title: The impact of age on the postprandial vascular response to a fish oil-enriched meal.
abstract: Although chronic fish oil intervention had been shown to have a positive impact on vascular reactivity, very little is known about their acute effects during the postprandial phase. Our aim was to examine the impact of a fish oil-enriched test meal on postprandial vascular reactivity in healthy younger ( < 50 years) v. older ( > or = 50 years) men. Vascular reactivity was measured at baseline (0 h), 2 and 4 h after the meal by laser Doppler iontophoresis and blood samples taken at 0 and 4 h for the measurement of plasma lipids, total nitrite, glucose and insulin. Acetylcholine- (ACh, endothelial-dependent vasodilator) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, endothelial-independent vasodilator)-induced reactivities were greater at 4 h than at baseline or 2 h in the younger men (P < 0.04). These changes were not observed in the older men. Comparison of the male groups revealed significantly greater responses to ACh (P = 0.006) and SNP (P = 0.05) at 4 h in the younger compared with the older males. Postprandial NEFA concentrations were also greater at 4 h in the younger compared with the older men (P = 0.005), with no differences observed for any of the other analytes. Multiple regression analysis revealed age to be the most significant predictor of both ACh and SNP induced reactivity 4 h after the meal. In conclusion, the ingestion of a meal enriched in fish oil fatty acids was shown to improve postprandial vascular reactivity at 4 h in our younger men, with little benefit evident in our older men.
authors: Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, Department of Food Biosciences, University of Reading, PO Box 226, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK. k.g.jackson@reading.ac.uk
authors: Kim G
authors: KG
authors: Jackson
authors: Christopher K
authors: CK
authors: Armah
authors: Izzy
authors: I
authors: Doman
authors: Lewis
authors: L
authors: James
authors: Farah
authors: F
authors: Cheghani
authors: Anne M
authors: AM
authors: Minihane
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D000109:Acetylcholine