title: Influence of alpha-linolenic acid and fish-oil on markers of cardiovascular risk in subjects with an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype.
abstract: We tested the hypothesis that dietary alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) can exert effects on markers of cardiovascular risk similar to that produced by its longer chain counterparts in fish-oil. A dietary intervention study was undertaken to examine the effects of an ALA-enriched diet in 57 men expressing an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype (ALP). Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three diets enriched either with flaxseed oil (FXO: high ALA, n = 21), sunflower oil (SO: high linoleic acid, n = 17), or SO with fish-oil (SOF n = 19) for 12 weeks, resulting in dietary intake ratios of n-6:n-3 PUFA of 0.5, 27.9 and 5.2, respectively. The relative abundance of ALA and EPA in erythrocyte membranes increased on the FXO diet (p < 0.001), whereas both EPA and DHA increased after fish-oil (p < 0.001). There were significant decreases in total plasma cholesterol within (FXO -12.3%, p = 0.001; SOF -7.6%, p = 0.014; SO -7.3%, p = 0.033) and between diets (p = 0.019), and decreases within diets after 12 weeks for HDL cholesterol on flaxseed oil (FXO -10%, p=0.009), plasma TG (-23%, p < 0.001) and small, dense LDL (-22% p = 0.003) in fish-oil. Membrane DHA levels were inversely associated with the changes in plasma TG ( p= 0.001) and small, dense LDL (p<0.05) after fish-oil. In conclusion, fish-oil produced predictable changes in plasma lipids and small, dense LDL (sdLDL) that were not reproduced by the ALA-enriched diet. Membrane DHA levels appeared to be an important determinant of these fish-oil-induced effects.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: Eric E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ah-Sing
authors.forename: Nahed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: D Joe
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Millward
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004032:Diet; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008043:Linseed Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D012307:Risk Factors; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010743:Phospholipids; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D008043:Linseed Oil; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid