Effects of fish oil on fecal bacterial enzymes and steroid excretion in healthy volunteers: implications for colon cancer prevention.
Diet-induced changes in fecal excretion of secondary bile acids, certain neutral sterols, and bacterial enzyme activities are known to play a role in colon cancer development. Dietary fish oil (FO) has been implicated as a protective agent in colon carcinogenesis. In the present study, the effects of FO and corn oil (CO) on these fecal parameters were investigated in 24 healthy volunteers consuming a low- or a high-fat diet (30% or 50% of energy derived from fat). After four weeks of FO or CO supplementation (4.4 g of n-3 fatty acids/day), no significant differences were noted for fecal activities of beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, and sulfatase, nor was fecal bile acid excretion significantly affected by FO or CO consumption. However, daily excretion of the putative colon carcinogen 4-cholesten-3-one was significantly lower in the FO than in the CO period during low- and high-fat experiments. This may be another biochemical mechanism by which FO exerts its protective effect on colon cancer development.
Bartram
H P
HP
Department of Medicine, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
Gostner
A
A
Kelber
E
E
Dusel
G
G
Weimer
A
A
Scheppach
W
W
Kasper
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology*; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002783:Cholestenones / Q000378:metabolism; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000494:pharmacology; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013261:Sterols / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013429:Sulfatases / Q000378:metabolism; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism
D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D002783:Cholestenones; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D013261:Sterols; C000475:cholest-4-en-3-one; D003314:Corn Oil; D013429:Sulfatases; D001617:beta-Glucosidase; D005966:Glucuronidase