Fish oil, while often promoted as a means to boost brain health, is also used to supplement the treatment of a wide range of medical conditions, such as diabetes and some forms of heart disease, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. A new study reveals that, when paired with the organic chemical curcumin, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil can also lessen spinal cord damage.
The conclusion was reached after researchers from UCLA administered three distinctive diets to lab rats with a variation of cervical myelopathy, a spinal condition that can severely restrict walking ability as it progresses, and is typically brought on by rheumatoid arthritis and other ailments common in older individuals.
Over the course of six weeks, the rats that were fed a diet enriched with curcumin and fish oil supplements had significantly better mobility than the others under observation, leading researchers to conclude that this combination could lessen the destructiveness of certain spinal afflictions.
"Our findings suggest that diet can help minimize disease-related changes and repair damage to the spinal cord," UCLA associate professor of neurosurgery Dr. Langston Holly stated in a university press release on the study.
The researchers focused on these two elements because of the previously reported benefits of each. The omega-3 fatty acid DHA, specifically, has been found to aid in cell damage reparation, while various studies have shown that curcumin also has reparative capabilities.
These properties are especially useful for treating spinal cord injuries, because, as Dr. Holly explains, spinal cord surgery can relieve pressure on the spinal canal, which naturally narrows with age, but it can't actively repair the tissue that has been damaged.
These beneficial compounds are found in fish and tumeric, a spice commonly used in curry. However, they can also be taken in the form of fish oil and curcumin supplements. Click to find out more about Longevity Science Omega-3 Liquid Fish Oil and Nutrivene Longvida Curcumin.