Omega-3s May Help Liver Cells Process Bile Acids More Safely

This laboratory study looked at how omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA affect the way human liver, intestinal, and kidney cells handle bile acids. Bile acids are substances made by the liver that help digest fat, but they can become toxic if they build up too much, as happens in a condition called cholestasis.

Using human liver cells (HepG2) and other cell models grown in the lab, researchers measured how omega-3s changed the activity of genes involved in making, absorbing, breaking down, and removing bile acids. They found that EPA and DHA reduced the activity of genes responsible for producing and taking up bile acids, while increasing the activity of genes that help metabolize and excrete them.

These changes were linked to the cells producing a less harmful mix of bile acids and showing less activation of cell-death pathways typically triggered by bile acid buildup.