Effects of alpha-linolenic acid versus those of EPA/DHA on cardiovascular risk markers in healthy elderly subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3) to those of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) on cardiovascular risk markers in healthy elderly subjects.


METHODS
A randomized double-blind nutritional intervention study.


METHODS
Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands.


METHODS
Thirty-seven mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects, 14 men and 23 women aged between 60 and 78 years.


METHODS
During a run-in period of 3 weeks, subjects consumed an oleic acid-rich diet. The following 6 weeks, 10 subjects remained on the control diet, 13 subjects consumed an ALA-rich diet (6.8 g/day) and 14 subjects an EPA/DHA-rich diet (1.05 g EPA/day + 0.55 g DHA/day).


RESULTS
Both n-3 fatty acid diets did not change concentrations of total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol and apoA-1 when compared with the oleic acid-rich diet. However, after the EPA/DHA-rich diet, LDL-cholesterol increased by 0.39 mmol/l (P = 0.0323, 95% CI (0.030, 0.780 mmol/l)) when compared with the ALA-rich diet. Intake of EPA/DHA also increased apoB concentrations by 14 mg/dl (P = 0.0031, 95% CI (4, 23 mg/dl)) and 12 mg/dl (P = 0.005, 95% CI (3, 21 mg/dl)) versus the oleic acid and ALA-rich diet, respectively. Except for an EPA/DHA-induced increase in tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) of 14.6% (P = 0.0184 versus ALA diet, 95% CI (1.5, 18.3%)), changes in markers of hemostasis and endothelial integrity did not reach statistical significance following consumption of the two n-3 fatty acid diets.


CONCLUSIONS
In healthy elderly subjects, ALA might affect concentrations of LDL-cholesterol and apoB more favorably than EPA/DHA, whereas EPA/DHA seems to affect TFPI more beneficially.
Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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PL
Goyens
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RP
Mensink
D000368:Aged; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; C051928:lipoprotein-associated coagulation inhibitor; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D019301:Oleic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid