FREDERIKSBERG, Denmark—Known to boost immune function in adults, fish oil supplementation has shown value in helping the immune system mature in infants, according to recent study results published in the April issue of the Journal of Nutrition (137:1031-1036, 2007). Researchers from Copenhagen University and the Technical University of Denmark jointly conducted a two-by-two intervention in 64 healthy Danish infants, who received either cow's milk, infant formula alone or formula with fish oil from 9 to 12 months of age. The researchers measured fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes, plasma IgE, C-reactive protein, and soluble IL-2 receptor concentrations before and after the intervention, in addition to determining TNF-alpha, INF-gamma, and IL-10 concentrations in whole-blood cultures.
Results showed feeding milk rather than formula did not affect cytokine production, but plasma soluble IL-2 receptor concentration was greater in the formula group than in the cow's milk group. However, fish oil supplementation effectively raised erythrocyte omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, increased INF-gamma and tended to reduce IL-10; fish oil did not affect any of the other analyzed immune variables.
Researchers stated since the capacity to produce INF-gamma has been proposed as a maturation marker for the immune system in early life, this study suggests a faster immune maturation with fish oil supplementation, with no apparent reduction in immune activation.
