Specialized Pro-Resolving Meditators (SMPs): A New Approach to Inflammation

“INFLAMMAGING”

PAIN AND INFLAMMATION ASSOCIATED WITH AGING

  

Inflammation is a natural process in response to injury and infection.  The body’s immune system launches a response when presented with various challenges to help bring healing.  Inflammation, while unpleasant, is actually a necessary part of this response.  But when the inflammation becomes chronic, it can lead to tissue destruction and degenerative changes in the body that can lead to disease.  Many of today’s most feared chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, etc, are now known to be linked, at least in part, to an underlying inflammatory process.

The Role of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators (SPMs)

The body’s natural inflammatory process is just that – a process.  The immune system will respond to various challenges with an initial inflammatory stage, but then it works to resolve the inflammation through natural chemicals such as macrophages that clean up dead cells and Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators, or SPMs, that then work to resolve the inflammation and shut down the inflammatory response.

However, as we age our bodies don’t make SPMs as readily as before.  Other factors also affect the body’s production of SPMs, such as stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise.  When SPMs are deficient, the body cannot resolve inflammation as efficiently as before, and chronic inflammation can set in, leading to conditions such as joint stiffness and pain, and other degenerative changes leading to disease and dysfunction.

Thankfully, emerging research from Harvard and other prestigious scientific sources has discovered that SPMs are available nutritionally and can be provided as supplemental to the diet, thereby aiding the body in resolving inflammation. 

Dietary Sources of SPMs

Two natural fatty acids from fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), when metabolized properly, break down into natural chemicals known as 18- hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (18-HEPE) and 17-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (17-HDHA).  These chemicals are known as resolvins, as they play a major role in the resolving phase of inflammation.  

However, various health challenges prevent proper conversion of these chemicals, and even when converted properly the small amounts of 18-HEPE and 17-HDHA are inconsequential in the face of significant inflammation.   Eating fish or even taking fish oil supplements would not provide measurable amounts of these resolvins to have any impact on inflammation.  In fact, a person would have to take 7 or more high-potency fish oil supplements every day for 6 weeks to even to begin to show any measurable resolvins.  

However, through collaborative efforts in the scientific community, a revolutionary new  fractionation process has allowed scientists to isolate 18-HEPE and 17-HDHA and provide them in amounts in supplemental form in high enough amounts to have a significant impact on the resolution phase of inflammation.  

Applications for SPM Supplementation

SPM supplementation can and should be considered for any health condition with an inflammatory component.  Research on SPMs have been successfully conducted on the following conditions:

• Aspiration pneumonia
• Asthma
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Colitis 
• Periodontitis
• Dry Eyes
• Cornea Inflammation
• Vascular Disease
• Obesity
• Type II Diabetes
• Stroke
• Alzheimer's Disease
• All forms of Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Acute Injuries
• Acute Infections
• Muscle Soreness

References:  

1. Recchuiti, A.  J Gerontol Geriat Res 2014; 3:151 

2. Bento et al. J Immunol 2011;187:1957-1969