Moderate fish-oil supplementation reverses low-platelet, long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status and reduces plasma triacylglycerol concentrations in British Indo-Asians.
BACKGROUND
The mechanisms involved in the increased mortality from coronary artery disease in British Indo-Asians are not well understood.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate whether British Indo-Asian Sikhs have higher plasma triacylglycerol concentrations, lower platelet phospholipid levels, and lower dietary intakes of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) than do age- and weight-matched Europeans and whether moderate dietary fish-oil intake can reverse these differences.


METHODS
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel, fish-oil intervention study was performed. After a 2-wk run-in period, 44 Europeans and 40 Indo-Asian Sikhs were randomly assigned to receive either 4.0 g fish oil [1.5 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1.0 g docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] or 4.0 g olive oil (control) daily for 12 wk.


RESULTS
At baseline, the Indo-Asians had significantly higher plasma triacylglycerol, small dense LDL, apolipoprotein B, and dietary and platelet phospholipid n-6 PUFA values and significantly lower long-chain n-3 PUFAs (EPA and DHA) than did the Europeans. A significant decrease in plasma triacylglycerol, plasma apolipoprotein B-48, and platelet phospholipid arachidonic acid concentrations and a significant increase in plasma HDL concentrations and platelet phospholipid EPA and DHA levels were observed after fish-oil supplementation. No significant effect of ethnicity on the responses to fish-oil supplementation was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate fish-oil supplementation contributes to a reversal of lipid abnormalities and low n-3 PUFA levels in Indo-Asians and should be considered as an important, yet simple, dietary manipulation to reduce CAD risk in Indo-Asians with an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype.
Lovegrove
Julie A
JA
Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom. j.a.lovegrove@reading.ac.uk
Lovegrove
Sean S
SS
Lesauvage
Stephanie V M
SV
Brady
Louise M
LM
Saini
Nicky
N
Minihane
Anne M
AM
Williams
Christine M
CM
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D006113:United Kingdom
D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides; C077446:Pikasol