Post-op patients on EPA maintain body weight

New research from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, showed omega-3 fatty acids given as part of an oral nutritional supplement resulted in the  preservation of muscle mass in patients undergoing surgery for  esopahageal cancer, a procedure normally associated with significant  weight loss and quality-of-life issues.

Published in the April issue of the Annals of Surgery, the team of  researchers found that patients given the standard feed (without  omega-3) suffered clinically-severe weight loss post surgery - losing an  average of 4 lbs of muscle mass after such procedure, whereas in the  group also taking 2.2g of eicosapentanoic acid per day maintained all  aspects of their body composition

Previous studies had found that nutritional supplements containing one  form of omega 3 fat, EPA, significantly reduced weight loss among  inoperable cancer patients. The Irish researchers hypothesized that a  nutritional supplement rich in calories and a high dose of EPA would  stem the debilitating weight loss seen in patients following esophageal  surgery, which is one of the most stressful and serious operations a  patient can undergo.