Can seal oil alleviate food hypersensitivity?

In a study, patients with gastrointestinal complaints were given either seal oil or soy oil to determine whether seal oil could alleviate the symptoms experienced by this patient group. Previous research has shown that seal oil has an anti-inflammatory effect.

"After 10 days' treatment there was a marked improvement in the general symptoms of food hypersensitivity among the patients who had been given seal oil. They felt generally less discomfort after the meal and less abdominal distension", says research fellow Kine Gregersen at NIFES.

In this study, 24 patients were first given a meal of meat soup, 500 ml. The presenting symptoms were measured using a questionnaire, and the changes in the stomach volume were examined using ultrasound. 12 patients were then given soy oil and 12 patients were given seal oil, introduced into the small intestine through a tube. The oil was administered three times a day for 10 days, the total dosage being 30 ml per day. On the 11^th day the patients were given meat soup again, and the symptoms and the volume changes were measured.   

Soya-bean oil has a high content of omega-6 fatty acids, while seal oil has a high content of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the marine, poly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids EPA, DPA, and DHA, which  may explain the good effect. 

"Long-chained marine omega-3 fatty acids have a blocking effect on cyclooxygenase, which is an enzyme involved in the production of the prostaglandine PGE2. PGE2 plays a role in inflammations and pain reactions, and several studies show that there is a connection between PGE2 and gastrointestinal complaints. One theory is that by blocking PGE2 it is possible to reduce gastrointestinal complaints. Further studies are however required to explore this connection", says Gregersen.

Those who suffer from food hypersensitivity experience discomfort shortly after eating. This may be in the form of stomach pains, nausea, abdominal distension or faecal disturbances. Among the adult population in Norway 10-15 % suffers from what they consider to be food hypersensitivity, but the actual cause of their complaints is still largely unknown. Among those who report food hypersensitivity, only 10 % have been diagnosed with food allergy.

Based on the scientific article:

"Effects of Seal Oil on Meal-Induced Symptoms and Gastric Accommodation in Patients with Subjective Food Hypersensitivity: A Pilot Study", by Kine Gregersen, Ragna A. Lind, Tormod Bjørkkjær, Livar Frøyland, Arnold Berstad and Gülen Arslan Lied.