It has been proposed nutritional supplementation aimed at reducing the effects of inflammation and oxidative damage might be an appealing option for patients with metabolic syndrome.
To explore this possibility, researchers conducted a clinical trial to evaluate the effect of a flavonoid nutrient fish oil supplement on markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and genetic expression in adults with metabolic syndrome.
The randomised, placebo controlled trial was published by Cialdella-Kam et al in Nutrients. A total of 48 overweight or obese women were assigned to the active intervention or placebo for 10 weeks.
The active intervention was a supplement called Q-Mix, prepared by Nutravail Technologies with Quercegen Pharmaceutical in the US.
Q-Mix provided a daily dosage of 1000 mg quercetin, 400 mg isoquercetin, 120 mg epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), 220 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 180 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 1000 mg vitamin C, 40 mg niacinamide, and 800 mg folic acid.
The reason for including vitamin C, niacinamide, and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in the formula was because of previous evidence indicating they enhance the bioavailability of quercetin.
After 10 weeks, plasma quercetin levels were 6 times higher, EPA was 80% higher, and DHA was 4% higher in the Q-Mix group than in the placebo group (all p<.001).
Gene set enrichment analyses revealed changes consistent with augmented viral defenses and reduced immune cell trafficking in the Q-Mix group. The pattern of change over 10 weeks in biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress (including CRP, TNF-&α, interleukins, and F2-isoprostanes) did not differ between groups.
The results of this study demonstrate that Q-Max offers efficient delivery of quercetin but no significant effect on inflammation or oxidative stress over 10 weeks in patients with metabolic syndrome.
The authors propose that future studies evaluate supplementation for a longer period of time and consider a potential synergistic effect with exercise.
References:
1. Cialdella-Kam L, et al. “A Mixed Flavonoid-Fish Oil Supplement Induces Immune-Enhancing and Anti-Inflammatory Transcriptomic Changes in Adult Obese and Overweight Women-A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Nutrients 8(5), (2016).
