Supplementation with fish oil affects the association between very long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum non-esterified fatty acids and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of fish oil supplementation on the association between serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) pattern and atherosclerotic activity. We studied correlations between serum non-esterified very long-chain eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) and biochemical markers of endothelial activation before and after 18-months intervention with fish oil supplementation. The fish oil supplementation consisted of 2.4 g of EPA and DHA per day, with corn oil as placebo. Elderly men ( n =171) with high risk for coronary heart disease were divided into four intervention groups in a factorial design: fish oil supplementation ( n =44), dietary intervention ( n =42), fish oil supplementation+dietary intervention ( n =47) or placebo ( n =38). The composition of fasting NEFA was analysed before and after intervention by GLC. Circulating endothelial markers were analysed by ELISA. A statistically significant positive correlation between the change in serum non-esterified DHA and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) was found in the pooled group that received fish oil supplementation ( n =91; Spearman's correlation coefficient r =0.24, P =0.02). No such correlation was found in the pooled group without fish oil supplementation ( n =80). Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between the change in serum non-esterified EPA and the relative change in sVCAM-1 in the group that did not receive fish oil supplementation ( r =-0.34, P =0.002). No such correlation was found in the group with fish oil supplementation. We conclude that large increase in serum non-esterified EPA and DHA, which can only be attained by supplementation, might increase inflammation in vascular endothelium. A moderate dietary increase in fish oil intake may, however, have an effect on decreasing inflammatory markers.

Effects of alpha-linolenic acid versus those of EPA/DHA on cardiovascular risk markers in healthy elderly subjects

“…Hence, based on our results, we cannot attribute a beneficial effect to ALA or the marine fatty acids with regard to markers of endothelial integrity in healthy elderly. We do not think that the amount of ingested EPA/DHA in the present study was too low to induce an effect on endothelial markers, as other studies showed beneficial effects after low to moderate intakes of n-3 fish fatty acids Thies et al, 2001;Baro et al, 2003;Berstad et al, 2003;Hjerkinn et al, 2005). Our study duration was however shorter than those of other studies, which may have masked any beneficial effects of EPA/DHA on these endothelial markers.…”

Do Eicosapentaenoic Acid Supplements Attenuate Age-Related Increases in Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Dyslipidemia ?: A Preliminary Study

“…Alterations in the arachidonic acids system and lipid profiles (21), as well as reductions in the production of atherogenic cytokines, are thought to underlie the beneficial effects of eicosapentaenoic acid supplements (21,22). Eicosapentaenoic acid was found to decrease the plasma level of triglycerides, without affecting the plasma levels of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.…”

Nutrition and the endothelium

“…The most recent published clinical trial with n-3 fatty acids was performed by Berstad et al [13]. They divided a population with high risk of coronary heart disease into four intervention groups: fish oil supplementation, dietary intervention, fish oil supplementation plus dietary intervention, or placebo.…”