Fish oil increases the deformability of white blood cells, boosting immune function

Together with collaborators from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Leibniz University Hannover, and the University of South Dakota, Rivercyte co-founder Martin Kräter found that fish oil supplementation increases the deformability of white blood cells, potentially enhancing immune function by improving their circulation and response to inflammation or infection.

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Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, are known for their cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits, but how they work is not fully clear. Martin Kräter (Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light) together with Phillip Schuchardt and Andreas Hahn (Leibniz University Hannover) and William S. Harris (University of South Dakota) found that fish oil increases the deformability of immune cells. This could help the body fight inflammation or disease more efficiently.

In the study, 31 healthy participants took fish-oil supplements for 12 weeks. The physical properties of blood cells were analyzed using deformability cytometry and ektacytometry (a method limited to red blood cells, RBCs). After supplementation, the Omega-3 Index in RBCs rose significantly from 5.3% to 8.3%. While the physical properties of RBCs did not change significantly, cell deformability was consistently higher in lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. The decrease of immune cell deformability could improve immune function, allowing leukocytes to circulate more easily and respond faster to inflammation or infection. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the link between immune cell physical properties, Omega-3 intake and possible health benefits.