Maternal Supplementation with Polyphenols and Omega-3 Fatty Acids during Pregnancy: Prenatal Effects on Fetal Fatty Acid Composition in the Iberian Pig

Abstract

Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) is a major problem in pig production and different strategies, mainly maternal supplementation with different agents, are currently being studied. The combination of hydroxytyrosol and n3-PUFA seems to be a promising treatment to counteract IUGR, since the combination may help improve n3-PUFA composition and lower the inflammatory status of IUGR piglets. The aim of the present study is to determine the effects of a maternal supplementation, from day 35 to day 100 of pregnancy, with linseed oil and hydroxytyrosol on the fetal FA composition. The results showed higher n3 levels, including eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic FA in the offspring from treated gilts, which showed lower n6-PUFA/n3-PUFA (n6/n3) ratios. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were also affected by treatment, especially in the muscle and brain. Thus, a maternal supplementation with linseed oil and hydroxytyrosol affected the fetal FA tissue composition, which could have implications in pig production due to the improvement of the piglets’ health status.

Improving Fatty Acid Profile in Native Breed Pigs Using Dietary Strategies: A Review

“…The inclusion of PUFAS in the diet can prevent intrauterine growth restriction, increase birth weight, and reduce mortality. This is demonstrated in the study by Heras-Molina et al [43], who described that a linseed diet in pregnant Iberian sows increases the PUFA proportion of fetal tissues, especially of n-3. These authors suggest that this ingredient diet could have a positive impact on the health status of piglets and meat characteristics.…”

“…Not only are the PUFA, MUFA, and SFA content important to obtain a healthy product, the ratio of n-6/n-3 has been known to have nutritional significance [33,39,43], especially relative to the content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) [44], being necessary for the equilibrated biosynthesis of eicosanoids in the organism. Unbalanced n-6/n-3 ratios, which should be less than either 4:1 or 5:1 [44], have been linked to many disorders, including cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases or diabetes [23].…”

Dousing the flame: reviewing the mechanisms of inflammatory programming during stress-induced intrauterine growth restriction and the potential for ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intervention

“…These findings were recapitulated in rats, where IUGR-born neonates were found to be DHA-deficient, but maternal supplementation increased circulating DHA concentrations in these offspring by 3.25-fold (Morand et al, 1981;Joss-Moore et al, 2010). In pigs, maternal ω-3 PUFA supplementation increased DHA and EPA and reduced ω-6:ω-3 PUFA ratios in fetal blood and skeletal muscle near term, which coincided with greater blood glucose, less cholesterol, and a reduction in the incidence of IUGR from 22% to 14% (Heras-Molina et al, 2021;Heras-Molina et al, 2022). These benefits persisted after birth, as weaning-aged pigs born to ω-3 PUFA-supplemented sows had less circulating total cholesterol, HDL-C, and LDL-C as well as greater total ω-3 PUFA content and lower ω-6:ω-3 PUFA ratios in adipose, muscle, and liver tissues (Heras-Molina et al, 2020).…”