title: Effects of dietary supplementation with n-6 and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on serum lipoproteins and platelet function in hypertriglyceridaemic patients.
abstract: Twenty-seven patients with hypertriglyceridaemia were given dietary supplementation either with evening primrose oil rich in gammalinolenic acid (GLA, 18:3 n-6) (n = 13) or a marine oil concentrate containing n-3 fatty acids (n = 14) in a double-blind cross-over design during 8 + 8 weeks with olive oil as placebo. During GLA supplementation, increases in GLA and dihomogammalinolenic acid (20:3 n-6) were found in plasma lipid esters and platelet phospholipids, whereas platelet function and serum lipoproteins were unaffected. During supplementation with n-3 fatty acids there was a significant decrease in triglycerides in all lipoprotein fractions with a slight increase in high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. A marked increase in the long-chain n-3 fatty acids was found both in plasma and platelets, mainly at the expense of the n-6 fatty acids. No pronounced effects on platelet reactivity could be demonstrated. Our results confirm a triglyceride-lowering effect of n-3 fatty acids, whereas no such effect of GLA could be demonstrated.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000032:analysis; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006951:Hyperlipoproteinemias / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D008074:Lipoproteins