Chicago PassionsSport News and Entertainment Updates
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Omega-3 Fats Work by Blocking Omega-6 Fat
When you have a headache, do you reach for aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve)? These over-the-counter medications are known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They work by blocking the effects of the omega-6 fat arachidonic acid, which creates eicosanoids that trigger pain, fever, swelling, and cramping.
Sometimes, these over-the-counter drugs aren’t enough to combat inflammation, [...]
How Your Body’s Inner First-Aid Kit Became a Slow Weapon of Death
Your body’s inner fi rst-aid kit depends on a wide array of tools that include a powerful class of chemicals called eicosanoids (pronounced eye-CO-suh-noids). These potentially healing compounds are made from fat. Eicosanoids made from omega-6 fats promote inflammation. Omega-3-based eicosanoids have the opposite effect: dousing inflammation. It is a complicated contradiction—but in a way, [...]
