The Effects of Fish Oil on HIV-Related Inflammation and Markers of Immunosenescence: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective: To explore the safety and efficacy of fish oil to modulate parameters of inflammation and immunosenescence in HIV-infected older adults. Design: This study uses a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Setting: The study was conducted in an outpatient HIV/AIDS clinic in a large urban Midwestern city in the United States. Subjects: A total of 37 clinically stable HIV-infected adults between the ages of 40 and 70 years of age participated. Interventions: Fish oil 1.6 g/day was administered for 12 weeks or placebo. Outcome measures: Inflammatory cytokine production, surface markers of immunosenescence, and adverse events were measured. Results: After 12 weeks of supplementation, there were no significant differences between the treatment and control groups on any measures of inflammation or immunosenescence in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes. More participants in the treatment group reported adverse gastrointestinal events compared with the control group. Conclusions: A 12-week supplementation regimen of 1.6 g/day of fish oil did not favorably modulate parameters of inflammation or immune senescence in HIV-infected adults. Future studies should test agents that directly target mechanisms that underlie HIV-related inflammation to determine whether reducing inflammation can reverse immunosenescence.