Does emu oil reduce Crohn's symptoms?

Emu oil from Wikipedia
"Unadulterated emu oil can vary widely in color and viscosity, but, assuming the emu has enjoyed a natural diet, is generally a yellow liquid.[5] It is composed of approximately 70% unsaturated fatty acids. The largest component is oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Emu oil also contains roughly 20% linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and 1-2% linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).

A handful of studies have suggested that emu oil, applied topically, may have anti-inflammatory properties or promote wound healing in various rodent models.[6][7][8]  Emu oil is marketed and promoted as a dietary supplement with a wide variety of claimed health benefits.[9]"

"Emu Oil: A novel therapeutic for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract?" in Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2012)
"Recently, Emu Oil has been demonstrated to endow partial protection against chemotherapy-induced mucositis, with early indications of improved intestinal repair. Emu Oil could therefore form the basis of an adjunct to conventional treatment approaches for inflammatory disorders affecting the gastrointestinal system."

"Emu Oil Increases Colonic Crypt Depth in a Rat Model of Ulcerative Colitis" in Digestive Diseases and Sciences (2012)
"Emu oil improved tissue damage associated with colitis, suggesting its potential as a unique formulation to augment conventional treatment approaches for IBD."

Does krill oil improve Crohn's symptoms?

Krill oil from Wikipedia

"Dietary supplementation of krill oil attenuates inflammation and oxidative stress in experimental ulcerative colitis in rats" in Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology (2012)
"KO showed protective potential against DSS colitis based on the preservation of colon length, reduction of oxidative markers and the consistent beneficial changes of HCS, cytokine, and (PG)E3 levels, as well as PPAR-γ and Pparg1α expression compared with DSS alone. These findings indicate an anti-inflammatory and a protein antioxidant effect of KO."

Does zinc supplementation improve Crohn's symptoms?

Zinc from Wikipedia

Zinc from the world's healthiest foods

"Trace elements and vitamins at diagnosis in pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease" in Clin Pediatr (Phila) (2010)
"In newly diagnosed children with IBD, serum zinc levels are significantly lower compared with children without IBD."

"Zinc deficiency" in Current Opinion in Gastroenterology (2009)
"Zinc deficiency results in dysfunction of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity and increases the susceptibility to infection. Supplementation of zinc has been shown to reduce the incidence of infection as well as cellular damage from increased oxidative stress. Zinc deficiency is also associated with acute and chronic liver disease. Zinc supplementation protects against toxin-induced liver damage and is used as a therapy for hepatic encephalopathy in patients refractory to standard treatment. Zinc deficiency has also been implicated in diarrheal disease, and supplementation has been effective in both prophylaxis and treatment of acute diarrhea."

"The serum concentrations of zinc, copper and selenium in children with inflammatory bowel disease" in Cent Afr J Med (2002)
"Children with IBD in this study show abnormalities of the trace elements which is probably a result of inadequate intake, reduced absorption, increased intestinal loss due to impairment of the absorption as a result of the inflammatory process. The reduced free radical scavenging action of zinc and selenium as a result of their deficiency may contribute to the continued inflammatory process of IBD. The recommendation of the supplementation of these trace elements in IBD is further supported by the findings of this study in children."

Short report: zinc sulphate supplemen... [Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1994] - PubMed - NCBI:
"Prior to zinc supplementation, the percentage of palmitic, stearic and oleic acids was significantly higher in Crohn's disease, while linoleic, arachidonic and n-3 fatty acids were reduced in Crohn's disease compared to healthy controls. Zinc supplementation abolished these pre-treatment differences in red-cell long-chain fatty acid profiles but did not affect plasma fatty acid values."

Do walnuts reduce Crohn's symptoms?

WHFoods: Walnuts:

Walnuts on Wikipedia

Does butter improve Crohn's symptoms?

Butter from Wikipedia

"How To Make Butter" from Food Renegade

"Is Butter Healthy? Part One: Butyric Acid Benefits" from The Nourished Life


"Is Butter Healthy? Part Two: Vitamin A Benefits" from The Nourished Life


"Is Butter Healthy? Part Three: Vitamin K2 Benefits" from The Nourished Life


Omega-3 fatty acid from Wikipedia
"In 2006 a study was published in the Journal of Dairy Science entitled "The Linear Relationship between the Proportion of Fresh Grass in the Cow Diet, Milk Fatty Acid Composition, and Butter Properties". It was found that grass fed butter contains substantially more CLA, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids than butter from cows raised in factory farms or that have limited access to pasture. It was also found that the softer the butter, the more fresh pasture in the cow’s diet. Cows that get all their nutrients from grass have the softest butterfat of all."

Does blocking Eicosanoids reduce Crohn's symptoms?

Eicosanoids on Wikipedia
"In biochemistry, eicosanoids are signaling molecules made by oxidation of twenty-carbon essential fatty acids, (EFAs). They exert complex control over many bodily systems, mainly in inflammation or immunity, and as messengers in the central nervous system. The networks of controls that depend upon eicosanoids are among the most complex in the human body.
Eicosanoids derive from either omega-3 (?-3) or omega-6 (?-6) EFAs. The ?-6 eicosanoids are generally pro-inflammatory; ?-3's are much less so. The amounts and balance of these fats in a person's diet will affect the body's eicosanoid-controlled functions, with effects on cardiovascular disease, triglycerides, blood pressure, and arthritis. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and other NSAIDs act by downregulating eicosanoid synthesis.
There are four families of eicosanoids—the prostaglandins, prostacyclins, the thromboxanes and the leukotrienes. For each, there are two or three separate series, derived either from an ?-3 or ?-6 EFA. These series' different activities largely explain the health effects of ?-3 and ?-6 fats."

"Reducing inflammation with diet:  The Story of Eicosanoid Inhibition", Institute for Traditional Medicine (2003)

Do omega 3 fatty acids reduce Crohn's symptoms?

"What can high-omega-3 foods do for you? " on the world's healthiest foods
excellent sources: flaxseed, salmon, walnuts
very good sources: cloves, oregano, cauliflower, sardines, mustard seeds, cabbage, broccoli

"Omega 3 Blood Test: Monitor and Improve Your Omega 3 Levels" from Rebuild, the blog

The Vital Omega-3 and 6 HUFA Test™ from Vital Choice

"Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory bowel diseases – a systematic review" in British Journal of Nutrition (2012) 

"Despite their well known anti-inflammatory actions, the clinical usefulness of omega-3 PUFA in inflammatory bowel disease is controversial. We aimed to systematically review the available data on the performance of omega-3 PUFA as therapeutic agents in these patients. ... Overall, available data do not allow to support the use of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for the treatment of both active and inactive inflammatory bowel disease. Negative results are quite consistent in trials assessing the use of omega-3 PUFA to maintain disease remission, particularly ulcerative colitis, and to a lesser extent Crohn's disease. Trials on their use in active disease do not allow to draw firm conclusions mainly because the heterogeneity of design (ulcerative colitis) or their short number (Crohn's disease). In most trials, the appropriateness of the selected placebo is questionable. Conclusion: The present systematic review does not allow to make firm recommendations about the usefulness of omega-3 PUFA in inflammatory bowel disease."  [Emphasis mine.]

"The Effects of an Oral Supplement Enriched With Fish Oil, Prebiotics, and Antioxidants on Nutrition Status in Crohn’s Disease Patients" in Nutrition in Clinical Practice (2011)
"Background: Research in the treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD) supports anti-inflammatory benefits of n-3 fatty acids from fish oil, prebiotics, and antioxidants. A nutritionally balanced inflammatory bowel disease nutrition formula (IBDNF) enriched with these compounds has the potential to improve nutrition status and disease activity in CD. ...
Conclusions: IBDNF has the potential to deposit fat-free and fat mass, improve vitamin D status, and improve quality of life in CD patients."

"Omega-3s Fish Oil Craze: Is It an Environmental Disaster?" in The Insider, Health World Net (2011)

"Immunomodulatory Effects of (n-3) Fatty Acids: Putative Link to Inflammation and Colon Cancer" in J Nutr (2007)

"From a dietary perspective, fish oil containing (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has antiinflammatory properties, but for years the mechanism has remained obscure. Of relevance to the immune system in the intestine, we showed that (n-3) PUFA feeding alters the balance between CD4+ T-helper (Th1 and Th2) subsets by directly suppressing Th1 cell development (i.e., clonal expansion). This is noteworthy because Th1 cells mediate inflammatory diseases and resistance to intracellular pathogens or allergic hypersensitivity, and Th2 cells mediate resistance to extracellular pathogens. Therefore, any changes induced by (n-3) PUFAs in T-cell subset balance and function are important because the outcome is expected to suppress the development of autoimmune diseases and possibly the occurrence of colon cancer."

"Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may have a therapeutic effect in supporting Crohn's disease remission" in Inflamm Bowel Dis (2000)
"This study indicates that an immunomodulating formula containing n-3 fatty acids and/or AO may have the potential to play a role in the treatment of CD."

Does flax seed oil reduce Crohn's symptoms?