Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-enriched hen eggs consumption enhances microvascular reactivity in young healthy individuals

Abstract

The beneficial effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) supplementation on the cardiovascular (CV) system is well supported in CV patients; however, the effect of the consumption of omega-3 PUFA-enriched functional food in healthy individuals is still not fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine the effect of the consumption of omega-3 PUFA-enriched hen eggs on the microvascular reactivity (primary outcome), blood pressure (BP), and serum lipid profile in young healthy individuals. The control group (N = 16) ate 3 ordinary hen eggs (277 mg of omega-3 PUFAs/day), and the OMEGA-3 group (N = 20) ate 3 omega-3 PUFA-enriched eggs containing 259 mg of omega-3 PUFAs/egg daily (α-linolenic acid (ALA), 167 mg/egg; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 7 mg/egg; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 84 mg/egg) for 3 weeks (777 mg of omega-3 PUFA/day). Postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) in skin microcirculation assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry, serum lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and arterial BP were measured in all subjects before and after the protocol. PORH was significantly enhanced, and triglycerides, hsCRP, and BP were significantly decreased in the OMEGA-3 group compared with baseline measurements, whereas there was no significant difference in the control group after the protocol when compared with baseline. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that consumption of a mixture of omega-3 PUFA (ALA + EPA + DHA), provided via enriched hen eggs, elicits changes in the microvascular reactivity, BP, and triglyceride level in healthy subjects that are associated with CV benefits, thus suggesting that daily consumption of omega-3 PUFA-enriched eggs in healthy individuals may potentially contribute to CV risk factor attenuation and disease prevention.

Leukocyte Activation and Antioxidative Defense Are Interrelated and Moderately Modified by n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid-Enriched Eggs Consumption—Double-Blind Controlled Randomized Clinical Study

“…In the present study, microvascular reactivity was not significantly affected by any kind of hen eggs consumption. This contrasts with our previous findings of enhanced microvascular dilator responses in young individuals who consumed n-3 PUFA-enriched hen eggs [ 7 , 29 ]. However, this difference may be contributed to the low dose of ingested n-3 PUFAs (approximately 406 mg/day for three weeks in the present study, compared to 770 or 1050 mg/day in previous studies).…”

“…Improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation in response to acetylcholine was reported in healthy individuals who took fish oil supplementation (EPA+DHA) of approximately 250 mg/day for eight months [ 30 ]. In an effort to determine cut-off values of n-3 PUFAs supplementation from which their beneficial effects on endothelial function may begin to emerge, in this particular study we tested if supplementation of 406 mg n-3 PUFAs daily in a form of functional food would induce functional improvement of forearm skin microvascular function, as evidenced in our earlier study [ 7 , 29 ]. Taken together, the cut-off values of dietary intake of n-3 PUFAs may be set at >750 mg per day, during at least three weeks in order to observe beneficial functional changes in the microcirculation of young healthy individuals.…”

“…However, such a significant effect of n-3 PUFAs intake in a form of fish servings (∼800 mg/serving EPA+DHA; four servings a week for eight weeks) or supplementation as fish oil capsules (two grams/day EPA+DHA for 12 weeks; 1.7 g/day EPA+DHA for four weeks) in lowering BP level was not observed in normotensive individuals [ 35 , 36 , 37 ]. Interestingly, two studies reported significantly decreased BP level following consumption of n-3 PUFA-enriched hen eggs in healthy individuals (770 mg/day for three weeks [ 29 , 38 ]; four eggs/day for four weeks). In the present study, consumption of n-3 PUFA-enriched hen eggs did not significantly affect BP levels.…”

“…Clinical studies and meta-analysis in hyperlipidemic individuals reported that n-3 PUFAs supplementation (EPA and DHA) can reduce serum lipids, most notably triglycerides [ 1 ]. Moreover, consumption of n-3 PUFA-enriched functional food (e.g., hen eggs) has the potential to decrease serum triglycerides level (for approximately 16–18%) in healthy individuals [ 29 , 38 , 39 , 40 ]. Altogether, current evidence indicate that n-3 PUFA intake has potential to decrease serum triglycerides level in both hyperlipidemic and normolipidemic individuals, but obviously, there is a threshold amount of n-3 PUFAs that needs to be consumed to observe these effects.…”

Commercial and Therapeutic Potential of Plant-Based Fatty Acids

“…Thus, daily intake of PUFAs such as omega-3 and omega-6 is important. Experimental tests were carried out with people with ischemic heart failure, and the beneficial effect of PUFAs consumption was verified by the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors such as reduction of the inflammatory process in myocardial tissue, and acceleration of the healing process of the myocardium fibrous tissue [78,[83][84][85][86][87][88][89].…”