Taking a specific fish oil supplement every day for 10 weeks may lower one type of inflammation marker in people on dialysis, but it doesn't seem to change other inflammation or stress markers in their blood.

We analyzed the available evidence and found that taking 2,080 mg of omega-3 daily for 10 weeks may lower sICAM-1, a specific inflammation marker, in people undergoing hemodialysis. This finding comes from one assertion that supports the idea, with no studies contradicting it [1]. However, the same evidence suggests this dose and duration did not appear to change other inflammation or stress markers in the blood. What we’ve found so far is limited to a single assertion, and while it points toward a possible effect on sICAM-1, we don’t know how strong or consistent this effect might be across different people. The evidence doesn’t tell us whether the reduction in sICAM-1 is meaningful for long-term health, or if it’s just a small, temporary change. We also don’t know if other omega-3 doses or longer treatment periods would have different results. Because only one assertion was reviewed, and no other studies were included in our analysis, we can’t say whether this result applies broadly to all hemodialysis patients. The lack of contradictory evidence doesn’t confirm the effect — it just means we haven’t seen evidence against it yet. For someone on dialysis considering omega-3 supplements, this suggests a possible benefit for one type of inflammation marker, but it doesn’t mean the supplement will improve overall health or reduce other risks. More research is needed to understand how this change fits into the bigger picture of kidney disease and inflammation.