Daily consumption of milk enriched with fish oil, oleic acid, minerals and vitamins reduces cell adhesion molecules in healthy children.
OBJECTIVE
Several studies have suggested that polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals have beneficial effects on lipid profile and systemic inflammation in adults.


RESULTS
We examined the effects of a daily intake of milk enriched with longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids, oleic acid, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and low in saturated fatty acids (SFAs) for 5 months, on several cardiovascular (CVD) risk biomarkers in healthy children aged 8-14 years. In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, a total of 107 children of both genders were assigned to two study groups: 1) a supplemented group (SG, n=53) who consumed 0.6 L/day of an enriched dairy product, and 2) a control group (CG, n=54) who consumed 0.6 L/day of standard whole milk. Both groups consumed the dairy drinks for 5 months, in addition to their usual diet. Serum levels of adhesion molecules as indices of vascular endothelial cell activation were assessed in both groups at 0 and 5 months as well as white blood cell counts, lipid profile, serum proteins, total serum calcium, 25-OH vitamin D, glucose, insulin and adiponectin. In the enriched dairy drink supplemented group, adhesion molecules E-selectin and ICAM-1 as well as lymphocyte levels decreased while plasma docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and serum calcium concentrations increased. In the control group, serum total protein, transferrin, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin concentrations decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
The consumption of a milk enriched with fish oil, oleic acid, minerals and vitamins reduced indices of endothelial cell activation in the studied group of healthy children.
Romeo
J
J
Immunonutrition Research Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Instituto del Frío, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain. jromeo@if.csic.es
Wärnberg
J
J
García-Mármol
E
E
Rodríguez-Rodríguez
M
M
Diaz
L E
LE
Gomez-Martínez
S
S
Cueto
B
B
López-Huertas
E
E
Cepero
M
M
Boza
J J
JJ
Fonollá
J
J
Marcos
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000032:analysis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D019040:E-Selectin; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005395:Fish Oils; D014131:Trace Elements; D014815:Vitamins; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D019301:Oleic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol