Seal Oil is rich in Omega 3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (omega 3 PUFA) including DPA, DHA, EPA. Studies have shown that seal oil omega 3 fatty acids can help improve the symptoms of inflammation and Arthritis.
According to a report from Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2002, in an attempt to provide evidence of the health benefits of seal oil, the Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, with funding from the Fisheries Diversification Program, began a research project dedicated to providing evidence of the effectiveness of seal oil in reducing symptoms of Arthritis. The animal testing supported anecdotal reports from individuals suffering from Arthritis, that consumption of two or three capsules of harp seal oil over a three-month period resulted in symptomatic relief. The preliminary research, using animals to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of harp seal oil supplements in patients suffering from arthritis, has been successful. The unique characteristics of seal oil over other marine oils is based on Omega-3 content and resultant health benefits.
Another research conducted in Norway 2006 by Section for Rheumatology and Gastroenterology, Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, investigated effects of short-term oral treatment with seal oil in patients with psoriatic arthritis. Treatment with seal oil was followed by a modest improvement in patient’s global assessment of the disease and a trend towards a decrease in number of tender joints. There was a shift in fatty acid composition in serum toward a putative antiinflammatory profile. Oral treatment with seal oil may have NSAID-like effects in psoriatic arthritis.
According to a scientific report published on Chemistry and Materials Science, Volume 37, Number 10 / October 2002, the aim of the open pilot study was to investigate whether duodenal seal oil administration would benefit patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Seal oil (10 mL) was administered three times a day directly into the distal part of the duodenum via a nasoduodenal feeding tube for 10 d in 10 patients, 5 of whom had Crohn’s disease and 5 ulcerative colitis. Nine of the 10 patients suffered from IBD-associated joint pain. Following seal oil therapy, joint pain index, disease activity, and serum cholesterol level were significantly decreased, whereas the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio both in intestinal biopsies and blood was significantly increased. The results suggest positive effects of seal oil in patients with IBD, especially on IBD-associated joint pain.
