Overview of the therapeutic efficacy of marine fish oil in managing obesity and associated metabolic disorders

Physiol Rep. 2024 Oct;12(19):e70019. doi: 10.14814/phy2.70019.

Abstract

In the present scenario, obesity is a challenging health problem and its prevalence along with comorbidities are on the rise around the world. Ingestion of fish becomes trendy in daily meals. Recent research has shown that marine fish oil (FO) (found in tuna, sardines, and mackerel) may offer an alternative method for reducing obesity and problems associated with it. Marine FO rich in long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) and long-chain omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-6 PUFA) plays an important role in reducing abnormalities associated with the metabolic syndrome and has a variety of disease-fighting properties, including cardioprotective activity, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory activity. Studies in rodents and humans have indicated that LC n-3 PUFA potentially elicit a number of effects which might be useful for reducing obesity, including suppression of appetite, improvements in circulation, enhanced fat oxidation, energy expenditure, and reduced fat deposition. This review discusses the interplay between inflammation and obesity, and their subsequent regulation via the beneficial role of marine FO, suggesting an alternative dietary strategy to ameliorate obesity and obesity-associated chronic diseases.

Keywords: fat oxidation; marine FO; metabolic disorders; obesity; omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / therapeutic use
  • Fish Oils* / administration & dosage
  • Fish Oils* / pharmacology
  • Fish Oils* / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Metabolic Diseases / drug therapy
  • Metabolic Diseases / metabolism
  • Metabolic Diseases / prevention & control
  • Obesity* / drug therapy
  • Obesity* / metabolism

Substances

  • Fish Oils
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3