil for stress induced obesity?

Fish oil for stress induced obesity? 
A Research Review by Benjamin Brown ND

Stress can lower metabolism and cause the pounds to pack on. A new report suggests that fish oil may change this picture.

 

To see whether supplemental fish oil has an effect on resting metabolic rate (RMR), body composition and cortisol production, a group of healthy men and women were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Placebo (Safflower Oil, 4 grams a day); or Fish Oil (4 grams a day supplying 1,600 mg/d eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 800 mg/d docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) and tested before and after 4 weeks.

At the end of 4 weeks the fish oil group had a significant increase in fat free mass (indicating increased muscle), a significant reduction in fat mass, and a tendency for a decrease in body fat percentage compared to placebo. Interestingly there was a tendency towards lower salivary cortisol in the fish oil group and a significant correlation between change in cortisol and change in fat free mass.

Comment: 
This study found a significant effect of fish oil on body composition and salivary cortisol after just 4 weeks. During the period the study group maintained their usual lifestyle and dietary behaviours. This is not the first study to suggest fish oil may favourably affect body composition however the discovery that improvements correlated with reductions in the stress hormone cortisol is a novel and interesting one.

--   Norma Bridge, Dip ION FdSc   Essentia Nutrition  +44 (0)7791 890 541 www.essentianutrition.co.uk  Member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy (BANT) Nutritional Therapy Council Registered Practitioner (NTC) Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council Registered Practitioner (CNHC) Clinical Studies Tutor, Dip NT - Premier International www.premierglobal.co.uk