Very low intakes of N-3 fatty acids incorporated into bovine milk reduce plasma triacylglycerol and increase HDL-cholesterol concentrations in healthy subjects.
Eight normolipidaemic volunteers, habitual partial skim milk drinkers and non-eaters of fish during the study, were given 500 ml day(-1) of partial skim milk for 1 month; they were then switched to 500 ml day(-1) of a novel commercially available milk preparation, supplying 400 mg of N-3 fatty acids-of which 300 mg were EPA+DHA-and 15 mg vitamin E, for 6 weeks. No changes in plasma lipid parameters were observed after the first run-in month; at 3 and 6 weeks on the N-3-rich milk, marked increments of plasma EPA (44 and 31%, respectively) and DHA (13 and 31%, respectively) were observed. Triacylglycerol (TG) concentrations decreased by 19% and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations increased by 19% at 6 weeks; plasma vitamin E rose by 21% while the susceptibility of plasma to oxidation was unaffected. Correlations were found between plasma EPA or DHA and TG, cholesterol, and HDL. In conclusion, the intake of a milk preparation providing low amounts of EPA+DHA to healthy individuals led to marked increases of N-3 fatty acids and vitamin E in plasma and in associated favourable changes in HDL and TG.
Visioli
F
F
Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
Risè
P
P
Plasmati
E
E
Pazzucconi
F
F
Sirtori
C R
CR
Galli
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D014280:Triglycerides