I just saw a really short blurb in Men's Helath magazine, which is usually pretty straightforward, in my opinion, about diet/exercise info. They said that Omega-3 is good for several reason, but also say that high doses can increase susceptibility to colds. Anyone know anything about this? I did a web search but found nothing (maybe because "cold" is ambiguous...) Other things I have read have said that omega-3 supports immune system function, so Ithought this was suprising. Thanks!

[quote:2ab8414702="cvc3"]They said that Omega-3 is good for several reason, but also say that high doses can increase susceptibility to colds. Anyone know anything about this? I did a web search but found nothing (maybe because "cold" is ambiguous...) Other things I have read have said that omega-3 supports immune system function, so Ithought this was suprising.[/quote:2ab8414702] I am aware of one study which showed a decrease in NK cell activity with EPA supplementation, suggesting that EPA can suppress the immune system and increasing the susceptibility of infection. My thoughts: Increasing EPA decreases the excess pro-inflammatory eicosanoids from arachidonic acid--thus a decrease in NK cell acitivity may be a good thing if the immune system is overreactive (as it is in autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, MS). Reducing arachidonic acid also slows the production of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) which can suppress the immune system--thus you are correct stating that omega-3s support immune system function. However, as with anything, just as too little is not optimal, neither is too much. Inflammation is a necssary physiological response--thus a BALANCE of eicosanoids is necessary. According to the OmegaRX Zone, high amount of omega-3 can also inhibit the production of "good" eicosanoids that have anti-viral properties. On one of the last teleconferences I was on, Dr. Sears mentioned the importance of keeping the AA/EPA ratio above 1.5 to reduce the likelihood of increased risk for infections. Hope that helps.

Thanks Scott. OK, so I read your reply which leads me to another question. I have MS, but I have a benign form where I have very minor, very infrequent episodes which do not disrupt my lif at all. To me, having a cold is a much greater inconvenience than the ~once-yearly extremely mild episodes of MS I have. So, should I go ahead and take higher Omega-3 doses to protect my brain (which has low MS activity, shown on my MRIs, but has MS nonetheless which might well be a cumulative disease) or take a normal dose to avoid extra colds coming my way. Incidentally, I just started taking Omega-3 supplements last week and got a cold 3 days later! (A coincidence I know, but then I read that article!) Also, I have had a high omega-3 diet in the past so maybe that's one reason my MS is so mild? Thanks!

if you go to the search function of this site and search TB or Chrones disease you will see a study about a drug that is being used to treat Chrones. it (apparently) works by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor and because of this (apparently) it had the side effect of allowing TB to grow in some persons. doesn't fish oil also block tumor necrotic factor? could this be the link between colds and fish oil? i don't know. that is a stab in the dark!

cv3 It is a big jump from increasing fish oil intake to catching a cold in three days. Colds are usually transmitted through contact with your fingers and the mucus membranes of your eyes and nose. The best way to avoid colds and flus is to practice advanced hygiene - cleaning your hands and performing facial dips or similar to keep your nasal passageways clean. Large doses of fish can in theory supress the immune system (described in the Omega RX zone) but this is only theory.) In practice fish oil will more likely stimulate your immune system by increasing the production of good eicosanoids. If I had MS I would be taking large doses of pharmaceutical grade fish oil and following a zone diet. If you haven't read them already I suggest you read my notes on MS on this forum. http://forum.drsears.com/viewtopic....+sclerosis Of course ultimately you have to make your own decisions and trust your own innate wisdom. Kindest regards, Andrew Cavanagh