title: Can manipulation of the ratios of essential fatty acids slow the rapid rate of postmenopausal bone loss?
abstract: The rapid rate of postmenopausal bone loss is mediated by the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Dietary supplementation with fish oil, flaxseeds, and flaxseed oil in animals and healthy humans significantly reduces cytokine production while concomitantly increasing calcium absorption, bone calcium, and bone density. Possibilities may exist for the therapeutic use of the omega-3 fatty acids, as supplements or in the diet, to blunt the increase of the inflammatory bone resorbing cytokines produced in the early postmenopausal years, in order to slow the rapid rate of postmenopausal bone loss. Evidence also points to the possible benefit of gamma-linolenic acid in preserving bone density.
authors.affiliation: Sky Park Wellness Center, Irvine, CA 92614, USA dr.debra@home.com
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Kettler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000378:metabolism; D019597:Flax / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012639:Seeds; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D016207:Cytokines; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha