Fish oil reduces gastric acid secretion

The aim of the present investigation was to study gastric acid secretion and release of gastrin, cholecystokinin (CCK), and secretin during intraduodenal perfusion of either fish oil or trioleate.

Seven healthy volunteers were stimulated on two separate days in random order with intraduodenal perfusates of either fish oil or trioleate.

Intravenous infusion with gastrin-17 was used as a background stimulation in doses mimicking a postprandial situation (39.9 +/- 4.8 pmol/l fish oil and 43.6 +/- 3.8 pmol/l trioleate). Gastric acid secretion increased significantly from a basal level of 0.7 +/- 0.1 meq/15 min to 4.0 +/- 0.6 meq/15 min (P < 0.05) before perfusion of fish oil, which reduced gastric acid secretion to 1.9 +/- 0.4 meq/15 min (P < 0.01). After termination of fish oil perfusion gastric acid secretion increased to preperfusion concentrations (P < 0.01). Perfusion of trioleate did not influence gastric acid secretion. Plasma concentrations of CCK rose significantly during perfusion of fish oil (from 2.8 +/- 0.6 pmol/l to 4.4 +/- 0.7pmol/l, P<0.01), whereas trioleate only tended to increase CCK concentrations. Plasma concentrations of secretin did not change during perfusion of fish oil; however, concentrations were significantly lower during and after perfusion of trioleate (P < 0.01).

The present study shows that intraduodenal perfusion of fish oil is associated with a significant reduction of the gastric acid secretion stimulated by gastrin in healthy humans.