Last updated on April 1st, 2022 at 09:02 am
Bodies are truly amazing things and today we’re focusing on a special function the body uses to heal itself called Special Pro-Resolving Mediators or SPM’s. SPM’s are unique molecules in the body that are triggered as part of your body’s immune response. Your body makes SPM’s naturally and they play extensive roles in defense of your body’s systems, healing from injury, tissue remodeling and support of your organs. 1
Your body’s need for SPM’s may vary due to variables such as chronic stress, excessive exposure to environmental contaminants, aging processes, unhealthy diet choices (such as excess intake of sugar and low intake of essential fatty acids), sedentary lifestyle, and lack of exercise (or being overly active).2
SPM Production
Your body’s production of SPM’s can be affected by several things including nutrition, genetics, health status, and lifestyle choices. A lack of SPM production may hinder the body’s ability to effectively heal and resolve an immune response. In other words without the appropriate levels of SPM your body may not be able to heal itself properly which can lead to unhealthy conditions.
A good analogy is your body is like a forest. Most of the time it’s peaceful and its ecosystem is working well. Think of the immune response like a small fire. It starts out in a localized area and doesn’t impact much of the surroundings. However, if it’s left unresolved, the fire rapidly spreads further and further, consequently causing significant ramifications and damage. SPMs are much like the “fire extinguisher” in this case, helping your body return to a normal functioning forest and removing unwanted debris, microbes, and dead immune cells from the body before the immune response can permeate further.
Your body naturally produces SPM’s but if it’s low in SPM’s or is injured and could use more SPM’s how can we give our body a hand? An expansive and evolving body of preclinical research suggests that Pro Resolving Mediators (PRM’s) which are derived from fractionated marine lipids (think fish oil / fats) as well as EPA and DHA help your body to produce SPM’s. As we’ve discussed above the SPMs play a pivotal role in resolving immune response.3,6 If you’d like to learn more about fish oil in general check out our article “The Who, What, When, Where & Why of Omega-3 Fish Oil”
Let’s summarize. In short: SPMs are a revolutionary family of signaling molecules that work harmoniously to support healthy immune responses and help the body return to a healthy balance (i.e. homeostasis). PRM’s help encourage SPM’s. Before taking any supplement products please consult with your healthcare practitioner.
So what products are out there that may encourage additional SPM’s? Two popular products are Metagenics SPM Active, PRM Resolve from Nutridyn and Microbiome Labs MegaOmega. Here is some further information:
Metagenics SPM Active is a revolutionary new nutritional product developed through advanced fractionation technology featuring standardized levels of SPMs (specialized pro-resolving mediators) found in fish oil. Metagenics SPM Active is designed to help support the body’s natural capacity to respond to physical challenges and resolve the immune response.
In experiments, the mediators evoke anti-inflammatory and novel pro-resolving mechanisms, and enhance microbial clearance. Although they have been identified in inflammation resolution, specialized pro-resolving mediators are conserved structures that also may function in host defence, pain, organ protection and tissue remodelling.
PRM Resolve by Nutridyn is a proprietary formula providing pro-resolving lipid mediators (PRMs), which help encourage “specialized pro-resolving mediator” (SPM) production in the body. SPMs are unique molecules that evoke novel pro-resolving mechanisms and play extensive roles in host defense, tissue remodeling, and organ support.
SPM production is affected by several factors, particularly nutrition, health status, genetics, and lifestyle choices. Lack of SPM production may hinder the body’s ability to effectively resolve an immune response, thereby impacting health and well-being. An expansive and evolving body of preclinical research suggests that SPMs play a pivotal role in resolving immune responses. It comes in a 60 softgel and 120 softgel sizes.
MegaOmega Gut Specific Fish Oil Supplement by Microbiome Labs is the most comprehensive, full-spectrum fish oil scientifically formulated to support a healthy gut microbiome. It offers a superior ratio of EPA, DHA, and the “forgotten” DPA, as well as naturally-occurring metabolites called pro-resolving mediators (PRMs) shown to support a healthy immune and inflammatory response.
A recent experimental study published in the Journal of Scientific Reports found that omega-3 supplementation increases microbial diversity, specifically Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, and Lactobacillus, and enhances the production of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) – an endogenous antimicrobial peptide that suppresses E. coli, detoxifies LPS, and balances gut microbiota.1 The primary omega-3 fatty acids include eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), docosahexanoic acid (DHA), and docosapentanoic acid (DPA) – each with unique health benefits to the host.
NOTHING IN THIS WEBSITE IS INTENDED AS, OR SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AS, MEDICAL ADVICE. ANY HEALTHCARE AND/OR NUTRITIONAL MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS WEBSITE IS FOR CONSUMER INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. SUCH MATERIAL IS NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL ADVICE FOR CONDITIONS OR TREATMENT, NOR IS IT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A MEDICAL EXAMINATION BY A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL. CONSUMERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS FOR INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
References
1. Serhan, C. N. (2014). Pro-resolving lipid mediators are leads for resolution physiology. Nature, 510(7503), 92.
2. Bannenberg, G., & Serhan, C. N. (2010). Specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators in the inflammatory response: an update. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1801(12), 1260-1273.
3. N Serhan, C., Krishnamoorthy, S., Recchiuti, A., & Chiang, N. (2011). Novel anti-inflammatory-pro-resolving mediators and their receptors. Current topics in medicinal chemistry, 11(6), 629-647.
4. Serhan, C. N., & Chiang, N. (2013). Resolution phase lipid mediators of inflammation: agonists of resolution. Current opinion in pharmacology, 13(4), 632-640.
5. Serhan, C. N., & Chiang, N. (2008). Endogenous pro-resolving and anti-inflammatory lipid mediators: a new pharmacologic genus. British journal of pharmacology, 153(S1), S200-S215.
6. Serhan, C. N., Chiang, N., & Dalli, J. (2015, May). The resolution code of acute inflammation: novel pro-resolving lipid mediators in resolution. In Seminars in immunology (Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 200-215). Academic Press.
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