Increased α-linolenic acid intake lowers C-reactive protein, but has no effect on markers of atherosclerosis

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of increased alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)-intake on intima-media thickness (IMT), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) antibodies, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukins 6 and 10. Design: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Subjects: Moderately hypercholesterolaemic men and women (55710 y) with two other cardiovascular risk factors (n ¼ 103). Intervention: Participants were assigned to a margarine enriched with ALA (fatty acid composition 46% LA, 15% ALA) or linoleic acid (LA) (58% LA, 0.3% ALA) for 2 y. Results: Dietary ALA intake was 2.3 en% among ALA users, and 0.4 en% among LA users. The 2-y progression rate of the mean carotid IMT (ALA and LA: þ 0.05 mm) and femoral IMT (ALA: þ 0.05 mm; LA: þ 0.04 mm) was similar, when adjusted for confounding variables. After 1 and 2 y, ALA users had a lower CRP level than LA users (net differences À0.53 and À0.56 mg/l, respectively, Po0.05). No significant effects were observed in oxidized LDL antibodies, and levels of sICAM-1, interleukins 6 and 10. Conclusions: A six-fold increased ALA intake lowers CRP, when compared to a control diet high in LA. The present study found no effects on markers for atherosclerosis. Sponsorship: The Dutch 'Praeventiefonds'.

Supplementation of Conventional Therapy With the Novel Grain Salba (Salvia hispanica L.) Improves Major and Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes

“…Many of the previous prospective studies evaluating the effect of either fish oil or ALA on hs-CRP did not find significant changes in hs-CRP levels with n-3 PUFA consumption (18). However, in several recent randomized controlled trials (19,20) conducted in hypercholesterolemic subjects, consumption of ALA diets significantly decreased serum levels of CRP. Consistent with these findings, our results demonstrate that consumption of Salba, a grain naturally high in ALA, resulted in a significant decrease of hs-CRP, and the changes in serum ALA and EPA were inversely associated with changes in CRP.…”

Inflammation, obesity and comorbidities: the role of diet

“…For example, dietary fish oil has been observed to decrease CRP and IL-6 in postmenopausal women 72 . The anti-inflammatory effects of the a-linolenic acid have also been observed in several interventional studies [73][74][75] .…”

The effects of dietary fibre on C-reactive protein, an inflammation marker predicting cardiovascular disease

“…Other dietary fatty acids that showed a weak inverse relation with CRP include monounsaturated fatty acids, PUFA and omega-3 PUFA in women (Fredrikson et al, 2004). The role of omega-3 PUFA in lowering CRP levels has also been shown in clinical trials (Rallidis et al, 2003;Bemelmans et al, 2004) and crosssectionally (Lopez-Garcia et al, 2004). The lowering of CRP could thus have in part been attributed to changes in fatty acids intake.…”