Fish Oil Reduces Muscle Loss From Chemo

EDMONTON, AlbertaDaily intake of fish oil may reduce muscle loss in patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer.

Researchers at the University of Alberta conducted a trial that involved newly referred patients with non-small cell lung cancer who took either fish oil containing 2.2 g/d eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, n=16) or standard of care (SOC) (no intervention, n=24) from the time of initiation to completion of first-line chemotherapy. Researchers measured skeletal muscle and adipose tissue using computed tomography images, collected blood and recorded weight at baseline and throughout chemotherapy.

Results showed patients in the fish oil group maintained their weight (0.5 ± 1.0 kg, or 1.1 ± 2.2 lbs.), while those in the SOC group experienced an average weight loss of 2.3 ± 0.9 kg (~5.1 ± 2 lbs.). About 69 percent of fish oil patients gained or maintained muscle mass, compared to only 29 percent in the SOC groupoverall the SOC group lost 1 kg of muscle.  Further, patients with the greatest increase in plasma EPA concentration after supplementation had the greatest gains in muscle (r2 = 0.55; P = .01).  Researchers found no difference in total adipose tissue between the two groups.

The researchers concluded daily supplementation with fish oil containing 2.2 g EPA in chemotherapy patients appears to better maintain weight and muscle mass compared to SOC, and they plan to confirm these finding in future larger-scale study.