title: Intake of n-3 fatty acids from fish does not lower serum concentrations of C-reactive protein in healthy subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, is a powerful predictor of cardiovascular risk. We hypothesised that n-3 fatty acids reduce underlying inflammatory processes and consequently CRP concentrations in healthy middle-aged subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 43 men and 41 postmenopausal women aged 50-70 y. Before and after intervention, we measured serum CRP concentrations with an enzyme immunoassay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Capsules with either 3.5 g/day fish oil (1.5 g/day n-3 fatty acids) or placebo for 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median CRP change in the fish oil group did not significantly differ from that in the placebo group (0.01 vs -0.17 mg/l, P = 0.057).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The currently available data--including ours--do not support that beneficial effects on CRP are involved in a mechanism explaining the protective effect on heart disease risk of n-3 fatty acids as present in fish.
authors.affiliation: Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. anouk.geelen@wur.nl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geelen
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Schouten
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kluft
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Katan
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zock
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017747:Seafood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D002097:C-Reactive Protein