Fish Oil for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Panacea or Placebo?

Abstract

Dietary supplements have increasingly gained popularity over the years not only to replete micronutrient deficiencies but for their use in treatment of disease. The popularity of dietary supplements for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) arises from their perceived ease of use, potential disease-modifying benefits, and perceived safety. Overall, randomized controlled trials have not consistently shown a benefit of fish oil for the maintenance of remission with Crohn's disease. The inconsistency of these findings highlights the need for more studies that are powered to clarify the context in which omega-3 fatty acids might have a role in the treatment algorithm of IBD.

Keywords: Dietary supplements; Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); Fish oil; Inflammatory bowel disease, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); Omega-3 fatty acids; α-Linolenic acid (ALA).