The consumption of omega-3 fatty acids would limit the deterioration of the lungs linked to lupus.
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish or walnut oil, could prevent the onset of lupus and other autoimmune diseases, according to one study published in Plos One.
This chronic pathology can manifest itself through skin reactions or attack all organs. This reaction of the immune system to the body is caused by genetic and environmental factors.
Among these, researchers at Michigan State University focused on the effect of crystalline silica, including quartz, found in rock or sand, and evaluated the benefits of l docosahexaenoic acid or DHA.
To do this, the team studied a mouse model genetically modified to have lupus. they gave them omega-3s. Result: 96% of the lung damage induced by crystalline silica was stopped after DHA administration. “I had never seen such a protective response in the lungs,” said Melissa Bates, one of the authors of the study.
An anti-inflammatory agent
However, researchers do not know how these fatty acids prevent lupus flare-ups. “Lung cells can take up silica, which eventually kills them,” explains Jack Harkema. As they die, they send signals to the immune system to tell them that something is wrong. The body reacts so strongly that the immune system attacks healthy cells. DHA may work on white blood cells and affect their response. “
Other hypotheses: omega-3 fatty acids send anti-inflammatory signals to the body so that it does not overreact to the attack. They may also help lung cells get rid of silica without causing cell death, which blocks any inflammatory response and activates the immune system.
“What we do know is that this study clearly shows that consuming DHA prevents one of the disease activations,” says James Petska, another author of the work. It can eliminate one of the causes of the disease, which drugs on the market are trying to do ”
In France, between 20,000 and 40,000 people suffer from lupus. Almost 90% of the sick are women aged 15 to 45.
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