[Plasma fatty acids profile and lipids in Tunisian male elite athletes].
BACKGROUND
Growing interest is accorded to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) omega3, which are considered beneficial for health.


OBJECTIVE
to investigate the effect of sports on plasma lipids and fatty acids (FAs), especially omega6 and omega3 PUFAs and the omega6/omega3 ratio.


METHODS
The study included 75 Tunisian male elite athletes, practicing team sport and 70 sedentary healthy men as controls. Plasma FAs profile was analyzed by gas chromatography. Comparison between groups was performed using a univariate GLM analysis, with adjustment on age, body mass and energy intake.


RESULTS
Athletes showed lower triglycerides and saturated FAs (27.64% +/- 2.17% vs. 30.41% +/- 4.35%) and increased HDL cholesterol and monounsaturated FAs (21.19% +/- 2 44% vs. 19.12% +/- 3.03%). However, there was no significant difference in total PUFAs, omega6 and omega3 families and omega6/omega3 ratio (10.15% +/- 3.24% vs. 10.20% +/- 3.37%) between athletes and sedentary.


CONCLUSIONS
Sport favorably modifies the profile of plasma FAs by increasing monounsaturated FAs at the expense of saturated FAs, but has no effect on total PUFAs, and omega6 and omega3 families. A diet rich in omega3 PUFAs would lower the omega6/omega3 ratio, in order to improve the health and probably the performance of athletes.
Unité de Recherche 05/UR/08-08 et Laboratoire de Biochimie, Hôpital la Rabta, Tunis, Tunisie.
Souheil
S
Omar
Mohamed M
MM
Sethom
Sondes
S
Feki-Mhiri
Sameh
S
Hadj-Taeib
Ikram
I
Ben Ayed
Moncef
M
Feki
Naziha
N
Kaabachi
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports; D014416:Tunisia
D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids