Aerobic Exercise Associated with Fish Oil Supplementation Decreases C-Reactive Protein and Interleukin-6 in Celiac Disease Patients

BACKGROUND: Several studies indicate that celiac disease patients present alterations within anthropometric, metabolic, and inflammatory parameters, while physical exercise and fish oil are known to activate modulatory pathways of such parameters. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a 12-week-long protocol of aerobic exercise and its association with fish oil supplementation in nineteen adult celiac disease patients. Material and Methods. The celiacs were divided into 2 groups: (A) FOS: supplementation (n = 11); and (B) EXE: supplementation and exercise (n = 8). The celiac groups were compared to the adult healthy control group (CTR) (n 12). Aerobic exercises were performed weekly, in three sessions of 60 minutes each, with a maximal heart rate intensity of 60–70%. The participants received 2 g/day of fish oil, a daily intake of 420 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid, and 230 mg of docosahexaenoic acid. The following measurements were taken in four phases: (A) anthropometry: body mass, height, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, fat mass, and fat-free mass; (B) metabolic profile: total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL; and (C) inflammatory profile: C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. RESULTS: Supplementation associated with aerobic exercise promoted a significant reduction in C-reactive protein (P < 0.01) and increased the proportion of individuals in the undetectable range of interleukin-6. CONCLUSIONS: The associated interventions showed a corrective and preventive potential in relation to disorders associated with chronic inflammation; however, the experimental design does not allow us to discriminate between the biological effects that are dependent on the association between interventions and those exclusively dependent on aerobic exercise.