Inflammation is a central cause of accelerated aging and one of the most common problems we see in patients today.
If your arteries are inflamed long term you may suffer from heart attacks and strokes. An inflamed brain may lead to Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. If your joints are inflamed you may have aches and pains and with time develop arthritis. Increased inflammation also increases your risk for cancer. Since fish oil supplements decrease inflammation, it should not surprise you that taking fish oil reduces your risk for heart attacks, strokes, and memory loss.
Both my parents have advanced arthritis, and in my late 50s, I’m aware of my own arthritis too. The good news is that my arthritis symptoms have dropped considerably since I added fish oil, curcumin, and glucosamine sulfate to my multivitamin regimen–now I take a multivitamin pack with arthritis support every day.
To clarify if you have signs of early arthritis and increased inflammation, look for:
- Joint stiffness (especially in the morning)
- Joint swelling, usually mild and subtle
- Joint pain, especially after pounding activities
A useful blood test to measure inflammation is the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level. A normal hs-CRP level is <1.0, borderline is 1-3, and high cardiac risk is >3. Keep in mind that a recent infection causes substantial inflammation and your CRP level can jump to 10-20 after a bad infection. This value typically returns to normal within 4-6 weeks.
A recent study has shown that fish oil supplements containing long chain omega-3 oils lower CRP levels by 40% (Kamran et al, Clin Lipidol, 2011;6:723-729). Subjects took a fish oil supplement with 1,275 mg of EPA and 300 mg of DHA for 8 weeks to show a 40% drop in CRP levels.
If you aren’t sure how much fish oil you need, there are new blood test kits designed to measure omega-3 blood levels, ensuring your dosage gives you an optimal level of these critical nutrients. We have recently added these kits at the Masley Optimal Health Center.
Tips to Lower Inflammation Levels
- Add fish oil daily, depending upon your health and symptoms, from 600 to 1,300 mg of EPA daily. (EPA provides the best anti-inflammatory activity of all the fish oils but you also need the DHA form as well.) To clarify high quality fish oil products, please see my article on Fish oil.
- Take Curcumin, 500 to 1000 mg daily. As curcumin is poorly absorbed from Turmeric, see my article on Curcumin for details.
- Avoid sugar and refined carbs, as sugar spikes prompt a jump in inflammation. Saturated fats from fatty dairy and fatty meats also increase inflammation levels.
- Keep your body fat controlled, fat cells produce compounds that increase inflammation. Let us know if you need help achieving your weight and body composition goals.
Wishing you a life without pain and excess inflammation!
Steven Masley, MD, FAAFP, CNS, FACN






















