If you look at the study the changes are minimal - effectively neither treatment works. There is an issue that the things that help on one biochemical path (PGE2) make things worse on others. So its complicated. I do not think a case can be made for fish oil (which may reduce NK cell function) or vitamin E from this study. However, both are useful for other reasons. Fish oil will improve hormonal responses and blood flow, and is essential to brain function and helpful as an anti-inflammatory. Vitamin E is a critical vitamin for anyone with a high oxidative stress issue.
What it did show is that decreased NK cell activity from immunological stress benefits from vitamin E. It is not clear if this is sufficiently important for us to lead to advice to take vitamin E, even ignoring that this was a rodent study. It would be nice to see the impact on NK cells in humans though, and particularly for those with infections. Increased vitamin E may enhance NK cell survival and activity in us though a variety of means, but I am not sure that this study shows that. I think we really need a specific study with CFS or ME patients.
In the meantime I keep stressing that omega-3 fats and vitamin E are important for other mechanisms. Just because this study does not make a good case, is no reason to presume these substances are not beneficial.
Bye, Alex
