SPM-enriched marine oil plus curcumin may help inflammation-related discomfort: RCT
Data published in Translational Medicine Communications indicated that 60 days of supplementation with the combination led to improvements in measures of pain and physical functioning in an innovative remote trial with 29 healthy adults.
The study used two commercially available products from Fort Lauderdale-based Life Extension called Pro-Resolving Mediators and Curcumin Elite Turmeric Extract. The company funded and ran the study.
“Dysregulation in the resolution stage of inflammation can lead to the development of various chronic diseases and age-related pathologies, and new therapeutic approaches are always valuable in targeting the reduction and resolution of inflammation,” wrote the researchers.
“This virtual study showed that supplementation with the anti-inflammatory curcumin and pro-resolving lipid mediators from the marine oil may help to relieve pain in healthy individuals with mild to moderate pain, supporting previous research in this area.”
Resolution
Our inflammatory response has two distinct phases: An initiation phase and then a resolution phase. While the resolution phase was long considered to be passive, recent data indicates that it is controlled by a structured and orderly system.
SPMs, biological derivatives of EPA and DHA that have potent anti-inflammatory and cell protection properties, play a central role in this resolution: They are produced at the affected tissue site and function as “resolution agonists”, whereby they orchestrate the resolution-related activities and facilitate a return to the previous healthy condition. If not resolved, it may lead to a chronic inflammatory state.
Study details
The new pilot study examined if the combination of SPM-enriched marine oil plus a bioavailable curcumin supplement could impact pain and/or discomfort in 29 healthy adults with mild to moderate pain. Scientists from Life Extension performed a virtual, single-arm open-label study. The SPM supplement contained 500 mg of a marine lipid concentrate, providing 300 micrograms of 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (18-HEPE), 17-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (17-HDHA), & 14-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (14-HDHA). The curcumin supplement was formulated with 200 mg of curcuminoids and 150 mg of galactomannans from fenugreek seeds.
Improvements in scores on the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) were recorded after 30 days and maintained for the duration of the study. Significant improvements were also observed in the physical health domain of the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey, said the scientists.
“The data demonstrate that the combination of SPM-enriched marine oil and bioavailable curcumin may help relieve pain in healthy individuals with mild-to-moderate pain,” said Dr Steven Hirsh, Director of Clinical Research at Life Extension and co-author on the paper. “What’s more, the combination of the two supplemental nutrients was well-tolerated and no significant adverse events were reported.”
“Our ability to develop and implement decentralized clinical studies has enabled us to recruit nationally and perform research without the need for any in-person visits,” added fellow co-author Dr Andrew Swick, Chief Scientific Officer at Life Extension. “This puts us in the unique position of having the capability to run clinical research studies using remote (at-home) and/or in-person subject visits.”
Source: Translational Medicine Communications
7, 25, doi: 10.1186/s41231-022-00131-7
“The effects of an SPM-enriched marine oil and bioavailable curcumin combination on inflammation-associated discomfort in generally healthy individuals: a virtual open-label pilot study”
Authors: A. Jaja-Chimedza, et al.
