Plasma Saturated and Linoleic Fatty Acids Are Independently Associated With Blood Pressure

Abstract

Abstract-The role of individual fatty acids in blood pressure regulation is unclear. We studied the cross-sectional relationship of blood pressure, total plasma phospholipid fatty acid concentrations, and proportions of individual fatty acids among participants in a population study. Blood pressure was measured automatically, and plasma phospholipid fatty acids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography in 4033 healthy men 40 to 42 years old. Significant positive linear associations existed between total fatty acids and saturated fatty acids and blood pressure, whereas polyunsaturated linoleic acid was inversely associated with blood pressure. In multiple regression analyses, a 2-SD increase in total fatty acids was associated with an increase of 6.0 (95% CI, 5.1 to 6.8) mm Hg systolic blood pressure. A 2-SD increase in saturated palmitic acid was associated with 1.4 (95% CI, 0.5 to 2.3) mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure. In contrast, a 2-SD increase in polyunsaturated linoleic acid was associated with a 1.9 (95% CI, 1.0 to 2.8) mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure. We conclude that plasma levels of total fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated linoleic acid are independently associated with blood pressure. The present study supports the hypothesis that the composition of dietary fat influences blood pressure. (Hypertension. 1999;34:478-483.)Key Words: fatty acids Ⅲ blood pressure Ⅲ human T he relationship between dietary fats and blood pressure is controversial. Systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with dietary saturated fat in ecological data. 1 Observational studies that indicate that dietary saturated fat is positively associated with blood pressure 2-4 and polyunsaturated fat and the polyunsaturated/saturated fat (P/S) ratio are inversely associated with blood pressure 2,3,5 contradict reports that found no such associations. 6,7 Blood levels of fatty acids may be used to examine the relationship between individual fatty acids and blood pressure. There are reports of positive associations between blood pressure and blood levels of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, 8 -10 whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids have been both positively and inversely associated with blood pressure. 8,10 Most previous studies included selected study groups 9,10 or few subjects. 8,10 On the basis of experimental data in animals and humans, 1 review found that n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. 11 However, 2 reviews of observational data and clinical trials concluded that dietary fats do not influence blood pressure levels. 12,13 Plasma levels of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids reflect dietary intake, 14,15 whereas plasma levels of nonessential fatty acids are less reliable indicators of dietary fat. Nevertheless, plasma levels of palmitic acid (16:0) and stearic acid (18:0) and monounsaturated fatty acids correlated with dietary saturated fat. 14,15 In addition, high levels of dihomo-␥-linolenic acid (20:3n-6) may reflect a ...

Low levels of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid and high levels of arachidonic acid in plasma phospholipids are associated with hypertension

“…Prior observational studies examined associations between serum/plasma or erythrocyte membrane FA and BP. However, their findings were controversial (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26). Stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, n-9 eicosatrienoic acid, and dihomogammalinoleic acid in serum cholesterol esters (21), or total fatty acids, SFA, and LA in plasma PL were indicated to be associated with BP (22).…”

Relationship of urinary sodium/potassium excretion and calcium intake to blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension among older Chinese vegetarians

“…It is known that dietary magnesium, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (Grimsgaard et al, 1999;Miyajima et al, 2001) influence the development and progression of hypertension and consequently coronary heart disease.…”

Dietary supplementation with flaxseed oil lowers blood pressure in dyslipidaemic patients

“…Results from these surveys have indicated that dietary ALA intake is not related (Bemelmans et al, 2000;Djousse et al, 2001;Djousse et al, 2003) or negatively associated (Salonen et al, 1987;Salonen et al, 1988;Djousse et al, 2005) with blood pressure levels. Others have used instead the content of ALA in plasma lipids or adipose tissue and, likewise, reported either an inverse association (Berry and Hirsch, 1986;Bemelmans et al, 2000) or no relationship (Riemersma et al, 1986;Simon et al, 1996;Grimsgaard et al, 1999). Another approach has been the supplementation of the diet with ALA and the prospective monitoring of blood pressure.…”