Dietary fish oil decreases C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and triacylglycerol to HDL-cholesterol ratio in postmenopausal women on HRT.
BACKGROUND
Atherogenesis is a complex process involving both a low-grade inflammation and a disturbed lipid profile. Although dietary fish and fish oil improve the latter of these two risk factors, their impact on the former is less clear.


OBJECTIVE
This study addressed the effect of supplementation with fish oil in doses achievable with diet on serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the lipid profile.


RESULTS
Thirty healthy subjects taking HRT were randomly divided into three groups and supplemented for five weeks with 14 g/day safflower oil (SO), 7 g/day of both safflower oil and fish oil (LFO), or 14 g/day fish oil (HFO). Measurements included serum high-sensitivity CRP, IL-6 in plasma and in cell culture supernatant collected from 24-hr lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated whole blood, and lipid profile markers. CRP and IL-6 were adjusted for body mass index (BMI). Fish oil supplementation significantly decreased CRP and IL-6 compared to SO, with a greater effect in the LFO than HFO groups. Plasma triacylglycerol (TG) and the TG/HDL-C ratio were significantly lower in the HFO compared to the SO group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that dietary fish oil may decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease through the modulation of both plasma lipids and inflammatory markers in healthy postmenopausal women.
D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D017698:Postmenopause; D012450:Safflower Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010919:Placebos; D014280:Triglycerides; D012450:Safflower Oil; D002097:C-Reactive Protein