What does nobody really want, but everybody has? Inflammation.
It’s not all bad news though! Inflammation has its benefits, as it’s part of the body’s normal response to cell damage
and is integral to healing. It’s when inflammation becomes chronic or unresolved that we start to experience problems like chronic pain, autoimmune conditions and chronic infections.
For people with these conditions, chronic inflammatory symptoms are a daily struggle. Luckily, there is a solution, which directly acts on the inflammatory response to promote healing.
To understand this, let’s first explore the process of inflammation…
Inflammation 101
The initiation phase begins with a local dispatch of immune cells at the site of damage. This sounds the alarm, igniting inflammation within the surrounding tissue. Once the threat of infection or damage is neutralised, the resolution response is activated, calming the initial phase of inflammation and facilitating cellular repair and recovery.
When the alarm doesn’t switch off: The problem of unresolved inflammation
The transition between initiation and resolution is required to complete the cycle of inflammation and promote healing. However, for some people this transition fails to occur, leading to a chronic, sustained inflammatory response. This keeps the body in the initiation phase where it cannot resolve inflammation; like a loud alarm system with a broken ‘deactivate’ button.
The result? A state of unremitting inflammation that keeps the body in a cycle of tissue damage, preventing recovery.
Luckily, there is a solution, which directly acts on the inflammatory response to promote healing.
SPMs: A remedy for resolution
If you suffers from an inflammatory condition (such as arthritis), you will no doubt be aware of the frustration that comes from persistent symptoms, despite your efforts to find a solution. You may be doing all the right things: prescribing anti-inflammatory supplements, taking steps to improve diet, exercise and sleep, while proactively managing stress. However, if the resolution phase of inflammation is impaired, symptoms may continue, as the inflammatory response cannot be ‘deactivated’.
To address the suffering that arises from ongoing inflammation, researchers have explored ways to work with the body to restore resolution. This has revealed the impressive potential of a group of compounds called specialised pro-resolving mediators (SPMs).
Send in the SPMs
As their name suggests, SPMs trigger the resolution phase of inflammation in the body. SPMs are endogenously produced from the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). During the initiation phase, inflammatory M1 macrophages actively destroy problem microbes and clear the excess immune cells released during inflammation. However, in the resolution phase, SPMs reprogram these macrophages into their anti-inflammatory (M2) form, switching their game plan from offence to defence to help regenerate and repair damaged tissue. Like a half-time speech that inspires a triumphant victory, SPMs motivate the immune system to achieve positive recovery outcomes.
Why SPMs should be prescribed for chronic cases
Research tells us that the body’s ability to produce SPMs is lower in conditions involving chronic inflammation. Therefore, in highly inflamed individuals the ability to resolve inflammation is likely to be impaired. Some pharmacological anti-inflammatories (even some used to treat inflammation) may also limit SPM activity, as they inhibit inflammation and prevent activation of the resolution phase. Therefore, supplements providing SPMs are an exciting solution for chronic inflammation sufferers, actively promoting resolution to enable recovery.
In highly inflamed individuals, the ability to resolve inflammation is likely to be impaired.
Viva la resolution!
Heralding a new era of healing, specialised pro-resolving mediators offer a beacon of hope for those suffering from chronic inflammation.
Sounds great! What do I need to do to access them?