Herring and Mackerel oils may help reduce psoriasis inflammation, Nofima suggests

Nofima is leading a research project funded by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF) to investigate whether oily fish could help treat mild forms of psoriasis.

This research suggests that, thanks to certain compounds found in their oil, omega-11 (cetoleic acid), present in herring and mackerel, may help reduce the inflammatory processes associated with this disease.

"Our laboratory studies clearly demonstrate a positive effect. We now want to work with the medical community to determine whether these findings can also be observed in people with mild to moderate psoriasis," said Tone-Kari Østbye, Senior Research Scientist at the Norwegian research institute Nofima.

Also, researchers have investigated whether omega-11 could have a positive effect on skin health through omega-3, given that the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are known to play an important role in maintaining healthy skin.

"We wanted to determine whether omega-11 could benefit the skin indirectly through omega-3, but also whether it could exert beneficial effects on its own," explained Østbye.

The project involved culturing two types of skin cells and exposing them to different fatty acids. The researchers observed a reduction in inflammatory cytokine levels, a decrease in the initial inflammatory response of the cells, and a restoration of characteristics more closely associated with healthy skin.

Furthermore, they found that the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA appear to act at later stages of the inflammatory process. These findings must be confirmed in human clinical trials before any therapeutic applications can be considered.

"It is important to highlight these benefits both for public health reasons and to emphasize the value of these fish resources," concluded Lars Lovund, Head of Pelagic Industry and Aquaculture at FHF.